Audiologists & Speech-Language Pathologists
Formal Description
“Audiologists diagnose, evaluate and treat individuals with peripheral and central hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. Speech-language pathologists diagnose, assess and treat human communication disorders including speech, fluency, language, voice and swallowing disorders. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are employed in hospitals, community and public health centres, extended care facilities, day clinics, rehabilitation centres and educational institutions, or may work in private practice. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists who are supervisors are included in this unit group.” (NOC 2021)
Sample Job Titles
This category includes a variety of job titles that may not necessarily be reflected by the category title. For a full index of job titles, see the category entry on the ESDC site. Example job titles include:
Audiologist
Educational Speech-Language Pathologist
Pediatric Audiologist
Speech-Language Pathologist
Typical Employment and Education Requirements
The requirements listed for each occupational category will tend to vary across particular roles, job titles, and contexts.
The following typical requirements are listed on the ESDC’s 2021 entry for this occupational category:
- “Audiologists require a master’s degree in audiology.”
- “Speech-language pathologists require a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.”
- “Registration with a regulatory body is required for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.”
- “Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, is usually required. “
- “In some jurisdictions, audiologists may be required to obtain a separate license to dispense hearing aids”
Success with a Social Sciences Undergraduate Degree and Beyond
When reviewing typical requirements, please remember:
- Degree and diploma listings often end with a purposefully open-ended phrase (“or a related field”, “or a similar discipline”) that acknowledges the variety and applicability of social sciences and liberal arts degrees.
- Employers often focus less on the name or title of a candidate’s degree, and more on how they articulate their transferable skills and experiences.
- Many qualifications and certifications are available as post-graduate certificates aimed at recent university graduates; these can make an excellent further education option for a social sciences or liberal arts degree.
Related Sectors
Whereas Economic and Social Development Canada’s ‘occupational’ categories tend to focus more on the duties and functions that people play in specific roles, exploring careers by ‘sectors’ helps us to sort by employer type, industry, or general field of work. Here are just a few of the sectors that may be relevant to this category:
Academic Program Connections
As you select your program of study and the courses you will take, you can chart a path towards success in this sector from any one of our social sciences departments and programs. Here are just a few examples of academic disciplines that have connections with this sector:
Health, Aging & Society Learn More
Understanding the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging and health across the lifespan is helpful when working with clients ranging from infants with developmental delays to older adults with conditions like aphasia, dementia, or Parkinson’s disease. Please review specific course requirements for Audiology/SLP programs.
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour Learn More
Knowledge about cognitive, emotional, and social development, is crucial for assessing and treating speech and language disorders in children and adults. Please review specific course requirements for Audiology/SLP programs.
Social Psychology Learn More
Social psychology offers tools to understand motivation, reinforcement, and habit formation, crucial for developing behavioural strategies to improve communication for clients. Please review specific course requirements for Audiology/SLP programs.
Sociology Learn More
A degree in Sociology enhances understanding of how cultural norms and societal structures influence communication styles and language use, enabling therapy to be tailored to a client’s cultural and linguistic background. Please review specific course requirements for Audiology/SLP programs.
