State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
About the Profession-Scope of Practice

Applications/Forms Complaint Process Contact Us Enforcement Actions Links Open Records Rules/Regulations Statutes/Laws

"Speech-Language Pathologist" means an individual who practices speech-language pathology, who makes a non-medical evaluation, who examines, counsels, or provides habilitative or rehabilitative services for persons who have or are suspected of having speech, voice, language disorders, oral pharyngeal function, or cognitive processes, and who meet the qualifications.

"Audiologist" means a person who practices audiology, who makes a nonmedical evaluation, who examines, counsels, dispenses and sells hearing instruments, management of fittings, or provides habilitative or rehabilitative services for persons who have or are suspected of having hearing disorders, or vestibular function, and who meet the qualifications. The audiology license constitutes authorization to fit and dispense hearing instruments.

"Intern" means an individual licensed to practice under supervision while completing the post-master's degreed 36 week full-time internship. The licensed intern may pursue the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Clinical Fellowship (ASHA CF) simultaneously; however, approval from the ASHA to begin the CF is not a license to practice.

"Assistant" means an individual who possesses a baccalaureate degree in communicative sciences and disorders licensed to practice under supervision. The practice of assistants is very limited.

The intern license and the assistant license are issued in either the area of speech-language pathology or the area of audiology. The supervisor shall be licensed in the same professional area.

Licensed Speech-Language Pathologists, Licensed Interns in Speech-Language Pathology, and Licensed Assistants in Speech-Language Pathology may participate in universal newborn hearing screening as defined by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 47.

Last Updated June 9, 2005