School of Speech-Language Pathology
About
The School of Speech-Language Pathology equips students to meet the demands of one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions in the nation and California. Distinguished faculty provide exceptional instruction and clinical training in communication and swallowing development, disorders, and differences to prepare students to assess and treat patients across the lifespan and continuum of care. The integration of faith into the SLP Program grounds the curriculum in Truth, promotes the ethical and moral exercise of research, and fosters holistic clinical practice that values patients’ physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.
Meet the Dean
Leah I Fullman, MBA ScD CCC-SLP
Dean, School of Speech Language Pathology | College of Health Science
Leah.Fullman@pepperdine.edu
Biography
Dr. Fullman is a clinician, researcher, and academician. She has worked for medical centers, private clinics, and school districts, serving a very diverse caseload of children from NICU through age 21. She has specialized training and research experience in the speech/language and feeding/swallowing needs of medically complex children, including premature infants, craniofacial anomalies, trach/vent, feeding tubes, and NMES.
She served as Founding Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Faulkner University, guiding the development of graduate professional programs in speech language pathology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and physician assistant studies, as well as an undergraduate program in health sciences and a PhD in Health Sciences. During the development process, she oversaw the construction of a new 85,000 square foot Health Science Center, including a 15,000 square foot interprofessional pro bono Clinical Center, and was a member of the advancement team acquiring grants to fund the new College of Health Sciences and the Health Science Center. Dr Fullman serves as a Trustee for the Rocky Mountain University Board of Trustees. She also works as an accreditation consultant for universities developing programs in the health sciences and a legal consultant for cases within her scope of practice.
Mission Statement
Pepperdine University's School of Speech-Language Pathology commits itself to delivering excellence in its academic and clinical preparation programs, both grounded in Christian values, to develop skilled and caring SLPs who possess a devotion to their patients, a heart for service, and a desire to lead within the profession.
Vision Statement
Pepperdine University faculty and students will be leaders in the profession of speech language pathology by
- preparing excellent speech-language pathologists,
- developing distinguished faculty members,
- generating research that advances the field, and
- serving the local and global communities.
Degree Programs
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