Why pursue a Multicultural Bilingual Certificate?
In a multicultural and multilingual nation, clinical excellence in speech-language pathology and audiology requires service provision that meets the full linguistic and cultural realities of the communities we serve.
The Multicultural Bilingual Certificate Program (MBCP) at the University of Arizona trains students to work effectively with bilingual and multicultural individuals across settings, combining evidence-informed practice with cultural and community awareness. The MBCP is structured to equip graduates to address critical service delivery disparities and set the standard for multicultural clinical competence. Our program emphasizes that effective, ethical practice begins with an accurate understanding of the linguistic, cultural, and community contexts in which communication develops. Students from all language backgrounds and experiences are welcome to apply.
Integrating science, culture, and community to transform practice.
As our communities continue to evolve, so does the need for care that honors language, culture, and lived experience.
More than 1 in 5 people aged 5 and older in the United States speak a language other than English in the home. In communities like ours in Southern Arizona, that number rises to about 25% of the population.
Our Multicultural Bilingual Certificate Program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Graduate students in the Multicultural Bilingual Certificate Program receive advanced clinical preparation with diverse patient populations, structured training in interpreter-mediated service delivery, and rigorous coursework in culturally responsive practice and cultural humility. These are competencies increasingly recognized as essential to high-quality clinical outcomes. Nationwide, schools, hospitals, and clinics face urgent shortages of professionals prepared to serve multilingual populations. The MBCP directly responds to this need by preparing clinicians to deliver accurate assessment, evidence-informed intervention, and high-quality communication support for multilingual individuals. Graduates enter the workforce with high-demand competencies that strengthen service delivery in underserved communities and raise the standard of care across educational and healthcare systems.
The certificate program requires the following graduate coursework (9 units):
1. SLHS 535 (3 units) – Bilingualism, Multiculturalism, and Language Varieties
Covers bilingual language processes, cultural practices, geographical and regional varieties This course takes place in the Spring semester of 2nd year.
2. SLHS 597 (1 unit) – Workshop on Service Delivery for Bilingual Populations and/or Inclusive Clinical Services
Students have opportunities to engage and learn about practical tools in multicultural and multilingual service delivery. Some examples in topics covered include: Using interpreters, writing culturally responsive reports, engaging bilingual families, cultural competence and sensitivity. This class takes place in the Fall semester of 2nd Year.
3. SLHS 558/559 or 658/659 (2 units) - Clinical Practicum
Supervised bilingual/multicultural clinical experiences are prioritized as part of your clinical training program. MCBP students have priority for being placed with bilingual clinical instructors and/or settings which provide ample opportunities to serve a range of bilingual or multicultural communities. This might look like working with a Spanish-speaking preschooler on phonology, conducting a hearing screening with an adult using an interpreter, counseling parents from refugee backgrounds, and more.
4. Elective (3 units) – One appropriate elective course that addresses areas of student interest and needs. Many students opt to browse through the University of Arizona’s course catalog to find courses of interest in related disciplines, including: Public Health, Psychology, Special Education, Spanish, Educational Psychology, Linguistics, Learning, Reading, and Cultures, among others.
Some course examples that would satisfy the elective requirement might include:
LRC 504: Foundations of Multicultural Education
SERP 504: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Exceptional Learners
SERP 503: Special Services in Schools
SPAN 580: Spanish Phonetics & Phonology
ANTH 595: Language & Culture
LING 555: Sociolinguistics
PHP 564: Science of Health Disparities
Electives should serve as another lens of the development of your skillsets that can apply to your practice (e.g., Spanish phonetics if you want to work with Spanish-speaking families).
*Community Service and Engagement Option for Elective:
Students may also choose to pursue an independent study for 3 units focused on developing skills in community partnership and engagement. This option reflects our deep commitment to serving and learning with the diverse multilingual and multicultural communities of Arizona and beyond. Through this experience, students gain hands-on opportunities to contribute to programs that value language, culture, and community. Examples of ongoing initiatives that students can pursue to satisfy the elective requirement are listed below.
Arizona Sonora Border; Projects for Inclusion (ARSOBO): Students in the Multicultural Bilingual Certificate Program also have the opportunity to participate in community outreach through ARSOBO, a long-standing collaboration between SLHS and community partners in Nogales, Sonora (1 hour south of Tucson). SLHS faculty and students travel across the border several times a year to provide hearing and communication support to children and adults who would otherwise have limited access to services. In this setting, AuD students develop practical clinical competencies through supervised participation in hearing evaluations, case-history interviews, and patient counseling. Graduate students with strong Spanish proficiency may serve as interpreters, while others assist with patient flow, record-keeping, or procedural preparation. Hearing aid candidates receive reconditioned devices at little or no cost, and every student involved gains hands-on experience delivering high-impact, community-centered care. This unique cross-border partnership reflects our program’s commitment to serving multilingual communities and preparing you to work responsively and ethically across communities.
Verano in México: At the University of Arizona, we are proud to have a wide range of experiences available to support our students and their learning goals that can prepare them to serve the needs of their communities. We highly value interdisciplinary training experiences and our partners at the College of Education offer the Verano in México Study Abroad Program in Guanajuato, México. This summer experience satisfies the elective requirement for graduate students and provides an immersive Spanish-language environment alongside guided work with interdisciplinary experts, local teachers, and educational partners. For more information on Verano in México, you can access the official brochure here. This experience will not conflict with summer clinical placements and would be ideal in the first summer of the MS program or the 2nd summer of the AuD program.
Other classes or independent study experiences may be identified to fulfill the elective requirement. For more information, contact the MBCP director, Dr. Genesis Arizmendi (genesis@arizona.edu).
VAMOSS and Comm•unity Sessions
Dr. Arizmendi is pleased to introduce VAMOSS and Comm•unity Sessions!
VAMOSS is a Spanish-speaking and practice club within the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences that is led by Dr. Arizmendi's research assistants in the BABEL Lab. Recognizing that language development and proficiency requires regular practice, this club offers a supportive environment for students at all levels to refine their Spanish skills. Whether you’re a fluent speaker or just beginning, we invite you to engage in meaningful conversations and practice, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to strengthen their bilingual abilities and contribute to a more inclusive professional SLHS community. Our goal is to create a supportive, judgment free environment for regular Spanish practice and maintenance, while recognizing our unique cultural-linguistic environment and community that we serve in the Sonoran borderlands!
Comm•unity Sessions a new educational outreach opportunity and initiative under the Multicultural Bilingual Certificate Program. Comm•unity sessions will serve as a platform for learning and accountability, where we will engage with real issues impacting our communities. This is a chance for us to strengthen our commitment to equitable practices in education and clinical care by presenting and discussing topics that matter to our students, faculty, and the populations we serve. These sessions can include presentations and workshops, driven by the needs and requests of our students and faculty, with the goal of creating opportunities for our department to engage in meaningful discussions, explore diverse perspectives, and deepen our understanding of the unique cultural contexts that shape language, learning, and communication. These sessions are open to all students in the department and are not a requirement for students pursuing the certificate. All are invited to participate, contribute ideas, and help shape these sessions into a meaningful resource for our department. Topic requests can be proposed by any students or faculty and can reach out to Dr. Arizmendi for topic requests.
The Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination -- in the classroom, the clinical setting, and the workplace. The University of Arizona Office of Institutional Equity provides education and support for these efforts.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University prohibits discrimination in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information and is committed to maintaining an environment free from sexual harassment and retaliation.