Vocology Certificate

 View our dedicated Vocology Certificate information and application page

Vocology provides marketable skills for singers, voice teachers, speech-language pathologists, broadcasters  and other professional voice users.  The burgeoning interest in vocology is evidenced by the recent establishment of the Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA) in 2013. Our faculty are full voting members of PAVA, which fosters the field of vocology through the creation and development of professional standards and credentials in voice habilitation, while promoting the enhancement of established credentials.

Vocology is the study and practice of voice habilitation. It is a discipline founded in theoretical principles; however, it is a relatively new field that was established in 1989. The purpose of the Vocology Certificate Program is to train vocologists. Our program includes a cutting-edge theoretical and applied curriculum, which places our students on the forefront of this emerging, relevant field. This innovative program connects speech science, speech anatomy and physiology, vocal performance pedagogy, instrumentation and vocal habilitation through interdisciplinary efforts. Lamar University is uniquely suited to offer this certificate because of our historically strong programs in Music and Speech and Hearing Sciences, faculty who are trained specialists in our curriculum and our Voice Lab and Vocology Clinic.

The Vocology Certificate program allows students to acquire foundational knowledge of acoustics, anatomy and physiology of the vocal mechanism, correlate physiology to auditory perception, analyze and interpret information, and incorporate this knowledge into their own intervention/teaching. While qualified vocologists may not require or use stroboscopic equipment in their practice/studio, this coursework provides essential practical knowledge about voice production and enables them to be exceptional collaborators with interdisciplinary professionals.

Courses toward the Lamar University Vocology Certificate are offered online with biannual enrollment. This format offers both domestic and international students flexibility regarding their finances and schedule, enabling students to proceed at their own pace. Students can receive graduate-level credit in either Music or in Speech & Hearing Sciences and all courses in the certificate program are accredited by Lamar University. The established curriculum is: Speech Anatomy & Physiology, Speech & Voice Science, Instrumental Analysis of Voice, Auditory Perceptual Training, Pedagogy of Performance, Literature of Vocology and Speaking & Performing Voice Habilitation. The certificate coursework consists of six, 8-week and two, two-week online courses.

The application for the Vocology Certificate Program is available here through our website. Applications for the Fall semester are due by December 1, 2022 for International applicants and December 21, 2022 for Domestic students. The first day of online classes will begin on January 17, 2023. Fill out the two-part application process.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available.

A full list of our faculty is available now.

Find out more information on our curriculum and course objectives. 

For more information, please contact Vocology Admissions at vocology@lamar.edu.