Points of interest…
- Callier Center delivers over 30,000 clinical services annually across two locations.
- UT Dallas audiology ranks No. 2 and SLP ranks No. 13 nationally.
- Its NAEYC-accredited child program pairs preschool with deaf education.
Inside the Callier Center: Training Future SLP and Audiology Leaders
Explore clinical services, research, and top-ranked SLP and audiology training.
More than 30,000 clinical services each year flow through the Callier Center for Communication Disorders, a facility that has operated continuously since 1963 as part of The University of Texas at Dallas. Housed within UT Dallas's School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, the center functions simultaneously as a provider of speech, language, and hearing care, a site for peer-reviewed research, and a training ground for graduate students in nationally ranked audiology and speech-language pathology programs.
For students evaluating where to complete clinical hours, the core tension is practical: finding a program where supervised caseloads reflect the full complexity of real patients rather than textbook scenarios. Callier's integration of direct patient care with active research and early intervention programming creates a clinical environment few university centers can match in scope or volume.
What Is the Callier Center for Communication Disorders?
A Dallas Institution With Deep Roots
The Callier Center for Communication Disorders began in 1963 as a nonprofit hearing and speech center supported by a trust from Lena Evans Callier, and it has grown far beyond its early work with a small group of deaf children. It took its current name in 1972, several years before joining The University of Texas at Dallas in 1975. Today, the center operates within the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, with care available at two locations: Dallas and Richardson.1
Three Numbers That Signal the Center's Role
- Clinical volume: More than 48,000 patient visits were recorded in 2021.2
- Audiology rank: The Doctor of Audiology program ranks No. 5 nationally in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report graduate rankings.3
- Speech-language pathology rank: The speech-language pathology graduate program ranks No. 18 nationally.3
These anchors matter for prospective students because they show that Callier is both a high-volume clinical setting and a nationally recognized training ground.
An Integrated Clinical, Training, and Research Mission
Callier is not a single-purpose clinic. Speech-language pathology and audiology providers deliver the care, while graduate students participate in supervised clinical experiences. For patients and families, that may mean being seen by a clinician-in-training who is guided by licensed faculty through SLP clinical supervision, a model that builds practical skills across speech, language, and hearing care for all ages. Research is integrated alongside direct services, so clinical decisions can draw on current evidence and emerging treatment approaches. That integrated model is a central factor in how to choose an SLP graduate program.
The center's accreditation signals are also notable. The Callier Child Development Program holds accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a status it has held since 1986.4 Later sections cover the clinical service areas, child development and preschool offerings, graduate training and externships, and research initiatives in more detail.
Callier Center by the Numbers: Service Volume, Rankings, and Reach
These verified figures illustrate how the Callier Center for Communication Disorders integrates clinical care, graduate training, and early childhood education under one mission. For students exploring speech-language pathology or audiology programs, this snapshot highlights why the center remains a national leader in communication sciences.
Clinical Services: Care for Speech, Language, and Hearing Across the Lifespan
Families and adults often arrive at Callier with a practical question: which service matches the concern, and whether care can stay coordinated as needs change. The center answers that question with age-specific speech, language, and hearing care at its Dallas and Richardson locations.1 Across both sites, more than 5,000 patients account for roughly 30,700 clinical visits annually, so the service model is shaped by high-volume, real-world demand.2
Pediatric Speech and Language
Pediatric SLP care targets common speech-language disorders including articulation, stuttering and fluency, language delays, voice, and social communication differences, including autism-related communication challenges. Richardson organizes several structured group programs Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Preverbal Communication serves toddlers 18 months to 3.5 years, Early CLASS serves children 2.5 to 5 years, Preschool PALS serves ages 3 to 5, Playmates serves ages 5 to 7, and Out & About serves ages 8 to 12. Parent training through More than Words supports carryover at home, which extends the work beyond the clinic room.3
Adult Speech and Cognitive-Communication
Teen and adult services include the Adult Social Interaction Group for ages 17 to 30 and individual speech-language care for cognitive-communication impairments, aphasia, fluency disorders, and voice changes.3 Adulthood, beginning at 22, is included in the center's all-ages scope, so care can move from social communication support to rehabilitation after a neurological event.4 The adult pathway emphasizes functional goals such as returning to conversation, work, or academic settings.
Audiology and Cochlear Implant Care
Richardson's audiology clinic covers newborn hearing screenings, hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, tinnitus management, vestibular rehabilitation, and cochlear implant support.5 Dallas is associated with pre- and post-surgical cochlear implant evaluations for children.6 On that pathway, a pre-surgical candidacy evaluation helps determine whether an implant is appropriate, and post-surgical visits support device management and auditory rehabilitation. Families can schedule cochlear implant candidacy evaluations at 972-883-3034.6 Location may depend on the specific service: Richardson hosts the fuller audiology clinic, while Dallas is a key site for pediatric cochlear implant evaluation.
Where Clinical Care Meets Training
Services are provided by speech-language pathology and audiology providers,4 and Callier's position within UT Dallas means these same service lines often function as supervised training experiences for graduate clinicians. That arrangement connects SLP evaluation and treatment planning to the center's research mission, so a family receiving therapy may also be part of a broader effort to improve clinical practice.
SLP and Audiology Graduate Training: Rankings, Curriculum, and Externships
Graduate training at the Callier Center means choosing between two linked but distinct paths: a master's degree in speech-language pathology (SLP) or a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) through UT Dallas. Both place supervised clinical work inside Callier's Dallas and Richardson clinics early, not as a late add-on.
Rankings That Signal Clinical Strength
Callier's graduate programs sit in the top five percent nationally. The Doctor of Audiology program holds a No. 2 (tied) U.S. News & World Report ranking, and the speech-language pathology program holds a No. 13 (tied) ranking. Those positions reflect not only faculty research output but also the volume and variety of clinical cases students encounter. For prospective students, those rankings translate into competitive admissions and a clinical education tied closely to a high-volume patient population.
SLP Master's: Multiple Start Dates and Early Practicum
The SLP master's program admits students for fall, spring, and summer entry. For 2026, the fall deadline is February 15, the spring deadline is September 15, and the summer deadline is February 15. Admissions are holistic, weighing GPA, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. Within the first three semesters, SLP students must complete one adult and one pediatric on-campus core practicum at Callier Dallas or Callier Richardson. That early requirement means students begin earning supervised clinical hours almost immediately, working alongside licensed speech-language pathologists and audiology providers before moving into more advanced placements.
AuD Pathway: Fall-Only Entry, Interviews, and a Longer Clinical Arc
The Doctor of Audiology program follows a more selective timeline. It admits only for fall, with a January 15 deadline and a completed-file review starting in December. Applicants submit the same GPA, GRE, recommendation, and statement materials plus a resume, and interviews run through February and March. Interviews are required, so applicants should prepare for a discussion of clinical interests and research exposure. The AuD is a four-year doctoral pathway, so students can expect a longer sequence of rotations and externships; however, Callier does not publish a fixed list of off-campus externship partner sites for 2026, so prospective students should ask program staff directly about placement geography and settings.
What Prospective Students Should Verify
Admissions policies and clinical hour requirements can shift between cycles. The published 2026 baseline is clear: SLP has broad entry and early practicum, while AuD is fall-only with a heavier application file and interview. Because Callier does not spell out the full supervision model by semester, contacting the program remains the surest way to map clinical rotations and externship expectations to your goals. Before applying, check the program's current admission page because deadlines and test policies can change.
Callier pairs top-ranked training (No. 2 audiology, No. 13 speech-language pathology) with direct clinical work under licensed supervision, an active research environment, and an NAEYC-accredited child program. For future clinicians, that integration is the difference between reading about care and delivering it.
The Callier Child Development Program: Preschool and Deaf Education
The practical tension for many families is whether a university-affiliated early childhood program is worth its application steps, waitlist uncertainty, and monthly tuition commitment when a neighborhood preschool may feel simpler. Callier answers that tension by pairing a community preschool with a specialized deaf education pathway in one setting.
A dual structure under one roof
The Callier Child Development Program serves two groups. The tuition-based preschool is open to the community, while Deaf Education students enroll through Dallas Independent School District as part of a public-school partnership. Classrooms span infants through pre-kindergarten or transitional kindergarten. The program states an age range of 6 weeks to 6 years, though exact classroom placement depends on age band and availability.
The program holds accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. For families, that signals a standard of teacher preparation, classroom safety, and developmentally appropriate practice, not just a childcare label.
Application and cost basics
Enrollment begins with an online application. Offers are tied to birthday and application date, with siblings given priority under the waitlist criteria. After an offer, families pay a non-refundable enrollment fee and a deposit equal to one month's tuition. Monthly tuition is due in advance, and two or more siblings receive a 10 percent discount on the oldest child's tuition. The program operates 12 months, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m., at 1966 Inwood Road in Dallas.
For Dallas ISD Deaf Education students, an older handbook describes services at no cost to the family, but the full conditions are not published in every source. Families should confirm current Dallas ISD enrollment and cost details directly.
What it offers future clinicians
Because the program sits inside a communication disorders center, it functions as more than a preschool. Pediatric SLP and audiology students, along with early intervention clinicians in training, can gain structured experience with the Frog Street curriculum across infant, toddler, preschool, and pre-K classrooms. That makes the child development program both a family-facing service and a living classroom for the next generation of providers.
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Research Initiatives and the Callier Clinical Research Center
Which research areas at the Callier Center actually shape the clinical care students observe and patients receive? The strongest answer includes cochlear implant outcomes, speech therapy for autism, social communication, language development, auditory processing, aphasia, and pediatric speech disorders. Callier presents these as broad research domains rather than a fixed list of every lab, which keeps the focus on how evidence connects to the children, adults, and families seen in clinic.
Research infrastructure and how studies inform care
The Callier Clinical Research Center coordinates much of this work at 811 Synergy Park Boulevard in Richardson, Texas.1 A participant registry matches volunteers to studies by age, diagnosis, and area of interest, making it easier for patients and families to hear about research that fits their situation. The registry also gives participants clear options for removing their information, so joining stays voluntary. Active language and literacy research through the LILAC Lab recruits families by email at [email protected].2 A multi-year NIH-funded project on sequence learning is active and focuses on children ages 5 through 8.5 A separate grant line running 2022 to 2027 supports related work.6 These studies sit behind the clinical observations students recognize in speech, language, and hearing services.
What the evidence shows in cochlear implant care
Research findings often circle back to the clinical service lines already covered. A systematic review of 24 studies involving 159 children with autism and cochlear implants reported better speech perception in 78% of cases and better speech expression in 63%.3 Social engagement improved for 86%, while open-set speech perception was documented in 33% overall and 45% among consistent device users.4 Device non-use was 31%, a useful reminder that progress is not uniform.3 These numbers help clinicians at the Dallas Cochlear Implant Program explain possible outcomes without overpromising.
How to join or observe
Patients and families can join the participant registry by emailing [email protected] or calling 972-883-3600.1 Students seeking research assistant or lab positions, or SLP externships, should email labs directly, since Callier does not list a single central application. The UT Dallas Memory Lab can be reached at [email protected] or 972-883-31717, and the LILAC Lab contact is listed above. Some labs may have limited openings or closed recruitment in any given term, so a short email asking about current opportunities is the most reliable next step. This direct outreach is also how many graduate students first gain exposure to clinical communication disorders research.
Making an Appointment: Locations, Referrals, and What to Expect
The real tradeoff many families weigh is access versus paperwork: Callier allows direct scheduling for many services, but insurance rules can still require a physician referral before benefits apply. A little front-end preparation helps avoid a delayed or denied claim.
Starting the Intake: Where to Call First
Callier schedules clinical services by location. For the Dallas campus at 1966 Inwood Road, call (972) 883-3000. For the Richardson campus at 2895 Facilities Way, call (972) 883-3660. General hours at both locations are 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For speech-language services, the front desk can explain whether an intake or formal evaluation is required for your situation. For group therapy, the supervising speech-language pathologist handles intake placement. For hearing and balance services, you may schedule directly with an audiologist at either location. Whether you need a physician referral is insurance-dependent: your plan may require one before it will cover benefits, even if the clinic does not require one to schedule.
Insurance, Referrals, and Payment
The clearest distinction is in how referrals work. Hearing and balance referrals follow insurance rules, not clinic rules. Call your plan before calling the clinic. Speech-language coverage also varies by payer and service type, so the front desk is the best first stop for coverage questions.
Summer camps have their own intake path. A camp intake is required for all new campers and costs $50. That fee is not insurance eligible. If the child has had speech-language services within the last six months, a 30-minute intake reviewing current goals and recent testing may be enough. Otherwise, a full speech-language evaluation is required.
For other services, ask the front desk to verify your policy details and any out-of-pocket responsibility before you schedule. That conversation is the simplest way to avoid surprise costs.
Dallas vs. Richardson and Telehealth
Most hearing services are available at both facilities, so patients can choose the location that fits their schedule. For speech-language specifics at either site, call the front desk directly. For telehealth, call (972) 883-3030; the clinic then sends a link and any necessary paperwork.
What to Expect at the First Evaluation
Plan to arrive 20 minutes early for paperwork. A parent or caregiver must be present for evaluations. The visit may include formal and informal testing, a discussion of results, and specific recommendations if speech, language, or feeding services are needed. For therapy placement, an intake may include formal testing or observation to determine whether services are appropriate.
At Callier, clinical care, graduate training, and research operate as one integrated system, where every patient visit informs student learning and every research question is shaped by real clinical need.
