College of Health and Human Sciences
The College of Health and Human Sciences houses a number of impressive laboratories and clinics, where both students and faculty conduct research.
They include:
Physical Therapy Clinic
Staffed by NIU's Doctor of Physical Therapy program faculty, the clinic provides specialized evaluation and treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular and vestibular conditions. Our spacious facility is equipped with a variety of exercise equipment, as well as a balance and motion analysis system to provide balance and dizziness assessments.
Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
The clinic offers a comprehensive program of evaluation and treatment for individuals with a hearing concern, tinnitus, dizziness/balance or concussion-related issues, as well as speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders. Students and faculty provide services and conduct research in the clinic, which is a critical component of the university’s accredited Doctor of Audiology, and M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology programs
Health and Human Sciences Survey Research Laboratory
This lab employs an experienced team of surveyors who conduct live telephone interviews. For example, one project includes fielding a behavioral health study to help state and county health departments to allocate resources to address health trends.
Human Speech Kinematics Experimental Studies Lab
The lab explores language learning in children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental language disorder and typical language development. Our focus is language learning mechanisms in children with atypical development, with the ultimate goal of improving speech and language interventions for these children.
Medical Laboratory Sciences Laboratory
This lab provides state-of-the-art equipment for teaching and research related to scientific analysis of blood, body fluids and tissues. The lab supports the training of students and conducting of research relevant to public health, forensics, hospitals and physicians’ offices, sales and marketing, and education.
Hearing Conservation Center
The center provides free hearing tests to NIU students, faculty and staff. After conducting the tests, staff review the results with the tested individual, and show them how to avoid noise exposure on job sites and in recreational settings. The center provides numerous opportunities for clinical research, including developing and evaluating evidence-based practice for improving treatment protocols.
Couples and Family Therapy Clinic
The clinic helps individuals cope with issues and challenges that affect their everyday life. It provides high-quality, affordable mental health services to NIU and the community with a commitment to empowering clients to nurture strong relationships through addressing the issues they are facing. Research opportunities include a shared space that can support research focus groups and clinical observations, community-engaged and teaching innovations, and the potential for studying pre-post changes related to therapy.
Child Development and Family Center
The center is dedicated to providing high-quality care to the children of NIU students, faculty and staff and community members. The CDFC is also home to the NIU Child Care Access Means Parents In School Program and the NIU Preschool for All Expansion Program. The center’s excellence is reflected in its accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and its inclusion in the Gold Circle of Quality by ExceleRate Illinois. The CDFC directly supports children and families, as it also enhances student learning and student/faculty research through opportunities for observing children’s activities, language and behavior and the strategies that enrich their development.