For students majoring in communication disorders and sciences at SUNY Cortland, a unique study – abroad opportunity is on the horizon for next winter break. They can enjoy the warm January sunshine in Sri Lanka.
The new two – week course, “A Clinical and Cultural Experience in Sri Lanka,” was developed by Nimisha Muttiah, an associate professor in the Communication Disorders and Sciences Department. She will lead the course along with her colleague, Associate Professor Deborah Sharp. Muttiah said, “Our students will go in winter, and it will be tropical there.” She also mentioned, “It will be a great change for students who don’t like winter. Sri Lanka was recently ranked No. 9 on BBC’s ’25 best places to travel in 2025′.”
This new course offers a rare overseas fieldwork opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students focusing on communication disorders and sciences. In the future, the program may expand to include SUNY undergraduates interested in related professions, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and special education.
The course became a reality after SUNY Cortland International Programs recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Kelaniya in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an island country, historically known as Ceylon, sharing a maritime border with the Maldives in the southwest and India in the northwest.
Daniela Baban Hurrle, who directs International Programs at SUNY Cortland, said that when the course is held in January 2026, it will be SUNY Cortland’s first study – abroad program focused on the field of communication disorders and sciences. She added, “Additionally, this is the only faculty – led study – abroad program within the SUNY system that specifically focuses on communication disorders and sciences.”
Kayla DeCoste, assistant director of study abroad, who’s arranging the travel aspects of the course, said this includes the speech and hearing disorders major for undergraduate students and the communication disorders major for graduate students. She also pointed out that she has identified eight other SUNY universities that offer this major, and students from those schools may also benefit from SUNY Cortland’s new, discipline – focused study – abroad option.
DeCoste said, “Students in these majors really want to go abroad, but there were no opportunities to take courses in their own majors before. We’ve received very positive initial feedback from our Cortland students, perhaps because we’re targeting a larger group, both undergraduates and graduates.”
The University of Kelaniya has the country’s only speech pathology degree and runs a multidisciplinary clinic, Ayati Clinic, which serves 12,000 children a year. The clinical part of the course will enable graduate students to earn seven full days of their necessary clinical hours, and undergraduate students can observe. Both groups will earn three credit hours. Muttiah said, “This is really an intensive clinical experience, and it’s a unique experience that students would never get at SUNY Cortland. It’s a chance for our students to work with clients with disabilities in another country.”
Muttiah has a bachelor’s degree from The Bangalore University in India and a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. After getting her doctorate from The Pennsylvania State University in 2015, she returned to her native land and taught at the University of Kelaniya in Ragama, Sri Lanka. She said, “Since moving here from Sri Lanka in 2022, I’ve been thinking about how to bridge the gap between Sri Lanka and the U.S. As a speech – language pathologist and faculty member, I’ve worked in both places. So, I know the value of having students here travel to Sri Lanka. We’re going to a place that already has established speech therapy services. We won’t just fly in and out and leave anyone without services. And it’s also an opportunity for Sri Lankan speech therapy students to work with students from the United States.”
Muttiah also hopes to introduce the class to the island nation’s more than 3,000 – year – old traditions and culture. This includes visiting cultural places like Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy from 1469 to 1818, in the country’s central province, and Galle in southern Sri Lanka to see Galle Beach and watch a traditional southern Sri Lankan dance. Class members will also attend a temple ceremony in Kandy to experience Sri Lanka’s three languages – Sinhala, Tamil, and English – and its Buddhist tradition.
DeCoste said the opportunity will start with a small group of 10 to 12 participants, which is common when a new course is developed. The estimated cost is 5,700 to 6,000. This includes about 4,000 in typical course expenses and 1,700 to 2,000 for combined flight, in – country travel, living expenses, and a little spending money. The latter costs may vary and will be finalized within the fall – semester study – abroad period. DeCoste also said scholarships are available through International Programs. A prospective participant with at least a 2.5 grade – point average has about a 90% chance of getting a scholarship. Winter and summer break study – abroad scholarships are usually around 500.
The University of Kelaniya isn’t planning to send its students to SUNY Cortland yet. But Sri Lanka encourages such exchanges to improve its universities’ world rankings and internationalize its higher – education collaborations with foreign universities. A reciprocal program may be created in the future.
The application deadline for currently enrolled students is Tuesday, April 1, and for graduate students enrolling in the fall, it’s Sunday, April 13.
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