Speech and Hearing focuses on the study of normal and disordered communication and swallowing across the lifespan. It is a diverse field that includes studying the functioning of the auditory system, the speech mechanism, language processing, cognitive communication, social and cultural aspects of communication, and the clinical processes involved in identification, prevention, and remediation of associated disorders. The major draws upon several other disciplines including psychology, anatomy, physiology, psychology, linguistics, physics, engineering, medicine, and education.