COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS (CSD)

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES

LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.)

 

The purposes Communication Sciences and Disorders program are:

  1. To provide a curriculum to develop professional competencies in communication sciences and disorders.
  2. To develop students' awareness of the problems and needs of individuals with communication disorders.
  3. To motivate the student toward scholarly research.
  4. To prepare the student for further study in the field of communication sciences and disorders.
  5. To provide those students majoring in communication sciences and disorders with the academic and clinical training required for the Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) granted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

 

Communication Sciences and Disorders
Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the graduate program in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) is competitive and enrollment is limited. Meeting the minimum admission requirements listed below does not guarantee admission to the program. CSD allows students to enroll ONLY under Regular and Unclassified admission status. To be considered for regular admission to the Master of Science program in Communication Sciences and Disorders, an applicant must hold an undergraduate degree. In addition an applicant must satisfy the following:

  1. Grade Point Average: Minimum 2.75 GPA on the last two years (approximately 60-70 semester hours or 90-100 quarter hours) of upper level undergraduate academic course work.
  2. Submit a GRE score for all three subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. ETS has changed the GRE scoring methodology as of 8/1/11. Please check with your graduate advisor for details regarding GRE requirements and admission. Provide a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.
  3. Calculation of Admission Score
      • Cumulate Grade Point Average as determined from the approved criteria multiplied by 200 (i.e., last 60 hours GPA x 200).
      • Verbal and Quantitative scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (i.e., last 60 hours GPA x 200 + V + Q = 1,425 minimum).
      • The Analytical Writing Score from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) will be considered separately.
      • 1,425 Points is the minimum total for consideration; however, a total of 1425 points does not guarantee admission.
  4. Letters of Reference Forms: Three Letter of Reference Forms must be submitted by individuals who are familiar with the student's potential for completing a graduate program in communication disorders. Forms are available from the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program, and the web page: http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/depts/coun_hd/grad_prg/csd/admissions/index.html.
  5. Application Deadline: All application materials must be completed and on file by March 1st for fall admission and by October 1st for spring admission. The programs' Graduate Admissions Committee determines admission to the CSD program.
  6. Students Without a CSD Undergraduate Degree: Students who have not completed an undergraduate program in speech, language and hearing must complete CSD 201, 205, 212, 213, 309, 327, 328, and 415. Nine hours of undergraduate prerequisite CSD course work must be completed prior to enrollment in graduate CSD course work.
  7. Criminal background check: Students who have been accepted into the CSD program will be required to complete a criminal background check at their expense as a requirement of regular admission status.
  8. Essential Functions and Technical Standards: Students who have been accepted into the CSD program will be required to meet the Essential Functional and Technical Standards requirements for speech-language pathology.

 

Requirements for Degree

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers the academic course work and clinical practicum experiences to meet both state licensure and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology (ASHA CCC-SLP). Students pursuing State of Louisiana Ancillary Certification as a Speech Therapist should consult with a faculty advisor for specific requirements.

To receive the Master of Science degree the student must:

  1. Complete thirty-six (36) hours in CSD course work including CSD 602, 606, 607, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 632, 633, 628, and 687. Clinical practicum courses may not be used to satisfy degree requirements; however, practicum courses are required for students seeking licensure and/or certification as speech-language pathologists. Graduate students with Regular status who do not have 25 observation hours must register for CSD 328.
  2. Complete six (6) hours of CSD electives with no thesis or six (6) hours of thesis credit with thesis option. THESIS OPTION: Students will be allowed to enter the thesis option only with the consent of the Graduate faculty. The thesis is a major work of independent research of primary topics and will be supervised by the student's major professor and thesis committee.
  3. Have no more than one (3 hours) "C" in CSD courses. A student who has earned a grade of "C" or lower in a course may not repeat the course in order to earn a higher grade. A student is in good standing and is considered to be making satisfactory progress if at least a minimum of 3.0 semester and a 3.0 cumulative GPA are earned in all graduate courses. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to be eligible for enrollment in clinical practicum courses, and the 3.0 cumulative GPA is a prerequisite for students to change degree status from Unclassified to Regular admission status.
  4. Complete one semester as a full-time student, excluding summer.
  5. Satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination or complete at least six (6) hours of CSD 770 with a grade of "P." The department considers the thesis as an appropriate substitute for the comprehensive examination.

 

Graduate Progression and Retention Policies

  1. A student must be in good standing to be admitted with Regular status to the program. Students without regular status who are taking any CSD course and who earn a grade of "C" in any CSD course will not be admitted to the program until the course is retaken and passed with a grade of "B" or higher.
  2. A student, regardless of status, who earns a "D" or an "F" grade in any CSD course will be dismissed from the CSD graduate program.
  3. A student must earn a "B" grade or higher in each required course in the program to be eligible for progression. A student, regardless of degree status, who earns a "C" grade for any course will be put on academic program probation and must repeat the course at the next available opportunity without benefit of grade substitution. If a second "C" or lower grade is earned when the student repeats the course, the student will be dismissed from the program.
  4. A student, regardless of status, who earns two "C" grades in one or more courses in their degree plan, regardless of course credit, will be dismissed from the program.
  5. The department reserves the right to investigate situations which may affect the student's ability to function in an appropriate and professional manner in accordance with CSD's Academic and Ethical Standards and Essential Functions and Technical Standards policies. Students who are deemed to violate CSD's policies will be required to meet with the program's standing Academic Review Committee to determine whether a remediation plan is appropriate.
  6. Remediation will be offered to students on a case-by-case basis and is dependent on the nature of the situation. Students who are offered individualized remediation plans and who fail to meet the requirements of the remediation will be dismissed from the program. Students who violate the department's Academic and Ethical Standards policy may be dismissed from the program without benefit of remediation.
  7. Students who do not demonstrate, at any point of the program, one or more of the Essential Functions may be referred to a medical specialist for an examination and explanation of condition(s) related to one or more essential functions. Medical clearance may be required in order for the faculty to determine the student's eligibility to continue in the program.