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:
- To provide a curriculum to develop professional competencies in communication sciences
and disorders.
- To develop students' awareness of the problems and needs of individuals with communication
disorders.
- To motivate the student toward scholarly research.
- To prepare the student for further study in the field of communication sciences and
disorders.
- 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:
- Grade Point Average: Minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA. Minimum 3.00 GPA on the last two years (approximately
60-70 semester hours or 90-100 quarter hours) of upper level undergraduate academic
course work.
- Submit a GRE score for all three subtests: Provide a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score for Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative
Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. An applicant must have a minimum score of 138 on
the Verbal Reasoning, 138 on Quantitative Reasoning, and 3.0 on Analytical Writing.
- Calculation of Admission Score
- A score of at least 1225 based on the following formula: (Cumulative GPA x 100) +
(last 60 hours GPA x 100) + (GRE verbal x 2.35) + (GRE quantitative x 2.35) ≥ 1225*
- A total of 1225 points does not guarantee admission.
- The Analytical Writing Score from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) will be considered
separately.
- 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
(i.e. professors and employers). Forms are available from the Communication Sciences
and Disorders Program, and the web page: http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/depts/hhs/grad_prg/csd/admissions/index.html.
- Writing Sample: A 1-2 page writing sample with standard formatting (single-spaced, 1 inch margins,
Times New Roman, 12 point font) in response to the following writing prompt: “Share an experience that changed/shaped your thinking or actions. We would like you
to tell us how and why it changed you.” The writing sample will be scored on organization and focus, originality, writer’s
voice, freedom from error, and overall writing success.
- Resume: A resume of previous work and/or volunteer experience. Consideration will be given
for applicants with previous clinical experience, research experience, awards, and
other experiences.
- 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 program's Graduate Admissions Committee
determines admission to the CSD program.
- 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.
- 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.
Application Consideration Procedure: The program’s Graduate Admissions Committee determines admission to the CSD program.
Applicants must have all application materials turned in by the deadlines to be considered.
Applicants who meet minimum score requirements will be considered based on all application
criteria: GPA, GRE, writing sample, resume, and letters of reference.
Requirements for Degree
The Program 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:
- Complete thirty-six (36) hours in CSD course work including CSD 602, 606, 607, 613,
614, 616, 617, 632, 633, 634, 628, and 687. Clinical practicum hours vary depending
upon previous experience. Students with no clinical experience must complete five
(5) semesters of clinical practicum (CSD 500, 510, 611, 603, and 630). Students with
a CSD background with some clinical experience but less than fifty (50) clinical hours
must take four (4) semesters of clinical practicum (CSD 510, 611, 603, and 630). Students
who have a CSD background from Southeastern Louisiana University with at least fifty
(50) hours of clinical practicum must take three (3) semesters of clinical practicum
(CSD 611, 603, and 630). Regular Status students who do not have 25 observation hours
must register for CSD 328.
- 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.
- 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.
- Complete one semester as a full-time student, excluding summer.
- Satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination or complete at least six (6) hours
of CSD 770 with a grade of “P.” The program considers the thesis as an appropriate
substitute for the comprehensive examination.
- 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.
Graduate Progression and Retention Policies
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- A student cannot withdraw from more than two graduate courses (i.e. In the same semester
or two different classes). More than two Ws may result in dismissal from the program.
The program 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. 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 an intervention
plan is appropriate.
- Intervention 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 intervention
plans and who fail to meet the requirements of the intervention will be dismissed
from the program. Students who violate the program’s Academic and Ethical Standards
policy may be dismissed from the program without benefit of intervention.
- 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.