Communication Sciences and Disorders, MS

Purposes

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 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.
2. Submit a GRE score for all three subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing GRE scores will be included in the overall formula score. 
3. Calculation of Admission Score
   1. 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.
   2. The Analytical Writing Score from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) will be considered separately.
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 (i.e. professors and employers).
5. Writing Sample: A 1-2-page writing sample with standard formatting (single-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font, PDF format) in response to a prompt provided via the admission portal. The writing sample will be scored on organization and focus, originality, writer’s voice, freedom from error, and overall writing success.
6. 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.
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.

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:

1. Complete thirty-six (36) hours in CSD course work including CSD 6020 , CSD 6060 , CSD 6070 , CSD 6130 , CSD 6140 , CSD 6160 , CSD 6170 , CSD 6320 , CSD 6330 , CSD 6340 , CSD 6280 , and CSD 6870 . Clinical practicum hours vary depending upon previous experience. Students with no clinical experience must complete five (5) semesters of clinical practicum (CSD 5000 , CSD 5100 , CSD 6110 , CSD 6030  and CSD 6300 ). 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 5100 , CSD 6110 , CSD 6030  and CSD 6300 ). 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 6110 , CSD 6030  and CSD 6300 ). Graduate students with a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology from a university other than Southeastern who have obtained 50 transfer hours from an undergraduate and/or professional experience must complete CSD 5100 . Regular status students who do not have 25 observation hours must register for CSD 3280 .
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 7700  with a grade of “P.” The program considers the thesis as an appropriate substitute for the comprehensive examination.
6. Students without a CSD Undergraduate Degree: Students who have not completed an undergraduate program in speech, language and hearing must complete CSD 2010 , CSD 2050 , CSD 2120 , CSD 2130 , CSD 3090 , CSD 3270 , CSD 3280 , and CSD 4150 .

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. A student cannot withdraw from more than two graduate courses (i.e., in the same semester or two different classes). More than two W’s 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.
6. 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.
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.