Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S.

The academic and clinical components of the Master of Science program in Communication Sciences and Disorders are designed to meet requirements established by:

• The North Carolina Central University School of Graduate Studies
• The NCCU Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association certification standards for speech-language pathology
• North Carolina licensure requirements for speech-language pathology

Students must complete both CSD prerequisite coursework and the foundational coursework required under current ASHA certification standards.

The Department requires prerequisite coursework in the following areas:

• Speech and Language Development
• Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism
• Speech and Hearing Science
• Phonetics
• Introduction to Audiology
• Aural Rehabilitation
• Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology

Applicants to the two-year program must have completed, or provide evidence that they will complete before enrollment, all required prerequisite coursework except Aural Rehabilitation and Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology. These two courses may be completed during the two-year program.

CSD 5720 (Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology) is typically completed during the first year of the two-year sequence. CSD 5752 (Aural Rehabilitation) may be completed during the second year.

Applicants who will not have completed the other required prerequisite coursework prior to enrollment should apply to the Leveling Program. Applicants who have completed some, but not all, prerequisite courses will have their records reviewed by the Department to determine the appropriate program pathway.

Prerequisite courses must carry at least three semester credit hours unless otherwise specified by the Department and must contain content equivalent to the corresponding NCCU course.

For prerequisite coursework completed outside NCCU:

• Phonetics, Speech and Language Development, Anatomy and Physiology, and Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology must be completed with a grade of B- or higher.
• Other prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher unless otherwise approved by the graduate studies coordinator.

Applicants who previously earned a grade of C or lower in Phonetics, Anatomy and Physiology, Speech and Language Development, or Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology must repeat the course.

If a required course is repeated outside NCCU, a grade of B- or higher is required. Because NCCU uses whole-letter grades without plus or minus grades, students repeating prerequisite coursework at NCCU must earn a grade of B or higher.

ASHA certification standards require foundational coursework in the following areas:

• Biology
• Chemistry or physics
• Social and/or behavioral sciences
• Statistics and/or research methods

At the discretion of the Department, one approved course may satisfy two foundational content areas.

Foundational coursework generally must not be specific to communication sciences and disorders, speech-language pathology, audiology, or hearing science unless the course fulfills a university general education requirement and is available to students outside the CSD major.

An approved research methods course may be used instead of a standalone statistics course if it includes both qualitative and quantitative research content and is approved by the graduate studies coordinator.

Foundational coursework is separate from the CSD prerequisite coursework listed above. These courses do not count toward the 60 graduate credit hours required for the Master of Science degree.

CSD prerequisite and ASHA foundational coursework must have been completed within seven years of admission to the graduate program. Coursework completed more than seven years before admission will not be accepted unless an exception is approved by the graduate studies coordinator

Before beginning CSD 5790 (Clinical Practicum), students must complete the CSD prerequisite coursework required for clinical eligibility with a grade of B or higher.

Aural Rehabilitation and Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology may be completed during the graduate sequence and are not required before the initial clinical practicum.

Under current ASHA standards, up to 25 guided clinical observation hours may count toward the required 400 supervised clinical education hours. Completion of these observation hours before beginning CSD 5790 is not required, although students are encouraged to complete them.

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers students the opportunity to enhance their graduate preparation through the Bilingual Concentration.

Bilingual Concentration

The Bilingual Concentration is a 9-credit-hour academic sequence with a complementary experiential component designed to prepare mono- and multilingual graduate clinicians to evaluate and treat clients from linguistically diverse backgrounds across the lifespan.

The concentration is not limited to one language. Students develop knowledge and clinical skills related to bilingual language development, communication disorders in multilingual populations, culturally responsive assessment and intervention, and service delivery for linguistically diverse individuals and families.

Students in the concentration complete:

• CSD 5780: Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition
• CSD 5781: Advanced Seminar in Bilingualism
• One approved elective
• A capstone project related to multilingualism
• At least 20 contact hours with multilingual populations through clinical practicum, capstone activities, and/or community service

Completion of the Bilingual Concentration is indicated on the student's academic transcript.

Upon completion of the Master of Science program in Communication Sciences and Disorders, graduates will be able to:

• Provide preventative, diagnostic, and rehabilitative services to persons exhibiting speech, language, and swallowing disorders according to best practices in the profession.
• Critically assess evidence-based information from diverse sources, including research literature, clinical assessments, and interprofessional collaborations, to inform clinical decision-making and develop effective, patient-centered intervention plans.
• Deliver effective services to clients and collaborate with other stakeholders in clinical and professional settings.
• Apply ethical and professional behaviors according to adopted standards in the profession.
• Exhibit research, advocacy, and leadership skills according to commonly accepted practices in the profession.

The two-year program is intended for students who have completed the required prerequisite coursework before enrollment, with the exception of Aural Rehabilitation and Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, which may be completed during the two-year sequence.

The program is full-time and on campus. Students complete a minimum of 60 graduate credit hours as well as the required clinical education experiences.

The standard program typically requires six semesters, including summer. Some students may be able to complete an accelerated five-semester sequence based on academic and clinical progress, course availability, and completion of program requirements.

Students are assigned to one of two academic cohorts to provide balanced access to specialized coursework. Depending on the cohort, students may begin with either child-focused or adult-focused graduate courses during the first fall semester.

Students begin clinical practicum during the first year and continue clinical education over a minimum of five consecutive semesters. The clinical sequence includes a minimum of three semesters of CSD 5790 (Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology) followed by a minimum of two semesters of CSD 5794 (Advanced Clinical Practicum) in community-based settings.

Students who have not previously completed Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology must complete CSD 5720 during the first year of the two-year sequence and prior to or concurrently with designated adult-focused coursework.

Two Year Course Sequence

The Leveling Program is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in a field other than communication sciences and disorders and who have not completed the prerequisite coursework required for entry into the two-year graduate sequence.

Students admitted to the Leveling Program are admitted to the Master of Science program and spend the first academic year completing prerequisite and other required leveling coursework before beginning the standard graduate academic and clinical sequence.

Leveling-year courses are offered online. After completing the leveling year, students enter the full-time, on-campus graduate coursework and clinical practicum sequence.

Students entering the program without the required prerequisite background should expect the complete program to require approximately seven to eight semesters, including the leveling year.

Required leveling coursework includes:

• CSD 5700: Speech and Language Development
• CSD 5703: Survey of Communication Disorders
• CSD 5710: Anatomy and Physiology
• CSD 5725: Speech Science
• CSD 5730: Phonetics
• CSD 5751: Introduction to Audiology
• CSD 5752: Aural Rehabilitation
• CSD 5720: Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology

Students completing prerequisite coursework at NCCU must earn a grade of B or higher.

Credit hours earned for prerequisite or leveling coursework do not count toward the minimum 60 graduate credit hours required for the Master of Science degree.

Students who have already completed some prerequisite coursework may receive credit for those courses following departmental review. Previously completed coursework must meet the Department's requirements for credit hours, course content, grade, and recency.

Leveling (3 year) Sequence

Submit an application through the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS). The application includes:

• One official transcript from each college or university attended, submitted directly to CSDCAS
• Three letters of recommendation, with at least one from a faculty member
• A personal statement
• A résumé
• Responses to supplemental questions
• GRE scores are optional for the current admission cycle and are subject to change.

The CSDCAS application must be verified by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 15 for consideration for fall admission. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application and supporting materials two to three weeks before the deadline to allow time for CSDCAS verification.

Applicants must also submit the NCCU supplemental graduate application and the required non-refundable application fee.

A personal interview may be required.

The program admits students for the fall semester only. Spring and summer admission are not available because of the sequential nature of the curriculum.

Admission deferrals are not permitted.

Applicants to the two-year program must have completed, or provide evidence that they will complete prior to enrollment, the required prerequisite coursework except Aural Rehabilitation and Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology.

Applicants who will not have completed the required prerequisite coursework before enrollment should apply to the Leveling Program.