Communication Sciences & Disorders - 2021-22 Graduate Catalog

Chair: Kimberly S. Traver, Au.D. (ktraver@bgsu.edu)
Graduate Coordinator: Virginia Dubasik, PhD (vdubasi@bgsu.edu)
Address: 200 Health & Human Services
Phone: 419-372-2515
Program Web Page: http://www.bgsu.edu/health-and-human-services/programs/department-of-communication-sciences-and-disorders/graduate-program.html

Degrees Offered
M.S.
Ph.D.

Program Offered
M.S. in Communication Disorders with specialization in speech-language pathology.
Ph.D. in Communication Disorders

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, students in the Communication Sciences & Disorders program are expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to develop basic and analytical knowledge in the following: a) sciences of normal speech, language and voice. b) Disorders of speech, language and voice. c) Related disciplines providing insight into human communication 
• Develop appropriate research and technical skills in instrumentation and research methodologies 
• Communicate technical information effectively, via oral and written means 
• Design and independently investigate critical questions in the specialty topic area(s) for which the student is being trained. 

Accreditation
The M.S. program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and meets the academic requirements of the Association's Certificate of Clinical Competence as well as the requirements of licensure from the State of Ohio. Students may optionally pursue additional licensure required to work in Ohio public schools.

Prerequisites to Graduate Work
Admission to the M.S. program requires the successful completion of the following courses, or their equivalents.  A minimum of 4 completed and graded prerequisite classes must be completed in order to start the master's program.  If you are enrolled in the 4 prerequisite courses in the fall semester, please contact the graduate coordinator for instructions.  Pre-requisite courses include:

• Phonetics (CDIS 2240)
• Speech & Language Acquisition & Development (CDIS 2250)
• Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech Mechanism (CDIS 3010)
• Acoustics for Speech & Hearing (CDIS 3020)
• At least 1 course in any specific speech-language disorders topic, e.g.
  • Phonological Assessment & Intervention (CDIS 3110)
  • Language Assessment & Intervention (CDIS 3510)
    • NOTE: Both are strongly recommended, if offered at your university.
• Diagnostic Audiology (CDIS 3610)
• Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders (CDIS 4010)

Descriptions of these courses can be found in the University's Undergraduate Catalog at http://www.bgsu.edu/catalog.html.

If you have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than communication sciences and disorders, you can take classes to allow you to apply to our master’s program. The prerequisite courses listed above must be completed before you can begin the master’s program.  You must also have taken at least one course in biology, psychology, physical science (either chemistry or physics), and a course in statistics. Any of these courses that you took during your bachelor’s education count towards this requirement.

The Graduate Coordinator will review the records of all applicants to determine whether prerequisites have been completed. Applications from students with substantial deficits in required prerequisites cannot be considered until the necessary courses have been completed or are shown to be in progress. All accepted students must document completion of 25 hours of supervised clinical observation prior to enrollment.

Admission Procedure

Applicants seeking admission need to complete all 2 parts of the CDIS application process, including the Application to the Graduate College.

Detailed instructions for admission to the MS, the MS to PhD, or the PhD programs can be found at https://www.bgsu.edu/health-and-human-services/programs/department-of-communication-sciences-and-disorders/graduate-program.html.

Degree Requirements
Master of Science
Students may pursue the M.S. degree under one of two plans:
Plan I: Candidates must complete a minimum of 52 semester hours of graduate Speech-Language Pathology course work, including at least three credit hours of thesis research. Prior to pursuing a thesis topic, a CDIS student must attain a 3.0 GPA in CDIS courses, as well as demonstrate adequate clinical performance.
Plan II: Candidates must complete a minimum of 51 semester hours of graduate course work.

In both Plan I and Plan II, details of expected course sequences in CDIS may be obtained from the CDIS Graduate Coordinator and are found in the department's Master's Degree Handbook

Successful completing of the M.S. degree also requires 400 clock hours of clinical practicum in speech-language pathology.

The final examination for students under both plans is the national examination in Speech-Language Pathology (PRAXIS). This test is administered by the NTE and usually taken during a student's last semester of study (during their final externship). Students who present a thesis also undergo an oral final defense, in addition to the PRAXIS.

Doctoral Bridge Program
For highly qualified applicants, the option exists to pursue a clinical master’s concurrently while preparing to continue into the doctoral program. Contact the Graduate Coordinator for further information about this program.

Doctor of Philosophy
The doctoral program requires a minimum of 60 semester hours beyond the master's degree or 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, including dissertation credit; successful completion of a written and oral preliminary examination related to the student's program of study; and completion of a statistical sequence. Students must write a dissertation that is an appropriate culmination of their program of study and pass a final oral examination over the dissertation. The doctoral program emphasizes a student-centered approach to doctoral education.  Students participate in research throughout their program and are closely supervised in their research and teaching experiences.  The curriculum is individually designed to meet students’ educational needs and professional goals.

Graduate Courses
Please access graduate courses online at http://www.bgsu.edu/registration-records/courses-and-classes/class-course-information.html. Graduate courses offered by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders use the prefix: CDIS.

A typical Master’s Program Sequence of Classes may be found on the website at http://www.bgsu.edu/health-and-human-services/programs/department-of-communication-sciences-and-disorders/graduate-program/masters-program/masters-program-degree-course-list.html .