The undergraduate curriculum in communication disorders is designed to provide instruction in the basic components of the discipline and to prepare the student for entrance into a graduate program. (The minimum entry level qualification for professional practice in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology is a master's degree.) The undergraduate student will study the basic speech and hearing sciences and the normal human communication process, as well as the theoretical and practical aspects of therapy. Clinical observations are required; a supervised clinical practicum in which direct treatment is provided to a communicatively disordered client is an elective senior experience. Although the school practicum experience occurs at the graduate level, it is strongly recommended that students take the necessary coursework for school licensure at the undergraduate level. These courses can be taken as electives.

Admission

Students must fill out an application (Download form) to be admitted into the major, and admission to the major is restricted to those applicants meeting the following requirements:

• minimum grade of C in:
  • CDIS 123 - Introduction to Communication Disorders,
  • CDIS 224 - Phonetics, and
  • CDIS 225 - Speech and Language Acquisition and Development,
  • with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in these courses; and
• completion of a speech-hearing screening exam; and
• an overall GPA of 2.5 after 30 hours.

For a student to maintain a CDIS major once admitted, the student must have:

• minimum grade of C in all CDIS courses completed; and
• 2.5 GPA in the major; and
• 2.5 GPA overall

All major core courses must be taken for a grade, except for those courses graded only Satisfactory (S) /Unsatisfacatory (U).

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in communication disorders are expected to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences;
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize and evaluate information in basic human communication processes and disorders thereof;
• Apply critical thinking and analysis to issues in communication disorders relating theoretical foundations to clinical practice;
• Observe and critically evaluate clinical work in communication disorders;
• Demonstrate qualifications for post baccalaureate work in at least one of the following:
  
  1. entry into a health and human service profession not requiring a graduate degree;
  2. entry into a graduate program in allied health or related fields; or
  3. entry into a graduate program in communication disorders.

Admission into the undergraduate major in CDIS does not assure admission into the Master's Program in Speech-Language Pathology.

Core Courses in Communication Disorders

• CDIS 123 Introduction to Communication Disorders
• CDIS 224 Phonetics
• CDIS 225 Speech and Language Acquisition and Development
• CDIS 301 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
• CDIS 302 Acoustics for Speech and Hearing
• CDIS 311 Phonological Assessment and Intervention
• CDIS 351 Language Assessment and Intervention
• CDIS 361 Diagnostic Audiology
• CDIS 401 Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders
• CDIS 421 Practicum in Communication Disorders (elective experience)
• CDIS 461 Fundamentals of Diagnostic Audiology
• CDIS 480 General Seminar

There is a downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF format course checklist available on the forms page. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available at no cost from the Adobe web site.