Admission Policies and Procedures (M.S. & Ph.D.)

Master's Degree

A student's admission to the Master's program in Speech-Language Pathology is dependent upon the following criteria*:

Graduation from an accredited undergraduate college or university.
A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00, and a minimum GPA of 3.20 in the major.
Three letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and a personal letter of application.
Successful completion of the following courses, or their equivalents (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). Students seeking public school certification may need additional course work at the graduate level. Descriptions of these courses can be found in the University's Undergraduate Catalog.
- CDIS 123 Introduction to Communication Disorders
- CDIS 224 Phonetics
- CDIS 225 Language Acquisition and Development
- CDIS 301 Anat. and Phys. of the Speech Mechanism
- CDIS 302 Intro. to Hearing Science and Acoustics
- CDIS 311 Articulation Development and Disorders
- CDIS 351 Language Assessment and Remediation
- CDIS 361 Introduction to Diagnostic Audiology
- CDIS 401 Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders

*Not all students who meet these minimum criteria are admitted into the graduate program. There are approximately 20-25 available spaces per year for incoming graduate students.

Admission Categories:

A student, whether full-or part-time, can be admitted to the Graduate College in one of two categories:

Regular Admission: Students given Regular Admission Status are those who meet the Graduate College requirements for admission and have adequate undergraduate preparation in the field.
Graduate Non-degree Status: This classification allows students to pursue personal or professional goals by taking graduate courses without enrolling in a degree program. Admission to graduate non-degree status and successful completion of non-degree course work neither indicates nor assures subsequent admission to a degree program, nor dos it qualify a student for financial aid.

Doctoral Degree

Admission to the regular doctoral program in Communication Disorders is dependent upon the following criteria:

Completion of an appropriate master's degree from an accredited college or university.

A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 for the Master's Degree.

Three letters of recommendation addressing the applicant's fitness for doctoral study.

GRE scores.

2 official copies of transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended.

A personal letter of application, discussing reasons for pursuing the doctoral degree; professional goals; reasons for selecting BGSU; and research interests.

Admission to the doctoral bridge program, for students not holding a master's degree, is dependent upon the following criteria:

Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

NOTE: This could be in communication disorders and sciences, but it is not required. Examples of backgrounds that might be relevant include linguistics, psychology, engineering, biology, and education. Students lacking a background in the field should explain how their previous field of study has prepared them for doctoral work in communicative disorders and sciences.

Evidence of superior academic performance in their undergraduate curriculum, normally with an GPA of 3.5 or better, with a minimum of 3.0.

Three letters of recommendation specifically addressing their fitness for graduate study.

GRE scores.

2 official copies of transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended.

A personal interview. If a face-to-face interview is impossible, a telephone interview must be arranged.

A resume detailing academic and vocational experiences and awards.

Optional supplemental materials: Evidence of research experience and writing ability (e.g., copy of an undergraduate honor’s thesis, substantial project, or term paper).

All students seeking admission to the doctoral programs at BGSU should contact the interim Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Tim Brackenbury (tbracke@bgsu.edu) for more information on admissions criteria and what doctoral opportunities are currently available. Students should also seek out a faculty member or members in areas of expertise they are interested in.

NOTE: A student is admitted to the doctoral program following recommendation of the Graduate Faculty in the Department of Communication Disorders and upon approval of the Graduate College.