Grad Cert in Communication Sciences and Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology (CSD Leveling Program)
Applicants for the GC-CS program should consult the department website for current information on the deadlines and program requirements. The admission requirements include:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major or minor other than Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Overall grade point average (GPA) 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Students applying to online programs who reside outside of Texas must live in a participating National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) state to be accepted into the program. To see if your state participates and get more information, visit the NC-SARA website.
The graduate certificate program consists of five courses (15 semester credit hours). Students must satisfactorily complete all required course work with a grade of "B" or better to receive a program certificate.
The GC-CS program is offered 100% online. Should student demand in the future warrant other delivery modalities, such as a face-to-face or hybrid format, the program may also prepare alternate formats. Students will be informed well in advance about the delivery methods available for each program year before they apply and register for courses.
The program will follow the summer admissions cycle and offer and start classes according to the published academic calendars.
Plan of Study:
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Credit Hours | |
| MSLP 5101 | Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing | 3 |
| MSLP 5102 | Phonetics and Normal Articulation | 3 |
| Fall | ||
| MSLP 5103 | Normal Language Development | 3 |
| MSLP 5104 | Speech and Hearing Science | 3 |
| Spring | ||
| MSLP 5105 | Introduction to Audiology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15.0 | |
The main goal of this program is to provide students who do not possess an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue a career as a speech-language pathologists. The program aims to equip students with the competencies and necessary prerequisite coursework to submit a competitive application to a master's degree-level speech-language pathology program.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of human communication, communication development, and the nature of communication disorders across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate the ability to integrate information on normal and abnormal human development through the lens of clinical concepts.
- Meet the ASHA certification requirements in preparatory work toward admission to the SLP graduate programs.
Courses
MSLP 5101. Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing. 3 Credit Hours.
This course provides essential background on structural and functional components of the communicative act and swallowing mechanism, including respiration, phonation, resonation, articulation, neural processes, and deglutition.
MSLP 5102. Phonetics and Normal Articulation. 3 Credit Hours.
This course offers an essential background in articulatory phonetics, descriptive phonetics, clinical phonetics, and developmental phonology. Specific materials may cover the basic articulatory process, acoustic characteristics, phonetic principles, pronunciation rules, segmental and suprasegmental features, the use of diacritics and IPA, and in-class practice of phonetic transcription.
MSLP 5103. Normal Language Development. 3 Credit Hours.
This course offers a basic introduction to language development from birth through adolescence, principles of language requisition, and language differences related to cultural diversity. Corequisites: MSLP 5102.
MSLP 5104. Speech and Hearing Science. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces fundamental processes underlying the acoustic and physiological aspects of speech production and perception and the principles and methods of quantifying various speech disorders. Corequisites: MSLP 5102.