Communication Disorders and Sciences Graduate Program: MS in Speech-Language Pathology

Office: W123 Thompson Hall

[phone]

Kim L. Tillery, Chairperson and Graduate Advisor

Email: [e-mail]

Website: http://www.fredonia.edu/department/commdisorders/

The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology is designed to enable students to meet requirements for: (1) a Master of Science degree, (2) New York State Department of Education academic and clinical requirements for Initial and Professional Certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), (3) New York State Department of Education academic and clinical requirements for licensure in Speech Pathology, and (4) American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) academic and clinic practicum requirements for the Certificate for Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).

The master's education program in Speech-Language Pathology at Fredonia is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

The CDS department does not accept non-matriculated students into the master’s program.

To be considered for Graduate Admission, an Applicant must have:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0.
• Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) scores no older than three years.
• A minimum of 30 credits in communication disorders and sciences courses as follows:
  • 15 credit hours of coursework related to the normal development of or the sciences related to speech, language, and hearing;
  • 9 credit hours in speech-language pathologies;
  • 6 credit hours in audiology.
• Three-credit courses in biology, physical sciences, statistics, and social sciences.
• Submitted a completed graduate application packet by the deadline.

Mission of the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences

 

The Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences challenges and inspires students to become competent professionals by developing a foundation of knowledge and effective clinical skills. Students will demonstrate a positive attitude for learning, connect in cooperative relationships with faculty, supervisors, and fellow students, and develop responsibility for ethical and professional behavior in the academic and clinical environments.

Program Goals:

1. Engage the local, university, and professional communities through clinical training, clientele support groups, and continuing education seminars

2.  Provide opportunities for student and faculty research resulting in presentations or publications

3.  Complete diagnostic evaluations of speech, language and hearing disorders for culturally, economically and linguistically diverse populations of persons with communication and swallowing disorders in all age groups across the life span, including screening and prevention, collecting and integrating case history information, using appropriate evaluation procedures and adapting these as necessary, interpreting and synthesizing evaluative data, reporting, and referring when necessary.

4. Plan and execute treatment programs for diverse populations of persons with communication and swallowing disorders in all age groups across the life span, including developing and implementing setting-appropriate intervention plans; selecting, developing, and using appropriate materials and instruments; measuring and evaluating performance; modifying plans, strategies, materials, and instruments as needed; reporting; and identifying and referring when appropriate.

5. Integrate current developments in methodology and technology into clinical practice.

6. Maintain familiarity with current research and critical reports and relate findings to the improvement of clinical practice.

7. Adhere to ASHA's code of ethics, professional standards, scope of practice, and preferred practice patterns.

8. Satisfy the academic and practicum requirements for obtaining the ASHA Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), the New York State Professional License in Speech Pathology, and New York State Initial/Professional Certification for a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities at the completion of the M.S. degree requirements.

Program Requirements:

(Total MS degree is 62 credit hours.)

Academic courses (41 credit hours):

CDS 555	Dysphagia	3
CDS 598	Voice Disorders	3
CDS 500	Child Language Disorders	3
CDS 530	Augmentative and Alternative Communication	3
CDS 582	Fluency Disorders	3
CDS 583	Speech Sound Disorders and Language Intervention	3
CDS 589	Professional Issues	2
CDS 606	Research Design in Communication Disorders and Sciences	3
CDS 608	Neurogenic Language Disorders	3
CDS 611	Motor Speech Disorders	3
	Four electives as advised (3 credit hours each)	12
Total Credit Hours:		41

Clinical experiences (21 credit hours):

Capstone experiences

CDS 502	Clinical Practice, Communication Disorders	3
CDS 605	Advanced Clinical Methods and Practice	6-12
CDS 632	Graduate Student Teaching	6
Total Credit Hours:		21

NOTE:

Three CDS 502 classes at 3 credit hours each must be taken to satisfy the clinical practice course, for a total of 9 credit hours.

CDS 605 is a variable 6-12 credit course. Students who have already earned the initial teaching certification will register for 12 credit hours. All other students will register for 6 credit hours in CDS 605 and 6 credit hours in CDS 632 to satisfy the degree requirements.

One choice of the following is required:

CDS 619	Comprehensive Exam	0
CDS 629	Directed Studies in Research Methodology - Thesis Research	1-6

NOTE:

CDS 629 can be earned as an elective.

A minimum of 375 clock hours of supervised clinical practice is required for program completion, of which 325 hours must be completed at the graduate level.

All graduate students must complete the course content required for application for New York State Department of Education initial certification for the TSSLD certificate.