Communication Sciences and Disorders Major
A major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) prepares you for graduate education in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology. If you are interested in Audiology, you could also complete the Communication Sciences and Disorders minor instead of the major and be eligible for graduate programs. As a CSD major, you will learn about normal aspects of speech, language, and hearing, characteristics of various communication disorders, assessment and intervention procedures used by speech-language pathologists, research methods used in the field of communication sciences and disorders, and evidence-based practice.
Learn more about the Communication Sciences and Disorders Major
Pre-admission to the CSD major
The CSD major is 43 credits and can be completed as part of a Bachelor of Applied Arts (B.A.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Regardless of the degree choice, you must apply for admission to the major. To be eligible to apply for the major, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled in or have completed all of the pre-admission courses
- CSD 230, 278, 330, 331, and 335
- A CSD GPA of 3.00 or higher
- Grade of C or better in each CSD pre-admission course
Students coming in without any credit hours or with a small number of credit hours usually complete these pre-admission courses in three to five semesters, while students coming in with a lot of credit hours typically complete these courses in one to three semesters. Because grades in these courses will determine whether or not you will be accepted into the major, you should consult with an advisor to determine how to schedule these courses.
Before applying for the major, you should meet with the CSD academic advisor, Dr. Stephanie Richards, to sign your intent to major. Once the intent to major is signed, you will be added to a Blackboard shell where you can access the major application and other important advising information.
You will apply to the CSD major in the last semester of the pre-admission courses. Applications for enrollment in the spring semester are due December 1st and applications for enrollment in the fall semester are due May 1st. If the 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday, application due dates will remain the same as applications that are submitted by email. The CSD major application is available in the Blackboard shells for all of the pre-admission courses. If you have trouble locating the application form, contact Dr. Richards, the CSD academic advisor for a copy of the application.
CSD major
Following your admission into the CSD major, you will take the following courses in a three-semester sequence:
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Semester 3 |
|---|---|---|
| CSD 338 | CSD 417SL | CSD 463 |
| CSD 340 | CSD 439 | CSD 525 |
| CSD 431 | CSD 494 | CSD 551 |
CSD electives
If you are interested in taking CSD courses in addition to the required major courses, several CSD electives are offered throughout the year. Some of these courses include CSD 130, CSD 297, CSD 432WI, CSD 490, CSD 495, CSD 512, CSD 540, and CSD 548
Speech-language pathology certification requirements
In addition to the major courses, students are encouraged to complete courses that are necessary for clinical certification through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Knowledge and Skill Skills Acquisition (KASA) These include:
| Coursework requirement | Recommended courses |
|---|---|
| Statistics | STA 282QR or PSY 211QR (particularly if you are pursuing a minor in psychology). Both courses meet the quantitative reasoning requirement. |
| Biology | BIO 101 (general biology) or BIO 150 (human biology). Both courses meet the group II-A requirement of the university program. |
| Chemistry or physics | Any of the CHM or PHY courses in the group II-B section of the university program. |
| Social/behavioral sciences | Courses psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Choose a course in one of these areas that also meets the group III or group IV requirements of the university program. |
Program mission
The undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University is committed to the development of students who are well prepared for graduate programs in Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology and have a foundation for becoming professionals devoted to improving the lives of persons with communication disorders. Our program provides student-centered learning opportunities through coursework, clinical experiences, service-learning activities, and faculty-guided research opportunities designed to promote critical thinking, high ethical standards, a commitment to lifelong learning, an understanding of the clinical process, and knowledge of speech, language, and hearing development, disorders, and differences.
Program goals
- Graduates will have knowledge of the characteristics of speech, language, and hearing development, disorders, and differences.
- Graduates will have knowledge of the materials and procedures used for the prevention, assessment, and intervention of speech, language and hearing disorders.
- Graduates will know how to use the information gathered from the client, clinician, and literature to make evidence-based clinical decisions.
- Graduates will understand the professional and ethical requirements of speech-language pathologists and audiologists.