Dr. Elizabeth A. Power-deFur, Chair and Graduate Program Director
434.395.2369, powerdefurea@longwood.edu
The major in Communication Sciences and Disorders leads to the Master of Science degree and provides in-depth course work and practicum experiences designed to provide students a scholarly foundation and expertise in areas of articulation-phonology, infant and child language disorders, voice disorders, craniofacial anomalies, motor speech disorders, stuttering, aural rehabilitation, dysphagia, and aphasia. Advanced training will involve practicum experiences with a diverse population of adults and children, in a minimum of three different practicum settings. The Master’s degree is the entry-level degree for employment as a speech-language pathologist and prepares students for the remediation of communication disorders. Successful completion of the program meets current eligibility requirements for the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology.
Accreditation
The master’s program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), associated with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Admission
Applicants to this program must have either an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences or Disorders or an undergraduate degree in an unrelated discipline Students who do not have a degree in Communication Sciences or Disorders may enter the program and take all of the undergraduate prerequisite courses prior to beginning the graduate level coursework. All students must complete the following with a grade of B- or better: Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanisms, Phonetics (Transcription), Speech Science, Introduction to Audiology and Hearing Science, Language Development Across the Lifespan, Phonology and Language Disorders, Neurology of Human Communication, Morphology and Syntax, and Introduction to Clinical Practice (or courses deemed comparable by the CSD Graduate faculty). Students who have not successfully completed Speech Science, Neurology of Human Communication, or Introduction to Clinical Practice, may take them after admission to the graduate program; however, these courses must be taken for graduate credit. Introduction to Clinical Practice must be taken prior to enrollment in CSDS 580 . In addition to the above, applicants must have a 3.00 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) or a master’s degree, the general test of teh GRE not more than 5 years old, and a minimum of 3 recommendations. All applicants must complete the CSDCAS application in addition to the Longwood University application. Admission to the Communication and Sciences program is required to enroll in all graduate level courses.
Policy for Dismissal
Admitted students will become academically ineligible to continue in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders under any of the following circumstances:
- Academic ineligibility
- Grade of F received in any course
- Grade of C+ received in more than 6 credit hours
Clincial Experience
All students are required to participate in the Speech, Hearing and Learning Services (SHLS). All students must complete a minimum of 325 hours of supervised clinical experience at the graduate level and a minimum of 400 hours, including 25 observation hours, from the combined undergraduate and graduate programs. The 400 hours will include experience in the evaluation and treatment of children and adults and with a variety of types and severities of disorders of speech, language and hearing. Students must complete a minimum of two off-campus practicum experiences approved by the Communication Sciences and Disorders program.
Admission to the graduate program does not guarantee admission to off-campus practicum placements. Admission to these placements depends on the quality of the graduate student’s academic record, clinical performance in the University clinic, and possession of characteristics necessary to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. Permission to engage in an off-campus practicum or externship requires application by the student, and successful completion of clinical clock hours at the SHLS. The CSDS Clinical Affairs Committee makes the final decision for all off-campus practicums/externships. See the CSDS Clinic Handbook for further details.
A minimum letter grade of B- must be earned in each CSDS practicum and externship course in order to count the clinical clock hours. To graduate with a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a student must accumulate a minimum of 13 credit hours of practicum/externship (CSDS 580 , CSDS 680 & CSDS 685 ), acquire a minimum of 400 clinical clock hours, take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam, and have earned the ACADEMIC requisite competencies for knowledge and skills outcomes required for certification by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (a semiautonomous body of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). Each student will plan practicum experiences with an advisor; however, each student will assume responsibility for the accumulation of the necessary ASHA clock hours. In addition, any student wishing to receive a license as a speech-language pathologist in a state other than Virginia should check the requirements for licensure. If there are any unique competencies required for that state, the student must monitor their acquisition of competencies to ensure they will acquire the necessary competencies for licensure in that state.
Effective fall 2006, any student participating in a Longwood University, College of Education and Human Services course-or program-related extended field placement shall present evidence prior to placement that a criminal record background check has been completed in accordance to the requirements of the agency where the student is placed. Students should confer with their specific program faculty to understand the placing agency’s requirements and the procedures they should follow to comply with these requirements.
Thesis
The writing of an acceptable thesis, CSDS 600 , is an option for the Communication Sciences and Disorders major as the culminating experience and exit requirement for the program. The thesis proposal will summarize the proposed study and give research methodology or critical framework for the study. The thesis proposal is formulated by the student in consultation with an advisor and submitted to the student’s thesis committee. The student’s thesis committee will be composed of three graduate faculty members; adjunct faculty will not serve on this committee. The Longwood University Human and Animal Subjects Research Review committee must approve the proposal prior to commencement of the research. The grading system for the evaluation of the thesis will be pass (P)/satisfactory progress (SP)/not pass (NP). Students must remain continuously enrolled in at least one credit hour until completion.
For general requirements on the thesis, consult the “Academic Regulations ” section.
Professional Portfolio
The completion of an acceptable professional portfolio, CSDS 691 , is an option for the Communication Sciences and Disorders major as the culminating experience and exit requirement for the program. Students are scaffolded by their advisor throughout the program regarding professional portfolio requirements. During the final semester of enrollment, students are required to develop and present a professional portfolio which documents their mastery of program standards and highlights their growth throughout the program. Grading is Pass/Not Pass. A student who earns a Not Pass is allowed to retake CSDS 691 once. Should the student earn a second Not Pass, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program.
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