Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders


Step Toward a Career in Speech-Language Pathology

The UT Tyler Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders is a preprofessional degree that provides students with the prerequisites to apply for graduate studies in speech-language-pathology, audiology, speech-hearing science, or to work as speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs). Students who choose not to pursue a speech-language pathology master's degree or work as SLPAs can pursue careers in related fields including early childhood education, early intervention, special education, mental health counseling, and nursing, and other related fields. 

The Field of Speech-Language Pathology 

There are many reasons why the field of speech-language pathology has been ranked among the best careers by the US News & World Report for over a decade. In 2023 it was rated as the 11th best healthcare career and the 31st best among the top 100 jobs in the USA. With a median annual salary around $80,000, and over 34,000 jobs available around the country, graduates have many available positions to choose from. The field offers a wide variety of settings including (but not limited to) hospitals, early intervention, schools, rehabilitation agencies, nursing homes, otolaryngology clinics, private practice, university clinics, and many more. Specialists can work with children or adults. The field offers a high level of job satisfaction and upward mobility. 

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a healthcare/medical professional specialized in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of communication disorders and swallowing disorders. Communication disorders include speech sound disorders, voice and resonance disorders, fluency disorders (stuttering and cluttering), language disorders, aphasia, cognitive communication disorders, social communication disorders, and hearing impairment. An SLP may specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of just one disorder (e.g., voice, social communication, swallowing, etc.) or a combination of related disorders (e.g., speech sound disorders, language disorders, stuttering, etc.). The SLP may choose to specialize in neonatal care, pediatrics, or adults. 

Minimum Requirements for Being a Certified and Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist

A master's degree in speech-language pathology is the minimum degree required for certification and licensure in the field. The master's must be completed at a program accredited (or awarded Accreditation Candidacy Status) by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). The degree involves academic courses plus 400 hours of clinical practicum that graduate students complete under supervision by certified and licensed clinical supervisors inside a graduate program and in various external practicum sites. Additionally, graduate students must pass the Praxis Exam (the national exam in speech-language pathology) by the time of graduation. To enroll in an SLP master's program, applicants must have a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders, or a bachelor's in a related field (given that the applicant has taken the required leveling/prerequisite courses).


Marketable Skills for the UT Tyler Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders  

By the end of the program, CSD graduates are expected to possess the following soft and hard skills:

Soft Skills:

  • Address challenging problems and issues through: creative and analytical thinking, problem-solving, inquiry, innovation, evaluation, and synthesis of information including numerical data or observable facts.
  • Respond in an ethical manner by connecting data, behavior, choices, and consequences to ethical practices.
  • Communicate effectively through written, oral, and visual delivery modes.
  • Enhance interpersonal and team-building skills through understanding of theory of mind, executive functioning, and related cognitive skills.
  • Work effectively as a valuable team member.
  • Advance the human condition by acquiring a meaningful understanding of cultural competence and cultural humility, knowledge of civil responsibility, and foundational knowledge of human behavior.

Hard Skills:

  • Explain and apply knowledge of the theoretical and scientific foundations of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
  • Explain and apply knowledge of the developmental norms for speech and language acquisition.
  • Explain and apply knowledge of speech, language, and hearing disorders.
  • Discuss current technological advances and illustrate their use for clinical problem solving.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic clinical process for the treatment of communication disorders.
  • Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills to explain and describe content and research findings as they apply to topics in the field of communication sciences and disorders.

Important links

Prerequisites for Applying to the UT Tyler Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program

  • Bachelor’s Degree in CSD or a bachelor’s in another field (given that the applicant has taken all prerequisite communication sciences and disorders coursework)
    GRE:     Minimum Overall Score of 300
                   Minimum Verbal Score of 150     
                   Minimum Quantitative Score of 150     
                   Analytic Writing Score of 3.5-5.0
  • Overall GPA: Minimum Overall Undergraduate GPA of 3.0, with no grades below "B-" 
  • Major GPA: minimum 3.0 GPA in the CSD Major courses (or leveling courses), with no grades below "B-"
  • Official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate courses taken
  • 25 hours of clinical observation (obtained as part of an academic course)
  • 3 letters of recommendation
  • Letter of Interest/Intent
  • CV/Resume 
  • Personal Interview 
  • Spontaneous writing sample
  • Excellent comprehension and production of spoken and written language. This includes speech articulation, voice, and fluency in American English.
  • Functional/normal hearing acuity, auditory processing, and visual acuity 
  • Emotional maturity and stability 
  • Excellent social communication, interpersonal skills, and collegiality 
  • The ability to work under pressure
  • Ability to work and conduct research independently

Prerequisite Undergraduate Coursework:
The following undergraduate courses are required, with a grade of “B-” or better in each course. They may be taken as part of a communication sciences and disorders bachelor's or as leveling courses: 

o Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders 
o Anatomy & Physiology of Speech, Language, and Hearing
o Speech & Hearing Science
o Language Acquisition and Development
o Phonetics
o Clinical Procedures (including 25 observation hours)
o Introduction to Audiology 
o Neurological Bases of Speech, Language and Hearing
o Biology (100-level) 
o Chemistry OR Physics (100-level) 
o Statistics (Elementary level) 
o Developmental Psychology OR Child Psychology 
o Linguistics

Credit Transfer: Students can transfer up to 9 graduate credits from an accredited speech-language pathology master or doctoral degree program at a university in which they were officially enrolled. Non-degree students can transfer up to 6 graduate credits, given that those credits were completed in a an accredited SLP master/doctoral program within the previous 7 years. In all cases, transfer credits are allowed only after the student has successfully completed the first semester in our program. The minimum GPA required for graduation from the program is 3.0, with no grades below “B-.”


Applications Now Accepted for the Fall of 2024

The deadline for accepting applications is 5:00 PM March 15, 2024.
Please submit your application on the CSDCAS website at https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login 

To discuss the application and admission processes related to this graduate program, please Graduate Admissions of reach out to Dr. Ahmed Abdelal at aabdelal@uttyler.edu. 

Forms:
Recommendation Request Form for Applying to Graduate School