Communicative Disorders, BA

Communicative Disorders students typically enjoy working with people and their families and are highly motivated to explore communication problems in depth. These individuals display excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They are highly motivated to complete the training necessary to become licensed professionals. They are creative problem solvers, sensitive to the needs of others, deal with multiple demands, pay close attention to detail, and work effectively in a team environment.

Admission into the Major

Students must have sophomore standing to enroll in any CD course. Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students who would like to declare Communicative Disorders as their major should contact the department.

Grade Point Average

A 2.0 GPA in the major is required for completion of the degree. Please see the Office of University Registrar explanation of grade point average calculations. A minimum of a 3.3 GPA overall and a 3.0 GPA in required CD courses must be obtained for clinical practicum opportunities. See the Admission to Clinical Practicum section below.

Prerequisites

Sophomore standing is required to enroll in any CD course except for CD 102 Communicative Disorders First-Year Overview and CD 103 Communicative Disorders First-Year Overview Honors. Completion of all 200-level CD courses (with the exception of CD 277 Preprofessional Lab Experience) is required for enrollment in 300- and 400-level CD courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses in a sequential series – 200 level courses before 300 level courses, and 300 level courses before 400 level courses.

• CD 305 Language Development is a prerequisite for CD 420 Pediatric Disorders
• CD 352 Neuroscience for the Study of Communicative Disorders is a prerequisite for CD 422 Acquired Neurological Disorders
• CD 443 Basic Audiology is a prerequisite for CD 444 Aural Rehabilitation

CD 447 Clinical Practicum I ,CD 345 Introductory Audiology Lab Experience and CD 445 Audiology Lab Experience are by application only.  Permission of the instructor is also required prior to enrollment in any CD 350 Independent Study or CD 360 Honors Independent Study  course.

Special Opportunities

The Department of Communicative Disorders provides students an opportunity to participate in research with a departmental faculty member. Students are also encouraged to become active in the local and national chapters of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Junior- and senior-level scholarship awards are available for students majoring in Communicative Disorders. For eligible students, the department also offers clinical practicums for hands-on experience in speech-language pathology and audiology. Our department has an ambassador program that upper level CD students may apply for.