Communication Sciences and Disorders

Return to: Waldron College of Health and Human Services

Diane Millar, Department Chair
109 Waldron Hall, (540) 831-7635

Lauren Flora, Graduate Program Coordinator
121 Waldron Hall, (540) 831-7639
 

Graduate Program

In support of Radford University’s commitment to providing students a transformative educational experience within a community of inclusivity and empowerment, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is committed to cultivating excellence in student-centered learning and engagement. We foster innovative faculty-student collaborations and a supportive environment to inspire student success through a shared vision of inclusiveness and service within the campus community and beyond.

Graduate academic coursework and clinical education provide students the opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills outcomes required for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). This nationally recognized professional credential is issued to individuals who present evidence of their ability to provide independent clinical services to persons who have disorders of communication. Applicants for the CCC-SLP must also submit a passing score on the ASHA-approved national examination in speech-language pathology (Praxis II) and complete a Clinical Fellowship (CF) for 9 months (if full-time) following graduation.

The program’s curriculum provides students the opportunity to meet the requirements of the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology for licensure in speech-language pathology. It is the responsibility of the graduate students interested in obtaining licensure in states outside of Virginia to identify the requirements for licensure. Students may find information for all states on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website: http://www.asha.org/Advocacy/state/.

The program offers either a Master of Science or Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with a concentration in speech-language pathology. A thesis is required for the Master of Arts degree. A final, comprehensive examination is required of all Master of Arts and Master of Science candidates. For Master of Arts candidates, the final comprehensive examination will be an oral defense of the master’s thesis. Master of Science candidates are required to pass a final written comprehensive examination. COSD graduate students are responsible for becoming familiar with and for meeting all stated Academic Policies outlined in this catalog.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students should complete procedures for graduate student admission as indicated in this catalog, noting the following department-specific requirements for the COSD program:

• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall and 3.0 in all major core courses
• Submission of an application directly through CSDCAS (https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login) that includes:
  • Academic transcripts
  • Personal essay
  • Contact information for three references (faculty in students’ major is preferred)
• Completion of Casper, a standardized, multi-part online assessment that measures different competencies and attributes through Acuity Insights (https://acuityinsights.app/casper/)

Students who have not earned an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders must complete  supporting coursework in addition to the Required Graduate Core Courses. Students have two options for completing supporting courses. The first option is to complete supporting courses as a non-degree seeking student before applying to the Graduate Program. The second option is to apply for the 3-year leveling track, in which the student will complete supporting courses in their first year after admission to the Graduate Program and prior to the start of graduate coursework; in this case, all supporting courses will appear on the official transcript and will be calculated in the overall graduate grade point average.

Return to: Waldron College of Health and Human Services