Communication Disorders Major

Communication Disorders Major

Students can major in Communication Disorders (CMD) to prepare for graduate school in either Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology, or for a career as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. CMD majors may pursue a typical 4-year Bachelor’s degree schedule, leading to graduate studies. Alternatively, CMD majors can pursue a 3+2 program by completing all requirements for the CMD Bachelor’s Degree in three years, and moving on to the SHU Master’s degree program in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Those pursuing the 3+2 program may need to take courses during summer and intersession terms in order to complete the program in three years. For a student on either track, declaration of the major occurs at the end of the second semester, provided that the student has at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and at least a C in CMD 200, CMD 201, PS 110, BI 111, and BI 113. Students who wish to practice as Speech-Language Pathologists must complete all undergraduate CMD requirements, and then apply to, and complete, a master’s degree program in SLP at SHU (or elsewhere). Graduate study in SLP typically requires two calendar years, including 1–2 summers, of graduate-level coursework, and 400 hours of supervised clinical practice. In order to be accepted by the SHU graduate program in SLP, students must successfully complete all major requirements by the end of the summer prior to enrollment in a graduate program. Admission requirements for the SHU Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology can be found here.

RHEA PAUL, PhD, CCC-SLP

Professor and Founding Chair

JILL DOUGLASS, PhD, CCC-SLP

Associate Professor

MARTA KORYTKOWSKA, MS, ABD, CCC-SLP

Clinical Assistant Professor

CIARA LEYDON, PhD, CCC-SLP

Associate Professor

 

JAMIE MAROTTO, AuD, CCC-A

Clinical Assistant Professor; Director, Undergraduate Program Director

 

AVINASH MISHRA, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

 

JESSICA PRESTON, AuD, CCC-A

Adjunct Instructor; Program Coordinator, Online Prerequisite Series

 

FRAN PREZANT, MS, CCC-SLP

Adjunct Instructor

 

ELIZABETH SIMMONS, MS, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

Program Accreditation

The CMD Pre-Professional major at SHU is designed to meet all requirements of the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) and to prepare students for graduate study in either speech-language pathology or audiology. The SHU Master’s program in Speech-Language Pathology has been accredited by the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education. Program approval from the Connecticut State Department of Education for teacher endorsement as a school-based SLP has also been awarded. The Master's program in Speech-Language Pathology at Sacred Heart University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700

Requirements

The CMD Major includes the necessary prerequisite courses for graduate work in Speech-language Pathology or Audiology. Twenty-five hours of observation of Communication Disorders practice is required and is included within the major coursework.

Required Core Curriculum

 

CMD 200	Introduction to Communication Disorders	3
CMD 201	Introduction to Communication Disorders Lab	1
CMD 210	Phonetics	3
CMD 215	Leadership in Healthcare	1
CMD 300	Anatomy & Physiology of Speech & Swallowing	3
CMD 310	Introduction to Audiology	3
CMD 315	Hearing Science	3
CMD 320	Speech Science	3
CMD 330	Development of Language	3
CMD 335	Cultural and Structural Linguistics	3
CMD 340	Neurological Bases of Communication & Swallowing	3
CMD 350	Introduction to Clinical Methods & Observation	3
CMD 351	Introduction to Clinical Methods & Observation Lab	1

Required Supporting Courses

 

BI111, BI113, PY103, PS110, PS 252, MA131, ED301, ED302, HS204, HS309, LANGXX Any foreign language