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 with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, and no grade in a course required for the major below C. All students who wish to enter the SHU SLP graduate program are required to go through the admissions process.
Admission requirements for the SHU Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology can be found here.
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
CAITLIN ROSS, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
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 prerequisite courses for graduate work in Speech-language Pathology or Audiology. Twenty-five hours of observation of Communication Disorders practice required and 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
| BI 111 | Concepts in Biology I: Molecules to Cells | 3 |
| BI 113 | Concepts in Biology I Laboratory | 1 |
| PY 103 | Physics of Sound | 3 |
| PY 110 | Physics of Hollywood | 3 |
| PS 252 | Child Development Psychology | 3 |
| MA 131 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| ED 301 | Introduction to Exceptionalities | 3.00 Credit(s) |
| ED 302 | Education in the U.S. | 3.00 Credit(s) |
| HS 204 | Introduction to Research in Health Science | 3.00 Credit(s) |
| HS 309 | Professional Interactions in Healthcare Settings | 3 |
LANGXX Any foreign language