Communication Sciences and Disorders

[1] Master of Science

[1.1] Objectives

The Master of Science (MS) degree program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is designed to meet academic and clinical standards for ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology.

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association:

Each graduate of the program will also meet academic and clinical requirements for Arkansas licensure in Speech-Language Pathology and Arkansas teacher licensure.

[1.2] Admission Requirements

Admission to the MS Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is competitive, selective and limited. A Bachelor’s Degree is required prior to enrolling but can be in related fields. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication prior to admission to practicum courses. In addition to the Graduate School admission requirements, Communication Sciences and Disorders requires (1) submission of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test prior to the department’s recommendation to the Graduate School for admission to graduate studies and (2) submission of a résumé, narrative, and recommendation form. A maximum of 9 credit hours may be transferred from another CAA accredited graduate program, subject to the approval of the departmental graduate advisor. Students should submit applications by January 15 for consideration for fall admission. Applications to the MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders is administered through the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service for Clinical Education in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology. Complete application instructions are located on the CSDCAS website: http://portal.csdcas.org.

[1.3] Program Requirements

In addition to any undergraduate deficiencies for ASHA certification and Arkansas licensure, completion of the master’s degree requires six consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment. Students must complete a minimum of 54 semester credit hours of academic and clinical courses including:

Required Core Courses (40 hours):

Practicum (14 hours):

The student must meet with the departmental graduate advisor to prepare a plan of study to ensure that all requirements are met. A student must maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 and maintain satisfactory non academic criteria that are important to function as a speech-language pathologist. Finally, each student must adhere to the rules of ethical conduct as described in the Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

[2] Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Communication Sciences and Disorders is provided through a consortium of three institutions: The University of Central Arkansas, The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The name of this consortium is the Arkansas Consortium for the PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders. The consortium structure offers the opportunity for interdisciplinary research in both medically oriented sites and in conventional college campus locations. The program prepares graduates for teaching and research through coursework and internships in grant writing, teaching and clinical supervision as well as research and discipline specific areas of study.

[2.1] Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is made by application through the UAMS Graduate School and a program application. A graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology is required as well as appropriate state licensure. Complete admission requirements and processes are located on the program website at UAMS [link updated 2020-04-21].

[2.2] Program Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders requires a minimum of 70 semester credit hours. Within the 70 hour requirement, students complete a minimum of: 9 hours of statistics, 3 hours of advanced research methods, 6 hours of a research project (pre-dissertation), 18 hours in doctoral seminars, 10 hours in professional development, 6 hours in a collateral area and 18 hours of dissertation research.

[2.3] Graduation Requirements

• Successful completion of an approved program of study as outlined above
• Successful completion of comprehensive examinations
• Successful completion of the dissertation

[3] Graduate Courses in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)

Follow this link for CSD course descriptions: course link.