UNH Graduate School - Communication Sciences and Disorders

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Application Deadlines

Fall:
Applications must be completed by April 1st.

Spring:
Not open for admissions

Summer:
Not open for admissions

Application Requirements

Test Scores: GRE

Special Instructions: Applications must be completed by April 1.

New England Regional: No

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Hewitt Hall
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862 - 0144
Email:
Web Address: http://www.shhs.unh.edu/csd

Degree Offered (MS):

The graduate program integrates an array of academic and clinical experiences to prepare students for a variety of careers in speech-language pathology. The program offers a master of science degree program in communications sciences and disorders. Students can elect to self-design their program, choosing from an array of required and elective courses that best suit their career objectives. This is referred to as the “no option” concentration. Two additional options: language/literacy disabilities and early childhood are available to those students seeking particular expertise in one of these areas. Irrespective of which of the three options a student selects, the program of study will prepare them to treat the full range of communication disabilities across the life span.

Faculty and students are actively engaged in research activities. Their projects include examinations of the efficacy of language intervention for adults with aphasia, management of motor speech deficits, functional outcomes of augmentative and alternative communication, role of communication in fostering inclusive education, relationships between language and literacy, and ways of enhancing the process of clinical supervision.

Admission Requirements

The Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders offers a master of science degree. Students are prepared to practice in a variety of job settings within the field of speech-language pathology and to meet the academic and practicum requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for the Certification of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology. The program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of ASHA. Applicants for admission should possess a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders or its equivalent. The following courses, or their equivalents, are undergraduate prerequisites for the master’s program: COMM 521, Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism; COMM 522, Language Acquisition; COMM 524, Clinical Phonetics; COMM 704, Basic Audiology; COMM 705, Introduction to Auditory Perception and Aural Rehabilitation; COMM 777, Speech and Hearing Science; and KIN 706, Neurology. In addition, a course in statistics is required. Students are also required to have completed coursework in typical human development, and both biological and physical sciences in preparation for fulfillment of ASHA requirements. Applicants with degrees in related fields may be admitted to the Graduate School as provisional students, with the expectation that they will complete the above prerequisite prior to, or concurrent with, graduate courses. Acceptance to the communications sciences and disorders program is based primarily on grade-point average and GRE scores. Applicants must submit current scores (within five years) from the general test of the GRE. Generally, students must have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 to be considered for admission. Letters of recommendation are considered, particularly for the awarding of scholarships, assistantships, and other sources of support.

Degree Requirements

M.S. Degree Requirements
Three options are offered: No option, option in language and literacy disabilities, and option in early childhood intervention (minimum 59 credits). The following core courses are required of all students: COMM 876 and 877, Ethics/Professional Issues in Speech Language Pathology I and II, 2 cr.; COMM 880, Diagnosis of Speech and Language Disorders, 3 cr.; COMM 890, Advanced Audiology for Speech-Language Pathologists, 3 cr.; COMM 891, Neurology for the Speech-Language Pathologist, 3 cr.; COMM 903, Therapy Process, 2 cr.; COMM 910, On-Campus Clinical Practicum, 3 cr.; COMM 911, Off-Campus Clinical Practicum, 6 cr.; COMM 915, Counseling Clients and Families with Communications Disorders, 2 cr.; and EDUC 981, Methods and Techniques of Educational Research, 4 cr., or equivalent.

No Option
In addition to the core courses listed above, students enrolling in the master of science degree program (no option) will take the following required courses:

COMM 900 Phonological Disorders in Children 3 cr.
COMM 901 Dysphagia 3 cr.

In addition, students will take two of the following courses:

COMM 875 Advanced Language Acquisition 3 cr.
COMM 908 Disorders of Language and Literacy I 3 cr.
COMM 909 Disorders of Language and Literacy II 3 cr.
COMM 912 Language Disorders Birth to Five 3 cr.

Two of the following courses:

COMM 902 Stuttering 3 cr.
COMM 906 Voice Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 907 Advanced Seminar in Aural Rehabilitation 3 cr.
COMM 914 Augmentative and Alternative Communication 3 to 4 cr.

Three of the following courses:

COMM 904 Aphasia in Adults 3 cr.
COMM 905 Motor Speech Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 913 Cognitive Communication Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 920 Seminar (Autism Spectrum Disorders) 3 cr.

Students will take two elective courses, which may be taken within and outside the department.

Option in Language Literacy Disabilities
In addition to the above, required courses for this option are:

COMM 875 Advanced Language Acquisition 3 cr.
COMM 900 Phonological Disorders in Children 3 cr.
COMM 901 Dysphagia 3 cr.
COMM 907 Advanced Seminar in Aural Rehabilitation 3 cr.
COMM 908 Disorders of Language and Literacy I 3 cr.
COMM 909 Disorders of Language and Literacy II 3 cr.
COMM 912 Language Disorders Birth to Five 3 cr.

Students will also take four elective courses from the following two different groups:

Students will take two of the following courses:

COMM 902 Stuttering 3 cr.
COMM 906 Voice Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 914 Augmentative and Alternative Communication 3
to 4 cr.
COMM 920 Seminar (Autism Spectrum Disorders) 3 cr.

Students will take two of the following courses:

COMM 904 Aphasia in Adults 3 cr.
COMM 905 Motor Speech Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 907 Advanced Seminar in Aural Rehabilitation 3 cr.
COMM 913 Cognitive Communication Disorders 3 cr.

Option in Early Childhood Intervention
In addition to the core courses listed above, required courses for this option are:

COMM 900 Articulation and Phonological Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 901 Dysphagia 3 cr.
COMM 908 Language/Literacy Disorders I 3 cr.
COMM 912 Language Disorders in Early Childhood 0-5 yr. 3 cr.
COMM 920 Seminar (Autism Spectrum Disorders) 3 cr.
EDUC 949 Supporting Families of Students with Special Needs 4 cr.

In addition, the student will also take five elective courses from the three groups below:

Students will take two of the following courses:

COMM 902 Stuttering 3 cr.
COMM 906 Voice Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 907 Advanced Seminar in Aural Rehabilitation 3 cr.
COMM 914 Augmentative/Alternative Communication 3 cr.

Students will take one of the following courses:

COMM 904 Aphasia 3 cr.
COMM 905 Motor Speech Disorders 3 cr.
COMM 913 Cognitive/Communicative Disorders 3 cr.

Students will take two of the following courses:

COMM 909 Language/Literacy Disorders I 3 cr.
EDUC 941 Diversity and Child Development 4 cr.
HHS 898 Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders 1 to 8
cr.
Other courses within the department
Courses outside of the department approved by adviser

Clinical Practicum
Clinical practicum experiences will be selected according to the desired option to develop practical skills in that area of interest. The number of hours needed by students may vary depending on previous undergraduate experiences. All students are required to complete two on-campus (total of 3 credits) and two off-campus (total of 6 credits) clinical practicum rotations.

Clinical Practicum experiences are scheduled in sites that are approved by the department. Students are responsible for meeting the health and criminal record clearances established by their practicum sites. In addition, students are responsible for transportation to off-campus clinical practicum sites and other community learning experiences and must purchase liability insurance. Practicum sites may require proof of immunization such as poliomyelitis, rubella, and hepatitis; and a physical examination, including tuberculin test as well as health insurance.

Concluding Experience
Students must elect a comprehensive examination or thesis as a concluding experience.
Comprehensive Examination (non-thesis):All students except those writing a thesis must pass a written comprehensive examination designed to assess their mastery of the professional concepts of communication sciences and disorders in the area of normative processes, pathologies, and remediation. Performance evaluated by all graduate faculty.
Thesis: Students may choose to write a thesis. Upon completion of the research project, students must defend the thesis in an oral examination and must gain approval of the thesis committee. In addition to the required coursework specified above, students must register for 6 credits of COMM 899.