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Home > Degree Programs > Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S.

Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S.

Format: In person on the Armstrong Campus
Credit Hours: 57
Entry Term: Fall

The Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders provides students with the knowledge and skills to prevent, assess, diagnose and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Evidenced-focused, team-orientated, problem-based instruction prepares graduates to enter the workforce as clinical fellowship-ready speech-language pathologists. Graduates are also prepared to pursue the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). The degree includes a total of 54 semester hours of academic coursework and clinical practica.

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Prospective Students

Communication Sciences and Disorders Degree Completion

The graduate admissions process for the Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders is managed by the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application System (CSDCAS). Applications may be submitted beginning Sept 1st through the January 15th deadline. The Georgia Southern graduate application will NOT be accepted. Only materials submitted via CSDCAS will be reviewed.

Admission Requirements

Progression Requirements

  • Students must maintain a B average or better on all coursework taken as a graduate student. If the student’s average falls below 3.0, the student will have one probationary semester to earn the required B average or better. The student must be registered for all of the required courses in the program of study during the probationary semester. If the average is not raised to a B or better in that term, or the student earns a C or below or more than 6 hours, the student will be dismissed from the program. Students who are dismissed due to unsatisfactory performance cannot reapply to the program.
  • A student who earns a D, F or WF in an academic course or a grade of C, D, F or WF in a clinical practicum but has not met the criteria for dismissal must demonstrate mastery of the failed content before the program is completed and the degree is granted. The student may be required to retake the failed course or retake specific course content via independent study or special topics classes.
  • Students must adhere to the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Code of Ethics and guide for professional practices and the state of Georgia’s rules and regulations governing the practice of speech-language pathology. The program provides copies of, and instruction in, all of these policies. Students who violate these rules and regulations will be dismissed from the program and are ineligible for readmission.
  • Graduate coursework and clinical practicum are completed simultaneously over five consecutive semesters, which includes summer. Students are admitted as full-time. If the student is not enrolled for two consecutive semesters, that student must reapply for admission.
    • Students are responsible for providing their own transportation and lodging expenses (if required) to clinical sites for clinical education courses. Some clinical sites may be located outside of the city of Savannah. The majority of clinical assignments are within approximately 150 mile radius of the University. Moreover, students may be required to attend multiple out-of-town clinical education sites. Some clinical education sites are out of state.
    • Due to contractual obligations of Georgia Southern University to some clinical sites, students may be required to fulfill clinical obligations on days that are not normally scheduled class days for the university including breaks between semesters.
  • Students must complete the program within seven years.
    • Students who do not complete the program in seven years must reapply for admission. Those students must begin to meet the program requirements in effect at the time of readmission. For clarification, see Readmission Procedures below.
  • Students must annually present evidence of professional liability insurance, health/medical insurance and first aid/CPR certification. In addition, students may need to provide evidence of preventative inoculations depending on extern placements.

Graduation Requirements

  • Students must apply for graduation through the Office of the Registrar.  Students must submit a Graduate Application by the first class day of Spring semester if they plan to complete their graduation requirements in Spring or Summer. Student must submit a Graduate Application by the first class day of Fall semester if they plan to complete their graduation requirements in Fall.
  • Students must take the Praxis II examination in speech-language pathology and present a score of 162 or higher to the graduate advisor by March 31st if graduating in May, June 31st if graduating in August or October 31st if graduating in December.
    • Students who do not earn a Praxis II score of 162 or better must take a comprehensive assessment developed by the program and earn a score of 80% or higher.
  • Students must maintain a B average or better in the program.
  • Students must accumulate a minimum of 400 client contact hours as described by the department and guidelines set forth by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.
  • Students who plan to work in the State of Georgia as a school speech-language pathologist must pass the Program Admissions Test on the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) prior to graduation or meet the exemptions based on previous SAT, ACT, or GRE scores. See GACE website  for further detail.

Information Sessions

Information sessions are led by CSDS graduate program faculty and include an overview of the program and the admissions process. Information sessions will be held on the following dates and times:

January 26, 2024 from 10 AM – 11 AM (Virtual only)
April 12, 2024 from 10 AM – 11 AM (Virtual)
April 12, 2024 from 10 AM – 11 AM (In person)

If you want to attend one of the above sessions, please register below. All in-person information sessions will be held on the Armstrong Campus. Once registered, you will receive a parking pass for in-person sessions or a link for virtual sessions two days prior to the session.

Register for an Information Session

Student Achievement Data

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program reports data on PRAXIS results, graduation and employment for their accrediting body, the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA).

Class of:Total # of GraduatesSecured Initial Employment or
Continued Education Six Months Post-Graduation (Traditional) 		Secured Initial Employment or
Continued Education Six Months Post-Graduation (Online)
201829100%100%
20192195%100%
20202897%100%
202125100%100%
20222898%100%

ClassStudents beginning Second half of programStudents GraduatingAttrition RateGraduation Rate
201829290%100%
201921205%95%
202030283%97%
202126254%96%
202228280%100%

Credential Success Rate
Number of students taking ABD credential9
Number earning ABD credential from ARDMS9
Number earning ABD credential from ARRTN/A
Total number earning ABD credential9
ABD credential success rate100%

Vision

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program will continue to uphold a strong commitment to higher learning and clinical education across the curriculum. This will include inter-professional relationships and innovative instructional formats that employ scholarly activity and civic responsibility, while acknowledging and meeting the needs of the city of Savannah and the surrounding community.

Values

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program supports these core values:

  • Academic and clinical instruction that is transformative, experiential and rigorous, leading to student success.
  • A balance among service, teaching, mentoring and scholarship.
  • An environment of mutual trust and collegiality that respects diversity in professional collaborations and the clinical populations served.
  • Ethical behavior and accountability for faculty, staff and students that support high standards of academic and clinical performance.
  • Our relationship with Savannah and the surrounding areas for its rich history and abundant resources, through strategic community partnerships that provide learning opportunities for faculty and students.

Strategic Objectives

  • The faculty within the Communication Sciences and Disorders program will use evidence-based instruction and transformative learning strategies to stimulate the critical thinking skills necessary for practice, advocacy, and leadership in the profession.
  • The Communication Sciences and Disorders program will develop and maintain partnerships within the community to promote service opportunities for students as well as meet community needs.
  • The Communication Sciences and Disorders program will develop and maintain partnerships with other health and non-health professions to promote interprofessional collaborations.
  • The Communication Sciences and Disorders program will develop international partnerships and educational opportunities as well as increase the intercultural competence of students, faculty and staff.
  • The Communication Sciences and Disorders program will maintain adequate resources for teaching, scholarship, communication, and productivity to meet current and future needs.

Mission

The Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSDS) Program supports the mission of the University to prepare individuals to think, lead, and serve, as well the mission of  the Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) to prepare future health professionals through academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration, while advancing knowledge through scholarship and serving culturally diverse communities.

The purpose of the Master of Science Program in CSDS is to prepare graduate students for certification in speech-language pathology through didactic coursework in foundational concepts; clinical instruction in assessment, intervention, prevention, and counseling;  volunteerism and advocacy. The program teaches graduate students to evaluate and utilize evidence from scientific research; think critically in order to solve clinical problems; convey complex health information through written and spoken modalities; collaborate effectively to realize exceptional clinical outcomes; act ethically to serve clients within a culturally and linguistically diverse society as outlined in the accreditation standards of the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Accreditation

The Master of Science (M.S.) in speech-language pathology (residential program) at Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301- 296-5700.

National accreditation ensures that the program meets specified standards in the areas of administrative structure and governance, faculty and instructional staff, curriculum, students, assessment, and program resources. Students graduating from an accredited program are eligible for state and national certification. For more information, visit the website at https://caa.asha.org/about/.

Commitment to Diversity

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program, in alignment with diversity initiatives within the Water’s College of Health Professions and Georgia Southern University, celebrates diversity in all its forms. Inclusive Excellence is a strategic pillar and a core value at Georgia Southern University. We recognize that our success as an institution of higher learning and a program depends on our ability to embrace, value, and appreciate the diversity of students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni across our campuses. 

As a program, our desire is to foster a learning environment where students, faculty, staff, and administrators from all backgrounds feel welcomed and respected. Learn more about Inclusive Excellence at Georgia Southern here:

Professional License Disclosure

Upon graduation, students who complete the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) graduate program at Georgia Southern University will be eligible to apply for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). The CCC is considered the gold standard for employment in speech-language pathology and is required in most employment settings. States may also require a license to practice. The state license is required in addition to the CCC. Some states also require an additional teacher certification to work in the K-12/school setting. 

The CSD graduate program at Georgia Southern University is intended to prepare students to meet requirements for ASHA certification and Georgia state licensure. Admission into the program or completion of the program does not guarantee that students will obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) or state licensure. Certification and licensure requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with Georgia Southern University. In addition, certification and licensure requirements can change at any time.

State Licensure: Georgia Southern University has not determined whether its CSD graduate program meets other states’ educational and/or professional requirements for state licensure. Students enrolled in our program who are planning to pursue licensure in other states are responsible for determining whether they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure. Individual state requirements may be viewed at: https://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/info/.

K-12/School Certification: Georgia Southern University has not determined whether its CSD graduate program meets other states’ educational and/or professional requirements for K-12 certification. Students who complete the Master of Science program in speech language pathology are eligible to apply for K-12 certification as a service provider in the state of Georgia. Instructions regarding the certification process are provided to all students in the fall of the second year of graduate study. In addition, you can view the rules as prescribed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for Speech-Language Pathology. Some states require that teacher certification applicants be eligible for certification in the state from which the Master’s degree was earned. As a result, completion of the credentialing process for the state of Georgia is optional but highly recommended. Students enrolled in our program who are planning to pursue certification in other states are responsible for determining whether they will meet their state’s requirements for certification.

Do You Have Questions? Contact Us!

Department of Clinical Sciences

Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Phone: 912-344-2969
Fax: 912-344-3472
Email: csds@georgiasouthern.edu

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Contact Information

Department of Clinical Sciences

Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus
Department 4902
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419

Phone: 912-344-2550

Department Employment Opportunities

Clinical Internship/Practicum Experience Update

Many of the clinical programs offered by the Waters College of Health Professions require a clinical internship or practicum experience to fulfill degree requirements. Pursuant to the University's legal agreements, participants in clinical experiences are required to abide by the workplace rules of the clinical site. The University is aware of recent federal requirements that would mandate vaccination against COVID-19 for those working in certain settings, including health care. At this time, we expect that these new requirements may significantly impact our ability to locate a placement for students who remain unvaccinated. As always, WCHP will continue to make every effort to place students at clinical sites. However, please be aware that we may be unable to locate a site to accept unvaccinated students, which may cause a delay or inability to progress and complete the program of study.

Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus 

Department of Clinical Sciences • 11935 Abercorn Street • Savannah, GA 31419