Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S. FAQs

A master’s degree is required to practice as a certified speech-language pathologist and a professional doctorate degree is required to practice as an audiologist. Graduate programs generally will not accept students who have less than a 3.0 grade point average for all college courses.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program offers a Master of Sciences degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a major in speech-language pathology. The speech-language pathology graduate degree program is designed to lead to professional licensure by the State of Georgia in speech-language pathology as well as certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Unfortunately no. The Communication Sciences and Disorders program is full-time.

The graduate program in communication sciences and disorders is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Georgia Southern is currently on the semester system.

Yes. Travel to and from campus as well at to educational sites are required of all students during all five semesters of the program. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation (and transportation related expenses) to educational sites for clinical practicum and course related experiences. Students are expected to travel throughout Savannah and the surrounding areas without exception.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate program typically takes five semesters to complete. The students will begin in the fall and then continue taking courses for spring, summer, fall and spring semesters consecutively.

Students with a strong academic record in another field are encouraged to apply to the Communication Sciences and Disorders program. In order to apply, students must take foundation courses not completed in their undergraduate program and 18 hours of prerequisite coursework related to speech and hearing. The foundation courses include courses in biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics and the social/behavioral sciences. Students are also required to complete 18 hours of coursework to include the following courses (or equivalents as determined by Georgia Southern’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program faculty): Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing mechanism, Phonetics, Normal Speech and Language Development, Introduction to Audiology, Speech Science and Language Disorders. The foundation and prerequisite courses must be completed or in progress when the application is submitted. Students who plan to apply to multiple graduate programs should review the prerequisite courses for each graduate program.

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 1 through the January 15 deadline. The Georgia Southern University graduate application will NOT be accepted. Only materials submitted via CSDCAS will be reviewed.

• On the first day of graduate school orientation students will turn in official proof of 25 observation hours of clinical speech-language pathology or audiology (signed by a certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist), proof of professional liability insurance, CPR/First Aid training certification, a background check, negative TB test, and health insurance documentation.
• Official college transcripts requested using the CSDCAS transcript request form.

The initial review process for completed files begins in February and takes approximately 6-8 weeks.  Admission decisions will be made in writing only.

Official college transcripts from all colleges attended should be submitted via the CSDCAS System.

Application requirements must be received and/or postmarked by January 15.

A minimum GPA of 3.0 across all college level classes is required. This includes both major and non-major coursework.

Register for the General Test on the ETS Graduate Record Examination (GRE) website. You must use the CSDCAS GRE Code listed here: 7712.

Regular admission requires a score of no less than 145 on the verbal section and 141 on the quantitative section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores within 5 years of the application due date will be accepted.  (Equivalent scores on the retired GRE are also acceptable.)

• For students whose second language is English, a score of 550 paper-based score or 100 computer-based score or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 6.5 or better on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) may be substituted for the verbal GRE score.

Students need 25 hours of observation from a variety of different sites. Only speech-language pathologists and audiologists who are ASHA Certified can supervise, approve, and sign your observation hours form. Hours can be obtained in a variety of settings and approved by more than one certified professional.

There is unfortunately limited funding available for students. In order to be eligible for financial aid, students must be enrolled full-time.  One option that students may look into is the McCormick Scholarship. Other questions regarding financial aid can be answered by visiting the Financial Aid website.

The number of students accepted varies from year to year. Georgia Southern is expecting to have a class of 20 students each fall.

Graduate students participate in a wide variety of clinical opportunities at a variety of practicum sites including: schools, pediatric hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, non-profit clinics, private practices and the Georgia Southern RiteCare Center on the Armstrong campus. It should be noted that the placement options change from semester to semester.

During the first year of graduate school, students are assigned clients in the university clinic (RiteCare Center on the Armstrong Campus). The clinic runs during normal business hours Monday through Friday and students can expect to have variable clinic hours during the day. During the second year of graduate school, students are assigned to off-site/external clinical practicum in the community. These clinical placements usually run all day Monday-Friday. Some weekends may be required.

Most graduate coursework is offered between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday. The schedule changes from semester-to-semester and students should not expect the same time and day schedule of courses for each semester.

Students cannot work a full-time job during the two years enrolled in the graduate program. In addition to coursework, students are also in clinical practicum assignments each semester. It is recommended for those students who are working part-time to have a job with flexible hours, which can be changed when needed. Students are also encouraged to seek employment on campus via work study or graduate assistantships.

The program policy regarding the speech-language competence of students in the program is consistent with the Technical Report issued by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association. All students, as do all speakers, speak with an accent and/or dialect. To ensure the equitable treatment of all students in the program, all students regardless of accent or dialect must be able to model the sounds and grammar or mainstream English.

The course schedule varies from semester to semester. Hours for each practicum site are specific to that placement. Students should not schedule a vacation without speaking with faculty to determine the schedule for the final examination. In addition, students should speak with their practicum coordinator and practicum site supervisors regarding clinical responsibilities prior to making any travel arrangements.

Prescheduled graduate school presentations for prospective students are offered throughout the academic school year. Individual meetings can be requested depending on the availability of the communication sciences and disorders faculty. Please contact the program at 912-344-2969 for further information.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Georgia Southern University provides training and education required to meet standards established by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). The program does not guarantee that international students will meet minimum requirements for accrediting bodies outside of the United States.