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Communication Sciences and Disorders – BS

Program Overview:

The undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders at The College of Saint Rose is designed to empower students with the knowledge, understanding, skills, and professional characteristics necessary to succeed in graduate studies in communication sciences and disorders or a related field and, ultimately, to effectively serve individuals with communication-related impairments. The following competencies reflect the primary purpose of this program.

Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Education, the students will:

  • be prepared for graduate studies in communication sciences and disorders and/or related disciplines
  • understand basic human communication and swallowing processes
  • apply this knowledge to individuals with communication disorders
  • integrate liberal arts and sciences education with the program’s pre-professional, clinical education
  • understand typical, disordered, delayed, and different communication systems and behaviors, within a framework of respect for cultural diversity
  • demonstrate basic clinical skills that are consistent with evidence-based practice (EBP)
  • assimilate classroom instruction and clinical decision-making in preparation for clinical work
  • understand professional issues that face practitioners in the communication sciences and disorders
  • demonstrate professional attributes consistent with the department’s clinical philosophy
  • be able to use the preparation acquired in their Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) major as a foundation for work or further study in other disciplines.

Program requirements can be applied toward New York State Certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities once a degree has been granted by an accredited graduate program in communication sciences and disorders. They can also be applied toward New York State license and a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in speech-language pathology upon completion of an appropriate graduate program. Undergraduate students are required to attend program meetings and to consult regularly with their advisors to be assured that their curriculum meets ASHA requirements as well as those of the College.

Students are required to maintain the following academic status: 2.75 index in the major and a grade of C+ or better in each major course. Students are permitted to repeat an academic course only once, and a maximum of two academic courses may be repeated in the major. Courses within the major that are repeated must be completed at The College of Saint Rose. Students repeating a pre-requisite course may not take the next course in the sequence until the pre-requisite has been successfully completed. Students who earn a grade of Incomplete (I) in a clinical practicum must repeat the clinical experience and earn a grade of Pass (P). Students may not count the clinical clock hours or the academic hours for which they receive an unsatisfactory grade.

As part of the School of Education, the department takes part in the Professional Qualities Assessment (PQA) process, which is consistent with the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department’s belief that interpersonal communication and professionalism are key attributes for professional practice in communication disorders. Information about the PQA process will be provided to students during their first semester of study. In addition, the Communication Sciences and Disorders program is a competency-based program. Therefore, students will be involved in a sequence of field experiences, many of which are off campus. The sequence of required fieldwork is as follows:

Clinical Methods and Supervised Observation (CSD 360)

Students observe 25 hours of therapy and diagnostic sessions with a variety of clients with communication disorders under supervision by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist in a classroom setting.

Supervised Clinical Practicum (CSD 370)

This is a clinical experience taken in either the fall or spring semester. Students may accrue clinical hours by providing direct service to clients under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Participation in a seminar is required. Failure to accept or fulfill an obligation to an assigned clinic may be cause for dismissal from the program. Applications for placement are due at the Winkler Center according to specified deadlines.

Clinical Practicum Seminar (CSD 371)

This course (seminar) provides students with a forum to discuss clinical issues related to their clinical practicum experience. It provides opportunities for students to exchange ideas, problem solve clinical issues, and discuss clinical topics that support their clinical practicum experience. This is a weekly seminar. Co-requisite: CSD 370. Prerequisite: CSD 360. Fall and Spring.

Program Contacts:

To email the Department Chairs,

Dr. Jim Feeney, Communication Sciences and Disorders

Program Webpage:

Communication Sciences and Disorders, BS

Program Requirements:

Major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (73-74 credits)

Required Courses

CSD 100Survey of Communication Sciences and Disorders

3

CSD 109Phonetics

4

CSD 204Anatomy and Physiology Speech and Swallow

4

CSD 219Disorders of Articulation and Phonology

4

CSD 225Hearing Disorders & Assessmnt

3

CSD 240Language Development

3

CSD 242Language & Phonology

2

CSD 244Statistics for CSD

3

CSD 245Intro to Research Meth in CSD

3

CSD 345Language Disorders in Children

3

CSD 346Cognition, Communications and Behavior

3

CSD 350Voice Disorders

4

CSD 360Clinical Methods and Supervised Observations

4

CSD 370Sprvsd Clinical Practicum

1

CSD 371Clinical Practicum Seminar

1

CSD 430Aural Rehabilitation

3

SED 450Organ Spch/Lang/Hr Sch Prog

3

PSY 363Abnormal Psychology

3

PSY 420Cognitive Psychology

3

SWK 114Introduction to Social Work: Self-Awareness and Social Relations

3

EPY 244Life-Span Human Development

3 -4

EPY 370Ed Psych/Instruct Tech

4

EDU 300Foundations of Education

3

EPY 337Substance Abuse Workshop

0

EDU 102Violence Prevention

0

EDU 103Child Abuse Prevention

0

EDU 106HIV/AIDS/ and Communicable Diseases Safety Education Workshop

0

EDU 111Dignity For All Students Workshop

0

Physical Science Course*

3

EPY 370: Students can also take EPY 350 Educational Psychology (3 credits) and CSC204 Educational Computing (3 credits) in the Liberal Education Core to satisfy this requirement.

*Students should consult with their advisor in order to select a 3 credit course in a physical science that will satisfy the above degree requirement.

All Communication Sciences and Disorders majors must meet the Liberal Education Core requirements of the College, including two courses in the same non-English language (for example, two Spanish courses or two courses in sign language). These courses will satisfy the Study of Foreign Language and Further Disciplinary Studies requirements.

 

Bilingual Extension: Spanish

Extensions are not required as part of the Communication Sciences and Disorders major but the New York State Education Department offers an extension in bilingual education to the initial or professional certification obtained. An extension will show that the certified individual has additional expertise to work with children who are bilingual. CSD majors who wish the College to recommend them to the New York State Education Department for an extension must:

  • Complete all requirements of the CSD graduate program, including all requirements for initial teacher certification
  • Obtain passing scores on the New York State Bilingual Education Assessment Exams (BEA).
  • Complete BLE 300, BLE 380, BLE 381, and BLE 455. BLE 380 and BLE 381 each have a 25 hour field experience outside of class that is required.

Internship/Field Experiences/Service:

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program is a competency-based program. Therefore, students will be involved in a sequence of field experiences, most of which are off campus. The sequence of required fieldwork is as follows:

Level 1 Aide Work (CSD 101)

Students observe and assist a speech-language pathologist in a clinical setting for 15 hours during the semester. Many students complete this requirement in their hometown over the College breaks and holidays.

Level 2 Aide Work (CSD 201)

Students observe and assist a Teacher of Students with Speech-Language Disabilities and a classroom teacher in a public school for two full days each. As they may do when completing Level 1, students may complete the Level 2 requirement in their hometown.

Clinical Methods and Supervised Observation (CSD 360)

Students observe 25 hours of therapy and diagnostic sessions with a variety of clients with communication disorders under supervision by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist in a classroom setting.

Supervised Clinical Practicum (CSD 370)

This is a clinical experience taken in either the fall or spring semester. Students may accrue clinical hours by providing direct service to clients under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Participation in a seminar is required. Failure to accept or fulfill an obligation to an assigned clinic may be cause for dismissal from the program. Applications for placement are due at the Winkler Center according to specified deadlines.

Culminating Academic Experiences:

Required Courses

CSD 370Sprvsd Clinical Practicum

1

CSD 371Clinical Practicum Seminar

1

Professional Accreditation:

The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.

The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org/

The professional education programs at The College of Saint Rose are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), recognized by their respective Program Associations and registered with the New York State Education Department.

Career Opportunities and Graduate Study:

With a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders, students find employment in fields related to education, health care and communications. However, graduates must earn a master's degree in order to become a licensed, nationally certified speech-language pathologist. Students who complete the master's degree program at Saint Rose are able to find employment immediately after graduation. For specific data, please see Frequently Asked Questions.

As a Saint Rose graduate in Communication Sciences & Disorders, you will be well prepared to pursue graduate study. Many students who receive their bachelor's degrees from Saint Rose elect to apply to the College's well-regarded master's program in; Communication Sciences & Disorders, where they can continue to study with the expert faculty that they have come to regard as mentors. The graduate program, leading to the Master of Science in Education degree, satisfies the academic and clinical requirements for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), New York state licensure and New York state teaching certification. The professional education programs at The College of Saint Rose are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), recognized by their respective Program Associations and registered with the New York State Education Department.

Saint Rose Communication Sciences & Disorders undergraduates who have chosen to pursue graduate study at other institutions have been accepted to a variety of prestigious graduate programs. In fact, some Saint Rose graduates report being placed in advanced level master's study due to their thorough undergraduate preparation at Saint Rose.

Dual Degree Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), which is part of the Lally School of Education, currently offers both separate and combined B.S. and M.S. degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Completion of the M.S. degree leads to certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities, as well as eligibility for NY State license and the certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

The department was approved in 2006 to offer a combined undergraduate/graduate dual degree program in CSD for incoming freshman as part of an ongoing effort to recruit and retain highly motivated and scholarly students who have the potential to become effective and compassionate speech-language pathologists. The program, detailed below, accelerates movement through the bachelor’s degree by one semester.

Students who are accepted into the combined, dual degree program do not receive a bachelor’s degree when undergraduate coursework is complete; rather, both the bachelor and master’s degrees are awarded when all graduate requirements are completed. Students who are accepted into the dual degree program as undergraduates, and who meet all requirements for advancement, are guaranteed acceptance into the graduate program. Also, the financial aid package provided as freshmen is maintained throughout the program.

Students who are accepted into the dual degree program will take all of the CSD classes that are required in the traditional, separate degree programs, will meet all liberal arts core requirements, and will meet all teacher certification requirements. The total undergraduate credits equal 117; 44 are CSD credits, 19 are non-CSD credits. 54 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences are also met and include CSD 109, 204, and 240.  Graduate credits total 56.

The undergraduate portion of this program is completed in seven regular semesters (no summer semesters required); the graduate portion of this program is typically completed in five to six semesters (which may or may not include summer semesters). Because a full schedule of graduate course offerings is available during summer semesters, students typically include summer semesters as part of their schedule.

Students who transfer in AP credits will have additional opportunities to take non-CSD courses on the undergraduate level. Students may not accelerate through the program beyond that provided by the sequence and may not begin their clinical placement early.

Applications to the dual degree program will be reviewed by the CSD admissions committee (which also reviews graduate applications). Students should approximate the following academic profile: 1200 combined SAT score, high school average of 92 in English and Science, and a strong letter of recommendation. The program is not available to transfer students.

Requirement for Advancement in Dual Degree

  1. No CSD grade less than a B-
  2. A “pass” in their clinical placement
  3. Supportive letters of recommendation from Level 1 and Level 2 supervisors
  4. Acceptable performance on the Professional Qualities Assessment (PQA) at the end of the sophomore year.
  5. Successful completion of an interview and a spontaneous writing sample during the first semester of study.
  6. Meetings with the academic advisor at least once each semester.

Note: Students who do not meet the stated standards of the dual degree program will be re-assigned to the traditional undergraduate program.

Dual Degree Sequence

Fall - Freshman Year

Survey

3

Phonetics

4

Anatomy

4

Non-CSD Course (4)

4

Total Credit Hours:15

Survey: 2 credits in Summer

Fall - Sophomore Year

Fluency, Voice, and Resonance

4

Language Disorders

3

Non-CSD Course

6

Total Credit Hours:13

 

Fall - Junior Year

Clinical Methods

4

Cognitive Psychology

3

Self-Awareness and Social Rel

3

Non-CSD Course

6

 

Fall - Senior Year

Clinical-Practicum (4 days each week)

1

Practicum Seminar

1

Capstone in CSD

2

Public Schools

3

Non-CSD Course

8

Total Credit Hours:15

Non-CSD Course: 48 non-CMD credits are earned.

Spring - Freshman Year

Hearing Disorders

3

Language Development

3

Intro to Physics

3

Non-CSD Course

6

Total Credit Hours:15

 

Spring - Sophomore Year

Intro to Research

3

Speech Sound Disorders

4

Lab Science

4

Non-CSD Course

6

Total Credit Hours:17

 

Spring - Junior Year

Aural Rehabilitation

3

Cognition Comm. and Behavior

3

Abnormal Psychology

3

Statistics in CSD

3

Non-CSD Course

3

Total Credit Hours:15

 

Spring - Senior Year

graduate
Graduate Practicum

2

Graduate Practicum Seminar

2

Counseling

3

Non-CSD Course (4)

4

Total Credit Hours:11

 

Minor(s):

Complete minors listing

Admissions and Financial Aid Information:

The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.

What Makes an Application Complete

  • Online or Paper application (fee waived for online applicants!)
  • Official High School Transcripts
  • Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
  • SAT or ACT scores  (See Test Optional FAQ's)
  • Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
  • Essay or Graded Paper
  • Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
  • Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.

Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)

Scholarships and Financial Aid

See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.

The Bottom Line

The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we still award more than $25 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.

Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.

More about Financial Aid

Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.

The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.

Find Out More: