Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Mission Statement
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is committed to providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art undergraduate pre-professional education that includes discipline-specific course work and observation. In keeping with university requirements, this includes a broad-based General Education component. The department also provides graduate-level course work and practicum experiences for those interested in entering professional practice in either speech-language pathology or audiology, a university teaching and research position, or a management/administrative position in service delivery settings.
The department is committed to advancing the state of knowledge in both basic and applied aspects of communication sciences and disorders through its master's and doctoral research degrees and the research activities of its faculty and students and to providing service to the profession, university and client communities at local, state, national and international levels. Through its Applied Laboratory the department seeks to provide outreach services to the region as part of the clinical teaching component of its mission and to provide a clinical research resource for students and faculty.
Goals
- Providing course work and observation at the undergraduate level, including study of the underlying science and development of human communication, and an introduction to disorders that may occur in human communication.
- Providing course work at the undergraduate level that will prepare students for
- graduate study in the areas of speech-language pathology or audiology,
- graduate school in a related discipline and
- a liberal education in the discipline of communication sciences and disorders.
- Offering a minor in communication sciences and disorders for undergraduate students majoring in related fields.
Programs of Study
The department offers a B.A. and B.S. in communication sciences and disorders. The department also offers the M.S. in speech-language pathology (professional preparation), the M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders (research), the Au.D. (Doctor of Audiology) and the Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders with emphases in audiology, speech-language pathology and/or speech and hearing science. Inquiries concerning these graduate programs should be directed to the dean of The Graduate School or the department's graduate coordinator.
A master's degree is the minimum requirement for competency/certification endorsed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and for Virginia licensure in speech-language pathology. In audiology, a doctoral degree is the minimum requirement for competency/certification endorsed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and for new Virginia licensure applicants.
Applied Speech, Hearing and Language Laboratory
The JMU applied teaching laboratory for CSD students provides the following services for communicatively impaired individuals of the university community and its service area. Appointments for services may be made by any member of the community.
Areas of Service Delivery
- Speech-language and/or hearing assessments
- Intervention programs in speech, language and hearing disorders
- Preventative and educational consultation
- Referrals for other professional services when indicated
With relevant graduate degrees:
- Audiologist in medical centers, medical practice, private practice
- Clinical supervisor
- Hearing scientist
- Researcher, university professor
- Speech-language pathologist in the public schools, rehabilitation centers, medical environment,
- private practice
- Speech scientist
Co-curricular Activities and Organizations
- National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Student Academy of Audiology
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education 1,2 | 41 |
| Foreign Language classes (intermediate level required) 3 | 0-14 |
| Philosophy course(s) (in addition to General Education courses) | 3 |
| University electives | 28-34 |
| Major requirements (listed below) | 48 |
| 120 | |
1 A biological sciences course is required. It may be taken as part of the General Education courses or as a non-departmental required course.
2 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
3 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student's chosen language (typically 232) or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures' placement test.
Major Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| CSD 200. Introduction to Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 207. Phonetics | 3 |
| CSD 208. Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear and Voice Mechanism | 3 |
| CSD 209. Acoustics of Hearing and Speech | 3 |
| CSD 300. Language Development | 3 |
| CSD 301. Audiology | 3 |
| CSD 310. Biostatistical Methods for Communication | 3 |
| Sciences and Disorders | |
| CSD 314. Phonological and Language Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 318. Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| CSD 415. Neuroanatomy and Neurogenic Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 416. Organic Speech Disorders | 3 |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 |
| CSD 470. Methods and Observation | |
| CSD 471. Methods and Observation in Audiology | |
| GPSYC 101. General Psychology | 3 |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development | 3 |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| 45 | |
Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Degree Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education 1, 2 | 41-44 |
| Quantitative requirement (in addition to General Education) | 3 |
| Scientific Literacy requirement (in addition to General Education) | 3-4 |
| University electives | 25-31 |
| Major requirements (listed below) | 48 |
| 120 | |
1 A biological sciences course is required. It may be taken as part of the General Education courses, as part of the B.S. requirement or as a non-departmental required course.
2 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
Major Requirements
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| CSD 200. Introduction to Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 207. Phonetics | 3 |
| CSD 208. Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear and Voice Mechanism | 3 |
| CSD 209. Acoustics of Hearing and Speech | 3 |
| CSD 300. Language Development | 3 |
| CSD 301. Audiology | 3 |
| CSD 310. Biostatistical Methods for Communication | 3 |
| Sciences and Disorders | |
| CSD 318. Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| CSD 314. Phonological and Language Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 415. Neuroanatomy and Neurogenic Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 416. Organic Speech Disorders | 3 |
| Choose one | 3 |
| CSD 470. Methods and Observation | |
| CSD 471. Methods and Observation in Audiology | |
| GPSYC 101. General Psychology | 3 |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development | 3 |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| 45 | |
Recommended Schedule for B.A. and B.S. Majors
| First Year | Credit Hours |
| CSD 200. Introduction to Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 207. Phonetics | 3 |
| GPSYC 101. General Psychology | 3 |
| Biological sciences course 1 | 3-4 |
| General Education courses | 18 |
| 27-30 | |
| Second Year | Credit Hours |
| CSD 208. Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear and Voice Mechanism | 3 |
| CSD 209. Acoustics of Hearing and Speech | 3 |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development | 3 |
| EXED 200. Nature and Issues of Disabilities | 3 |
| General Education and/or elective courses | 18 |
| 30 | |
| Third Year | Credit Hours |
| CSD 300. Language Development | 3 |
| CSD 301. Audiology | 3 |
| CSD 310. Biostatistical Methods for CSD | 3 |
| CSD 314. Phonological and Language Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 318. Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| General Education and/or elective courses | 15 |
| 30 | |
| Fourth Year | Credit Hours |
| CSD 415. Neuroanatomy and Neurogenic Communication Disorders | 3 |
| CSD 416. Organic Speech Disorders | 3 |
| Choose one or both: | |
| CSD 470. Methods and Observation | 3 |
| CSD 471. Methods and Observation in Audiology | 3 |
| Electives | 21 |
| 33 | |
1 A biological sciences course is required. It may be taken as part of the General Education courses, as part of the B.S. requirement or as a non-departmental required course.
Communication Sciences and Disorders Minor
The minor program in communication sciences and disorders requires a minimum of 18 credit hours in courses with CSD prefixes, excluding CSD 300 and CSD 314. Students are advised to check prerequisites for courses.
