SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION SCIENCE & DISORDERS
Undergraduate School of Communication & Science Disorders
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION & INFORMATION
Website: https://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu
Director: Carla Wood; Professors: Catts, Kim, Morris, Wood; Associate Professors: Farquharson, Hall-Mills, Lansford, Romano, Therrien, Tibi; Assistant Professors: Barton-Hulsey, Bush, Constantino, Johnson, L., Lien, Lukic, Madden, Xie; Teaching Faculty III: Montgomery, Nimmons, Sasser, Snowden; Teaching Faculty II: Crass, Guynes, K.; Teaching Faculty I: Deason, Greenhill, Guynes, C., Johnson, C., Powell, Westmoreland
The mission of the Florida State University School of Communication Science and Disorders is to:
generate and disseminate scientific knowledge related to variety and differences in communication processes and disorders.
prepare students to demonstrate broad-based knowledge of communication science and skills to apply theory and research findings to clinical practice in their communities.
empower students to provide effective diagnostic and treatment services in a global and diverse community and utilize innovative, evidence-based approaches to support individuals with a wide variety of speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, and hearing abilities.
prepare leading clinical and research scientists to generate new knowledge for practicing at the top of the license.
The mission is carried out through clinical and instructional programs, professional and clinical service, and clinical research. The School provides education for students seeking the Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
Florida State University has approved American Sign Language as a substitute for a foreign language for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. The sequence of American Sign Language courses includes: Beginning ASL (ASL 1140C), Intermediate ASL (ASL 2150C), and Advanced ASL (ASL 2160C). ASL courses may not be taken for a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) or Pass/Fail (P/F) grade. These courses may not be available to non-Communication Science and Disorders majors every semester.
Students with previous experience with ASL may wish to take a competency exam administered by a non-affiliated third party. Students interested in pursuing this option should refer to the website for a copy of the current competency exam policy at https://asl.cci.fsu.edu. Students will not earn University credits for ASL coursework they need not complete. The School does not offer a degree in education of the Deaf nor in sign language interpretation.
Students enrolled in programs of the School of Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University are provided unique experiences because of the learning environment. The school is in the College of Communication and Information, which provides numerous collateral educational experiences. The L.L. Schendel Speech and Hearing Clinic is the primary teaching and research laboratory for students and faculty and provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment services to persons in the community and region with communication disorders. The newly renovated Warren Building has space for a variety of specialized functions including videotape laboratories, diagnostic audiology instrumentation, sound isolation rooms, non-speech systems, and a complement of other clinical resources for clinical instruction and delivery of clinical services.
The School also maintains several Communication Science and Disorders laboratories for the study of physical and psychological aspects of sound, speech, voice, and language. These facilities provide space and highly specialized equipment to students and faculty, including laboratories for study in speech and voice science, language and literacy, early language development, and adult language.
The School also administers two undergraduate certificate programs: the Interdepartmental Certificate Program in Developmental Disabilities and the Bilingual Services undergraduate certificate.
The Interdepartmental Certificate Program in Developmental Disabilities (12 credit hours) provides upper-division undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines with knowledge regarding etiology, assessment, treatment, and policy issues related to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Students seeking certification must complete nine semester hours of coursework and three semester hours of practice from an approved list. Courses are available in the following disciplines: art education; communication science and disorders; family and child sciences; middle and secondary education; music education/therapy; nursing; nutrition, food, and exercise sciences; physical education; psychology; and social work.
The Bilingual Services Certificate (12 credit hours) focuses on bilingual service delivery in speech-language pathology. This certificate is specifically designed to equip students with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to approach clinical practice with bilingual children from an evidence-based mindset. These skills include assessment, treatment-plan development, intervention, and plan implementation. The courses are constructed to provide the skills necessary to consume, conduct, and produce research, as well as to provide clinical-service delivery with a focus on bilingual learners in the K-12 setting. All courses focus on topics related to cultural responsiveness, bilingual assessment, and bilingual intervention.
Digital Literacy Requirement
Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:
Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically
Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in communication science and disorders satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in CGS 2060 or CGS 2100.
State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Communication Disorders
The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.
FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Communication Disorders. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/181/236.
Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.
Minimum Requirements for Application
Students normally enter the program at the junior level, but must have at least 52 credit hours, must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for all coursework, and have successfully completed CoreFSU Curriculum requirements. Admission to Florida State University does not ensure admission to the School of Communication Science and Disorders, nor does attainment of the minimum grade point average. Formal application to the school is required of all entering majors. Non-FSU or transfer students also must apply to the University. Normally, admission is for the Fall semester. All materials necessary for admission applications must be submitted directly to the School by the first business day in February by 5:00 p.m. EST for admission. Additional deadlines and admission procedures can be found on the school website, at https://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu. It is recommended that students include MAC 1105 and STA 2122 in their pre-major coursework.
Students applying for admission must:
1. Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher on all college coursework to be considered for admission
2. Have completed CLEP and accelerated credit scores posted by time of application
3. Have all CoreFSU Curriculum course substitutions approved by the appropriate dean and posted by time of application
4. In addition, students must complete the following requirements by the end of the Spring semester in which they are applying
a) A minimum of fifty-two semester hours of college coursework accepted by Florida State University
b) Successfully complete all CoreFSU Curriculum and writing requirement coursework as accepted by Florida State University
Note: All coursework for eligibility must be reflected on submitted transcripts or on Spring course schedules by the application deadline.
Requirements for an Undergraduate Major in Communication Science and Disorders
The curriculum leading to the baccalaureate degree consists of forty-two credit hours of upper division coursework and combines liberal arts education with pre-professional preparation for the graduate program in the School or elsewhere. At the undergraduate level, students are provided experiences relating to the basic processes of hearing, language, and speech. The junior-year course offerings focus on the basic science and developmental foundations considered prerequisite for the specialty curricula initiated during the senior year. To qualify for graduation from the major, all undergraduates in Communication Science and Disorders must earn a grade of “C–” or better for each required major course and must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in major coursework, and complete forty-two credit hours of School of Communication Science and Disorders major coursework.
Speech-language pathology courses cover the nature, evaluation, and treatment of problems of articulation, language, fluency, voice, neurophysiological, and structural disorders affecting speech and language. Audiology courses are concerned with the identification, measurement, evaluation, and rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairments. Studies in communication science concern analysis and measurement of components of the production, transmission, and reception of the speech signal.
Undergraduate students learn anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms; sound and its perception; the development of language and communication systems; the components of the English sound system; the neurological bases of speech, language, and hearing; sign language; strategies for clinical intervention; diagnostic/evaluation strategies in speech, language, and hearing; basic concepts related to disorders in language, phonology, and fluency; as well as professional issues in communication disorders.
The major professional, educational, and clinical experiences occur during graduate studies leading to the master's degree. Eligibility for the certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and state licensure are not possible until the requirements for the master's degree are met.
The master's program in speech-language pathology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and prepares students to work in hospital, clinical, school, or private settings with a variety of developmental and acquired communication disorders.
Modern/Foreign Language Competency
Students admitted into the School of Communication Science and Disorders undergraduate program will be required to become proficient in one language other than English prior to graduation. Proficiency is defined as a letter grade of “C–” or better per course in a modern or classical foreign language through the intermediate level (a language course numbered 2220 or its equivalent) or a letter grade of “C–” or better in American Sign Language courses through the advanced level (ASL 2160C). Students may not take language courses for S/U or P/F grades. Native speakers of another language and other students who wish to demonstrate proficiency by means other than coursework should consult the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, or for American Sign Language, the School of Communication Science and Disorders.
Fulfilling the language requirement for the School will partially fulfill the University requirements for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. To earn a BA degree, a student must complete the language requirement and take an additional nine semester hours in the fields of humanities or history beyond the CoreFSU Curriculum requirements. Please consult the “Undergraduate Degree Requirements” chapter of this General Bulletin for more information. If the additional nine semester hours in humanities or history are not present on the student record at the point of graduation, the student could expect to earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree.
Please note that the School's classical or modern foreign language requirement is more extensive than the University's foreign language admission requirement. It is important to understand that, although completion of two years of high school foreign language courses or two semesters of post-secondary foreign language will satisfy the University's admission requirement, these courses do not satisfy the School of Communication Science and Disorders foreign language graduation requirement for BA/BS students.
Retention Standards
The School of Communication Science and Disorders reserves the right to discontinue enrollment of any student in the major at any time if, in the judgment of the faculty, the student does not meet the standards of the School or the major. Specifically, majors in the School of Communication Science and Disorders must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 on all college coursework or they may be placed on probation and may be dropped subsequently from the major.