The Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders introduces you to the many facets of the professions and prepares you for professional study at the master's level in speech-language pathology or at the Au.D. or Ph.D level in audiology. Undergraduate course work in your junior and senior years focuses on normal aspects of hearing, speech and language, and is captured in your capstone project. Most of what you take in your freshman and sophomore years will apply to the undergraduate major requirements.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders undergraduate major has three emphasis areas in which you may choose to focus - Audiology; Speech, Language & Hearing Research; and Speech-Language Pathology.

Audiology emphasis - Courses in the audiology emphasis will provide you with a science and math base, practice foundation, and clinical practice/relevance that will prepare you for professional study at the Au.D. or Ph.D. level in audiology. Students will be required to complete a capstone project that demonstrates the knowledge you have gained during your undergraduate program.

Speech, Language & Hearing Research emphasis - The speech, language & hearing research emphasis will prepare you for master's- or doctoral-level graduate work in audiology, speech-language pathology, or communication sciences and disorders by providing a basic understanding of conducting research and research ethics, in addition to foundations for hearing, speech and language. Students will be required to complete a capstone project that demonstrates the knowledge you have gained during your undergraduate program.

Speech-Language Pathology emphasis - The speech-language pathology emphasis will prepare you for professional study at the master's level in speech-language pathology. In this emphasis, you will take 12 credit hours of education courses which will prepare you to student teach during your graduate program. Students will be required to complete a capstone project that demonstrates the knowledge you have gained during your undergraduate program.

It is important to discuss your chosen emphasis with your undergraduate academic advisor in the College of Education and Human Sciences to ensure you stay on track and meet the benchmarks necessary to progress through the program in a reasonable time period.