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Communicative Disorders         Description Degrees Offered Admission Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders   Communicative Disorders Consortium Track Contact Info

Description

The Department of Communicative Disorders offers two options leading to the Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology, both intended for those interested in working with children and adults who have communication disorders.

The first option, the traditional master’s program, typically requires six to seven semesters of full-time attendance, including at least two summers, for students with undergraduate degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. The second option is designed specifically for students with bachelor’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology who have been providing speech and language services in the Florida public schools for at least one year prior to application.

The program’s goal is to provide the academic and clinical education experiences necessary for certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensure by the State of Florida. The Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has accredited the program since 1986.

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders
• Communicative Disorders Consortium Track

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants must provide:

• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) combined score of at least 1000 from test taken within the last five years, OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the last 60 attempted semester hours of undergraduate study. A course-by-course transcript evaluation is required of all students who attended a college or university outside the United States. For information and instructions about transcript evaluations, please see Transcripts and Evaluations on the Graduate Students website.
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from former professors.
• A letter of intent, describing background and experience, interest in the field, future goals, the semester in which admission is desired, and specifying traditional or consortium program
• For applicants from countries where English is not the official language, or for an applicant whose bachelor’s degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, an official score of at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required.

Additional Notes on Admissions

Admission into the graduate program will be determined in fall and spring for all semesters including summer. The program is highly competitive; meeting minimum university standards may not guarantee admission to the program.

Currently, the department admits in-field applicants (that is, those with undergraduate degrees in speech-language pathology) in the fall, spring, and summer. Applicants who have undergraduate degrees in other fields, and who have fewer than eight credit hours of applicable courses in speech-language pathology and audiology, are considered out-of-field. Out-of-field students require approximately three semesters of full-time course work to complete the necessary undergraduate prerequisites before enrolling for graduate work. To complete the prerequisite course work in three semesters, out-of-field students must first enroll during fall or summer semesters.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders		Feb 1	Feb 1	Oct 1	Feb 1
	Communicative Disorders Consortium Track

International Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders		Jan 15	Jan 15	Jul 1
	Communicative Disorders Consortium Track

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders		Feb 1	Feb 1	Sep 1
	Communicative Disorders Consortium Track

Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders

Minimum Hours Required for M.A.—70 Semester Hours

Overview

The Master of Arts program offers two options: the first option, the traditional master’s program, typically requires six to seven semesters of full-time attendance, including at least two summers, for students with undergraduate degrees in speech-language pathology and audiology. Out of field students typically complete three semesters of prerequisite course work prior to enrolling in the traditional master’s program.

The second option is designed specifically for students who have bachelor’s degrees in speech-language pathology and audiology and who have been providing speech and language services in the Florida public schools for at least one year prior to application. The second option is referred to as the consortium program and is available only to applicants who are providing speech and language services in the 10 county school districts in central Florida. Students admitted through this option may complete their course work in as few as three years, but not more than five years. Typically, students enroll for 6 credit hours of course work during the fall and spring semesters and for 9 to 12 credit hours during the summer semester.

Areas of Emphasis

Both the traditional master’s and the consortium programs consist of 70 to 71 credit hours of academic course work and supervised clinical practice. The academic course work includes 31 credit hours of core courses and 6 to 12 credit hours of electives. Electives may be selected through one of three special emphases, Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Multicultural/Multilingual Speech-Language Pathology or Child Language, or through a generalist emphasis. The purpose of special emphases is to provide students with in-depth knowledge and skills in the practice areas in speech-language pathology in which they intend to work. Each of the special emphases targets an area that is becoming increasingly significant in the discipline as the population changes relative to age as well as diversifies culturally and linguistically.

Research

The research component of the program may be fulfilled either through completion of a thesis (6 credit hours) or a research project (1 credit hour). Students selecting the thesis option may substitute thesis for 6 credit hours of electives.

Clinical Practice

Supervised clinical practice is an integral part of the graduate program in communicative disorders. It provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to the evaluation and management of individuals with a wide variety of communication disorders. Students in both options complete three clinical practica (9 credit hours) and a diagnostic practicum (1 credit hour) in the communication disorders clinic on campus as well as half-time (6 credit hours) and full-time (12 credit hours) externships in external facilities such as schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care, community clinics, and private practices. Through these practica and externships, students complete a minimum of 400 clock hours of clinical experience in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Since 1986, the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has accredited the program.

Prerequisites

Successful applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders or specific prerequisite courses to be arranged in consultation with the graduate program coordinator and the coordinator of academic support. All students must complete Statistical Methods II, HSA 4701, or equivalent, and achieve a grade of “C” or better prior to, or during, their graduate program. This course is a prerequisite to SPA 6805 Research in Communicative Disorders.

Required Courses—70-71 Credit Hours

Sample Schedule for Fall entry (non-thesis)

Term 1

• SPA 6553 Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6404 Preschool Language Disorders (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6410 Aphasia and Related Disorders (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6505 Entry-Level Clinical Practicum (3 credit hours)

Term 2

• SPA 6211 Voice Disorders (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6236 Motor Speech Disorders in Adults and Children (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6413 School-Aged Language Disorders (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6942C Intermediate-Level Clinical Practicum (3 credit hours)

Term 3

• SPA 6805 Research in Communicative Disorders (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6225 Fluency Disorders (3 credit hours)
• Elective (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6943C Advanced Clinical Practicum (3 credit hours)

Term 4

• SPA 6204 Advanced Articulation/Phonological Disorders (3 credit hours)
• Elective (3 credit hours)
• Elective (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6553L Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language Laboratory (1 credit hour)

Term 5

• SPA 6132 Advanced Speech Science (3 credit hours)
• Elective (3 credit hours)
• SPA 6946 Externship (6 credit hours)

Term 6

• SPA 6952 Clinical Research Project (1 credit hour)
• SPA 6946 Externship (12 credit hours)

Practicum credit toward degree—27 Credit Hours

All students must register for 9 credit hours of Clinical Practicum (SPA 6505, SPA 6942C, SPA 6943C), 1 credit hour of Differential Diagnosis Lab (SPA 6553L), and 18 credit hours of Externship (SPA 6946).

Research

To fulfill the research component of the degree, each student will complete either a thesis or a directed research report.

Thesis Option—6 Credit Hours

Students selecting the thesis option will complete a thesis in an area of speech/language pathology for six semester hours of credit that may be used to substitute for six credit hours of electives. Students will select an advisory committee of three faculty members, chaired by a departmental faculty member, to guide them through the thesis process. Oral defenses of the thesis prospectus and completed thesis are required.

Examinations

To be considered degree candidates, students must pass the PRAXIS Examination in Speech-Language Pathology. This comprehensive examination must be completed during either of the last two semesters in the program. Students must submit an official notice of their examination scores on the PRAXIS to the Coordinator of Academic Support in the Department two weeks prior to graduation. Scores achieved prior to the second to the last semester will not be accepted. A score of 600 is considered passing on the PRAXIS.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

• If you’re interested in financial assistance, you’re strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
• You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
• If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
• UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
• Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
• For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.

Contact Info

Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders

Thomas Mullin, Ph.D. , Associate Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-4798
tmullin@mail.ucf.edu

Communicative Disorders Consortium Track

Thomas Mullin, Ph.D. , Associate Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-4798
tmullin@mail.ucf.edu