Communication Sciences & Disorders (Graduate)

Faculty

Angela B. Barber, Chair, Professor
Carol L. Koch, Professor; Program Director, Speech Language Pathology
Karen L. Flynn, Associate Professor
Sarah H. Szynkiewicz, Associate Professor
Kelly F. Jackson, Assistant Professor
Laura S. Promer, Assistant Professor; Director, Undergraduate Studies
Kameron Carden, Assistant Professor; Director, Clinical Education
Elizabeth Aho, Clinical Supervisor/Instructor

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the School of Health Professions is to prepare highly qualified speech-language pathologists and audiologists through faith-based academic coursework and clinical placements designed to foster lifelong learning, attainment of personal career goals and high moral and ethical competency so that practitioners will be of service to others in their community and throughout the world.

Vision for the CSDS Department

Learning through commitment
Preparing professionals for service
Distinctive education for the 21st century clinician
Helping and serving others through educational experiences
Creating leaders as speech-language pathologists

CSDS Code of Values and Philosophy

Faith - we live our faith by our words and actions
Excellence - we strive for excellence in our academic programming and in our students’ learning outcomes
Integrity - we embrace persons who hold themselves to a higher standard
Learning - we provide a platform for becoming lifelong learners
Teamwork - we believe that together we are stronger
Service - we believe in serving others as our gifts and talents allow

“Don’t be jealous or proud; be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves and think the same way that Jesus thought.” - Philippians 2: 3-5

Accreditation

The master of science in speech-language pathology (M.S.SLP.) at Samford University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850; (800) 498-2071 or (301) 296-5700.

Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degree
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.SLP.)
Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.SLP.)

Non-Background Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (Bridge Program) (M.S.SLP.)

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program
Fast-Track Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (M.S.SLP.) with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders
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The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSDS) offers the master of science in speech-language pathology degree (M.S.SLP.) and a non-background bridge program in speech-language pathology. The M.S.SLP. degree is designed to help students become highly qualified speech-language pathologists with the skills, compassion, and motivation to make a difference in their community. Faith-based academic coursework and clinical placements are designed to help students reach their career goals, while emphasizing life-long learning, high moral, and ethical competencies. As students graduate, they will be prepared to impact people’s lives in truly meaningful ways.

The department also offers a fast-track program for students pursuing a B.S. in communication sciences and disorders and a master of science in speech-language pathology (M.S.SLP.). See below as well as the 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog and/or the department chair for more information.

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.SLP.)

The master of science in speech-language pathology degree (M.S.SLP.) has both an on-campus traditional didactic component and a distance education component in the last two semesters. Candidates who complete this program will be eligible for both state licensure and national certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Students are required to complete clinical rotations in each semester of their program.

Admission Requirements

Two options of admission status are designated:

Possess a CSD/SLP baccalaureate degree.
Conditional admission: A completed bachelor’s degree is required prior to enrollment, as evidenced by a final official college/university transcript. Applicants may receive conditional acceptance with a letter from the registrar stating they have completed the requirements for the degree. The “conditional” status is removed once an official transcript is received.

Prerequisite courses:
Biological science (must be human) (4 credits)
Physical science (must be chemistry or physics) (4 credits)
Statistics (math, psychology, health sciences accepted) (3 credits)
Social/Behavioral Science (i.e., sociology, psychology, anthropology) (3 credits)
Possess a baccalaureate degree or higher in a related field such as education, health sciences, psychology, or family sciences.

Prerequisite courses for Non-Background Bridge Program:
Biological science (must be human) (4 credits)
Physical science (must be chemistry or physics) (4 credits)
Statistics (math, psychology, health sciences accepted) (3 credits)
Social/Behavioral Science (i.e., sociology, psychology, anthropology) (3 credits)
CSDS 211 Clinical Phonetics (4)
CSDS 212 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism (4)
CSDS 213 Development of Language in Children (4)
CSDS 312 Principles of Audiology (3)
CSDS 314 Rehabilitation Audiology (3)
CSDS 414 Clinical Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders (4)

Transcripts will be reviewed for prerequisite courses and an individualized plan of study will be created for each student.

Additional requirements:

Obtain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale and a minimum of 3.25 on a 4.00 scale in the last 60 hours. Undergraduate CSD or major area; no grade in a “major” area less than a C.
Submit three letters of reference submitted through the application system. The three required references should be from a) two to three previous professors; b) a clinical supervisor.
International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Attend an on-campus interview.
Exceptions to any admission requirements will be handled on an individual basis.
If accepted, a non-refundable fee of $500 is required to secure admission into the program. This fee is applied to the first semester’s tuition.
The application may be found at https://portal.csdcas.org/.

Transfer Credit

At this time, students may not transfer in any credit to count towards the speech-language pathology program.

Time Limit

Students must complete all requirements for this master’s degree within six years of taking the first M.S.SLP. graduate course at Samford University. The time limit excludes a leave of absence granted by the program/university for just cause. Additionally, should there be a Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA) change that affects the number of courses or credit hours required, the student must fall within those guidelines.

Academic Progression Monitoring

Overview

Academic progression monitoring involves several components of the graduate program: pre-enrollment, clinical education, and academic coursework. All incoming M.S.SLP. students must submit an official transcript showing completion of all prerequisite and baccalaureate coursework to the director of graduate admissions and student services. Throughout the program, academic advising will be conducted by the director of graduate admissions and student services as needed. Departmental academic and clinical monitoring will take place every semester with the student, faculty mentor, program director, and/or director of clinical education to ensure that students are on track toward degree completion and are meeting all clinical and course knowledge and skill competencies.

Graduate students are responsible for monitoring their own course and clinical outcomes and should speak with the academic instructor and/or the clinical instructor/preceptor should a problem become evident.

Students who do not meet knowledge and/or skill competencies will have a formal or informal intervention plan in place so that they have an opportunity to improve in the deficient area. After an intervention plan has been established, the student will remain responsible for meeting all criteria stated in the plan and updating the instructor on progress made.

In order to be a student in good standing and progress in the M.S.SLP. program, the student must complete the following for:

Enrollment Management and Student Services:

Have completed health and immunization forms and on file in the CSDS department’s compliance management system.
Submit proof of health insurance while enrolled at Samford.
Submit to a background check and drug testing.
Obtain an acceptable drug screen result prior to matriculation, as required by a facility placement, at random, or for cause. (See substance abuse policy.)

Academic Coursework:

Carry a cumulative GPA of a 3.00 or higher.
Earn no less than a B in each course in the curriculum; if a student should make a grade of C+ or lower, it is the expectation that the student will meet with both the academic course instructor and their faculty mentor to discuss a remediation plan.
All knowledge and skill-based competencies must be met by the date that final grades are due each semester in order to participate in clinical practicum assignments in the following semester.
Successfully complete all semester coursework before progressing to the next semester. Individual exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances. These requests must be submitted first to the course faculty and then to the department chair for final approval.

Clinical Education:

Have achieved a passing grade of greater than or equal to 80% HIPAA, OSHA, and Bloodborne Pathogens Quizzes located on Canvas.
Provide current documentation of Basic Life Support Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (BLS-CPR) Certification prior to clinical placements.
Adhere to the Code of Ethical/Professional Conduct as specified in the Samford University Student Handbook.
Successfully complete all semester coursework (including knowledge and skill competencies) before progressing to the next semester. Individual exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances. These requests must be submitted to the chair of the CSDS Department.

Academic and Clinical Dismissal

A student who receives two final course grades below a B will meet with their faculty mentor, the program director, and/or the chair of the CSDS department to discuss academic performance and may be subject to dismissal.
A student who receives a third C will be dismissed from the program.
A student who has a GPA below 3.00 for any two consecutive academic terms will be dismissed from the program.
A grade of F in an academic course may be grounds for dismissal from the program. If the student remains in the program, the course must be retaken where an F was earned.
Students that receive a grade of F in a clinical course may be dismissed from the program.
Students have up to three opportunities to demonstrate a knowledge and/or skill competency. Failure to demonstrate either knowledge or skill competencies prior to the due date of final grades may result in delaying clinical practicum assignments.
If the student does not pass the knowledge and/or skill competency on their third attempt, a formal intervention plan will be developed, and the student may not attend their next clinical assignment.
The intervention plan must be signed and agreed upon by the student, course instructor, program director, DCE, and chair. If the student does not follow the agreed upon plan, the student is at risk of not being placed for the upcoming clinical course and/or at risk of dismissal from the program.

Additional Circumstances that could Lead to Dismissal

Failure to comply with academic expectations.
Failure to comply with clinical expectations.
Failure to comply with professionalism expectations.

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program

Fast-Track Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (B.S./M.S.SLP.)

The Fast-Track Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (B.S./M.S.SLP.) provides an opportunity for qualified students to complete a B.S. and the M.S.SLP. in five years instead of the six-year traditional path. Students who are accepted into the fast-track program complete undergraduate courses their first three years and begin graduate coursework in the summer following their junior year.

Admission Requirements

Students currently pursuing Samford’s bachelor of science in communication sciences and disorders (B.S.-CSDS) are invited to apply for the fast-track master of science in speech-language pathology (M.S.SLP.) program if they meet the following admission requirements:

Specific Admission Requirements:

High school GPA of 3.80 or higher.
ACT score of 29 or higher.

Application Process:

Submit an application.
Department interview.

Progression Policy

To remain in the fast-track master of science in speech-language pathology (M.S.SLP.) program, students must:

Achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above on all coursework by the end of spring semester of the third year.
Earn a B or higher in all courses with a CSDS prefix.
Earn a C or higher in prerequisite courses: biological sciences, physics, and/or chemistry, statistics, and social sciences.
Complete all required convocation hours by the end of the spring semester of the third year.
Meet with an academic advisor once a semester.
Complete all CSDS major requirements on time in the first three years at Samford University.
Candidates must pay a nonrefundable fee of $500 to secure admission into the M.S.SLP. program by January of the junior year.

Students who do not meet these thresholds will be dismissed from the fast-track program.

Benefits of Completing the Fast-Track Program

Students receive mentorship from peers and faculty throughout the program.
Participation in faculty-led service and research is encouraged.
Allows students to complete the fast-track program one year sooner than the traditional path of bachelor’s plus master’s degrees. However, students will still be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies for each degree upon completion of the respective requirements.

NOTE: See the 2024-2025 Samford University Undergraduate Catalog for the Fast-Track program table.

Programs

Master

Courses

Speech Language Pathology