Communication Sciences and Disorders / Bachelor of Science
Program: BS-CMSD-5
Total Credit Hours: 130
Major credit hours for B.S. in CSD: 46
The Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program prepares students to apply for graduate study in speech-language pathology, and offers Lewis students the opportunity to complete both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees without changing schools. A master’s degree is required for employment as a speech-language pathologist. While students can apply to the Lewis MSSLP program with a bachelor’s degree in another field and some CSD prerequisite coursework, the preferred undergraduate degree is the B.S. in CSD. Students who obtain this degree move on to required graduate study to become either a speech-language pathologist (M.S. or M.A.) or audiologist (AuD). Far more students choose to become speech-language pathologists as there are many more jobs in this field than in audiology.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with children and adults who have problems with speech, language, thinking, and swallowing (ASHA, 2016a). Their scope of practice is broad, encompassing disorders of articulation, receptive and expressive language, literacy, voice, fluency, social communication, and cognitive skills. SLPs also address communication needs of English language learners, people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and people who communicate with augmentative or alternative communication systems. Their services primarily focus on evaluation and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders (ASHA, 2016a).
Outcome Characteristics
Bachelor in Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders Program Student Learning Outcomes
- Describe the biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, linguistic and cultural bases of
- human communication;
- hearing; and
- swallowing.
- Differentiate characteristics of normal and disordered human communication across the lifespan.
- Integrate and apply the knowledge of communication processes and to the assessment and treatment of clients with communication disorders.
- Record normal and disordered speech productions using phonetic transcription.
- Record normal and disordered language productions using language analysis techniques.
- Conduct hearing screenings and make appropriate recommendations to clients.
- Demonstrate essential functions required for the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.
- Analyze scientific evidence and use the findings to guide clinical practices.
- Demonstrate effective and professional oral communication.
- Demonstrate effective and professional written communication.
- Describe and demonstrate the delivery of services to a diverse client base using culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
- Describe and demonstrate ethical professional practice in communication sciences.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Core CSDS Supportive Courses | ||
| Biological Sciences: | ||
| Select 1 course of choice; if course requires a lab, must take course + lab. Additional courses options are available; please confirm with CSD program that your chosen course meets this ASHA requirement. | 3-5 | |
| Anatomy and Physiology 1 | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab | ||
| General Biology 1 | ||
| General Biology 1 Lab | ||
| Human Heredity | ||
| Social Sciences: | ||
| Select 1 course of choice; Additional courses options are available; please confirm with CSD program that your chosen course meets this ASHA requirement. | 3 | |
| Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Lifespan Development | ||
| Adult Development | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Child Psychology | ||
| Physical Sciences: | ||
| Select 1 course of choice; if course requires a lab, must take course + lab. Additional courses options are available; please confirm with CSD program that your chosen course meets this ASHA requirement. | 3 | |
| Introductory Organic and Biochemistry | ||
CHEM 10600 | Topics in Chemistry | |
| Elementary Laboratory Physics | ||
| Topics in Physical Science | ||
| Statistics: | ||
| 1 stand-alone course in statistics; Additional courses options are available; please confirm with CSD program that your chosen course meets this ASHA requirement. | ||
| PSYC 30300 | Statistics for the Social Sciences | 3 |
| CSDS Core Courses (40) | ||
| CSDS 20000 | Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology | 3 |
| CSDS 21000 | Introduction to Audiology | 3 |
| CSDS 30000 | Phonetics | 3 |
| CSDS 31000 | Anatomy & Physiology of Speech, Hearing and Swallowing | 3 |
| CSDS 40000 | Scientific Foundations of Speech and Hearing | 3 |
| CSDS 41000 | Speech, Language and Swallowing Development | 3 |
| CSDS 42000 | Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| CSDS 45000 | Ethics of Clinical Practice | 1 |
| CSDS 45100 | Clinical Methods: Diagnosis | 3 |
| CSDS 45200 | Clinical Methods:Treatment Planning | 3 |
| CSDS 40100 | Neuroscience in Speech-Language Pathology | 3 |
| CSDS 43000 | Research Methods for Speech-Language Pathologists | 3 |
| CSDS 49000 | Clinical Experience | 6 |
| CSDS Elective Course (6) | ||
| 6 hours required for B.S. in CSD | 6 | |
| SPED 20200 | Sign Language 1 | 3 |
| SPED 20300 | Sign Language 2 | 3 |
| CSDS 32000 | Clinical Telepractice | 3 |
| CSDS 41200 | Social Communication and Autism Spectrum Disorder | 3 |
| CSDS 40200 | Understanding Augmentative and Alternative Communication | 3 |
| Total Hours | 73-75 | |
Admission Requirements
First Year Students
Students applying for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Lewis must meet the following admission criteria established for all Lewis first year students, per the 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog:
- Applicants must have graduated from an approved high school with a combination of grade point average, class rank, and ACT or SAT score which indicates a strong likelihood of success in university studies.
- Applicants must have accumulated 18 high school units. Three of those units should be in English; the remaining 15 units should be chosen from a college preparatory curriculum.
- Applicants for admission must complete an Admission Application and have their high schools forward an official student transcript. Students must have their ACT or SAT scores sent to the Office of Admission. Veterans must submit a DD214.
Transfer Students
Students applying for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Lewis must meet the following admission criteria established for all Lewis transfer students, per the 2022-23 Undergraduate Catalog:
A transfer student applicant is defined as a degree-seeking student who has earned a minimum of 12 semester (18 quarter) hours of transferable credit at a regionally-accredited post-secondary institution. Transfer student applicants must have earned a minimum 2.0 cumulative transfer grade point average based upon all transferable courses to be considered for admission. Transfer students are not required to submit ACT or SAT scores or a high school transcript. Credits earned through Prior Learning Assessment cannot be used to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for admission.
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended must be sent to the Office of Admission. Students must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standings at previous colleges/universities attended. An evaluation of transfer credit will be forwarded with the acceptance letter showing courses accepted in transfer and courses/hours that still need to be completed at Lewis.
The Office of Admission will consider applications only after the following steps have been completed:
- An application is submitted.
- Official transcripts are received by the Office of Admission from each college and/or university attended.