The MA in Communication Sciences and Disorders is intended for those interested in working with children and adults who have communication disorders. The School of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers the Professional track, which is designed specifically for students working in the field of speech pathology as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) or as a bachelor’s level clinician in a Florida school district at the time of application. Students in this track must also maintain employment as an SLPA or as a bachelor’s level clinician in a Florida School district throughout the program. In addition, this track requires an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders or speech-language pathology and audiology. Florida residency is required.
Students must begin the program in the semester for which they are admitted and enroll every semester, including summers, for nine semesters following a prescribed sequence of academic and clinical courses. The program is offered mainly online using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous courses. Synchronous course meetings will take place in the evenings.
Although the program will be mainly online, students will be required to complete three Competency Checkpoints in-person across the program. During these Competency Checkpoints, students will complete clinical case studies to demonstrate competency in clinical skills targeted to date. Successful completion of these checkpoints will be required to continue as planned within the Professional track.
On-site practicum work within the student’s community is required in conjunction with academic coursework. Following Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) guidelines, a minimum of 375 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum must be completed while the student is enrolled in the graduate program. With appropriate supervision*, students:
- Can earn up to 150 clock hours at their worksite via on-site practicum work
- Must earn at least 150 clock hours outside of their worksite via on-site practicum work
- Can earn up to 75 clock hours via simulation
*To earn clinical clock hours towards their degree, students must receive appropriate supervision from a qualifying SLP as outlined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Specific guidelines will be given to students regarding clinical placements. In compliance with accreditation standards, students must have the opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of clinical practice, obtain experiences with diverse populations, and obtain a variety of clinical experiences in different work settings.
The Communication Sciences and Disorders program strives to educate students to become successful practitioners in the field of speech-language pathology. To that end, the ASHA Code of Ethics is reinforced throughout the academic curriculum. Students who violate the ASHA Code of Ethics may be subject to academic sanctions or dismissed from the program
Track Prerequisites
To be certified to practice by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), all students must have transcript credit, which could include course work, advanced placement, CLEP, or examination equivalency, for each of the following areas at the undergraduate level: biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and statistics.
- Courses must be taken outside the discipline.
- Courses other than statistics may consist of any number of credits.
- Statistics course must be at least 3 credit hours and may be at the undergraduate (i.e. STA 2014 Principles of Statistics OR STA 2023 Statistical Methods I) or graduate level.
- Courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
This track requires an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders or speech-language pathology and audiology. Students in this track must also maintain employment as an SLPA or as a bachelor’s level clinician in a Florida School district throughout the program.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
39 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- SPA6204 - Articulation/Phonological Dis (3)
- SPA6211 - Voice and Upper Airway Disorders (3)
- SPA6225C - Fluency Disorders (3)
- SPA6236 - Motor Speech Disorders in Adults and Children (3)
- SPA6327 - Aural Habilitation Rehab (3)
- SPA6410 - Aphasia and Related Disorders (3)
- SPA6474 - Assessment and Management of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations (3)
- SPA6559 - Augmentative and Alternative Communication (3)
- SPA6565 - Feeding and Swallowing Disorders (3)
- SPA6805 - Research in Communicative Disorders (3)
- SPA6541 - Assessment of Language Disorders in Children and Adolescents (3)
- SPA6542 - Intervention of Language Disorders in Children and Adolescents (3)
- SPA6417 - Management of Acquired Cognitive/Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan (3)
Clinical Practice
24 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- SPA6551 - Foundations of Clinical Practice: Level I (1)
- SPA6503 - Foundations of Clinical Practice Level II (1)
- SPA6503L - Found Clinic Practice-II APP (1)
- SPA6553L - Clinical Practice in Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language Pathology (1)
- SPA6563L - Clinical Practice and Instrumental Diagnostics in Individuals with Dysphagia (1)
- SPA6942L - Found Clinic Practice-III APP (1)
- SPA6942L - Found Clinic Practice-III APP (1)
- SPA6943 - Advanced Clinical Practice Seminar (1)
- Earn at least 2 credits from the following types of courses: Students will repeat SPA 6503L and SPA 6942L twice.
- Earn at least 14 credits from the following types of courses: SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice
- Supervised clinical practice is an integral part of the graduate program in communication sciences and 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 complete three clinical practica at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic and other affiliated facilities, as well as external rotations in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, community clinics, and private practices. Through these practica and external rotations, students obtain a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Clinical practica and external rotations vary in length and do not always coincide with the academic calendar.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
9 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: SPA 6971 - Thesis
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: 1 Elective course selected in consultation with Faculty advisor.
- Thesis hours cannot be counted toward graduation requirements if students fail to complete or successfully defend the thesis. For additional information, thesis students and their advisory committees should refer to the thesis requirements in the UCF Graduate Catalog.
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: Appropriate electives selected in consultation with Faculty advisor.
Comprehensive Examination and Clinical Documentation
0 Total Credits
- Please see the Graduate Program Handbook for specific information about the CSD Comprehensive Exam Requirements.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, 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.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders MA Program pay a $90 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled.
Additional Program Costs
The program requires students to pay additional fees for the required background checks, clinic uniform, and registration for the academic/clinical competencies tracking system. In addition, some courses have Material and Supply fees that are charged in the semester the course is taken.
The Professional track requires a prescribed sequence of academic and clinical courses which must be followed. The following is a sample plan of study.
Semester 1 - Summer (3 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6575- Introduction to Professional Practice 3 Credit Hours
Semester 2 - Fall (7 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6204 - Articulation/Phonological Dis 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6402 - Language Disorders: Birth–5 Years 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6503L - Found Clinic Practice-II APP 1 Credit Hour
Semester 3 - Spring (7 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6403 - Language Disorders: School Age–Adolescence 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6559 - Augmentative and Alternative Communication 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6553L - Clinical Practice in Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language Pathology 1 Credit Hour
Semester 4 - Summer (7 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6417 - Management of Acquired Cognitive-Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6565 - Feeding and Swallowing Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6942L - Found Clinic Practice-III APP 1 Credit Hours
Semester 5 - Fall
- SPA 6410 - Aphasia and Related Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6211 - Voice Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6563L - Clinical Practice and Instrumental Diagnostics in Individuals with Dysphagia 1 Credit Hour
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
Semester 6 - Spring
- SPA 6236 - Motor Speech Disorders in Adults and Children 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6474 - Assessment and Management of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations 2 Credit Hours
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
Semester 7 - Summer
- SPA 6225C - Fluency Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6327 - Aural Habilitation Rehab 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
Semester 8 - Fall
- SPA 6805 - Research in Communicative Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
Semester 9 - Spring
- Elective 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
*A total of 14 credit hours of SPA 6946 Clinical Practice is required. Electives are selected in consultation with the clinical and academic advisors.
Independent Learning
All students in the Master of Arts in communication sciences and disorders program engage in independent learning through inquiry, dialogue, and practice. Experiences such as client case studies, scholarly reviews, research projects, clinical practica and external rotations provide students independent learning opportunities to attain knowledge, skills and professional behaviors. In capstone external rotations, students bridge university classroom and clinic lessons to real-world educational and health-related settings.
