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 Consortium track which is designed specifically for students with a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders or speech-language pathology and audiology who currently work in participating central Florida public school districts and have been providing speech and language services for at least one semester prior to application. The goal of this program is to address the critical shortage of public-school speech-language pathologists. It represents a cooperative effort between the UCF School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Central Florida Public School Consortium. Participating school districts in the Central Florida Consortium are Brevard, Citrus, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia.
Students must begin the program in the semester for which they are admitted and enroll every semester, including summers, for eight semesters following a prescribed sequence of academic and clinical courses. The program is offered face-to-face on the Orlando campus.
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 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (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 and full-time employment in one of the participating school districts listed above.
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
- In additional to the coursework and supervised clinical clock hour requirements listed above, satisfactory completion of a School Comprehensive Examination and submission of final clinical documentation, including demonstration of clinical competence and professionalism are required for completion of the master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
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.
