Program Overview:
The field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is both academically and personally challenging and rewarding. It offers qualified persons the satisfaction of knowing that they have facilitated the growth of individuals who are working toward the fulfillment of their human potential and communicative competence. The College of Saint Rose is dedicated to the development of future speech-language pathologists who have the broad-based scientific and humanistic knowledge, professional expertise, clinical insight, and interactive competence needed to face the challenges of the field and to handle with sensitivity and compassion the difficulties experienced by exceptional individuals. Students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program are encouraged to develop broad personal, academic and cultural interests consistent with the Conceptual Framework of the School of Education.
The program in Communication Sciences and Disorders requires a minimum of 56 credits and 400 clock hours of approved, supervised clinical experience. Of the 400 hours, 325 must be at the graduate level. A minimum of 50 hours must be accrued in each of three different types of clinical settings. Prerequisite course work is required of students without an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and may be required of others, before they can begin graduate courses. A minimum grade of B in all of these CSD prerequisite courses is required to remain in the program.
Accreditation
The master’s (M.S. in Ed.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at The College of Saint Rose 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. The Public Notice of Accreditation Status can be found on page 70 in the CAA Accreditation Handbook.
The CSD program’s accreditation currently runs through July 31, 2025, and is approved by the New York State Education Department to license SLPs and certify teachers of students with speech and language disabilities.
Mission Statement
The members of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department are dedicated to the preparation of professionals for the field of speech-language pathology, with regard to scholarship and research skills, the implementation of evidence-based practice, ethical and efficacious clinical service for all individuals, and effective interpersonal and advocacy behavior.
Members of the department strive to foster the development of students’ values related to integrity and ethical behavior, academic excellence, life-long learning and pursuit of knowledge, inter-professional practice, community service, cultural competence, and cultural humility. This will allow the student to hold paramount the well-being of all clients and their families/caregivers.
This preparation will facilitate the successful attainment of clinical, supervisory, administrative, or academic positions, as well as active participation in service and leadership roles within local, state, national, or international associations.
In order to provide excellence in student preparation and continued support and advancement in the profession at large, department members are committed to ongoing development of instructional methodology and assessment procedures, and the establishment and maintenance of clinical, research, and scholarly activities.
(Written in 1996, modified and approved in October, 2019)
Clinical Philosophy
The Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at The College of Saint Rose embraces a philosophy of clinical service delivery that is consistent with the ethical standards, scope of practice, and current standards of practice of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. It is our goal to serve individuals with communication disorders in the most effective and humane manner possible and to ensure that our students commit themselves to this fundamental clinical value. Achieving this goal requires acquisition of the scientific knowledge base in addition to a number of technical and interpersonal clinical skills and competencies, and their flexible application to meet varied clinical needs.
Program Contacts:
Dr. David DeBonis
Co-Chair, Communication Sciences & Disorders Department
Email: debonisd@strose.edu
Dr. Jack Pickering
Co-Chair, Communication Sciences & Disorders Department
Email: pickerij@strose.edu
Program Webpage: http://www.strose.edu/communication-sciences-disorders-ms/
Program Requirements:
Total Program Requirements: 56 Credits
Required Courses (40 Credits)
Statistics (three credits) is a prerequisite or co-requisite to CSD 593.
Elective Courses (6 Credits)
Students who have taken graduate courses in other institutions may transfer the courses into their program as described in this Catalog of Graduate Studies and with faculty approval. Students may also take a maximum of one elective course outside the major during their program of study. A non-CSD elective must be approved by the faculty before a student registers for the course.
Comprehensive Exam or Thesis Option (0-6 Credits)
Additional Non-credit Requirements (0 Credits)
Required Practicum Experiences (10 Credits)
A minimum of ten credits in clinical practicum are required. Students who have obtained undergraduate clinical clock hours may bring 25 hours of observation and 50 hours of supervised clinical practicum into their graduate program of study. Practicum experiences require students to travel. This may necessitate access to reliable transportation.
CSD 589 will be offered every semester. Students must complete an application and provide their top three choices for this clinic.
CSD 583, CSD 587: In order to be eligible for teacher certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities, students must show evidence of course work or complete courses in education, as well as courses in liberal arts and sciences. Students who have not completed a public school practicum in communication sciences and disorders at the undergraduate level and are seeking NYS teacher certification must enroll in CSD 587, instead of CSD 583.
SED 450 (Organization of a Speech, Language, and Hearing Program in Elementary and Secondary Schools) or the equivalent, is also required of all graduate students, as well as workshops (or courses) in substance abuse prevention, child abuse prevention, violence prevention, and the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).
Completion of teacher certification requirements is optional for graduate students.
Additional Clinical Practicum Experiences
Students who need additional clinical clock hours beyond their required practicum courses can enroll in CSD 588.
ASHA’s Science and Mathematics Requirements
ASHA requires that students have course work in the following four areas: biological science, physical science (i.e., physics or chemistry), math, and social/behavioral science. These requirements are usually completed at the undergraduate level. If they are completed at the graduate level, they will be in addition to the 56 credits required to complete the program.
Other General Requirements
Students are required to attend departmental Graduate Program Meetings, which are held on the third Thursday of each semester. Notices of these meetings, as well as other important program documents, are posted on CANVAS, the College’s web-based learning management system. Through program meetings, students become familiar with the requirements of the department, New York State teacher certification, New York State licensure and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification.
Final Evaluation
Final evaluation of graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders will be based upon satisfactory completion of all academic and clinical requirements. In addition, students must successfully complete either a final comprehensive exam (during their final semester of study or after completing all course work and practice) or a master’s thesis. The thesis option satisfies six credits of elective course work and requires department permission. The description of the combined B.S./M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders can be found in the Catalog of Undergraduate Studies.
Internship/Field Experience/Service:
Required Practicum Experiences (10 Credits)
Culminating Academic Experiences:
Comprehensive Exam or Thesis Option (0-6 Credits)
Professional Accreditation:
The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs are fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.
The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
The specialized accrediting agencies noted below are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation:
Programs offered by The College of Saint Rose for the preparation of all school professionals, leading to initial and advanced certifications, are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation.
The master’s (M.S. in Ed.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at The College of Saint Rose 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. The Public Notice of Accreditation Status can be found on page 70 in the CAA Accreditation Handbook.
The CSD program’s accreditation currently runs through July 31, 2025, and is approved by the New York State Education Department to license SLPs and certify teachers of students with speech and language disabilities.
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
General Admission Information
Eligibility for admission to The College of Saint Rose graduate programs is typically based upon the following minimum requirements:
- Submission of a completed application, a resume, and Statement of Purpose of approximately 300 words detailing the applicant’s goals for graduate study.
- Evidence of the possession of a U.S. baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited institution through submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary education.
- Academic and professional qualifications for graduate study, as indicated by two letters of recommendation. The Communication Sciences & Disorders and School Psychology programs requirethree letters of recommendation.
- A grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), overall and in the undergraduate major.
- Other admission criteria specified by academic programs such as submission writing samples, portfolios, test scores, and participation in interviews or admissions workshops.
Applicants to The College of Saint Rose are responsible for completing their applications by submitting all required components. Prospective students can access the online application and application instructions at www.strose.edu/gradapply.
See Graduate Admissions section for more information.
Financial Aid
The College of Saint Rose has long been committed to the premise that a quality education should be within the reach of qualified students. To this end, the College serves its student body through a comprehensive program of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. While the basic responsibility for financing education lies with the students and their families, scholarships, loans, and/or assistantships can supplement insufficient family resources. The amount of aid available through the College is limited and is awarded on the basis of academic merit. All financial assistance from the College is subject to adjustment if the recipients are later granted aid from other sources. Financial aid awards are contingent upon students’ maintaining good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.
See Financial Aid section for more information.
Additional Communication Sciences and Disorders Admission Information:
- Standard Graduate Admissions office requirements for graduate study. (Visit the new CSD admissions portal at https://portal.csdcas.org/)
- Two official copies of a breakdown of clinical hours if the applicant completed supervised observation or clinical clock hours in an undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. (Students who obtained their undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at The College of Saint Rose are not required to provide these copies.)
- Applicants who successfully complete the initial application process will also be required to successfully complete an on-campus or web-based interview prior to acceptance into the graduate program.
- Applicants who have not completed an undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders degree should expect to take undergraduate prerequisites for ASHA and if desired, teacher certification, depending upon prior relevant course work. This may also apply to students who do have an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders but who lack foundation coursework. Careful transcript review will be completed in order to determine an applicant’s need for prerequisite courses. Careful completion of the CSD Prerequisite Form is required as part of the application process and will be used to determine an applicant’s need for prerequisite courses. In addition, for those seeking New York State Teacher Certification, transcripts will be reviewed for the necessary Liberal Arts and Science Requirements, and deficiencies will be communicated to the applicant.
In addition, students who speak English as a second language will be required to achieve a minimum overall score of 90-100 on the TOEFL with a minimum score of 26-28 on the speaking section of the TOEFL prior to beginning their first (undergraduate or graduate) clinical experience.
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