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Communicative
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Most Frequently Asked Questions about the 1. What is
required to earn a bachelor's degree in Communicative Disorders? 5. How long will it take to complete the graduate program? 6. What is the program completion rate? 7. What is
the passing rate for the Praxis II exam? 10. When I complete the program, what qualifications will I possess? 11. What
is the employment rate within the first year following graduation? 16. How can I learn more about the CD program at San Francisco State University?
The B.A. is not a terminal
degree. The Master of Science degree is required for employment as a speech-language
pathologist. Graduation from the B.A. program does not guarantee admission
into the master's program in speech-language pathology. Entrance into
the master's program is highly competitive. Conditional graduate students are individuals admitted to the CD program who either are lacking all or a substantial portion of the undergraduate prerequisite courses (but possess a bachelor’s degree in another discipline). Conditional and classified graduate students who have not met the prerequisites for 700 level courses are required to register for the appropriate 600 level courses. Although graduate credit is given for these courses, these credits do not substitute for the regular number of graduate units required for the Master’s degree. 3.
What are the requirements to apply to the graduate program and what are
the desirable qualifications? Each department and program at the University can set additional admission requirements. The CD program requires a departmental application containing the following: 1. Official transcript The GRE is not a requirement for application. Each faculty member individually reviews each applicant’s file and rates the applicant using a 1-5 scale. Ratings of all faculty members are combined and the applicants are rank ordered. Although 95% of all applicants meet our minimal acceptable standards, the actual acceptance rate is between 20 and 30%, with GPA’s generally at 3.5 or higher. 4.
What are the academic and clinical practica requirements for the M.S.
degree in speech-language pathology? 5.
How long will it take to complete the graduate program? With an undergraduate degree in an area other than CD, the full-time conditional graduate student should be able to complete the requirements for the Master of Science degree in approximately 3½ - 4 years (7 – 8 semesters). 6.
What is the graduate program completion rate? The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Education, requires that all the requirements for a master's degree be completed within a seven-year period. 7.
What is the passing rate for the Praxis II exam? Back to
top. There are approximately 80 graduate students in the CD program. The size of graduate courses averages 25-30 students. On-campus clinics are limited to 4 students per clinical supervisor. 9.
Tell me about the on- and off-campus clinical experiences in speech-language
pathology. Graduate students are required to complete four clinics on campus (articulation, child language, adult rehabilitation, and diagnostics). Off-campus clinical practica occur during student teaching and aural rehabilitation experiences in the public schools, and internship in a hospital/ rehabilitation/ community setting. 10.
When I complete the graduate program, what qualifications will I possess? ASHA CERTIFICATION. In addition, graduates are eligible for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in speech-language pathology by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Although not a legal requirement, ASHA certification is recognized by employers throughout the nation as a symbol of professional training and competence, particularly for speech-language pathologists. ASHA's website is: http://www.asha.org. ASHA requires that, after graduation, the individual undergo a 9-month full-time clinical fellowship (CF) experience, in which he or she is employed while being supervised by someone who holds ASHA certification. Upon completion of the CF experience, coupled with state licensure (see below), the individual can practice independently. CALIFORNIA STATE LICENSURE. The practice of speech-language pathology in the state of California requires a license issued by the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board (SLPAB). Exempt settings are public schools and federal agencies. The academic and clinical requirements for state licensure essentially parallel those for ASHA certification. Following graduation, the individual undergoes a Required Professional Experience (RPE) for 9 month's full-time employment while supervised by someone who holds CA state licensure. After the RPE is completed, the individual can practice independently. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES CREDENTIAL (SLPSC). The SLPSC is issued by the CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) for individuals intending to practice speech-language pathology in the public schools. Recent legislation allows speech-language pathologists who possess a CA state license to work in the schools as consultants without the SLPSC. Be advised, however, that many school districts are choosing to hire only individuals who hold the SLPSC. Therefore, it is recommended that graduate students complete the requirements for the SLPSC. Once the graduate has completed the requirements for the Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential with or without Special Class Authorization, the credential(s) will be awarded following proof of receipt of the Master of Science degree, a passing score on the Praxis II Speech-Language Pathology Test, and completion of a 36-week, full-time, mentored clinical experience or equivalent supervised practicum. 11.
What is the employment rate within the first year following graduation? 12.
What are the special areas of expertise and research for the CD faculty
and advisers? All students are advised every semester regarding the upcoming semester (coursework and clinical practica). The undergraduate and graduate advisers are Drs. Laura Epstein, Minnie Graham and Nancy Robinson. Advising week is announced in classes and information bulletins are posted near the CD office (BH113). CD faculty are engaged in scholarly and creative activities. Recent publications and research activities include child language and bilingual/multicultural language issues (Epstein), alaryngeal speech rehabilitation and group treatment across communicative disorders (Graham), and collaboration and augmentative and alternative communication (Robinson). In addition to research activities, several of the faculty are concurrently engaged in clinical practice at other facilities within the San Francisco Bay Area community. These activities provide a well-rounded mix of academic and reality-based experiences that are shared with the CD students. The CD Program benefits from the academic and clinical expertise of a number of part-time lecturers and supervisors. For more information, visit the Faculty and Staff page. 13.
What are the costs for the program and what financial support is available? Financial aid information is located at http://www.sfsu.edu/~finaid/ Within the College of Education,
a variety of scholarships are offered, some based on need, others on academic
achievement. Visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~coe/
and select "Scholarship Listings" 14.
When are classes offered and will I be able to work and complete the program? All undergraduate and graduate coursework in the CD program is offered in 3 hour blocks, once a week, during the daytime (e.g., 9:10 – 11:55 a.m. or 1:10 – 3:55 p.m.) The average full-time courseload is four classes, so a student’s schedule may require them to be on campus all day Monday (2 classes), Tuesday morning (1 class), and Thursday afternoon (1 class), for example. On-campus clinics are offered twice a week in 90-minute blocks, usually in the late afternoon (e.g., 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., or 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.). Many of the current students in the CD program balance part-time employment and their academic pursuit. Taking less than a full-time academic load will lengthen the estimated time required to complete the master's degree. (See #5 & #6 above). 15.
How many coursework units in communicative disorders will I be able to
transfer into the program at SFSU? A maximum of 6 semester units in graduate coursework in CD can be taken without being accepted into the master's program. Admission to coursework is based on prerequisites, seating availability, and instructor permission. A maximum of 6 semester units in graduate coursework in communicative disorders taken at other CAA-accredited CD programs is transferable into the master’s program at SFSU. 16.
How can I learn more about the CD program and San Francisco State University? Dr. Nancy Robinson, CD Program Coordinator, Associate Professor, Undergraduate and Graduate Adviser at 415.405-2170 or nancyr@sfsu.edu Dr. Laura Epstein, Assistant Professor, Undergraduate and Graduate Adviser at 415.3381058 or lepstein@sfsu.edu Dr. Minnie Graham, Professor,
Undergraduate and Graduate Adviser at 415.338.7656 or mgraham@sfsu.edu Take time to visit the One Stop Student Services website at http://www.sfsu.edu/~puboff/onestop.htm Return to Prospective Students page.
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