Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communicative Disorders
There are 12 core courses required for the major, constituting 36 units. The undergraduate program in Communicative Disorders is designed to provide students with the prerequisite knowledge necessary to apply to graduate study leading to the completion of a master’s degree in speech-language pathology or doctoral study in audiology. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders is not a terminal degree. Graduate degrees are necessary to practice professionally in communication sciences and disorders. Speech-Language Pathology requires a master’s degree and audiology requires a doctoral degree, the AuD. San Francisco State University is one of nearly 300 universities throughout the country that offers the master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Currently, there are 80 programs in the US that offer the AuD and an equal number of universities that offer doctoral studies in speech-language pathology. The Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education with San Francisco State University and the University of California at Berkeley offers a Ph.D. program for those interested in studying issues related to communicative disorders within the educational context.
Required Academic Courses (36 Units)
The course titles below are linked to course descriptions in the university course bulletin, which specifies their prerequisites, units, and latest offerings.
CD651 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
CD652 Audiology
CD653 Fluency and Voice Disorders
CD654 Audiometry
CD656 Diagnosis of Communicative Disorders
CD658 Communication Development and Disorders
CD659 Articulatory and Phonological Disorders
CD660 Communicative Disorders
CD661 Neurolinguistics
CD663 Augmentative and Alternative Communication
CD668 Language Acquisition and Development
CD664 Clinical Phonetics
» Required timeline and sequence for CD undergraduate major coursework
» Download a PDF of the required undergraduate timeline and sequence
» More about the undergraduate program – Undergraduate Advising Handbook
Declaring CD as Your Undergraduate Major
Declaring a major is a milestone in a student's academic career. The CD Program is a challenging major. Students who are happy and successful in the CD major are those whose skills, talents, and disposition are a good fit for the Communication Sciences and Disorders field. Before declaring CD as your major, we require that you consider the following to see if CD is right for you:
1. You should complete the following prerequisite college-level courses for the undergraduate CD major:
- A course in biological science
- A course in physical science
- A course in statistics (or any math class if you enrolled prior to the Fall 2014 bulletin)
- A course in social science
- An introductory linguistics course (at SFSU, this requirement can be fulfilled by ENG 420).
2. Download the Undergraduate CD Major Guide and put your initial next to each of the specified activities as you complete it.
You must bring this form to meet with a CD advisor to declare the major.
3. Download and carefully read the Essential Functions Guide that describes the essential characteristics necessary for success in the SLP field
If you believe CD is a good fit for you after completing the 3 steps above, or if you wish to learn more about the CD major, make an appointment with a CD advisor by calling 415.338.1001. Please bring the Undergraduate CD Major Guide that you have completed and signed to the meeting.
Undergraduate students who are entering the program from another major are required to complete a "Change of Major" form, obtained from the Special Education Office. They should make an appointment with an undergraduate adviser in CD to complete the card, have the adviser sign it, and return it to Enrollment Services in ADM 153.
