MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS

>Emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology
>Continuing Enrollment Requirement

DIRECTION AND PHILOSOPHY
The speech-language pathology curriculum is designed to train competent, culturally sensitive speech-language pathologists who can appreciate and understand the importance of research in clinical practice. In order to accomplish this goal, we provide a multitude of academic and clinical experiences for our students under the direction of skilled teachers, clinical researchers and supervisors both on and off campus. The development of clinical skills requires academic knowledge, the ability to understand and engage in research, and sensitivity to our clients' needs, values and cultures. Our program curriculum includes all academic and clinical experiences necessary for ASHA (American Speech, Language and Hearing Association) certification; two State of California speech-language pathology services credential, and the State of California license to practice speech-language pathology.

Students are required to complete all academic courses. The practice of speech-language pathology in the state of California requires a license issued by the Speech-Language Pathology Examining Committee Medical Board of California. Exempted settings are public schools and federal facilities. The academic and clinical requirements for state licensure are similar to those required by ASHA in speech-language pathology.

CONDITIONAL GRADUATE STATUS
Conditional graduate students are individuals admitted to the graduate program who either are lacking all or a substantial portion of the undergraduate prerequisite courses. Conditional status is removed when all undergraduate curriculum requirements are completed. Conditional graduate students can begin taking graduate courses before all undergraduate courses are completed, provided that the undergraduate courses not yet taken would not adversely effect their work in the graduate courses. This is determined only by advisement. Eventually all undergraduate courses must be completed. Conditional graduate students should register for CD 768: Advanced Clinical Skills during their third semester in order to facilitate completion of all clinical requirements. There is no limit on undergraduate credit units transferred.

SFSU may accept maximum of six (6) graduate credit units (semester) from another college or university towards the Master of Science degree (Transfer Unit Evaluation). Program evaluation is required for equivalency, and acceptance of credit units may be allowed only if the units also counted towards the former school’s graduate requirements. Only 6 units from another college or university or coursework completed through Extended Education will be accepted towards the degree. A maximum of 6 units of graduate major coursework may be taken without being accepted into the Master's Program. SFSU will not accept graduate courses taken as a second baccalaureate or other undergraduate status for application towards the master’s degree.

UNIVERSITY CLINICAL SETTINGS
Three clinical settings are located on campus: the Communicative Disorders Clinic; the Center for Fluency Development (CFD); and the Center for Interdisciplinary Clinical Studies (CICS). Each offers a different clinical experience, and each has been designated by the ASHA Educational Training Board office as unique.

WRITTEN ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS. Level I and Level II
All graduate students must complete the Graduate Essay Test (GET) or score of 4 or above on the analytical Writing section of the GRE to fulfill the Level I Written English Proficiency Requirement. This test needs to be taken prior to the semester of graduate admission, and no later then the second semester of enrollment. If a student fails the GET, he or she may take the test a second time, or enroll in a remedial course, EDUC 514. Students may elect not to take the course until they have tried to pass the test a second time. Students who have failed the GET twice must enroll in the remedial course to fulfill the requirement. This course is not a substitute for the G.E.T., and completion of this course will constitute completion of the requirement only if the GET is attempted at least once. The Graduate Approved Program (GAP) will not be signed by the program advisor without proof that the requirement has been completed (see test reports, “MySFSU).

The Level II Written English Proficiency Requirement is satisfied by the successful completion of the essay portion of the Master of Science, comprehensive written examination taken during the final semester.