Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Science degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders trains students in the understanding of both normal and disordered aspects of speech, language, hearing, and swallowing. The major is designed to equip students with knowledge and emerging skills for the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders. Primary areas of emphasis are placed on critical thinking and understanding of scientific inquiry as it relates to communication disorders. Students in the major will also learn and practice oral and written communication skills, develop as a reflective learner, and demonstrate growth in professional communication skills. An additional area of emphasis for student learning is understanding issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and ethical practice within the field of communicative sciences and disorders. Collaboration, teamwork, and interprofessional knowledge and skill development are critical areas of focus for students in the major to prepare them to effectively contribute to the profession of communicative sciences and disorders and to society at large. Majors will commonly pursue graduate degrees in speech-language pathology or audiology. The knowledge and skills acquired in the major can also serve as preparation for other graduate degree programs or for careers in educational, healthcare, and business settings that value scientific training, strong communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Communicative Sciences and Disorders major is met by completing Communicative Sciences and Disorders 470 and 472.  Those courses are referenced in item 3. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences for the Bachelor of Science degree.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 or higher in CSD 203, 213, 232, 303, 313,  and 333 (36 credits):
   	CSD	203	Introduction to Communicative Sciences and Disorders						3
   	CSD	213	Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanisms						3
   	CSD	232	Descriptive Phonetics						3
   	CSD	303	Fundamentals of Hearing and Audiometry						3
   	CSD	313	Speech Science						3
   	CSD	333	Language Development						3
   	CSD	364	Evaluation Procedures in Speech-Language Pathology						3
   	CSD	391	Clinical Methods in Communication Disorders						3
   	CSD	444	Clinical Procedures in Audiology and Aural Rehabilitation						3
   	CSD	463	Intervention Procedures in Speech-Language Pathology						3
   	CSD	470	Introduction to Developmental Communicative Disorders (W)						3
   	CSD	472	Introduction to Acquired Communicative Disorders (W)						3
   	The completion of CSD 470 and 472 satisfies the capstone/synthesis requirement for the Communicative Sciences and Disorders major.
   b.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	PSY	295	Data Analysis in Psychological Research						3
   	STT	200	Statistical Methods						3
   c.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	ANP	201	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology						3
   	PSY	101	Introductory Psychology						4
   	SOC	100	Introduction to Sociology						4
   d.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	ISB	202	Applications of Environmental and Organismal Biology						3
   	ISB	204	Applications of Biomedical Sciences						3
   e.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	ISP	209	The Mystery of the Physical World						3
   	ISP	215	The Science of Sound						3
   	ISP	220	Quarks, Spacetime, and the Big Bang						3
   f.	One of the following courses (2 credits):
   	ISB	208L	Applications in Biological Science Laboratory						2
   	ISP	209L	The Mystery of the Physical World Laboratory						2
   g.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	LIN	200	Introduction to Language						3
   	LIN	401	Introduction to Linguistics						4
   	LIN	450	Child Language Acquisition						3
   h.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	HDFS	211	Child Growth and Development						3
   	HDFS	225	Lifespan Human Development in the Family						3
   	PSY	238	Developmental Psychology: Lifespan						3
   	PSY	244	Developmental Psychology: Infancy  Through						3
   i.	A minimum of 3 credits from the following courses:
   	COM	310	Intercultural Communication						3
   	COM	320	Diversity and Communication						3
   	CSD	419	International Aspects of Communicative Disorders						1 to 6
   	LIN	225	Language and Gender						3
   	LIN	471	Sociolinguistics						3
   j.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	LIN	455	Neurolinguistics						3
   	LIN	463	Introduction to Cognitive Science						3
   	PSY	209	Brain and Behavior						3
   	PSY	301	Cognitive Neuroscience						3
   k.	Electives:
   	Additional credits in CSD courses can be taken as electives. Topics in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD 491) are encouraged to increase breadth and depth of training in communicative sciences and disorders. Only credits in courses graded on the numerical or Pass-No Grade system may be counted toward the requirements for the Communicative Sciences and Disorders major. Communicative Sciences and Disorders students may not enroll in courses required for the major, including courses in other departments, on a Credit-No Credit basis.

The Minor in Communicative Sciences and Disorders assists students in acquiring understanding of both normal and disordered aspects of speech, language, and hearing; and knowledge and skills regarding the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders. Completion of the minor provides most of the required coursework needed for admission to graduate study in communicative sciences and disorders. Students interested in taking the minor who intend to pursue graduate school to become a speech-language pathologist or audiologist should consult with an undergraduate advisor in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences to learn about the recommended set of courses that most graduate programs require.

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University.  With the approval of the department and college that administers the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements for the minor should consult an undergraduate advisor in the department.

Requirements for the Minor in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

Students must complete 21 credits from the following: