Undergraduate FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO UNDERGRAD ADVISING

Q: What are the prerequisites for entering the major?
A: Prerequisite Courses for Admission to the Major Include:

• General Psychology (PSY 2012)
• Additional Psychology course (DEP 3053, PSB 3002 or EXP 3604 recommended)
• General Biology (BSC 2007 or BSC 2010)
• Human Physiology with Lab (APK 2105C)
• Physical Science (Chemistry or Physics preferred)
• Statistics (STA 2023)
• Communications (COM 1000, SPC 2300 or SPC 2608, or equivalent)

Q: What courses do I need to take to fulfill my major requirements?
A: To graduate with a major in Communication Sciences and Disorders, students must have completed:

• 120 credit hours, including all prerequisites
• 60  of these credits must be at the 3000/4000 level,
• MAJOR coursework with grades of C or higher

LIN 2210 Phonetic Theory & Transcription
EEX 3093 Exceptional People
SPA 3011 Speech Acoustics
SPA 3101 Speech Anatomy & Physiology
SPA 3032 Fundamentals of Hearing
SPA 4004 Language Development
SPA 4104 Neural Bases of Communication
SPA 4250 Speech Disorders
SPA 4302 Audiometry & Hearing Dis.
SPA 4321 Audiologic Rehabilitation
SPA 4400 Language Disorders
SPA 4904 Observation
ENC 3254 Writing for Communication Sciences and Disorders (satisfies 6000 words of writing requirement)
PHC 4101 Public Health Concepts

• 9 credit hours of College-Required Electives

Q: What if I can’t get into a major class?
A: Class size is determined by two factors. One is the department cap which is set by the professor of the course. The other is the room size which is determined by the university. If a class size is at the department cap and the professor agrees, your advisor can enroll you in a course. If the class is at the room cap, you will need to wait until another semester to take the course.

Q: What if I need help getting into a College-Required Elective?
A: You should contact Ms. Jean Burns at the college advising office (273-6400).

Q: Who is my advisor?
A: If you are a freshman or a sophomore, you need to go to the PHHP advisors (Wanda Washington and Antoya Shuler). They are located in the PHHP student services center which is housed in G205 HPNP Complex. You can call 273-6400 to set up an appointment.
If you are a junior or senior already in the major, your advisor is Betsy Vinson, M.Med.Sc., if your last name begins with A-M, and Scott Griffiths, Ph.D. if your last name begins with N-Z. Mrs. Vinson is located in 347 Dauer Hall, and Dr. Griffiths is in 339 Dauer Hall. Advising hours are posted outside their office doors.

Q: What if I am in my last semester and can’t get into a course?
A: Please contact your advisor first.  In some cases, with the instructor’s permission, you can sign up for the class as an independent study. However, do not rely on this option as these seats are typically limited to no more than 2 per course.

Q: Can I take graduate level courses as an undergraduate?
A: Yes. Certain graduate courses may be taken by seniors who have completed the related undergraduate courses with a grade of A or A- and have gained departmental approval. Students may apply for approval to take a graduate course through their undergraduate advisor. These applications must include an essay describing why they feel prepared for the course and what they hope to gain from it. Undergraduate enrollment in any single section of a graduate course is capped at 10%. Please note that Bright Futures or Florida Prepaid will still pay the undergraduate rate for the graduate course.

Q: What is meant by, “The Bachelor’s degree is a pre-professional degree?”
A: The entry-level degree for the audiology profession is the AuD degree, and the entry level degree of speech-language pathology is the Master’s degree. However, an undergraduate major in communication sciences and disorders is also an excellent foundation for other majors as well. CMS majors have gone on to graduate and professional schools in medicine, nursing, law, psychology, education, rehab counseling, and engineering, as well as others.

Q: How do I apply for graduate school at the University of Florida?
A: Links to all application materials can be found on our department’s web site. The deadline for admission is February 1 of the year for which you are seeking August admission. We only admit graduate classes in the Fall semester.

Q: What are the requirements to be certified and licensed as a speech-language pathologist?
A: In order to be certified to practice as a speech-language pathologist by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, an individual must earn a Master’s degree with an emphasis in speech-language pathology, complete a 9-month Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) after graduation with the Master’s degree, and pass a national examination. The CFY is 9 months of full-time employment under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist.

State licensure varies from state to state, so you should check the requirements of the state in which you plan to practice. Most states accept ASHA certification as qualifications for licensure, but others may require an additional test and/or experience. You will need to get a provisional license in order to do your CFY. The Master’s degree is required in order to get the provisional license.

Q: What are the requirements to be certified and licensed as an audiologist?
A: In order to be board certified in audiology by the American Board of Audiology, you must have successfully completed a doctoral program in audiology from a regionally accredited institution, have passed a national examination, and completed at least 2000 hours of mentored professional practice with a two-year period.  Maintenance of board certification also requires completion of 60 hours of approved continuing education within a 3-year period.

In order to be certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to practice as an audiologist, an individual must earn a doctoral degree with an emphasis in audiology that includes a 1-year full time equivalent clinical externship, and pass a national examination.

State licensure varies from state to state, so you should check the requirements of the state in which you plan to practice. Many states accept ASHA or ABA certification as qualifications for licensure, but others may require an additional test and/or experience

Q: I can’t afford to go straight to graduate school. What can I do with my Bachelor’s degree?
A: Some states will license assistants in SLP or audiology for individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders or related field.

Q: I’ve heard I can work as a speech-language therapist in the public schools with my Bachelor’s degree. Is that true?
A: This varies by district. However, the practice is strongly discouraged at the state and national level because individuals with a Bachelor’s degree have little or no experience and only have introductory coursework which is not sufficient for making clinical decisions. IF you are hired to work in the schools, you have 5 years in which to get admitted to a Master’s program, and 2 additional years to complete the Master’s degree. Failure to comply with these regulations results in loss of the job.

Q: I’m currently in another major and would like to change to major in communicative disorders. How do I go about changing my major to Communication Sciences and Disorders?
A: Admission to the CMS major occurs in the Fall and only at the junior level.  You must apply by the February 1^st before the first Fall you reach 60 semester credit hours (junior status).

Q: I would like to add Communication Sciences and Disorders as my second major. How do I do that?
A: We do accept second major and dual degree applications, but these must accompany the major application, and must be received by the February 1^st before you reach 60 semester credit hours (junior status). The form to apply for a double major may be found here for double majors within a college, and here for those in two different colleges (dual degree program).

Q: I would like to minor in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Is that possible?
A: We do accept applications from students in other majors who would like to minor in communication sciences and disorders.  Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance. Also, all applications have to be approved by your advisor in your major before being submitted. Upon receiving your application for the minor, the undergraduate coordinators in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences will review your transcript to evaluate your grades in relevant courses, and to be sure you can complete the minor without extending your graduation date. The form to add a minor may be found here.