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November 10th, 2009 - 6:00pm

The Master of Science program at New York University provides a broad-based and comprehensive education in both the theoretical and practical aspects of speech-language pathology and Audiology. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has designated the master's degree as the entry level degree for certification as a speech-language pathologist.  Coursework and practica are designed to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical guidelines necessary to enter into the practice of speech-language pathology and to contribute to the knowledge of the profession. The Master's program will help students achieve the following goals:

1. Acquire knowledge of human development, through the life cycle, as it relates to normal and disordered communicative behaviors
2. Develop the ability to integrate academic and clinical experiences
3. Make informed diagnostic judgments, as well as plan and execute a program of therapeutic management for the communicatively impaired
4. Learn to read current research reports and to understand the goals and processes of research
5. Contribute to the knowledge of the profession through scholarship and research

All prerequisite courses within the major must be completed before registering for 2000-level graduate courses with the exception of E34.2109. All prerequisite courses require a minimum grade of B-.

Language, Science, and Math Prerequisites

Completion of three credits of a language other than English and 12 credits of course work in social/behavioral science, biological science, physical science and mathematics. The applicant must have transcript credit (which could include course work, advanced placement, CLEP, or examination of equivalency) for each of the following areas: biological science, physical science, social/behavioral science, and mathematics. Appropriate course work may include human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, genetics, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and non-remedial mathematics. The intent of this standard is to require students to have a broad liberal arts and science background. Courses in biological and physical sciences specifically related to communication sciences and disorders (CSD) may not be applied for certification purposes in this category. In addition to transcript credit, applicants may be required by their graduate program to provide further evidence of meeting this requirement (ASHA website). All language, science, and math prerequisite courses are necessary for New York State licensure and ASHA certification. These prerequisite courses do not carry graduate credit for the master's degree.

Courses Within Each Area – (all courses are 3 points unless otherwise indicated)

(1) Graduate Level Normal Process Course – (required):

(2) Speech Disorders Courses – (all of these courses are required):

3) Audiology Courses - Both of these courses are required:

(4) Clinical and Research Courses - All of these courses are required

(5) Advanced Clinical Practica: All of these courses are required:

(6)  Drug and Alcohol Education, Child Abuse, School Violence Protection

In addition to these course requirements, students must meet the ASHA requirement for distribution and number of clinical hours plus 25 hours of clinical observation. While some students take more than five practica (E34.2117), only five practica or 6 points count toward the degree requirements. Please refer to the ASHA website for more information.

All course work must be approved by advisement. While five practica are generally required for the completion of program and state requirements, a minimum of three practica at two different sites while attending New York University are required for those students entering the program with acceptable clinic hours obtained as undergraduate students.

(7) Terminal Experience

Students must successfully complete one of two terminal experiences in order to meet the graduation requirements: the comprehensive examination or the research option.

1. Comprehensive Examination:
   The first option is to earn a passing score of 600 or greater on the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology (0330) offered by ETS and approved by ASHA. The Praxis examination is a multiple choice examination that is developed and administered by the Educational Testing Service.
2. Research Option:
   The second way to meet the terminal experience is for master's students to do a research project in place of the Comprehensive Examination. If the research option is selected, students must also successfully complete one semester of the E34.2420 Speech-Language Pathology Research Colloquium course and one semester of Independent Study with a faculty member.

Program Goals

The master's program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders is designed to achieve the following behaviors and outcomes that are developed from and consistent with the ASHA guidelines:
Students who graduate from the program with a master's degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders will:

1. possess prerequisite skills in oral and written communication sufficient for entry into professional practice.
2. demonstrate knowledge of the principles of biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and social/behavioral sciences.
3. demonstrate knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes, including their biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, linguistic, and cultural bases.
4. demonstrate knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences and swallowing disorders, including etiologies, characteristics, anatomical/physiological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates.
5. possess knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and intervention for people with communication and swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical/physiological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates of the disorders.
6. demonstrate knowledge of the standards of ethical conduct.
7. demonstrate knowledge of processes used in research and the integration of research principles into evidence-based clinical practice.
8. demonstrate knowledge of contemporary professional issues.
9. demonstrate knowledge about certification, specialty recognition, licensure, and other relevant professional credentials.
10. complete supervised practicum that includes experience with client/patient populations across the life span and from culturally/linguistic diverse backgrounds. Practicum will include experience with client/patient populations with various severities of communication and /or related disorders, differences, and disabilities.
11. complete a program of study that includes supervised clinical experiences sufficient in breadth and depth to achieve skills with evaluation, intervention, and interaction and personal qualities.

Graduate Honors Research: Speech-Language Pathology

This two-semester course sequence fosters the career development of graduate students who have an aptitude for research and provides a framework for faculty-mentored student research. Admission to the course is restricted to students who are selected based on competitive applications. Students develop and implement a research study, analyze the data, and culminate the project with a written paper and oral presentation.

Application for the Research Sequence

Students will be selected based on competitive application for the course based on the following criteria. Participation in the course will be restricted to those who are chosen by the committee charged with making selection. Students will apply for the honors sequence at the end of the spring semester and a decision to admit them into the honors courses will be decided over the summer. Students will begin the sequence the following fall semester. Graduate students in the Master of Science Program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders who have completed at least 30 credits or one year of graduate coursework at NYU and have earned a mean GPA of 3.75 or higher will be eligible to apply for the honors sequence.
Students will apply for the honors sequence at the end of the spring semester and will submit: 1) a résumé, 2) a one page personal statement, 3) a proposal for the research project, and 4) a current transcript.

Students will be sponsored by a full-time faculty member who will submit a recommendation application signed by that faculty member. The faculty member will be the student's research supervisor. Students will be responsible for initiating the relationship and together with the faculty member will be responsible for assessing the feasibility of the proposed project.
The Student Progress Committee will be charged with reviewing the applications over the summer and selecting the applicants who will participate in this course. The committee will send a notification letter to the students during the summer so that students can register for the sequence in the fall.

The students selected for the honors course will be admitted to the course sequence in the fall following their application.

Students may apply to the master’s program if they have completed a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology and audiology or a degree in another major. Twenty-seven undergraduate prerequisites course points are required for all masters’ students.

Students who have completed prerequisite courses

For those students with a background in speech-language pathology or communicative science and disorders; 12 credits in social sciences, mathematics, physical science, natural science for ASHA certification; and three credits in a foreign language, a total of 54 graduate specialization credits is required for the Master of Arts degree. All prerequisites must be completed and approved by advisement. This option takes a minimum of two and one–half years. Students must maintain a 3.0 academic average or better to be eligible for the degree. If any of the prerequisites are missing, they will add to the length of the program.

Students missing prerequisite courses

For those students without a background in speech-language pathology or communicative sciences and disorders, a total of 30 prerequisite credits in communicative sciences and disorders are required in addition to the 54 graduate specialization credits. Students must complete all ASHA and state requirements including 12 credits in social sciences, mathematics, physical science, and natural science for the Master of Science degree, and 3 credits in a foreign language. All the prerequisite courses must be completed before registering for the graduate specialization courses. This option takes a minimum of three and one–half years. Students must maintain a 3.0 academic average or better to be eligible for the degree.

Full-Time Requirement:
The Master of Science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at NYU is a full-time day-time program. The department requires each student to maintain full-time enrollment while they are a student in the program. Full-time status is defined as a minimum of 12 credits of required course work per semester at NYU. Most students take more than 12 credits during their first two semesters so that their later semesters will be lighter when they are doing practicum.