The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers two concentrations in the Master of Science program. One is the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. This is a clinical concentration designed to prepare individuals to practice as speech-language pathologists. The second is the Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. It is a non-clinical concentration designed for individuals who seek concentrated study in one or more areas of human communication sciences and/or communication disorders without clinical preparation as audiologists or speech-language pathologists.
Because this concentration provides the opportunity for more in-depth study in selected concentrations and involves students in active participation in research, it is one avenue to lay a solid foundation in communication sciences and disorders research, particularly for those individuals wanting to pursue further study at the Ph.D. level but not interested in the clinical credentials.
M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology (Clinical)
The master’s degree program in speech-language pathology is designed to provide a broad spectrum of academic and practicum experiences necessary for the education of specialists who deal with disorders of human communication and swallowing.
Clinical practical experiences are available in a wide range of professional settings including the JMU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, various hospital and rehabilitation programs, and the public schools. The academic and clinical components of the program are consistent with the requirements for certification in speech-language pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and for health and education licensure in speech-language pathology by the commonwealth of Virginia. Applicants should have completed prerequisite undergraduate course work in communication sciences and disorders and/or related areas of study.
Most students will be admitted as traditional on-campus students. However, the department also participates in a statewide collaborative online master’s program, Distance Learning in Virginia – Educating Speech-Language Pathologists (DLVE-SLP), funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Education. A few students who meet DLVE-SLP candidacy, including all prerequisite course work, may be admitted to the JMU master’s program to undertake their master’s degree in the primarily online program. These students will complete the program listed below for DLVE-SLP students. Although many of the requirements are completed in an online mode, interested individuals should be aware that there will be some on-campus requirements. These are typically scheduled for the summer period. Students interested in the DLVE-SLP program should consult http://dlve-slp.cisat.jmu.edu/ for more detailed information and the name of a contact person prior to applying.
Admission Requirements (for on-campus and online programs)
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.25 grade point average in major course work.
- Successful completion of any undergraduate prerequisite courses.
- General GRE scores (verbal, quantitative and writing).
- Names of two individuals that may serve as recommenders. We do not request letters of recommendation.
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