Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

The Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (M.S. in CSD) at the University of Mississippi provides aspiring professionals with the academic and clinical preparation to diagnose and treat communication, swallowing, and cognitive disorders across the lifespan. The M.S. in CSD is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

Our program of study begins in the second summer session (typically the last week of June) and commences with graduation in May of the second year.

Information Days

If you are interested in gaining more information about our program, please register for one or more of the following information sessions here.

Deadline

To be considered for admission, your application should be submitted by January 1 and verified no later than February 1. All documents (transcripts, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, personal essays, and videos) must be submitted and verified by the deadline.

Offers will only be made to those with verified applications. 

The Application

All applications for the M.S. in CSD must be submitted through the Communication Sciences & Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS). To learn more about the application process, please review their FAQs.

Graduate Assistantship applications are now embedded within the CSDCAS application.

All official transcripts MUST be sent to CSDCAS at the address below:

• CSDCAS Verification Department
  P.O. Box 9113
  Watertown, MA  02471

If you have any questions, visit the CSDCAS Applicant Help Center, call CSDCAS Customer Service at (617) 612-2030, or send an email to csdcasinfo@csdcas.org.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree or leveling courses from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
• Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology or Communication Sciences and Disorders; or have taken the following prerequisite (leveling) courses or their equivalents:
  • Anatomy/Physiology (CSD 205),
  • Phonetics (CSD 211),
  • Normal Language Development (CSD 216),
  • Audiology (CSD 351),
  • Speech Science (CSD 452)
  • Speech Sound Disorders (CSD 301), 
  • Language Disorders (CSD 316)
• An overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
• Applicants are also required to complete the general education coursework detailed below:
  • Statistics (a stand alone statistics course)
  • Biological Sciences (e.g., biology, anatomy, genetics)
    • A CSD-specific anatomy and physiology course will not count towards this requirement
  • Physical Sciences (e.g., physics or chemistry)
  • Social/Behavioral Sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology)

Personal Essay

Compose an essay exploring a core value (e.g., an important personal trait such as integrity, diversity, compassion, etc.): its significance, its impact on your decisions and relationships, and navigating challenges when adhering to it. Essay must be limited to 150 words.

Video Submission

Create a video tutorial teaching a task of your choice. Demonstrate step-by-step instructions, provide helpful tips, and engage viewers to successfully complete the task. Share your expertise and passion!​

• The video must be 3 minutes or less.
• Introduce yourself and state your undergraduate major and university.
• Note that the task does not have to be related to the field of speech-language pathology (i.e. how to change a tire, how to make muffins, how to bait a hook, or anything that you do well!)
• Your video link will be uploaded as an answer to a question in CSDCAS during the application process (instructions for upload will be included with the question)

Additional Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• Official copy of the GRE submitted to CSDCAS (this will need to be taken in early fall to meet verification deadline)
• Official transcripts submitted to and verified by CSDCAS
• Three (3) letters of recommendation that reflect your academic and clinical abilities
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation must be written by academic faculty or clinical supervisors

For International or Non-Native English-Speaking Students

English language proficiency is required and can be demonstrated through a variety of assessments. Find the University's requirements here.

For more information about the M.S. in CSD program at the University of Mississippi, please contact Carla Chism or Kari McManus, co-graduate program coordinators (cmchism@olemiss.edu or kmcmanus@olemiss.edu).

Anti-Discrimination Policy

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Mississippi does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, nation or ethnic origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran.

The University of Mississippi provides equal opportunity in any employment practice, education program, or education activity to all qualified persons. The University complies with all applicable laws regarding equal opportunity and affirmative action and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based upon race, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or genetic information.

Students who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (including a course in Speech Science) with a GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply for our graduate program. Students with a Bachelor’s degree in a different field should see “What if I don’t have a CSD major?” below.

Before entering the program, all students must have completed a course in each of the following areas. These are usually taken as part of the undergraduate general education requirements. On a case-by-case basis, it may be possible to take one of these courses while enrolled in the graduate program. 

• Statistics
• Biological Sciences (e.g., biology, anatomy, genetics)
  • A CSD-specific anatomy and physiology course will not count towards this requirement.
• Physical Sciences
  • physics or chemistry
• Social/Behavioral Sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, anthropology)

For more information about ASHA certification standards for these content areas, see Standard IV-A.

Non-CSD Majors

Exceptional students who aren't CSD majors can still apply for the MS in CSD. In order to be considered for admission, students can choose to:

1. Apply for conditional admission to the graduate program. If accepted, applicants must complete the required core courses as a conditionally-admitted graduate student, OR
2. Enroll as a non-degree seeking undergraduate student at the University of Mississippi or elsewhere and apply for the graduate program while completing the required core courses or their equivalents.

Non-CSD majors must complete the following required core courses:

• CSD 205: Anatomy and Physiology
• CSD 211: Phonetics
• CSD 216: Normal Language Development
• CSD 351: Audiology
• CSD 452: Speech Science
• CSD 495: Clinical Science

As well as 6 additional credits focusing on disordered speech or language:

• CSD 301: Speech Sound Disorders
• CSD 316: Atypical Language Development
• CSD 356: Aural Rehab
• CSD 405: Voice and Fluency

Prospective students must also take a course in each of the following areas, if they did not already do so as part of their Bachelor’s degree.

• Statistics
• Social Science
• Biological Science
• Physical Science (e.g., physics or chemistry)

Option 1: Conditional Admission to the Graduate Program

Conditional admission into the graduate program may be granted to exceptional students who did not complete a CSD major or complete core leveling courses elsewhere if they are otherwise competitive with our applicant pool.

Conditionally-admitted students will complete the required core courses over a year, which may require taking summer and/or winter courses. When necessary, conditionally-admitted students will be able to take prerequisite courses as co-requisites.

Conditionally admitted students must achieve a GPA of 3.75 in their core courses in order to continue into the graduate program.

Before applying, please contact the department chair or graduate program coordinator to determine your eligibility and if this is the best plan for you.

Option 2: Non-degree Seeking Undergraduate Students

Any student can enroll at the University of Mississippi as a non-degree-seeking undergraduate student and apply for the graduate program while completing the required core courses. Students enrolled as a non-degree-seeking undergraduate cannot take prerequisite courses as co-requisites. It may therefore take up to two years, including summer and winter courses, to complete the required core courses. Note the following prerequisite requirements:

• CSD 205 is a prerequisite for CSD 452 and 351
• CSD 211 is a prerequisite for CSD 301
• CSD 216 is a prerequisite for CSD 316
• CSD 301, 316, and 351 are prerequisites for CSD 495

Students may also choose to complete the required core courses at another university. Equivalency between courses offered elsewhere and our required core courses will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Keep in mind that we will not accepted coursework from massive open online courses (MOOCs). Examples of MOOCs include, but are not limited to:

• Educause
• MOOC.org
• edX
• Coursera
• Khan Academy

Learn more about Prerequisite Course Content Areas Related to SLP Certification Standards.

Typically, more than 50% of the academic course credits are taught in a Face2Face (F2F) format. Some courses are taught online to allow students the flexibility in mastering the required knowledge while completing their clinical practicum at various sites.

However, under special circumstances (e.g., pandemic), more than 50% of the courses may be offered online for specific reasons (e.g., allow on-time graduation while keeping the students safe).

Students accepted to the MS in CSD will take the following courses:

• CSD 505: Neurophysiology and Genetics of Communication
• CSD 513: Speech Science
• CSD 521: Disorders of Fluency
• CSD 523: Speech Sound Disorders
• CSD 526: Neurogenic Disorders of Language
• CSD 531: Special Problems in CD
• CSD 541: Child Lang Development & Assessment
• CSD 557: Audiology for the Speech Language Pathologist
• CSD 601: Directed Study
• CSD 605: Counseling Thry/Prac
• CSD 613: Rsch Design & Anal
• CSD 620: Assessment and Treatment of Dysphagia
• CSD 622: Voice and Resonance Disorders
• CSD 624: Craniofacial Anomalies
• CSD 625: Autism and Developmental Disabilities
• CSD 627: Neurogenic Disorders of Speech & AAC
• CSD 631: Communication Changes in Aging
• CSD 632: Workshop in Comm Sciences & Disorders
• CSD 642: Child Lang Diagnostics & Intervention
• CSD 690: Prof. Ethics, Licensure, and Curr Trends 
• CSD 691: Graduate Practicum 
• CSD 692: Graduate Practicum 
• CSD 693: Graduate Practicum 
• CSD 694: Graduate Practicum 
• CSD 695: Graduate Practicum
• CSD 697: Thesis

Information about the estimated cost of attendance and financial aid opportunities, including those listed below, can be found on the Graduate School’s Financial Aid website. 

Graduate Assistantship Positions

The department offers a limited number of Graduate Assistantships (GAs) to the top-ranked applicants who submit a GA application by the February 1^st due date.

• GAs receive a 75% tuition scholarship, a full nonresident fee scholarship, and a $2500 per semester stipend.
• In return, GAs work for ten hours a week, usually with a staff or faculty member in the department. GA responsibilities can include administrative work, teaching assistance, and working on faculty research projects. 

GA applications are integrated into the application process on CSDCAS.  After indicating that you would like to apply for a position, you will be asked two brief essay questions that will be used to complete your GA application.

Summer Graduate Research Assistantship Program

The Graduate School offers a limited number of summer stipends ($2,500) for students who are completing a master’s thesis.

To become a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), you must earn a Master’s Degree, complete a Clinical Fellowship Year, and pass the Praxis II. Our master’s program is designed to fulfill the academic and practicum requirements for clinical certification established by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), as well as for licensure in most states.

Graduate Degree Requirements for a Masters of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

To fulfill the MS in CSD graduate degree requirements, students must successfully complete:

1. A minimum of 61 credit hours, including 46 hours of academic course work and 15 hours of graduate practicum.
   
   Academic course requirements include CSD 505, 513, 521, 523, 526, 541, 557, 605, 613, 620, 622, 624, 625, 627, 642, and 690.
   
   Clinical course requirements are five semesters of clinical practicum including CSD 691, 692, 693, 694 and 695.
2. 400 clinical clock hours, including 25 observation hours and 375 hands-on hours.
   
   A minimum of 325 hours must be earned under the direction of the University of Mississippi CSD faculty and/or approved offsite supervisors.
   
   Under special arrangements, portions of practicum can be completed elsewhere.

Graduate students must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average in the department to continue enrollment, qualify for graduation, and be eligible for department financial aid consideration.

While the state of Mississippi prohibits the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for enrollment as a student, external medical practicum sites at which our students accrue clinical hours, as well as many internship sites across the country, may require the COVID-19 vaccine for students and trainees.

Because of this, students may be required to submit proof of vaccination to external clinical placements. If students cannot provide proof of vaccination they may not be able to participate in practicum experiences or internships due to external sites’ vaccination requirements. Without the required clinical rotation hours, students may not be able to progress towards an on-time graduation.