In June, 1997 the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences began a graduate program in communication sciences and disorders. The program will lead to a Masters of Rehabilitation Sciences degree in communication sciences and disorders. Students enter the program after the completion of 90 semester hours of undergraduate course work. Program requirements will include 132-semester hours of interdisciplinary and discipline specific course work and practica.

Program Description

The communicative sciences and disorders program requires three years of baccalaureate work and three years of post-baccalaureate education. Students may enter the program at the end of their junior year of college or upon completion of ninety credit hours of prerequisite requirements. After admission, students will complete a 132-hour professional curriculum.

The curriculum covers the diagnosis and treatment of a full range of speech, language, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders. The program brings together students in communication disorders, occupational and physical therapy to work and learn together. Students from the three disciplines will take a series of core courses together. The program's goal is to educate speech-language pathologists who are strong, knowledgeable interdisciplinary team members and competent, independent practitioners in culturally diverse, medical and rehabilitation environments.

In addition to course work and practica in communication sciences and disorders, students will learn about health care systems and management, how to be interdisciplinary team members, and how to do outcomes research to enhance clinical and treatment effectiveness.

The program will include a variety of clinical rotation sites across the state, region and country where students will receive supervised clinical training. Whenever possible, sites which will provide interdisciplinary and team oriented treatment and rehabilitation experiences will be selected for student clinical education rotations.

Program Prerequisites

The prerequisite courses provide a foundation for the program's didactic and clinical experiences. The prerequisite courses are listed in Appendix 1.

Program Curriculum

The communication sciences and disorders program is based on an interdisciplinary curriculum which meets the requirements for their Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Upon completion of the program students will be eligible for the Clinical Fellowship Year, their CCC and state licensure.

Application Requirements

Application materials can be obtained from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Admission to the program will be competitive. Students must have completed 90 semester hours of undergraduate course work prior to their matriculation at MUSC. Admission to the communication sciences curriculum will be competitive. SAT or GRE scores of at least 1000 and a GPA of 3.0 or above on all post-secondary education attempted will be required. Applicants may be asked to come to MUSC for an interview prior to an acceptance decision.