Graduate Bulletin
Speech, Language and Hearing Science, M.A.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND SOCIAL WORK
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Fall: February 1
The application and all required supporting materials must be received by February 1. Complete applications are then evaluated together after the deadline. To ensure that all requirements are met, see the departmental FAQ sheet.
APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2
From Whom: Recommendations should be obtained from teachers, clinical supervisors, or others who can speak to the applicant's academic or clinical abilities and personal integrity.
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:
Prerequisites to graduate study, which may be taken during the first year of graduate study if not completed previously, include the following courses or equivalent subject knowledge:
CSCD
2201: Research Methods in Communication Sciences
CSCD
2209: Phonetics and Phonology
CSCD
2219: Psycholinguistics
CSCD
3233: Basic Speech Science
CSCD
3234: Basic Hearing Science
CSCD
3235: Human Neuroscience
CSCD 3301: Speech and Language Development
CSCD
4301: Principles of Audiology
CSCD 4396: Orientation to Clinical Management
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:
All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate baccalaureate degree at Temple University.
Statement of Goals:
The Statement of Goals should be roughly 500-1,000 words in length and should address the applicant's interest in the field, academic and personal preparation, and career goals.
Standardized Test Scores:
The GRE is required. It is expected that scores on the verbal and quantitative sections
will fall at or above the 50th percentile.
Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted:
79 iBT or 550 PBT.
Resume:
A resume is not required but is recommended.
Transfer Credit:
On the recommendation of the student's advisor, the Chair may accept transfer of graduate credits from an accredited institution. Grades must be "B" or better. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Total Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 54-59, including 39 credits of academic coursework and 15-20 credits of clinical coursework
Required Courses:
CSCD
5521:
Foundations and Management of Child Language Disorders
CSCD 5522: Foundations and Management of Phonological Disorders
CSCD 5524: Motor Speech Disorders
CSCD 5525:
Foundations and Management of Fluency Disorders
CSCD 5526: Foundations of Adult Language Disorders
CSCD 5528: Foundations and Management of Voice Disorders
CSCD 5531: Application in Audiology
CSCD 5532: Foundations and Management of Hearing Disorders
CSCD 8721: Foundations and Management of Augmentative and Alternative Communication
CSCD 8722: Foundations and Management of Dysphagia
CSCD 8724: Management of Adult Language Disorders
CSCD 8726: Child Language Disorders: School Age
CSCD 8727: Written Language Development and Disorders
CSCD 8824: Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations
CSCD 8830: Seminar in CSCD
Elective (3 cr.)
The sequence of coursework can be found at on the program's admissions page.
Additionally,
students enroll in 15-20 credits of clinical practicum as they complete 375 clock hours of a supervised clinical experience in diagnosis and treatment during the course of their program.
Standards of Scholarship:
A graduate student in the M.A. program is expected to perform in accordance with the standards of scholarship of the Temple University Graduate School and of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders:
- At the time of graduation, the student must have a grade point average of at least 3.0.
- The student's grades will be averaged after the student has completed 15 graduate credits. Unless her/his average is "B" or better, the student will have one additional semester to achieve a total grade average of "B" or better. Any time from the end of that semester forward that her/his total grade average falls below a "B," s/he will be dropped from the program.
- Students who receive either two grades below "B-" or one "F" grade will be dropped from the program for substandard performance. Although grades of "C+," "C," and "C-" carry academic credit, receipt of such grades indicates that the student is performing at a substandard level.
- A student may not graduate without completing all coursework and thus removing any outstanding grades of "I" (incomplete).
- An M.A. student in the program may apply no more than six semester hours of graduate credits earned at another institution toward the degree.
- Grades in prerequisite courses taken at Temple or elsewhere, while matriculating in the graduate program, will be counted in determining whether a student has satisfied standards of scholarship described in 1-4 above, but prerequisite credits will not count toward the number of credits required for the master’s degree.
Internship: No internship is required.
Language Examination: No language examination is required.
Culminating Events:
Comprehensive Examination:
The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to demonstrate the application of accumulated knowledge to the basic science and clinical domains. It is taken in the final semester.
Students can access sample questions in the program manual. The examination is comprised of four questions, one each from the areas of Basic Sciences, Speech Disorders, and Language Disorders, and a fourth question that is drawn from any of the cited areas. All faculty who teach prerequisite and/or graduate courses in the curriculum may write and grade questions in their areas of expertise.
The faculty member who writes the question grades the answer on a 1-5 scale with 3 and above serving as a passing grade. If the student receives a grade below 3, the exam is given to a second reader (along with answers that did pass) who evaluates the responses. If the combined score of the two readers is 6 or above, the answer is given a pass. If the combined score is less than 6, the answer is failed and the student must rewrite a question in that area within two weeks of the grading process.
Students must receive a grade of 3 or above for each of the four questions. Those who fail two or more questions fail the exam and must repeat the examination process during the next semester. Students may not repeat the examination more than twice.
Students must submit in writing, to the Chair of the Department, their intentions to take the comprehensive examination no later than two weeks prior to its administration. Unless given prior approval for extended time, each question must be completed within one hour. Two questions are given in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Contacts
Program Contact Information:
http://chpsw.temple.edu/commsci/degrees-offered-graduate-programs/master-arts-speech-language-hearing
Department Information:Dept. of Communication Sciences
and Disorders
110 Weiss Hall (265-62)
1701 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
chp@temple.edu
215-204-7543
Department Contacts:Admissions:
Dawn Dandridge
ddandrid@temple.edu
215-204-7543
Program Director:
Doris Fallon Snyder
dfallon@temple.edu
215-204-7544
Interim Chairperson:
Carol Scheffner Hammer
cjhammer@temple.edu
215-204-3971

About the Program
The M.A. Program in Speech, Language and Hearing Science is committed to the education of first-rate clinical professionals able to deal creatively with the broadest possible range of populations, settings, and speech-language disorders. The Department is able to provide students with a rich variety of supervised clinical experiences at its own Speech-Language-Hearing Center on the University's main campus and at any of more than 80 field settings throughout the Delaware Valley. In addition, the Department maintains strong connections with faculty members and practitioners at Temple University Hospital and School of Medicine, and with other departments in the College of Health Professions and Social Work. Graduates of the program have consistently gone on to significant careers throughout the United States and abroad. Opportunities exist for pursuing research interests under faculty guidance through independent study courses or the writing of a master's thesis. Qualified students may elect to pursue special emphasis in service delivery to bilingual speakers.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 2 years (six semesters, including required enrollment in two summer sessions) with a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders; 3 years (nine semesters, including required enrollment in three summer sessions) without a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Campus Location:
Main
Full-Time/Part-Time Status:
Students are required to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m.
Department Information:
Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders
110 Weiss Hall (265-62)
1701 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
chp@temple.edu
215-204-7543
Interdisciplinary Study:
The faculty itself is interdisciplinary with representation from Audiology, Cognitive and Neuropsychology, Linguistics, and Speech-Language Pathology. A colloquium series and series of grand rounds presentations include speakers from outside the Department and the University. Many other opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions are also being developed, including an interdisciplinary assessment center housed in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Affiliation(s):
The program has research affiliations with the Temple University Hospital and School of Medicine, Moss Rehabilitation Hospital, and the American Institute for Voice and Ear Research. In the area of bilingual Spanish-English research, the Department has research affiliations with the University of Texas and San Diego State University.
Study Abroad:
No.
Ranking:
The program is ranked 38th nationally among approximately 250 ASHA-certified programs.
Accreditation:
The degree program is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. ASHA accreditation has been maintained without interruption since 1970.
Areas of Specialization:
Students completing the master's program are generalists with expertise in a wide variety of disorders and population types. Courses and supervised diagnostic and therapeutic experiences concern both children and adults, and encompass a range of disorders, including dysfluency, dysphagia, language disorders, phonological disorders, and voice disorders. Faculty conduct supervised research in such areas as phonological, syntactic, and pragmatic development and language disorders in monolingual and bilingual children, adopted children from China, adult aphasia, voice disorders, communication in aging individuals, and speech physiology.
Job Placement:
Graduates are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, private practices, and universities. The placement rate for graduates is 100%.
Licensure:
To complete the process for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, graduates must pass the national Praxis Examination in Speech/Language Pathology, and must complete a Clinical Fellowship Year in their first year of employment in the field. Additional state-mandated requirements may apply for graduates employed in the public schools. Each state has its own licensing procedures in addition to the CCC.
Non-Matriculated Student Policy:
Non-matriculated students must have departmental permission to enroll in graduate courses. No more than 9 credits of graduate coursework taken as a non-matriculated student may be counted toward the degree. In order to enroll in courses as a non-matriculated student, individuals must supply the department with an official transcript from their undergraduate institution and syllabi from the courses that satisfy the prerequisite requirements for the graduate degree. Finally, non-matriculated students must have attained a grade of "B-" or better in the prerequisite classes and have an overall undergraduate GPA greater than 3.0. If these requirements are met, non-matriculated students, with permission of the Department, are permitted to take up to 3 of the following 4 courses: CSD 5521: Language Disorders: The Pre-School Years (Fall); CSD 5522: Disorders of Articulation and Phonology: Management (Fall); CSD 8726: Child Language Disorders: School Age (Spring); and CSD 5525: Fluency Disorders: Foundations and Management (Summer). For more information, contact Dawn Dandridge (ddandrid@temple.edu), Coordinator of Student Services.

Financing Opportunities
Teaching Assistants assist faculty in laboratory classes. Research Assistants assist faculty in research projects. Academic Interns and Graduate Externs perform database management for the clinical education program or the
Temple University Speech-Language-Hearing Center
or are engaged in other administrative experiences. Assistantships carry a stipend and tuition remission. Students may be supported for more than one semester. Applicants interested in competing for assistantships should submit an assistantship application and curriculum vitae with their application to the program, and should have all application materials in by February 1.

Updated 10.12.12
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