Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 54-59, including 39 credits of academic coursework and 15-20 credits of clinical coursework

Required Courses:

Core Courses
CSCD 5521Foundations in Child Language Disorders3
CSCD 5522Foundations and Management in Phonological Disorders3
CSCD 5524Foundations and Management of Motor Speech Disorders3
CSCD 5525Foundations and Management in Fluency3
CSCD 5527Foundations and Rehabilitation of Language and Cognitive Disorders in Aphasia3
CSCD 5528Voice Disorders: Theory and Analysis3
CSCD 5531Applications in Audiology1
CSCD 5546Research Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Research Methods in Communication Sciences)3
CSCD 8722Foundations and Management in Dysphagia3
CSCD 8726Management of Child Language Disorders3
CSCD 8727Written Language Development and Disorders2
CSCD 8729Neurocognitive Language Disorders3
CSCD 8824Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations2
CSCD 8830Seminar In CSD1
HRPR 5001Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions 10
Elective 23
Clinical Practicum 315-20
CSCD 8147
Basic Practicum in Audiology
CSCD 8187
Basic Practicum in Diagnostic Processes
CSCD 8287
Basic Practicum in Therapy Processes
CSCD 9187
Advanced Practicum in Voice
CSCD 9287
Advanced Practicum in Fluency
CSCD 9387
Advanced Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Child
CSCD 9388
Capstone Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Pediatric
CSCD 9487
Advanced Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Adult
CSCD 9488
Capstone Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Adult
CSCD 9587
Advanced Practicum in Aphasia
Total Credit Hours54-59
1

This common College Core course is required of all incoming graduate students in the College of Public Health. It is available completely online and designed such that students can complete the modules at their own pace over the course of their degree program.

2

Students who elect to complete a thesis should select CSCD 9996 Thesis Seminar as their elective.

3

Students enroll in 18 to 20 credits of supervised clinical practicum in the evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and swallowing disorders to achieve the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) in accordance with the standards of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Up to 3 credits may be waived if students have achieved the full range of required competencies and experiences.

Proposed Plan of Study Outlined by Year and Term

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
CSCD 5521 Foundations in Child Language Disorders 3
CSCD 5522 Foundations and Management in Phonological Disorders 3
CSCD 5527 Foundations and Rehabilitation of Language and Cognitive Disorders in Aphasia 3
CSCD 5531 Applications in Audiology 1
CSCD 8187 Basic Practicum in Diagnostic Processes 1 1
CSCD 8287 Basic Practicum in Therapy Processes 1 1
HRPR 5001 Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions 2 0
 Credit Hours12
Spring
CSCD 5528 Voice Disorders: Theory and Analysis 3
CSCD 5546 Research Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Research Methods in Communication Sciences) 3
CSCD 8187 Basic Practicum in Diagnostic Processes 1 1
CSCD 8287 Basic Practicum in Therapy Processes 1 2
CSCD 8726 Management of Child Language Disorders 3
 Credit Hours12
Summer
CSCD 5525 Foundations and Management in Fluency 3
CSCD 8187 Basic Practicum in Diagnostic Processes 1 1
CSCD 8722 Foundations and Management in Dysphagia 3
CSCD 9587 Advanced Practicum in Aphasia 2
 Credit Hours9
Year 2
Fall
CSCD 5524 Foundations and Management of Motor Speech Disorders 3
CSCD 8727 Written Language Development and Disorders 2
CSCD 8830 Seminar In CSD 1
CSCD 9287 Advanced Practicum in Fluency 1
CSCD 9387 Advanced Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Child 3
 Credit Hours10
Spring
CSCD 8729 Neurocognitive Language Disorders 3
CSCD 8824 Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations 2
CSCD 9187 Advanced Practicum in Voice 1
CSCD 9387 Advanced Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Child 3
Elective 3 3
 Credit Hours12
Summer
CSCD 8147 Basic Practicum in Audiology 1
Select one Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology (Pediatric or Adult) course from the following: 3
CSCD 9388
Capstone Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Pediatric
CSCD 9487
Advanced Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Adult
CSCD 9488
Capstone Field Practicum in Speech Language Pathology - Adult
 Credit Hours4
 Total Credit Hours59
1

Students typically enroll in CSCD 8187 and CSCD 8287 over multiple academic terms in Year 1.

2

This common College Core course is required of all incoming graduate students in the College of Public Health. It is available completely online and designed such that students can complete the modules at their own pace over the course of their degree program.

3

Students who elect to complete a thesis should select CSCD 9996 Thesis Seminar as their elective.

Minimum Grade to be Earned for All Required Courses: B-

Standards of Scholarship: A graduate student in the MA 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, including the following:

  1. At the time of graduation, the student must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (equivalent at Temple to the grade of "B").
  2. The student's grades will be averaged after the student has completed 15 graduate credits. Unless their average is "B" or better, the student will have one additional term to achieve a total grade average of "B" or better. Any time from the end of that term forward that their total grade average falls below a "B," they will be dropped from the program.
  3. A student who earns more than two grades below "B-" or more than one grade of "F" is dismissed for failure to maintain satisfactory grades. Although grades of "C+," "C," and "C-" carry academic credit, receipt of such grades indicates that the student is performing at a substandard level. Additionally, ASHA hours are not accumulated in Clinical Courses (Practicum) with earned grades below a "B-."
  4. A student may not graduate without completing all coursework and thus removing any outstanding grades of "I" (Incomplete).
  5. An MA student in the program may apply no more than 6 graduate credits earned at another institution toward the degree.
  6. Grades in prerequisite courses taken at Temple or elsewhere, while matriculated 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.

Culminating Event: Students choose between two options: completion of the comprehensive examination or preparation and defense of a master’s thesis.

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 typically taken in the final term of study.

Master’s Thesis:
The thesis option is intended to provide an opportunity for students interested in research to conduct a study of greater scope and rigor than is generally possible in the context of a one-term seminar or independent study. Students electing the thesis option enroll for up to 3 credits of CSCD 9996 Thesis Seminar, typically in the Spring of Year 2.

The thesis involves descriptive and/or experimental research and is supervised by a faculty member selected by the student. Students develop a prospectus (i.e., proposal of research to be conducted) in conjunction with their MA committee, which consists of the thesis advisor and two other faculty members. A final presentation is given orally to a symposium of faculty and students. The thesis document is submitted to the Graduate School in accordance with its guidelines.