SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS WITH A NON-COMMUNICATION SCIENCES & DISORDERS BACHELOR’S DEGREE (UNDERGRADUATE NONDEGREE/SPECIAL STUDENTS)
Preparation for a career in Speech-Language Pathology includes completing a master’s degree, passing a national exam, completing nine months of supervised professional experience, and obtaining the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Students who already have a bachelor’s degree but not in the area of speech-language pathology/communication disorders must complete required coursework in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) prior to entering the graduate program. The following information relates to completing those requirements.
APPLICATION
- Complete the Application for Undergraduate Admission https://apply.wisconsin.edu/
- Apply as a MKE Non-Degree/Special – Previously has degree
INFORMATION AND ADVISING
For information about the program, contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Barbara Pauloski, by email at pauloski@uwm.edu.
Kenzie Kougl serves as advisor to all nondegree/special students. She can be reached at (414) 229-5047 or by email, mlkougl@uwm.edu. Contact Ms. Kougl to discuss your course of study or for additional information.
FINANCIAL AID
Questions regarding financial aid for Non-Degree/Special Students should be directed to finances@uwm.edu in the UWM Financial Aid Office. Further information is available at: https://uwm.edu/finances/finances/receiving-financial-aid/non-degree-students/
UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DEFICIENCIES
Completion of the undergraduate course deficiencies listed below (9 courses, 29 credits) will require at least 3 semesters because of sequencing and prerequisite requirements. Most courses in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program are taught during the day and are typically offered only once a year. Clinical experience is deferred until the graduate program but some hours of guided observation, including diagnosis and treatment, may be obtained in the COMSDIS 350/351 courses.
Students initiating the nondegree/special student program should plan to complete it by following the recommended sequence of courses on page two. Based on ASHA standards, students preparing for professional certification in speech-language pathology must also have transcript credit (which could include course work, advanced placement, CLEP, or examination of equivalency) for each of the following areas: Biological Sciences (e.g., anatomy & physiology, human or animal), Physical Sciences (i.e. chemistry or physics), Social/Behavioral Sciences (e.g., psychology), and Statistics. If you have not had a course in statistics, KIN 270, Statistics in the Health Professions: Theory and Practice, is recommended.
Required Coursework
| Class | Credits |
|---|---|
| COMSDIS 220: Anatomy and Physiology of Speech, Hearing, and Language Mechanisms | 4 credits |
| COMSDIS 230: Introduction to Phonetics | 4 credits |
| COMSDIS 240: Normal Speech and Language Development | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 350: Clinical Process I: Articulation and Phonology Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 351: Clinical Process II: Child Language Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 380: Bases of Hearing Science | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 470: Introduction to Audiology | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 480: Speech Science | 3 credits |
| COMSIDS 490: Audiologic (Re)Habilitation | 3 credits |
| Total Credits | 29 credits |
Although not specifically required for graduate admission, additional content in CSD is recommended:
| COMSDIS 210: Survey of Communication Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 450: Bases of Fluency and Voice Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 460: Survey of Adult Neurogenic Language and Speech Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 520: Counseling in Communication Disorders | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 661: The Role of the Speech-Language Pathologist in Literacy | 2 credits |
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATION:
Students who will seek Wisconsin Schools Certification at the end of their graduate program are encouraged to take the additional required undergraduate courses listed below. Although these courses do not affect eligibility to apply for the graduate program, students are strongly encouraged to complete these courses as undergraduate students.
| EXCEDUC 600: Survey of Exceptional Education Alternative courses: EXCEDUC 300 The Exceptional Individual | 3 credits |
| ANTHRO 213:** American Indian Peoples of Wisconsin Alternative courses: HIST 263: North American Indian History Since 1887 AIS 203: Western Great Lakes American Indian Community Life of the Past One-day workshop available each semester, for more information visit: https://uwm.edu/sce/courses/act-31-history-culture-and-sovereignty-rights-of-wisconsin-indians/ | 3 credits |
| **Act 31 requirement. |
SEQUENCE OF COURSE OFFERINGS, UNDERGRADUATE NONDEGREE/SPECIAL STUDENTS:
| Summer | Fall | Spring | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMSDIS 220 * | 4 credits | COMSDIS 350 * | 3 Credits | COMSDIS 351 * | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 230 * | 4 credits | COMSDIS 470 * | 3 credits | COMSDIS 380* | 3 credits |
| COMSDIS 240 * | 3 Credits | COMSDIS 480 * | 3 credits | COMSDIS 490 * | 3 credits |
| Additional Offerings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMSDIS 210 | 3 credits | COMSDIS 450 | 3 credits | ||
| COMSDIS 460 | 3 credits | COMSDIS 520 | 3 credits | ||
| KIN 270 | 3 credits | COMSDIS 661 | 3 credits | ||
| EXCEDUC 600 | 3 credits | KIN 270 | 3 credits | ||
| EXCEDUC 600 | 3 credits |
* Required for graduate admission
300+ level COMSDIS courses are taught only in the semester shown above.
Students are encouraged to maintain a significantly higher GPA than 3.0 to be competitive with other graduate school applicants here or elsewhere. All graduate programs in Wisconsin and throughout the nation have many more applicants than can be accepted. Successful completion of the nondegree/special student program requirements does not guarantee entry to the UWM graduate program. Acceptance will depend upon space available in the program at the time of the application and the strength of the academic record. Although the UWM nondegree/special student program provides all the coursework in CSD required for admission to our graduate program, other university CSD Master’s programs may have different course or credit requirements. Be certain to check the requirements for any graduate program of interest as you complete your post-baccalaureate program.