Communication Sciences & Disorders

BS

• U.S. News and World Report ranks the College of Health Sciences Communication Sciences and Disorders program within the top half of all nationally-ranked programs.
• You will get hands-on experience through our active student organization that connects with leaders and professionals in the field through educational and networking opportunities.
• You will have the opportunity to conduct pioneering research with program faculty.

Employment Outlook

Earnings

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for speech-language pathologists was $89,290 in May 2023.

ASHA’s SLP Health Care 2023 Survey (PDF) reported a median annual salary in 2023 of $87,000 for speech-language pathologists employed in medical and nursing-related facilities.

ASHA’s SLP Schools Survey 2022 (PDF) reported a median 9-10 month salary of $69,000, and a median 11-12 month salary of $80,000 for speech-language pathologists employed in school-based settings.

Expected Growth

Employment of speech-language pathologists is projected to grow 19% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Speech-Language Pathologists ; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Audiologists .

Related Programs

• Communication Sciences & Disorders MS
• Health Sciences PhD
• Pre-Audiology
• Pre-Speech-Language Pathology

The BS Communication Sciences & Disorders program provides the pre-professional foundation for graduate study.

A career as a speech-language pathologist requires a master’s degree. The UWM MS Communication Sciences & Disorders program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in Speech-Language Pathology. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction also has approved the undergraduate/graduate program in communication sciences and disorders.

A career as an audiologist requires a doctoral degree (AuD or Doctor of Audiology). In Wisconsin, an AuD consortial program is offered by UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point.

The following courses are prerequisites for admission to the major:

1. A minimum cumulative UWM GPA of 2.750.
2. A minimum GPA of 3.00 in COMSDIS 220, 230 and 240, earned the first time.
3. Completion of 58 credits.
4. Completion of UWM’s GER for Oral and Written Communication – Part A competency.
5. Completion of UWM’s GER for Quantitative Literacy – Part A competency.
6. Completion of an application (PDF) for admission to the major.
7. Endorsement by the program coordinator of your application.

You will receive written notice of the admission decision. A meeting with your advisor to discuss the program of study is required immediately following admission to the major.

Appeal Procedures

• If you are refused admission to the major, you may appeal the decision by writing to the department chairperson and enumerating the reasons you believe your case is exceptional and merits additional consideration.
• If possible, the appeal should be accompanied by written support from one or more of the faculty, and should include documentation of any extenuating circumstances cited in support of the appeal.
• A committee composed of the entire faculty of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders will consider your appeal for admission to the major.
• You are notified in writing of the faculty’s decision concerning the appeal.

120 credits are required for the Communication Sciences & Disorders major.

General Education Requirements (GERs)

Electives should be used to meet general education requirements.

Freshman Year

First Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
BIO SCI 202	Anatomy & Physiology I	4
COMSDIS 210	Survey of Communicative Disorders	3
HS 222	Language of Medicine	3
CHS 100	New Student Seminar in Health Professions	1
Elective		2
Total Credits		13

Second Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
ANTHRO 102 or SOC 101	Intro to Anthro: Culture and Society	3
PSYCH 101	Introduction to Psychology	3
BIOSCI 203	Anatomy & Physiology II	4
Electives		4
Total Credits		14

Sophomore Year

First Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
ENGLISH 205 OR ENGLISH 207	Business Writing Health Sciences Writing	3
COMSDIS 230	Introduction to Phonetics*	4
COMSDIS 250	Interprofessional Communication in the Health Sciences	3
PHYS 120	General Physics I (Non-Calculus Treatment)	4
HS 102	Healthcare Delivery in the US	3
Total Credits		17

Second Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
PSYCH 260	Child Psychology	3
COMSDIS 220	Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Language and Hearing Mechanisms*	4
COMSDIS 240	Normal Speech and Language Development*	3
COMSDIS 245	Client Diversity in Health Sciences	3
ED POL 375	Cultural Foundations of Education	3
Total Credits		16

Junior Year

First Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
COMSDIS 350	Clinical Process I: Articulation & Phonology Disorders**	3
COMSDIS 380	Bases of Hearing Science**	3
LING 350	Introduction to Linguistics	3
KIN 270	Statistics in the Health Professions	3
Electives		3
Total Credits		15

Second Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
COMSDIS 351	Clinical Processes II: Child Language Disorders**	3
COMSDIS 450	Bases of Fluency and Voice Disorders**	3
HCA 203	Human Life Cycle	3
ED PSYCH 330	Introduction to Learning and Development	3
HIST 263 OR AIS 203 OR ACT 31	North American Indian History Since 1887 Workshop	3
Total Credits		15

Senior Year

First Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
COMSDIS 460	Survey of Adult Neurogenic Language and Speech Disorders**	3
COMSDIS 470	Introduction to Audiology**	3
EXCEDUC 600 OR EXCEDUC 300	Survey of Exceptional Eduction The Exceptional Individual	3
Electives		6
Total Credits		15

Second Semester

Course Number	Course Name	Credits
COMSDIS 480	Speech Science**	3
COMSDIS 490	Aural Rehabilitation**	3
COMSDIS 520	Counseling in Communication Sciences & Disorders**	3
COMSDIS 661 OR CURRINS 537**	The Role of the SLP in Literacy**	2
Electives		4
Total Credits		15

*Course may not be repeated and must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

**Course is generally taught only once per year, during the semester listed.

COMSDIS 220, 230, 240 may be repeated but students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in these classes for admission to the major.

By completing the following courses included in this curriculum, you have met a subset of the requirements toward Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for School Certification in Speech-Language Pathology: ED POL 375 (or ED POL 500 or ED POL 530), ED PSY 330, COMSDIS 661 (or CURRINS 343), EXCEDUC 300 (or EXCEDUC 600), and HIST 263 (or AIS 203, or Act 31 – 1 Day Workshop).

To schedule an advising appointment, call 414-229-2758 or visit Northwest Quadrant Building B, Room 6425.

You are also encouraged to meet with a Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty member to discuss the requirements and challenges of a career as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Seniors should meet with your advisor to review your final year of study and discuss opportunities for graduate study.

You can also contact your advisor in your student center in PAWS.