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.

Graduate Program Information

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university must be completed before the first term of enrollment in the MS-CSD program. 

You must also meet specific departmental requirements for undergraduate coursework in the field. Students may be admitted with as many as two course deficiencies, however, they must be completed during the first year of the graduate program. 
 
If you have an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders, speech and hearing sciences or speech-language pathology, you will have completed these requirements during your undergraduate studies. 

If you have an undergraduate degree in another field, you must have completed 15 credits in communication sciences and disorders, including courses in English phonetics, language development and anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism to be eligible to apply to the program.  Students must also have completed 27 credits in communication sciences and disorders, including speech and/or hearing science, introduction to audiology, aural rehabilitation and statistics, in addition to the courses listed above before beginning the master’s in speech pathology program.   

UWM offers a sequence of courses designed to meet these requirements.  The UWM post-baccalaureate program, also called the “leveling” program, is available here: 

UWM CSD Post Baccalaureate Non-Degree Special Program (PDF)

For questions concerning UWM’s Post Baccalaureate Program, please contact the Undergraduate and Post Baccalaureate Program Coordinator, Barbara Roa Pauloski, PhD, CCC-SLP, at pauloski@uwm.edu. 

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for our graduate program, please contact Graduate Program Coordinator Shelley K. Lund, PhD, CCC-SLP, at 414-229-6465 or sklund@uwm.edu.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders Program offers a Bachelor of Science degree, which provides the pre-professional foundation for graduate study. The student who plans to become a professional speech-language pathologist or audiologist will receive preparation in human communication sciences and disorders as well as a broad educational experience in the liberal arts and sciences.

For more details on course and credit requirements, please visit the course catalog: https://catalog.uwm.edu/health-professions-sciences/rehabilitation-sciences-technology/communication-sciences-disorders-bs/

To schedule an advising appointment, call 414-229-5047 or email uwmchps@uwm.edu.

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.