Communicative Sciences and Disorders (MS)

Department Website

Program Description

The Master of Science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders prepares graduates to be eligible for professional licensure as a speech-language pathologist. The program provides a broad-based and comprehensive education in both the theoretical and practical aspects of communicative sciences and disorders (CSD). Courses and field work are designed to achieve the integration of academic and clinical experiences. Unique among Master of Science programs, upon completion, all students in the Master of Science will graduate with a solid foundation in culturally responsive practices in the field.

Graduates of the program are prepared to make informed diagnostic judgments, as well as plan and execute a program of therapeutic management for persons with communication and swallowing impairments.
Accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), successful completion of this Master of Science program can lead to the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the ASHA and licensure as a speech-language pathologist.1 Graduates are also eligible to complete the ASHA Clinical Fellowship (CF) and apply for New York State licensure and for the New York Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) certification. Some students may also elect to complete an optional track that leads to eligibility for the bilingual extension (BE) to the New York State TSSLD certificate.1

1

State Licensure and CCC eligibility have additional requirements beyond degree completion (i.e., licensure exams, clinical fellowships, etc.). For more information see the program's professional licensure website.  

Study Abroad

The Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders offers a summer study-abroad program in Lund, Sweden, which is a 2-week experience during which students take coursework with NYU faculty at Lund University. Past cohorts in the Master of Science program have traveled to Accra, Ghana for spring break, while studying culturally responsive practices in the profession. Some students may engage in interdisciplinary study away opportunities offered through education and other allied health departments within Steinhardt. Study Abroad opportunities are not guaranteed and may change semester to semester based on course availability and scheduling needs. See additional information in the Policies section.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program have found employment opportunities as speech-language pathologists in hospitals, clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, private practices, as administrators of clinical facilities, and as faculty and administrators in the university setting. The current need for well-prepared speech-language pathologists is extensive.

Academic Prerequisites

Students who enter the Master of Science program must have completed a bachelor’s degree, and are required to demonstrate mastery of foundational knowledge. This can be accomplished by one of the following:

  1. completing an undergraduate major or post-baccalaureate certificate in CSD within the last 10 years.
    1. Note: your final transcript must state that an advanced certificate or degree was awarded in CSD/SLP in order to waive all foundation course requirements
  2. taking individual foundational courses at another accredited institution prior to beginning the graduate program at NYU. Course must be for 2 credits or higher and earning a C or better within the last 10 years. Courses must be deemed equivalent by CSD faculty (see below). Once a student has started the program, they may not take courses at other institutions for transfer credit
    1. Official transcripts showing the above criteria have been met will be required
  3. taking foundational/prerequisite coursework through the Speech@NYU distance education modality at the start of your Master of Science program at NYU and earning a C or better in each course

NYU Steinhardt’s graduate program will certify to ASHA that the requirements for clinical certification have been met. Thus, the faculty must be convinced that the courses taken elsewhere are equivalent in breadth, depth, and rigor to courses at NYU Steinhardt. 

Students are required to submit the appropriate documentation to the department to ensure that the content of their completed course work is sufficient in terms of breadth and depth. This includes a thorough review of the course syllabus by department faculty. Students may also be asked to provide information pertaining to the course texts, exams, notes, and at times to have a one-on-one discussion with faculty to demonstrate working knowledge of the information in a foundation course in order to determine course equivalency. Courses for which equivalence cannot be established will be added to a student’s plan of study and completed online through Speech@NYU

Students must complete all foundational course work prior to entering the practicum sequence. Students may take foundational courses concurrently with certain approved graduate-level courses. These will be indicated on the student’s plan of study. NOTE: As these requirements must be completed to move forward in the graduate program, foundation course credits are not considered "excess credit" by the University.

CSD Foundation Courses

Course Title Credits
CSCD-GE 2002Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Swallowing Mechanism2
CSCD-GE 2003Neurological Bases of Cognition, Behavior and Communication2
CSCD-GE 2004Introduction to Audiology and Aural Rehabilitation2
CSCD-GE 2006Phonetics2
CSCD-GE 2007Science of Language2
CSCD-GE 2008Language Development and Disorders in Children2
CSCD-GE 2009Speech Development and Disorders in Children2
Total Credits14

Unless otherwise indicated, all of the above foundations/prerequisite courses are necessary for program completion.

ASHA Course Requirements 

Our program prepares students for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (ASHA). As such, students must complete American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) course requirements in order to graduate. 

ASHA mandates 12 combined units in the areas of social/behavioral science, biological science, physical science, and statistics. These courses do not carry graduate credit for the M.S. degree. 

These courses are not offered by the department and are not taken at NYU (unless previously taken while enrolled in an NYU undergraduate program). Students must take any outstanding ASHA requirements independently and complete them prior to entering Practicum 1. Fulfillment of the ASHA program requirements must meet these criteria:

  • courses must be completed at an accredited institution 
  • courses must be at least 3 credits each
  • courses must be completed with a minimum C grade 
  • content accepted for college-level credit by an undergraduate institution (Advanced Placement Credit, Regents Exam, CLEP, or other equivalency) must be reflected on an official transcript

For a description of which type of courses might meet the ASHA prerequisite course requirements, students can review the ASHA Website by clicking here. 

NOTE: Acceptance of course content towards these requirements is at the discretion of the department and students may be asked to submit additional information during the review process. The resource linked above is meant to serve as a guide, but does not guarantee courses will be accepted by the department. 

Accreditation

The Master of Science education program in speech-language pathology (residential and distance education) at New York University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association:

2200 Research Boulevard, #310
Rockville, MD 20850
800-498-2071
301-296-5700

Licensure

By completing the requirements for the MS degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, a student meets the academic requirements for the professional license in speech-language pathology in the State of New York. 

In addition, graduates of the online program may meet the academic requirements for licensure in the State in which the student is located at the time of initial enrollment. For state-specific requirements, please refer to NYU Steinhardt’s MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders Professional Licensure webpage.  Please note that state licensure requirements may change, therefore, it is a student’s responsibility to review their state-specific requirements if they intend on becoming licensed in a state other than NY.

For Speech@NYU students residing in states other than New York, NYU will provide further academic and/or clinical guidance to inform the student of their state's educational requirements.

Admissions

Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:

  • Résumé/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Proficiency in English

See NYU Steinhardt's Graduate Admissions website for additional information on school-wide admission. Some programs may require additional components for admissions.

See How to Apply for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.