The Communication Sciences and Disorders MA program is intended for those interested in working with children and adults who have communication disorders. The School of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers an Accelerated BA/BS to MA Track for highly qualified UCF undergraduate majors in communication sciences and disorders that enables them to complete a master's degree in one less semester than students in the Traditional program. Once students complete the BA/BS, they must apply and be admitted to the master's degree program. Students must begin the program in the semester for which they are admitted and must follow the prescribed sequence of academic and clinical courses outlined in the catalog for that track. The program is offered face-to-face on the Orlando campus.
The Communication Sciences and Disorders program strives to educate students to become successful practitioners in the field of speech-language pathology. To that end, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics is reinforced throughout the academic curriculum. Violations of the ASHA Code of Ethics are grounds for academic sanctions or dismissal from the program.
Track Prerequisites
To be certified to practice by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), all applicants must have transcript credit, which could include course work, advanced placement, CLEP, or examination equivalency, for each of the following areas at the undergraduate level: biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and statistics.
- Courses must be taken outside the discipline.
- Courses other than statistics may consist of any number of credits.
- Statistics course must be at least 3 credit hours and may be at the undergraduate (i.e. STA 2014 Principles of Statistics OR STA 2023 Statistical Methods I) or graduate level.
- Courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
For the Accelerated BA/BS to MA track, UCF undergraduate students enroll in up to 16 credit hours of graduate-level courses while completing the bachelor's degree. This enables students to achieve a master's degree in the UCF School of Communication Sciences and Disorders in one less semester.
Up to 16 credit hours of approved 6000-level courses as outlined below, with grades of "B" (3.0) or better, may be counted toward the BA/BS and MA degrees. Additional requirements include:
- Adopting the most current undergraduate catalog for students changing degree programs.
- Earning at least a "B" (3.0) in each undergraduate and graduate course to be counted toward the major.
- Being assessed tuition and fees at the graduate rate for graduate courses.
Undergraduate Requirements
The Shared Courses below may be used to replace:
- SPA 4400 Language Disorders Across the Life Span
- SPA 4476 Speech Disorders Across the Life Span
- SPA 4478 Multicultural Aspects of Communication Disorders and Differences
- SPA 4803 Research Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders
- SPA 4870 Capstone Course
- one restricted elective in the undergraduate curriculum
Shared Courses
The following is a list of graduate courses that may be used to fulfill degree requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate programs.
- SPA 6204 - Articulation/Phonological Dis 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6404 - Language Disorders: Birth to 5 Years 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6410 - Aphasia and Related Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6417 - Management of Acquired Cognitive/Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6551 - Foundations of Clinical Practice: Level I 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6805 - Research in Communicative Disorders 3 Credit Hours
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
39 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- SPA6204 - Articulation/Phonological Dis (3)
- SPA6211 - Voice and Upper Airway Disorders (3)
- SPA6225C - Fluency Disorders (3)
- SPA6236 - Motor Speech Disorders in Adults and Children (3)
- SPA6327 - Aural Habilitation Rehab (3)
- SPA6410 - Aphasia and Related Disorders (3)
- SPA6474 - Assessment and Management of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations (3)
- SPA6559 - Augmentative and Alternative Communication (3)
- SPA6565 - Feeding and Swallowing Disorders (3)
- SPA6805 - Research in Communicative Disorders (3)
- SPA6417 - Management of Acquired Cognitive/Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan (3)
- SPA6403 - Language Disorders: School-Age through Adolescence (3)
- SPA6402 - Language Disorders: Birth to 5 Years (3)
Clinical Practice
24 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- SPA6551 - Foundations of Clinical Practice: Level I (1)
- SPA6503 - Foundations of Clinical Practice Level II (1)
- SPA6503L - Found Clinic Practice-II APP (1)
- SPA6553L - Clinical Practice in Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language Pathology (1)
- SPA6563L - Clinical Practice and Instrumental Diagnostics in Individuals with Dysphagia (1)
- SPA6563L - Clinical Practice and Instrumental Diagnostics in Individuals with Dysphagia (1)
- SPA6942L - Found Clinic Practice-III APP (1)
- SPA6943 - Advanced Clinical Practice Seminar (1)
- Earn at least 2 credits from the following types of courses: Students will repeat SPA 6503L and SPA 6942L twice.
- Earn at least 14 credits from the following types of courses: SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice
- Supervised clinical practice is an integral part of the graduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. It provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to the evaluation and management of individuals with a wide variety of communication disorders. Students complete three clinical practica at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic and other affiliated facilities, as well as external rotations in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, community clinics, and private practices. Through these practica and external rotations, students obtain a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Clinical practica and external rotations vary in length and do not always coincide with the academic calendar.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
9 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: SPA 6971 - Thesis
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Select one 3 credit hour elective course in consultation with Faculty Advisor.
- Thesis hours cannot be counted toward graduation requirements if students fail to complete or successfully defend their thesis. For additional information, thesis students and their advisory committees should refer to the thesis requirements in the UCF Graduate Catalog.
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: Students will work with Faculty advisor to choose 3 electives to complete this requirement.
Comprehensive Examination and Clinical Documentation
0 Total Credits
- In additional to the coursework and supervised clinical clock hour requirements listed above, satisfactory completion of a School Comprehensive Examination and submission of final clinical documentation, including demonstration of clinical competence and professionalism are required for completion of the master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders MA Program pay a $90 equipment fee each semester they are enrolled.
Additional Program Cost
The program requires students to pay additional fees for the required background checks, clinic uniform, and registration for the academic/clinical competencies tracking system. In addition, some courses have Material and Supply fees that are charged in the semester the course is taken.
Sample Plan of Study for the Traditional Program
The Accelerated BA/BS to MA program requires a prescribed sequence of academic and clinical courses which may vary according to the semester of entry. The following is a sample plan of study.
Semester 1 (16 credit hours) - typically completed as an undergraduate student
- SPA 6204 - Articulation/Phonological Dis 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6404 - Language Disorders: Birth to 5 Years 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6410 - Aphasia and Related Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6417 - Management of Acquired Cognitive/Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6551 - Foundations of Clinical Practice: Level I 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6805 - Research in Communicative Disorders 3 Credit Hours
Semester 2 (12 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6225C - Fluency Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6403 - Language Disorders: School-Age through Adolescence 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6503 - Foundations of Clinical Practice Level II 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6503L - Found Clinic Practice-II APP 1 Credit Hours (X 2)
- SPA 6559 - Augmentative and Alternative Communication 3 Credit Hours
Semester 3 (13 Credit Hours)
- SPA 6327 - Aural Habilitation Rehab 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6236 - Motor Speech Disorders in Adults and Children 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6553L - Clinical Practice in Differential Diagnosis in Speech and Language Pathology 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6565 - Feeding and Swallowing Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6942 - Foundations of Clinical Practice: Level III 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6942L - Found Clinic Practice-III APP 1 Credit Hours (X 2)
Semester 4
- SPA 6211 - Voice Disorders 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6474 - Assessment and Management of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations 3 Credit Hours
- SPA 6563L - Clinical Practice and Instrumental Diagnostics in Individuals with Dysphagia 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6943 - Clinical Practice 1 Credit Hours
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
- Elective 3 Credit Hours*
Semester 5
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
- Elective 3 Credit Hours*
Semester 6
- SPA 6946 - Clinical Practice*
- Elective 3 Credit Hours*
*A total of 14 credit hours of SPA 6946 Clinical Practice is required. Electives are selected in consultation with the clinical and academic advisors and may be completed in the fourth, fifth and/or sixth semester depending on the clinical placement credit hours each semester.
