The frequently asked questions listed below are aimed towards incoming
undergraduate students or prospective students who are considering majoring in the
Communicative Disorders and Sciences undergrad program at the University at Buffalo.
The following questions and answers will provide helpful information regarding the
major. The questions and answers provided are meant to assist students on their
decision and to make them aware of certain things they had no prior understanding or
knowledge of. Undergraduate students have an important decision to make regarding
what career path they would like to pursue and having the knowledge and answers will
only help them make their decision easier and prepare them for their future in the
major. Prerequisite and requirements for the major are very important and must be
fulfilled in order to stay on the correct path. Communicative Disorders and Sciences can
be separated into two different career paths and the following questions and answers
will help the student to know what their next step is.
What career opportunities are there when majoring in Communicative
Disorders and Sciences?
The undergraduate major for Communicative Disorders and Sciences is designed to
provide preparation and experiences required for admission into a graduate program in
Audiology or Speech Language Pathology. After the completion of graduate school for
either Audiology or Speech Language Pathology, you will have a variety of career
opportunities in different settings such as public schools, hospitals, rehab clinics, and
private practice.
For more Information visit:
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/cds_career.shtml
What do Speech Language Pathologist and Audiologist do?
Speech Language Pathologist: An SLP’s job is to evaluate their patient whether it is an
adult or a child who has a speech or language difficulty. An SLP provides a diagnostic if a
disorder is present and provides a therapy program to help the patient overcome the
disorder or cope with it. SLP assess communication skills such as the ability to produce
speech sounds, formulate sentences, and speak fluently.
Audiologist: A Health care professional whom examines, gives a diagnosis, and treats
patients with hearing related difficulties. These patients consist of a variety of ages.
They treat and monitor disorders of the auditory and vestibular system portions of the
ear and provide appropriate amplification devices if necessary as well as counseling.
For more information go to :
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/cds.shtml
What is the acceptance criteria for the Communicative Disorder and
Science major?
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall:
The average of all your grades you have received thus far must be at least a 2.0.
Minimum GPA of 2.5 in the prerequisite courses:
Prerequisite courses are the courses that are necessary in order to apply to the major.
Your GPA for the three prerequisite courses for this major must be at least a 2.5 in order
to be accepted into the major.
The following are the prerequisite courses necessary for the major:
CDS 151: Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
CDS 286: Phonetics
CDS 288: Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
For more information regarding the requirements visit:
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/cds_degrees.shtml
Am I able to decide which classes I want to take each semester?
No. The prerequisite courses must be completed first, in order, to be accepted into the
major. Once accepted, there is a specific order regarding which classes need to be
completed in order to take the following classes. Also you must be aware that each class
is either provided in the Fall or Spring, meaning it is only offered once a year, so when
planning your schedule this is something that should be taken into account so you don’t
get caught behind.
To view classes related to the major visit:
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/cds_courses.shtml
Will I be able to get a job as a SLP or an Audiologist with just a bachelor’s degree
in CSD?
The undergraduate program is a pre-professional degree. A graduate degree is needed
for New York State certification in the two primary subfields of communicative disorders
and sciences: speech-language pathology and audiology. Students who graduate with
only a bachelor’s degree do not have sufficient academic or clinical training necessary
for a professional job in the field. Every state requires that SLPs and audiologists be
licensed to practice. Students who want to pursue a career as an SLP must be prepared
to obtain a master’s degree in CSD. Students thinking about a career in audiology must
be prepared to obtain a doctoral degree in audiology.
For information on degree level required view:
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/cds_career.shtml