Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Longwood’s masters’ degree program in Communication Sciences and Disorders provides students with the academic and clinical training needed to work as speech-language pathologists in both school and medical settings.  The low faculty-student ratio (approximately 12:1) provides students with opportunities to work closely with faculty and clinical supervisors in classes and clinical settings.

Recreation during the August Orientation for Graduates Students, 2008

     

 Graduates meet all of the requirements for certification by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (www.asha.org).  In addition, students meet the requirements to be licensed to work in Virginia public schools by the Virginia Department of Education and to receive a license from the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

 The master’s degree program in Communication Sciences and Disorders is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and was approved to begin the graduate program in fall 2006. This is a “pre-accreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum of five years. We are pleased to have received a positive report from CAA during each of the steps in the accreditation process.

Longwood enrolls both full-time and part-time students in its graduate program.  Full-time students, who have completed all of the necessary prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better upon entering the program, complete the program in 5 – 6 semesters.  Part-time students, who have completed all of the necessary prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better and take 2 or more classes per semester, may complete the program in 9 – 10 semesters.    (Potential students needing any of the undergraduate prerequisite may take them through Longwood’s on-line perquisites offerings (www.longwood.edu/cehs/slponline).

Both full-time and part-time students participate in traditional on-campus programs.  (Longwood participates in a collaborative on-line graduate program with Hampton University, James Madison University and the University of Virginia.  This program is funded by the Virginia Department of Education.  See www.dlve-slp.org for more information.)

Longwood’s graduate program provides students with strong academic and clinical preparation that enables them to meet the Knowledge and Skills (KASA) required for national certification.   The academic courses are sequenced to enable students to build their knowledge throughout the program.   All faculty members have significant clinical experiences and teach in their areas of interest and expertise

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Dr. Tommie Robinson, Keynote Speaker at the Celebration of First dinner.
ASHA President-Elect 2009, Adjunct Faculty at Longwood University

Clinically, students acquire a minimum of 400 clock hours (as required for ASHA certification) with clients of all ages (infancy through geriatric populations) and all communication disorders.   All students begin their clinical experience under close supervision of Longwood faculty at the Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy, and Learning and move to off-site placements as they develop their clinical skills.  The Center provides services to children and adults with articulation, language, voice, fluency, cognitive, and hearing disorders.  In addition, the Center provides early intervention services in the home, accent modification for English language learners, early literacy experiences for preschoolers, and communication strategies classes for adults with hearing loss.  Longwood offers a variety of off-site placements for students, including public and private schools, private practice, community clinics, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Students also have the opportunity to pursue research at Longwood.  Students may complete a masters’ thesis, conducting research under the direction of a faculty committee.  Students also have the opportunity to work with faculty in their research or in conducting presentations and poster sessions at state and regional conferences. 

Longwood’s graduates have achieved a 100% first time pass rate on the Praxis II (Speech-Language Pathology).  All students have completed the program in the specified time period (5 – 6 semesters for students who have successfully completed the pre-requisite coursework).  All students seeking employment immediately after graduation are employed.