About the Department

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is about:

Human communication,
The disorders that can affect that communication, and
The research and science that underpin normal and impaired communication.

The Department is committed to:

offering comprehensive, state-of-the-art undergraduate pre-professional coursework
providing quality graduate-level coursework and practicum experiences for those wanting to enter professional practice in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology
advancing the state of knowledge in both basic and applied aspects of communication sciences and disorders through its

master’s and Ph.D. research programs,
research and scholarly activities of both faculty and students, and
research laboratories

providing clinical and consulting services to the community, particularly through its on-campus Speech, Language and Hearing Applied Laboratory
supporting the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology and the discipline of communication sciences and disorders at the local, state, national and international levels

Accredited Programs

The graduate programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) and graduates of the programs meet certification requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as well as relevant Virginia licensure.

High National Rankings

U.S. News and World Report on “America’s Best Graduate Schools” has consistently ranked the Department’s graduate programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology as among the top programs in the United States.

High Achieving Students and Graduates

The National Examination (“Praxis II”): From 2001 to January, 2008, students in Speech-Language Pathology have achieved a 99.5% pass rate on their first attempts at the national examination, for an average score of 710. For each year 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008, the average SLP score was 710 with 100% passing on the first attempt, 716 with 97% passing on the first attempt , and 744 with all passing on first attempt, respectively. From 2001 to January, 2008, students in Audiology have achieved a 93% pass rate on their first attempts at the national examination, with all passing on their second attempt. The average Praxis II score has been 641. For each year 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008, the average Audiology score was 655, with 100% passing on the first attempt, 644 with all passing on the first attempt , and 657 with all passing on first attempt, respectively.
Program Completion Rates: From 1999 to January, 2008, the average student completion rate for both Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology graduate programs combined is 97%. Data available since 2004 indicate an average completion rate in Audiology of 96% and in Speech-Language Pathology of 94%.
Post-graduation Employment Rates: 100% for both Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from data available from 1999 to January, 2008.

Student Organizations

Two active student associations, the JMU chapter of the National Student Speech, Hearing, Language Hearing Association (NSSHLA) and the JMU chapter of the National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA), provide support for students and assist the Department in its many activities.

Degree programs offered in the Department:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Doctor of Audiology (Au.D) – an accredited professional preparation program in Audiology
Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology – an accredited professional preparation program in Speech-Language Pathology

Individuals with undergraduate degrees in communication sciences and disorders who hold a Virginia temporary credential for working in the schools and who are employed in Virginia’s public schools may be eligible to pursue their master’s degree in a part-time, combined on-campus/off-campus program offered in the Department. The program, Facilitating Licensure of Speech-Language Pathologists (FLOSP), is funded by a grant to the Department from the Virginia Department of Education.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders – a research master’s program
An undergraduate major (Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts) in Communication Sciences and Disorders
An undergraduate minor in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Communication Sciences & Disorders