Communications Sciences and Disorders

Degree requirements for the BS include completion of:

• The general education requirements.
• The Communication Sciences and Disorders program of instruction.
• Sufficient electives to meet the 192 quarter units required for graduation.

Program of Instruction

Junior Year

• CMSD 284 Intro to Speech‐Language Pathology and Audiology (3)
• CMSD 314 Language Science (4)
• CMSD 318 Transcription Phonetics (3)
• CMSD 324 Language Disorders of Children (4)
• CMSD 334 Speech Sound Disorders in children 4)
• CMSD 376 Anatomy of Speech and Hearing Mechanism (4)
• CMSD 388 Communication Across the Lifespan (4)
• CMSD 436 Speech & Hearing Science
• CMSD 445 Techniques for ESL & Accent Modification (2)
• CMSD 454 Introduction to Audiology (4)
• CMSD 485 Clinical Methods in Speech‐Language Pathology (4)
• CMSD 486 Diagnostic Methods in Speech‐Language Pathology (4)

Senior Year

• CMSD 217 Beginning Sign Language (3)
• CMSD 267 Speech Language Pathology Assistant Fieldwork
• CMSD 424 Adult Language Pathology (4)
• CMSD 426 Behavior Management Applications with Special Populations (4)
• CMSD 448 Disorders of Fluency (3)
• CMSD 449 Voice Disorders (3)
• CMSD 464 Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation (4)
• CMSD 467 Speech‐Language Pathology and Audiology Practicum (1‐4)
• CMSD 477 Bilingualism & Biculturalism (2)
• CMSD 488 Autism Spectrum Disorders (4)

Required Cognates

• AHCJ 305 Infectious Diseases and the Healthcare Provider (1)
• AHCJ 328 Wholeness Portfolio I (1)*
• AHCJ 471 Statistics and Research for the Health Professionals I (3)
• AHCJ 472 Statistics and Research for the Health Professionals II(3)
• AHCJ 498 Wholeness Portfolio II(1)*
• PSYC 460 The Exceptional Individual(3)
• Religion (8‐16)

To count toward graduation, a minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for all courses. * Undergraduate students in the School of Allied Health Professions are required to develop a portfolio during the junior and senior years. Students register for Wholeness Portfolio I during the junior year and Wholeness Portfolio II during the senior year. The purpose of the portfolio is to allow students to demonstrate their work towards achieving the goals set forth by the University. These goals were developed to aid the student in achieving personal and professional balance in the spiritual, intellectual, social/emotional, and physical domains. The outcome is a notebook containing examples of how the student has addressed the goals. This can include assignments from classes. Professors will include an icon in their syllabi to indicate coursework that meets portfolio requirements. Diana Richie is the undergraduate program advisor for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

A student must take any CLEP test within one quarter of getting his/her degree compliance report or the student will need to take the course.

Clinical Experience

Supervised clinical practicum is recommended, but not required in the Bachelor of Science program. Completion of specific courses precedes placement for practicum. Clinical Practicum is available for students who have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above in the major courses.

• Bachelor of Science Prerequisites

• 96 quarter units or 64 semester units in general education  
• Provide official transcripts from an accredited institution
• Literate personal statement (part of the online application)
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably academic. (part of the online application)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 

For more Admissions information please visit our Admissions page. 

By the end of the program, graduates should be able to:

• Articulate characteristics of typical human speech, language, hearing, communication, and swallowing processes; including their biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases;
• Articulate characteristics of atypical human speech, language, hearing, communication, and swallowing; including etiological, biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates;
• Implement knowledge of basic clinical processes for the remediation of human speech, language, hearing, swallowing, and communication disorders and differences;
• Incorporate cultural responsiveness to diversity (e.g., linguistic, neurological, economic, age, sexual, gender, ability, racial) within academic and/or professional environments;
• Use logical reasoning skills to evaluate, research and solve problems in communication sciences and disorders;
• Incorporate basic components of professional ethics when treating, counseling, advocating for, and documenting care for clients.

Clinical Experience:

Supervised clinical practicum is recommended, but not required in the Bachelor of Science Program.  Completion of specific courses precedes placement in practicum.  Clinical practicum is available to students who have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

1. Apply online at http://www.llu.edu/central/apply/index.page. 
2. Applications are accepted October 1st- June 1st.
3. Complete official transcripts of all academic records from colleges, universities, and professional and/or technical schools must be provided. It is the applicant's responsibility to have paper transcripts sent directly to:

   Loma Linda University
   Admissions Processing
   11139 Anderson St
   Loma Linda CA 92350

   Electronic transcripts can be officially sent to LLU in the following ways. Check with your prior school to find out if they are set up to use any of these methods. Send secure PDFs to admissions.app@llu.edu (see below for security requirements for PDFs). Please note: LLU cannot accept PDF transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse transcript service. If your prior school uses this service for PDF transcripts, please instead have an official paper copy sent to LLU.

   • EDI - school code 001218, qual 22, through the SPEEDE Server (info)
   • PDF with security components (e.g. multi-steps to access, login registration, password, watermark, etc) and without restrictions on printing and/or saving/archiving. PDF transcripts must be issued directly to admissions.app@llu.edu. Examples of accepted PDF transcripts include those sent through Parchment Exchange, Scrip-Safe, Credentials Solutions, and JST (Joint Services Transcript, for US Military credit).
     • PDF transcripts that cannot be accepted as official:
       • Those containing PDF security that restricts printing, number/time of access, saving, etc.
       • PDF transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse transcript request service. (Instead request an official paper transcript or an electronic transcript in another accepted format.)
       • Transcripts emailed as attachments (PDF or other formats).

4. Applications are reviewed by the departmental faculty as they are received. The applicant's request for admission will not be reviewed until the applicant's file contains the necessary documents. The program faculty evaluates the application and makes its recommendation to the School of Allied Health Professions Admissions Committee. Admissions remain open until the class is full.

The current school year catalog, along with previous years' catalogs are available online at: http://www.llu.edu/central/academics/catalog.page. 

The Strategic Plan was developed by the faculty to address long term goals for all of the programs housed within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. It is our action plan for implementing the department’s Mission, Purpose and Vision.

View our Strategic Plan