Communication Sciences and Disorders — B.S.
Program director
Terry Douglas
The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in communication sciences and disorders begins Autumn Quarter of the junior year. The freshman and sophomore years, which are taken at an accredited college or university prior to coming to Loma Linda University, provide the fundamentals of a liberal arts education. The emphasis in the junior and senior years is on pre-professional courses and may include practical experience.
Full-time enrollment in the undergraduate program is required; therefore, one of the considerations for acceptance into the bachelor's degree program is the student's ability to manage a full load of coursework. There is no option to enter the program on a part-time basis; neither will a student be allowed to change from full-time to part-time status at any time during program progression. Courses are completed sequentially—with prerequisite courses offered in a given quarter, followed by more advanced courses in a later quarter.
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science degree, students are prepared to seek admission to a graduate program in speech-language pathology or related disciplines. Students are encouraged to take CMSD 267 Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Fieldwork during their senior year in order to qualify for the speech-language pathology assistant license, issued by the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board.
Program learning outcomes
Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in communication sciences and disorders will meet the University outcomes.
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.
Minimum grade required for graduation
A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for a course to qualify for graduation.
Clinical experience
A supervised clinical practicum is recommended but not required in the curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. Completion of specific courses precedes placement for a practicum and is available for students who have G.P.A.s of 3.0 or above in the major courses.
Wholeness portfolio
Undergraduate students in the School of Allied Health Professions develop portfolios during the junior and senior years. Students register for AHCJ 328 Wholeness Portfolio I during the junior year and AHCJ 498 Wholeness Portfolio II during the senior year. The purpose of the portfolio is to allow students to demonstrate achievement of the outcomes set by the University. These outcomes were developed to aid students in achieving personal and professional balance in the spiritual, intellectual, social/emotional, and physical domains.
CLEP
CLEP tests must be taken within one quarter of receiving the degree compliance report; otherwise, the course must be repeated.
Student progress review
Students must maintain a G.P.A. of 3.0 to ensure regular standing in the program. If the student's G.P.A. drops below 3.0 by the end of an academic quarter, s/he will be placed on academic probation for the following quarter. If the student's G.P.A. does not improve to at least 3.0 by the end of that quarter, they will be dismissed from the program. Each student's progress in the bachelor's degree curriculum is reviewed quarterly. Students are provided written feedback with recommendations for remediation if there are concerns about their academic or clinical performance.
Speech-language pathology assistant
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology assistant degree may work toward meeting eligibility requirements for registration in the state of California as a speech-language pathology assistant.
In addition to Loma Linda University and School of Allied Health Professions admissions requirements, the applicant must also complete the following requirements:
Application deadline
Applications for the Bachelor of Science degree close June 1.
Prerequisites
Domain I: Humanities and religion (28-32 quarter units)
A minimum of 12 quarter units if the student is required to take 16 units of religion from a Seventh-day Adventist university before graduation*
A minimum of 20 quarter units if the student is required to take eight units of religion from Loma Linda University before graduation*
Humanities—selected from at least three of the following content areas: civilization/history, fine arts, literature, modern language, performing/visual arts (not to exceed four quarter credits), or philosophy
| * | Specific religion courses offered at Loma Linda University are required for graduation. The student's academic advisor will assist them in determining how many religion courses will be needed, which religion courses should be taken, and which academic quarters it would be advisable to take these courses. |
Domain II: Scientific inquiry and analysis (24-32 quarter units)
Natural Sciences (minimum of 12 quarter units):
Required courses are as follow:
Mathematics requirement: Four semesters of high school advanced mathematics or intermediate algebra taken in college will meet the University's mathematics requirement; however, the student will not receive academic credit for the coursework. College algebra will meet the University's mathematics requirement. In addition, the student will receive academic credit for the course.
Statistics: One course in introductory or basic statistics is required
Natural Sciences: At least one natural science course must include a lab component
One physical science required ( physics or chemistry required)
One biological science required (human anatomy and/or physiology, general biology,microbiology,and life science are examples of biological sciences)
Social Sciences (minimum of 12 quarter units)
Must include two (2) content areas: Choose from anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology
General psychology required
Human growth and development, developmental psychology, or child development required
Elective units to complete 12 quarter units minimum: Choose from anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology
Domain III: Communication (9-13 quarter units)
English: Coursework must include a complete sequence in English composition that meets the baccalaureate degree requirements of a four-year college or university (e.g., English 101 and 102)
Speech: One speech or interpersonal communication course required
Computer courses: Not required, but coursework taken in this category would be counted in this domain
Domain IV: Health and wellness (2-6 quarter units)
Personal health or nutrition: One course required
Physical activity: Must include at least two separate physical activity courses totaling a minimum of one quarter unit
Electives
The student begins the bachelor's degree curriculum in communication sciences and disorders with 96 quarter units (64 semester units) taken at a college or university other than Loma Linda University. Students who transfer from a community college may transfer a maximum of 105 quarter units (70 semester units). All other credits must come from a senior college. Acceptance into the degree program does not guarantee that students posses all the academic credits needed to graduate. Some students may need to complete additional academic coursework in general education to bring their overall course unit total to a minimum of 96 quarter units while enrolled at this University in order to meet graduation requirements.
For total unit requirements for graduation, see LLU General Education Requirements.
Although SLPAs typically receive an associate degree with a specialty in speech-language pathology, students who have completed a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders may qualify for the California state-issued SLPA registration after achieving a grade of "P" (Pass) in CMSD 267 Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Fieldwork (two units), offered at Loma Linda University.
Students generally make arrangements to register for CMSD 267 Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Fieldwork in their last year of undergraduate study (senior year). Further information about SLPA registration can be obtained on the web at <http://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov>. Select "Applicants," then "SLP Assistants."
| Junior Year | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| AHCJ 3051 | Infectious Disease and the Health-Care Provider | 1 |
| AHCJ 3282, 4 | Wholeness Portfolio I | 1 |
| CMSD 217 | Beginning Sign Language | 3 |
| CMSD 284 | Introduction 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-Hearing Mechanism | 4 |
| CMSD 388 | Communication across the Life Span | 4 |
| CMSD 445 | Techniques for ESL and 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 |
| PSYC 460 | The Exceptional Individual | 3 |
| Cognates | ||
| RELE 457 | Christian Ethics and Health Care | 2 |
| Choose one course | ||
| RELT 406, 423, 436, or 437 | Adventist Beliefs and Life | 2 |
| Senior Year | ||
| AHCJ 4982 | Wholeness Portfolio II | 1 |
| CMSD 424 | Adult Language Pathology | 4 |
| CMSD 426 | Behavior Management Applications with Special Populations | 4 |
| CMSD 436 | Speech and Hearing Science | 4 |
| CMSD 444 | Organic Speech Disorders | 4 |
| CMSD 448 | Disorders of Fluency | 3 |
| CMSD 449 | Voice Disorders | 3 |
| CMSD 464 | Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation | 4 |
| CMSD 477 | Bilingualism and Biculturalism | 3 |
| CMSD 488 | Autism Spectrum Disorders | 4 |
| Cognates | ||
| AHRM 471 | Statistics and Research for Health Professionals I | 3 |
| AHRM 472 | Statistics and Research for Health Professionals II | 3 |
| RELR 4__ Religion elective, relational | 2 | |
| REL_ 4__ Religion elective | 2 | |
| Total Units: | 96 | |
| Optional 3 | ||
| Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practicum | ||
| 1 | Can be taken junior or senior year |
| 2 | Course must be registered each quarter:
|
| 3 | Available for students who have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above in the major courses. |
| 4 | Fulfills service learning requirement. |
Normal time to complete the program
Four (4) years — two (2) years (six [6] academic quarters) at LLU — full-time enrollment required
