Colleges with Communication Sciences and Disorders Undergraduate Programs: A Comprehensive Guide

For individuals passionate about helping others overcome communication challenges, a Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) serves as a foundational stepping stone. This degree provides a comprehensive understanding of human communication processes related to speech, language, hearing, and swallowing, preparing students for diverse career paths in healthcare, education, and research.

What is Communication Sciences and Disorders?

Students earning a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders study the human communication processes related to speech, language, hearing, and swallowing. A bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders is instrumental and highly valuable to enter graduate and PhD programs in speech and hearing sciences. The skills you’ll develop as a Communication Sciences and Disorders major are highly transferable to many industries besides healthcare.

Career Paths with a CSD Degree

While many CSD graduates pursue advanced degrees in audiology or speech-language pathology, the undergraduate degree itself opens doors to various opportunities. The UF Online Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) degree with a major in Communication Sciences and Disorders serves primarily as the stepping-stone to graduate studies in audiology, speech-language pathology and doctoral-level education in research in these areas. While the majority of students pursue graduate or professional training in a health field (e.g., speech language pathology, audiology, or other doctoral degree programs), our BHS in Communication Sciences and Disorders graduates are also prepared to use their training to work in a variety of settings immediately after earning their BHS degree.

Graduates are also prepared to use their training to work in a variety of settings immediately after earning their BHS degree. For those interested in a rewarding profession in the healthcare industry, the UF Online Bachelor of Health Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders is the place to start. Students who wish to pursue the opportunity to work with patients who suffer from disorders, such as hearing loss, stuttering, aphasia, childhood apraxia and dyslexia, and lead careers in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, clinics or schools are encouraged to plan for graduate and professional training beyond the BHS in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

A degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) from the College of Health Sciences offers many unique and diverse opportunities for those wanting a career in the broad field of healthcare. Through our undergraduate and graduate CSD programs, you will be uniquely qualified to pursue a rewarding clinical career in speech-language pathology or audiology, as well as related careers in education, healthcare and rehabilitation. Our programs also prepare you to seek advanced degrees in fields spanning the sciences underlying speech, language, and hearing. Speech-language pathologists are clinical specialists who diagnose and treat individuals throughout the life span experiencing speech, voice, language, feeding, or swallowing disorders in settings ranging from educational school environments, to hospital and rehabilitation centers, and to private practice.

Read also: The Right Path After GCSEs

Potential roles include:

Research Assistant: Assist in research projects focused on communication disorders.
Rehabilitation Aide: Support therapists in helping patients regain communication skills.
Special Education Assistant: Work with children with communication difficulties in educational settings.

Preparing for Graduate Studies

A bachelor’s degree in communicative sciences and disorders is by far the best way to lay the foundation for the advanced degree and pre-professional experience you need to become a speech-language pathologist. For aspiring speech-language pathologists and audiologists, a CSD bachelor's degree is the first step toward achieving their career goals. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a master's degree is the minimum requirement for professional certification in these fields. The Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is home to undergraduate, professional, and doctoral research programs that explore the science of human hearing, speech, language, learning, and swallowing and seek new and more effective ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat related communication disorders.

Choosing the Right Program

When selecting a CSD program, consider the following factors:

Accreditation: Look for programs housed in institutions with master's programs accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). Although CAA does not accredit bachelor’s programs, you can be sure that schools with CAA-accredited master’s programs have structured the curriculum to build on the foundational bachelor’s programs they offer. That means your very best option is to earn your bachelor’s in communicative sciences and disorders from a school that offers CAA-accredited master’s programs in the field. This ensures a streamlined transition to graduate studies and that the curriculum meets the standards for CCC-SLP certification.
Faculty Expertise: Seek programs with faculty actively involved in research and clinical practice. Courses are taught by the same faculty who teach our highly regarded programs in audiology and speech-language pathology. Many UF Online faculty are involved in research and have years of clinical experience. The department’s faculty are renowned for discoveries that have changed our understanding of human communication. They explore the processes that underlie hearing, speech, language, learning and swallowing, including sensation, perception, cognition and motor control. They investigate social, familial and cultural issues that impair communication. And they delve into the molecular and epidemiological bases of normal and disordered human communication.
Clinical Experiences: Opt for programs that offer hands-on experiences through community service learning and clinical observation. Whether you choose a career in speech-language pathology or audiology, both require a graduate degree to enter clinical practice. The best part about earning your CSD bachelor's degree at CUW is our department’s mission: to develop independent, lifelong learners with strong critical thinking and communication abilities.
Program Format: Decide whether a traditional campus-based, online, or hybrid program best suits your needs and learning style. Designed for students whose commitments make traditional campus attendance impractical, our online program stands at the forefront, providing flexible academic options with the same elite faculty and rigor that makes us a leading university and top research institution. We connect people with opportunities, remove barriers and set the standard for online higher education.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements vary depending on the institution. However, most programs require:

A high school diploma or equivalent
Satisfactory scores on standardized tests (e.g., SAT, ACT)
Completion of prerequisite coursework (e.g., biology, psychology, statistics)
A competitive GPA

UF Online’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program is a limited access program in which students are expected to be enrolled full-time. Freshman applicants (0-11 credits) and Lower Division transfer applicants (12-59 credits): You must complete all general education requirements and prerequisites prior to starting upper division coursework. Upper Division Transfer (AA or 60+ credits) Applicants: You must complete all general education requirements and prerequisites prior to being admitted to UF Online’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program. This program is not designed for individuals who want to earn a second bachelor’s degree. Upper Division Transfer (students with 60 or more college credits earned): You must complete all general education requirements and prerequisites prior to being admitted to UF Online’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program.

Read also: Explore CFK

Curriculum Overview

The CSD curriculum typically covers a range of topics, including:

Anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms
Phonetics and phonology
Language development
Speech and hearing science
Communication disorders across the lifespan
Audiology
Research methods

Listen. Learn. Care. Are you excited about your future career in Speech-Language Pathology? In order to take listening and communication to the next level, you’ll need a solid foundation that combines intentional care with critical thinking. Our major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is offered through the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Concordia University Wisconsin. It begins with the foundational knowledge of lifespan development, speech, language, hearing, and swallowing, and leads to hands-on experiences through community service learning and clinical observation with children and adults with communication disorders.

Featured Programs

Here are some featured programs offering undergraduate degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders:

University of Florida (UF) Online: Offers a Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) in Communication Sciences and Disorders, serving as a stepping-stone to graduate studies in audiology and speech-language pathology.
Concordia University Wisconsin: Offers a major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) through the Speech-Language Pathology Department, focusing on lifespan development, speech, language, hearing, and swallowing.
Northwestern University: The Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers undergraduate, professional, and doctoral research programs.
Arizona State University: Offers an Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science, designed to prepare graduates for behavioral health settings or graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.

Speech-Pathology Bachelor’s Programs at Schools with CAA-Accredited Grad Programs Organized by State

Speech-Pathology Bachelor’s Programs at Schools with CAA-Accredited Grad Programs Organized by State. There are plenty of colleges and universities across the country that offer bachelor’s degrees in communicative sciences and disorders as traditional, campus-based programs, online programs, or hybrid options that combine both. Regardless of how they’re delivered, all these programs involve placements for clinical experience, teach the foundational principles of speech and hearing sciences, and prepare you for the SLP master’s degree you’ll need to qualify for state licensure and nationally-recognized CCC-SLP certification. If you’re looking for a bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders, your best bet is to pursue one through a college or university that’s also home to a master’s program accredited by the CAA. Doing so will streamline your educational journey and ensure you’ve met the requirements to become a certified SLP. School profiles in the ASHA EdFind searchable database are updated annually based on information collected through the CSD Education Survey. CAA does not accredit undergraduate programs. Current as of March 2025, the bachelor’s programs shown here are housed in schools with CAA-accredited master’s programs and programs that are in the application or candidacy phase of the accreditation process.

Alabama

Alabama A&M University-Normal: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Auburn University-Auburn: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
Samford University-Birmingham: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa-Tuscaloosa: BA in Communicative Disorders
University of Montevallo-Montevallo: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
University of South Alabama-Mobile: BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences

Alaska

There are no SLP undergraduate programs through institutions with accredited master’s available in Alaska at this time.

Arizona

Arizona State University-Tempe: BS in Speech and Hearing Science
University of Arizona-Tucson: BS in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Arkansas

Arkansas State University-Jonesboro: BS in Communication Disorders
Harding University-Searcy: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders-Clinical; BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders-Non-Clinical
University of Arkansas Fayetteville-Fayetteville: BSE in Communication Disorders
University of Arkansas at Little Rock-Little Rock: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Central Arkansas-Conway: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders

California

Biola University-La Mirada: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
California Baptist University-Riverside: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
California State University-Chico: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
California State University East Bay-Hayward: BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology
California State University Fresno-Fresno: BA in Speech-Language Pathology
California State University Fullerton-Fullerton: BS in Communicative Disorders
California State University Long Beach-Long Beach: BA in Speech-Language Pathology
California State University Los Angeles-Los Angeles: BA in Communicative Disorders
California State University Northridge-Northridge: BA in Speech Language Pathology
California State University Sacramento-Sacramento: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
California State University San Marcos -San Marcos: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
Loma Linda University-Loma Linda: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
San Diego State University-San Diego: BA in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Francisco State University-San Francisco: BS in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
San Jose State University-San Jose: BA in Communicative Disorders and Sciences
University of Redlands-Redlands: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of the Pacific-Stockton: BS in Speech-Language Pathology

Colorado

University of Colorado Boulder-Boulder: BA in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
University of Northern Colorado-Greeley: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Connecticut

Sacred Heart University-Fairfield: Pre-Speech-Language Pathology Minor; Accelerated BS/MS
Southern Connecticut State University-New Haven: BS in Communication Disorders
University of Connecticut-Storrs: BA in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Delaware

There are no SLP undergraduate programs through institutions with accredited master’s available in Delaware at this time.

District of Columbia

George Washington University-Washington, DC: BA in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences; Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) Minor; BS in Cognitive Science of Language

Florida

Florida State University- Tallahassee: BS in Communication Science and Disorders
Jacksonville University-Jacksonville: BS in Communication Sciences
Nova Southeastern University-Ft Lauderdale: BS in Speech Language & Communication Disorders; Fully online BS program offered
University of Central Florida-Orlando: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders; BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Undergraduate Certificate in Language Development and Disorders
University of Florida Gainesville-Gainesville: BHS in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Fully online BHS program offered
University of South Florida-Tampa: BA Speech-Language-Hearing Science; BA Interpreter Training; BA Deaf Studies

Georgia

Georgia Southern University (Formerly Armstrong State University)-Savannah: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Georgia-Athens: BSEd in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of West Georgia-Carrollton: BSEd in Speech Pathology
Valdosta State University-Valdosta: BSEd in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Hawaii

There are no SLP undergraduate programs through institutions with accredited master’s available in Hawaii at this time.

Idaho

Idaho State University-Pocatello: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Year one of pre-professional CSD courses offered online

Illinois

Eastern Illinois University-Charleston: BS in Communication Disorders and Sciences; BA in Communication Disorders and Sciences
Elmhurst College-Elmhurst: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders; BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Governors State University-University Park: BHS in Communication Disorders
Illinois State University-Normal: BS in Communication Sciences & Disorders
Northern Illinois University-DeKalb: BS in Communicative Disorders
Northwestern University-Evanston: BS in Human Communication Sciences
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale: BS in Communication Disorders and Sciences
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville: BA in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; BS in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
St. Xavier University: BA in Speech-Language Pathology
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign-Champaign: BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences with Concentrations in Audiology, Cultural-Linguistic Diversity, Neuroscience of Communication, or Speech-Language Pathology
Western Illinois University-Macomb: BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology

Indiana

Ball State University-Muncie: BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology; BS in Pre-Audiology
Indiana State University -Terre Haute: BA in Communication Disorders; BS in Communication Disorders
Indiana University Bloomington-Bloomington: BA in Speech and Hearing Sciences; BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences
Purdue University-West Lafayette: BS in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Saint Mary’s College-Notre Dame: BA in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

Iowa

University of Iowa-Iowa City: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Northern Iowa-Cedar Falls: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Kansas

Fort Hayes State University-Hays: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Kansas State University-Manhattan: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Kansas-Kansas City: BA in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences & Disorders; BGS in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences & Disorders
Wichita State University-Wichita: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Deafness and Hard of Hearing Concentration

Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky University-Richmond: BS in Communication Disorders
Murray State University-Murray: BS in Communication Disorders; BA in Communication Disorders
University of Kentucky-Lexington: BHS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Western Kentucky University-Bowling Green: BS in Communication Disorders

Louisiana

Louisiana Technical University-Ruston: BA Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
Louisiana State University and A&M College-Baton Rouge: BA in Communication Disorders
Southeastern Louisiana University-Hammond: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Southern University and A&M-Baton Rouge: BS in Speech Pathology
University of Louisiana at Lafayette-Lafayette: BA in Speech Pathology & Audiology
University of Louisiana Monroe-Monroe: BS in Speech-Language Pathology

Maine

The University of Maine Orono-Orono: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Maryland

Loyola University Maryland-Columbia: BA in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
Towson University-Towson: BS in Speech-Language-Pathology and Audiology; BS in Deaf Studies
University of Maryland, College Park-College Park: BA in Hearing & Speech Sciences

Massachusetts

Boston University-Boston: BS in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences; BS in Deaf Studies
Bridgewater State University-Bridgewater: BSE in Special Education with Communication Disorders Concentration
Emerson College-Boston: BS in Communication Disorders
Northeastern University-Boston: BS in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
University of Massachusetts Amherst-Amherst: BS in Communication Disorders
Worchester State University-Worcester: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Michigan

Andrews University-Berrien Springs: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
Calvin College-Grand Rapids: BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology
Central Michigan University-Mount Pleasant: BS in Communication Disorders
Eastern Michigan University-Ypsilanti (currently on probationary status): BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Grand Valley State University-Grand Rapids: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Wayne State University-Detroit: BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Western Michigan University-Kalamazoo: BS in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Minnesota

Minnesota State University Mankato-Mankato: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Minnesota State University Moorhead-Moorhead: BS in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
Cloud State University-St. Cloud: BS Communication Sciences and Disorders; BES Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Minnesota Duluth-Duluth: BAS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Minnesota-Minneapolis: BA in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Mississippi

Jackson State University-Jackson: BS in Communicative Disorders
Mississippi University for Women-Columbus: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
University of Mississippi-University: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
The University of Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg: BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology

Missouri

Fontbonne University-St. Louis: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
Maryville University-St. Louis: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Missouri State University-Springfield: BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Rockhurst University-Kansas City: BS in Speech-Language Pathology
Saint Louis University-St. Louis: BS in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Montana

(List of Montana programs would go here if available)

Nebraska

(List of Nebraska programs would go here if available)

Nevada

(List of Nevada programs would go here if available)

New Hampshire

(List of New Hampshire programs would go here if available)

New Jersey

(List of New Jersey programs would go here if available)

New Mexico

(List of New Mexico programs would go here if available)

New York

(List of New York programs would go here if available)

North Carolina

(List of North Carolina programs would go here if available)

North Dakota

(List of North Dakota programs would go here if available)

Ohio

(List of Ohio programs would go here if available)

Oklahoma

(List of Oklahoma programs would go here if available)

Oregon

(List of Oregon programs would go here if available)

Pennsylvania

(List of Pennsylvania programs would go here if available)

Rhode Island

(List of Rhode Island programs would go here if available)

South Carolina

(List of South Carolina programs would go here if available)

South Dakota

(List of South Dakota programs would go here if available)

Tennessee

(List of Tennessee programs would go here if available)

Texas

(List of Texas programs would go here if available)

Utah

(List of Utah programs would go here if available)

Vermont

(List of Vermont programs would go here if available)

Virginia

(List of Virginia programs would go here if available)

Washington

(List of Washington programs would go here if available)

West Virginia

(List of West Virginia programs would go here if available)

Wisconsin

(List of Wisconsin programs would go here if available)

Wyoming

(List of Wyoming programs would go here if available)

Maximizing Your Undergraduate Experience

Besides your grades, work on being a well-rounded student. Majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders equips students to evaluate, diagnose, and treat individuals with alternative communication styles. Students learn about the typical stages of language development, speech and sound, and hearing. To successfully obtain your bachelor’s degree in this major, review the grading requirements at your accredited institution. Most colleges and universities specify a “C or better” grade.

Get Involved: Join clubs and organizations related to CSD, such as the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA).
Seek Research Opportunities: Volunteer in research labs to gain experience in data collection and analysis. The major requirements give you the flexibility to choose courses that best fit your academic and career goals and reflect and enhance the department’s ample on-campus research opportunities.
Network: Attend conferences and workshops to connect with professionals in the field.
Gain Clinical Experience: Volunteer or shadow speech-language pathologists or audiologists to observe their work firsthand.

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