The major in communication sciences and disorders provides students with opportunities for study in the areas of speech–language pathology, audiology, and the normal aspects of speech, hearing, and language. Most students pursue this major because they hope to work as a licensed and certified clinical speech-language pathologist or audiologist, assisting clients with communication impairments arising from acquired neurological conditions, developmental conditions, genetic conditions, or unknown causes. Professional clinical practice follows completion of a master's degree in speech–language pathology, or a doctor of audiology degree. Some students pursue the undergraduate major as a foundation for a research career in speech, language or hearing sciences. Others pursue the major as a preliminary step toward advanced training in other professional fields (e.g., medicine, nursing, special education), or as a liberal arts degree that could lead to a variety of different career paths through summer 2023 (speech–language pathology assistant, educational assistant, line therapist).
The major in communication sciences and disorders can be completed through the College of Letters & Science or through the School of Education. Students select one program to follow and should be aware that the two programs differ somewhat in their requirements. Moreover, each program (L&S and Education) has its own general liberal studies requirements. Students should plan to complete many of these general requirements as well as some courses in communication sciences and disorders during their first and second years on this campus.
The department is accredited in speech–language pathology and in audiology by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA). Therefore, academic courses and clinical practica in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders may be applied toward clinical certification by ASHA (speech language pathology or audiology), and toward state licensure.
How to Get in
Students are urged to consult with an undergraduate academic advisor as soon as they have decided to major in this field. Course sequencing in the major is not flexible. Certain courses are prerequisites to others.
Declaring the Major
Students in the College of Letters and Science may declare a major in CS&D by sending an email to undergrad@csd.wisc.edu:
- State that you would like to declare a major in CS&D
- Include your full name and student ID number
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| Mathematics | Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects. A maximum of one course in each of COMP SCI and STAT subjects counts toward this requirement. |
| Language | Complete the third unit of a language other than English. |
| LS Breadth | Complete: • 12 credits of Humanities, which must include at least 6 credits of Literature; and • 12 credits of Social Science; and • 12 credits of Natural Science, which must include 6 credits of Biological Science and 6 credits of Physical Science. |
| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | Complete at least 108 credits. |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | Complete at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level. |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | Complete at least 120 credits. |
| UW-Madison Experience | Complete both: • 30 credits in residence, overall, and • 30 credits in residence after the 86th credit. |
| Quality of Work | • 2.000 in all coursework at UW–Madison • 2.000 in Intermediate/Advanced level coursework at UW–Madison |
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
CS&D courses
11 courses and 33 credits from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS&D 120 | Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Communication Sciences and Disorders | 3 |
| CS&D 201 | Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production | 3 |
| CS&D 202 | Hearing Science | 3 |
| CS&D 210 | Neural Basis of Communication | 3 |
| CS&D 240 | Language Development in Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| CS&D 303 | Speech Acoustics and Perception | 3 |
| CS&D 315 | Phonetics and Phonological Development | 3 |
| CS&D 318 | Voice, Craniofacial, and Fluency Disorders | 3 |
| CS&D 320 | Introduction to Audiology | 3 |
| CS&D 425 | Auditory Rehabilitation | 3 |
| CS&D 440 | Child Language Disorders, Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Courses in Related Areas
15 credits and one course from each of the following areas:
Psychology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 202 | Introduction to Psychology | 3-4 |
| HDFS 262 | Development of the Young Child | 3 |
| HDFS 263 | Development from Adolescence to Old Age | 3 |
Statistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STAT 301 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| STAT 311 | Introduction to Theory and Methods of Mathematical Statistics I | 3 |
| STAT 371 | Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | 3 |
| PSYCH 210 | Basic Statistics for Psychology | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 360 | Statistics for Sociologists I | 4 |
Linguistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LINGUIS 101 | Human Language | 3 |
| LINGUIS/ANTHRO/FOLKLORE/INTL ST 211 | Global Language Issues | 3 |
| LINGUIS 303 | Historical Linguistics | 3 |
| LINGUIS 237 | Language in Wisconsin | 3 |
| LINGUIS/AMER IND 371 | Survey of North American Indian Languages | 3 |
| LINGUIS/ANTHRO 430 | Language and Culture | 3-4 |
| ENGL 214 | The English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 314 | Structure of English | 3 |
| ENGL 318 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| SPANISH 321 | The Structure of Modern Spanish | 3 |
| SPANISH 331 | Spanish Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| SPANISH 327 | Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | 3 |
Biological Sciences in the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 105 | Principles of Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 410 | Evolutionary Biology | 3 |
| BIOCHEM 104 | Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science 1 | 3 |
| BIOCORE 381 | Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics | 3 |
| BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 | Introductory Biology | 5 |
| ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 | Animal Biology | 3 |
Physical Sciences in the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOCHEM 104 | Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 108 | Chemistry in Our World | 5 |
| CHEM 109 | Advanced General Chemistry | 5 |
| PHYSICS 103 | General Physics | 4 |
| PHYSICS 107 | The Ideas of Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYSICS 109 | Physics in the Arts | 3 |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS&D 110 | Introduction to Communicative Disorders | 3 |
| CS&D 371 | Pre-Clinical Observation of Children and Adults | 3 |
| CS&D 424 | Sign Language I | 2 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all CS&D and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in residence2
- 15 credits in CS&D, taken on the UW–Madison campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Major in consultation with the undergraduate advisor in that department.
Honors in the Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Communications Sciences and Disorders, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.300 in all CS&D and major courses
- Complete the following courses for Honors earning a grade of B or better in each:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CS&D 481 | Undergraduate Junior Honors | 3 |
| CS&D 681 & CS&D 682 | Senior Honors Thesis and Senior Honors Thesis | 6 |
| 2 of the following for Honors: | 6 | |
| Speech Acoustics and Perception | ||
| Introduction to Audiology | ||
| Child Language Disorders, Assessment and Intervention | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Footnotes
- 1
BIOCHEM 104 can meet either the "Biological Science in the Major" or the "Physical Science in the Major" requirement, but not both. Please note that this course will not meet students' L&S Physical Science breath degree requirement.
- 2
These courses are considered upper level in the major: CS&D 303, CS&D 315, CS&D 318, CS&D 320, CS&D 371, CS&D 424, CS&D 425, CS&D 440, CS&D 699
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- Acquire a foundational understanding of basic anatomy and physiology of speech, language, and hearing.
- Understand integrative neuroscience foundations of speech, language, and hearing.
- Obtain basic knowledge in statistical sciences, linguistics, biological/physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities as related to Communication Sciences & Disorders.
- Develop an understanding of speech, language, and hearing disorders and the relationship to foundational aspects of speech, language and hearing science.
- Be prepared for graduate school and/or a career in Communication Sciences & Disorders and related areas.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
Please refer to the Requirements tab in Guide for additional College of Letters and Science Breadth and Degree Requirements as well as Residence and Quality of Work requirements for the major.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS&D 201 | 3 | CS&D 202 | 3 |
| Communication A | 3 | Ethnic Studies content area course | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 4 | Foreign Language | 4 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | Psych content area course | 3 |
| Physical Science Content Area Course | 3 | Biological Science content area course | 3 |
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS&D 240 | 3 | CS&D 210 | 3 |
| INTER-LS 210 | 1 | Statistics content area course | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 4 | Communication B | 4 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | Electives | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS&D 303 | 3 | CS&D 425 | 3 |
| CS&D 320 | 3 | CS&D 440 | 3 |
| Linguistics content area course | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | Electives | 6 |
| 12 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CS&D 315 | 3 | CS&D 371 | 3 |
| Electives | 12 | CS&D 318 | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
CS&D advising services are focused on students who need to declare the major or who have already declared CS&D and need advising in the major.
A CS&D advisor can help with:
- Curricular planning and course access
- DARS interpretation
- Declaration of the major for L&S students
- Documentation of study abroad plans
- Identification, interpretation and application of most academic policies
- Major and degree requirements
- Exploration of interests in independent study and research
- Understanding the differences between paths to the major
Students seeking to pursue graduate study in speech-language pathology or audiology are urged to take CS&D 371 Pre-Clinical Observation of Children and Adults (3 cr) —to earn ASHA observation hours which are required for graduate school admission.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Standard IV-A requires that Communication Sciences and Disorders students planning on continuing to graduate school must complete undergraduate coursework in the following areas: Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences (either Chemistry or Physics), Statistics, and Social Sciences and Behavioral Sciences to be eligible for professional certification. If you have questions about this, please contact undergrad@csd.wisc.edu.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
undergrad@csd.wisc.edu
Please visit our website for details on weekly advising sessions.
L&S Career Resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives