Communication Science, BA

Admission Requirements

Students are eligible for admission to the Communication Science degree program after successful completion of 60 credits.  [Note: Applications will be reviewed when approximately 45 credits are completed and 15 credits are in progress.]  Students should complete the Basic Skills Prerequisites and Basic Sciences coursework prior to application.  Students should also complete most of the General Education Requirements and Additional Requirements coursework prior to application. [Note: Some of these courses may be completed while enrolled in the program.]

Application Procedures

For admission, an application with all transcripts from universities/colleges attended and a personal essay is required by March 15. Resumes are strongly suggested.  A letter of recommendation is NOT required.  A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 is preferred, but students may be admitted provisionally if program capacity permits.   

University of Pittsburgh Freshman Guarantee 

An entering freshman may qualify for a guarantee into the graduate programs in Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology.  For consideration for the Freshman Guarantee, indicate an intended field of study as Pre- Communication Science on your application when applying as a freshman (at regional campuses, choose corresponding codes). Qualifying students admitted in the Fall of 2018 (2191) will meet the following criteria:  SAT scores of 1410 (combined Critical Reading and Math) or an ACT Composite score of 30.  Students must also be in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.

The student must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.6 when applying to the Communication Science program at the start of the spring semester of sophomore year level. At the time of application to the graduate program, guaranteed students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or better and a GPA of 3.75 in the core communication science major courses. Additionally, guaranteed students must achieve a GRE ranking in the 50th percentile or higher for the Quantitative and Verbal sections and a 3.5 on the Analytical Writing section.  A full application must be submitted on time.

Early Decision for Graduate Programs  

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree in Communication Science from the University of Pittsburgh are eligible to apply Early Decision to either the graduate program in Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology. Information about the application process and applicant qualifications are available in the CSD Advising Office.

Communication Science Curriculum

SHRS requires a minimum of 120 credits for graduation.  

For specialized advising at the freshman and/or sophomore year level, students should contact the Director of Undergraduate Education in Comunication Science and Disorders, Dr. Janice Vance at jvance@pitt.edu or 412-383-6562.

Basic Skills Prerequisites (15 credits)

• Basic Writing (or exemption) - 3 Credits

• English Composition ( ENGCMP 0200 - SEMINAR IN COMPOSITION   or higher) - 3 Credits

• Mathematics ( MATH 0031 - ALGEBRA   or higher) - 3 Credits

• Second Language: First and Second Levels* - 6 Credits

*May be satisfied by three years of a high school second language.

General Education Requirements (21 to 24 credits)

• English or American Literature - 3 Credits

• Writing Intensive (W)* - 3 Credits

*May be combined with another requirement (e.g., literature, history, etc.)

• Music or Art - 3 Credits

• Second Literature / Music / Art or Creative Expression - 3 Credits

• History - 3 Credits

• International Culture - 6 Credits 

• International Culture (non-western) - 3 credits

Basic Science (9 credits)

• Behavioral Science - PSY 0010 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY    - 3 Credits

• Biological Science - A course in human biology (i.e.,  BIOSC 0815 - GENES AND DISEASES   or BIOSC 0150 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY 1  ) or human anatomy and physiology. - 3 Credits

• Physical Science -Suggested courses include: PHYS 0091 - CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS   , PHYS 0110 - INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS 1  , or PHYS 0174 - BASIC PHYSICS, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 1 (INTEGRATED)    - 3 Credits

Additional Requirements (15 credits) 

Five additional courses must be completed, one from each of the areas listed below. These courses are designed to ensure that the student is well educated in related disciplines, in keeping with the place of communication science and disorders at the confluence of several realms of study.  Some are also required for professional certification. Consult with the CSD Advising Office for more course options.

1. Statistical Methods -  STAT 0200 - BASIC APPLIED STATISTICS   or  STAT 1000 - APPLIED STATISTICAL METHODS  . 

2. Neurological and Cognitive Foundations of Language -  PSY 0405 - LEARNING AND MOTIVATION ,  PSY 0422 - COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY , PSY 0505 - INTRODUCTION TO BIOPSYCHOLOGY , PSY 0510 - SENSATION AND PERCEPTION , NROSCI 0080 - BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR , or  NROSCI 1000 - INTRO TO NEUROSCIENCE  .      

3. Philosophy of Science -  HPS 0515 - MAGIC, MEDICINE AND SCIENCE , HPS 0608 - PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE , HPS 0611 - PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC REASONING , HPS 0612 - MIND AND MEDICINE , HPS 0613 - MORALITY AND MEDICINE , HPS 1653 - INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE , PHIL 0350 - PHILOSOPHY AND PUBLIC ISSUES , PHIL 0610 - PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE , or PHIL 1610 - INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE .         

4. Sociocultural Studies -  ANTH 0620 - BIOCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY , ANTH 0780 - INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY , PSY 0105 - INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY , HIST 1090 - HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE , LING 1235 - LANGUAGE, GENDER AND SOCIETY , LING 1263 - CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION , LING 1267 - ASPECTS OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS ,  ASL 1615 - DEAF CULTURE ,  ASL 1625 - THE DEAF AND SOCIETY ,  SOC 0007 - SOCIAL PROBLEMS , SOC 0312 - SCIENCE IN SOCIETY , SOC 0317 - GLOBALIZATION , SOC 0352 - SOCIAL MOVEMENTS , SOC 0477 - MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY , SOC 1450 - HEALTH AND ILLNESS , or  PS 0550 - INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES .              

5. Lifespan Development -   PSY 0310 - DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY   

Major (Core) Courses (41 credits)

Most of the core courses in Communication Science degree program are taken after admission at the junior year level.  Four of the core courses are available at the freshman and sophomore year level. These four courses can also be completed as part of the Communication Science degree program  at the junior year level.  Several core courses have prerequisites resulting in a sequence of courses.  The course sequence is represented in the example Plan of Study.  Interested students should be aware that the core courses or sequence of courses may change.