Communication Science and Disorders - Audiology Concentration, MA/MS

Communication Science and Disorders Program Requirements

Proseminar Requirement

All students must complete the proseminar requirement, which consists of attending a specified number of scientific and professional presentations that have relevance to communication science and disorders.

Clinical Practicum

Clinical practicum requirements are met in Communication Science Disorders Clinical Network which consists of more than 100 facilities in Western Pennsylvania with which the program is affiliated. These include hospitals, home based services, specialty clinics, not-for-profit clinics, early intervention, and private practices in the area, as well as public and private schools. All course work and practicum credits must be completed with a minimum grade of C to satisfy requirements for the degree.

Comprehensive Exam for MA

All students in the Master of Arts program are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination in the spring of their second year.  The comprehensive examination assesses students’ ability to think critically, to communicate their thoughts in oral form, and to demonstrate their grasp of the major academic and clinical content provided in their graduate program.

Students seeking the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree must complete a second comprehensive examination including a written and oral component. Details about that comprehensive examination can be found in the section on the AuD degree.

Thesis Option for Master of Science (MS) degrees

Students pursuing the Master of Science degree in audiology must successfully complete a thesis project. Students who complete a Master’s thesis are exempt from the comprehensive examination. Thesis students will have an examining committee of at least three University of Pittsburgh faculty members, including the research director, who serves as chair.

Additional requirements are outlined in the academic handbook, which is distributed to students at the beginning of their academic programs.

Concentration

This program is designed for those students who do not plan to provide clinical services, but would like to pursue a research track in audiology. Students pursuing the AuD degree (Clinical Doctorate) may also pursue a research track. The audiology concentration for the master’s degree requires 68 credits of coursework. All credits must be passed with a B grade or better in order to count for graduation.