Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bachelor of Science
This flexible degree offers you an opportunity to design a plan of studies, in consultation with an advisor, to meet your individual educational needs. You may choose this degree if you plan to enter an occupation that requires a broad general education, if you are seeking career advancement or personal intellectual enrichment, or if you are considering a preprofessional plan.
Requirements Accordion Open
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
- All of Northern Arizona University's diversity, liberal studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
- All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
- At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
- At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
- A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.
The full policy can be viewed here.
Overview Accordion Closed
In addition to University Requirements:
- At least 49 units of major requirments
- Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.
- Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
Purpose Statement
The overall purpose of the BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders program is to provide students with foundational knowledge of the biological, physical, behavioral and cognitive aspects of human communication. Courses cover anatomical and physiological aspects of speech and hearing, development of cognitive and linguistic communicative functions and related disorders, and aspects of professional practice.
Students who complete the program will be prepared for graduate studies in speech-language pathology, audiology, speech and hearing sciences, or related disciplines and careers.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Describe the fundamental anatomical and physiological principles of speech, language, hearing, and swallowing.
- Describe the fundamentals of neuroscience relevant to speech, language, hearing, and swallowing.
- Integrate knowledge from the biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics, and the social/behavioral sciences into one’s understanding of fundamental scientific principles and methods.
- Engage in oral, written or other forms of communication that are appropriate for professional practice.
- Explain normal development of motor function, cognition, social emotion, and communication from birth through adolescence.
- Describe characteristics of communication differences and disorders across the lifespan, and across culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
- Explain the benefits of interprofessional collaboration between CSD and related disciplines.
- Summarize the information in the ASHA Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice documents as it applies to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
- Use critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem solving to analyze and describe issues in communication sciences and disorders.
- Compare and contrast diverse cultures and belief systems in the context of CSD.
- Explain how differing cultural beliefs influence the perception of symptoms, disorders, and treatments in the context of CSD.
- Incorporating written feedback from professors, write reviews of articles using proper writing mechanics and APA format.
Details Accordion Closed
Major Requirements
This major requires 49 units distributed as follows:
- ASHA Standard IV-A requirements: 13 units
- Professional Coursework: 36 units
Take the following 49 units:
ASHA Standard IV-A requirements (13 units)
- Biology and Statistics (6 units):
- Physical Science Elective (4 units):
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective (3 units):
- Professional Coursework (36 units)
Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders and start a Master of Science in Clinical Speech - Language Pathology at NAU.
- Students must apply to the master's program by the graduate program's application deadline, meet all admissions requirements listed in the policy Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs, as well as the admissions requirements for the specified master's plan to be considered for admission. Admission to programs is competitive and qualified applicants may be denied because of limits on the number of students admitted each year.
Be sure to speak with the Master's Program Director/Coordinator regarding your interest in the accelerated plan.
- Students must apply to the master's program by the graduate program's application deadline, meet all admissions requirements listed in the policy Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs, as well as the admissions requirements for the specified master's plan to be considered for admission. Admission to programs is competitive and qualified applicants may be denied because of limits on the number of students admitted each year.
Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the following requirements:
Major Requirements
This major requires 61 units distributed as follows:
- ASHA Standard IV-A requirements: 13 units
- Professional Coursework: 48 units
Take the following 61 units:
ASHA Standard IV-A requirements (13 units)
- Biology and Statistics (6 units):
- Physical Science Elective (4 units):
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective (3 units):
- Professional Coursework (48 units)
General Electives
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Additional Information
Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, Undergraduate Certificate
If you have earned the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, Undergraduate Certificate prior to enrolling in the Communication Science and Disorders BS, you may apply the coursework to this degree.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
