Information for Summer 1 Students

Prior to engaging in clinical experiences, the state of Arizona requires residents to obtain an AZ Fingerprint Clearance Card. This means that all AZ-based students need to obtain a Fingerprint Clearance card to engage in speech-related clinical activities. In the past, non-Arizona students were instead required to complete a federal and state background check before beginning clinical rotations. When clinical rotations began, many students, as a matter of employment policy, had already undergone out-of-state background checks for their workplace. Because the results of these background checks are privacy-protected and cannot be released to outside entities such as CSD, students often found themselves bearing the expense of an additional background check to satisfy clinical requirements. To avoid the hassle and expense of additional background checks, CSD simply requires that all students obtain a Fingerprint Clearance Card upon arrival – they do not expire for 6 years and prevent the need for additional background checks over the duration of the program. Explicit details for obtaining Fingerprint Clearance Cards will be provided shortly before and during orientation.

It is not possible to take required courses out of sequence. It is, however, possible to take electives early in order to meet minimal credit requirements stipulated by financial aid. Because there are several semesters in which fewer than 5 academic hours are required, many students opt to obtain a graduate certificate as a means of maximizing the value of additional classes taken.

All grad certificates involve a minimum of 15 hours of online coursework, although specific program requirements vary by certificate.  Probably the most popular grad certificates obtained by students at CSD are Assistive Technology, Autism Spectrum Disorders (School-Based), and Positive Behavioral Support. Please visit  https://nau.edu/graduate-college/graduate-certificates/ for a complete listing of grad certificates at NAU and follow individual links to learn about the program of study and entrance requirements unique to each certificate.

It is possible to take the prerequisite class through your local university and transfer in the credit. Before taking the class, it will be necessary to get approval for the class from a member of the admissions committee at CSD in order to ensure that learning competencies and expectations are being met. Class approval will involve having the admissions committee review the syllabus and/or class description and later, completion of a petition to transfer credit.

Possibly. To be considered for graduate credit, the class must be graduate level, have very similar learning objectives and course title as the target class (as judged by a member of the admissions committee), and be completed with an “A” or “B”. A Petition to Transfer Credit form must accompany the transfer request.

Policies regarding course repeats are set by each course instructor and stated in each course syllabus. Most of the time, a student who has not adequately met course learner outcomes by the end of the session and receives a grade of “C” in a CSD course is required to repeat the course, either at NAU or another university. If the graduate course is repeated at another university, the grade must be submitted via official transcript from that university with the Graduate Course Repeat Enrollment form, found on the Graduate College website. A “C” obtained during a clinical rotation also necessitates repetition of the course. Receiving a third “C” in any course may result in departmental recommendation to the Graduate College that the student be dismissed from the program. Appeal policies can be found on the Graduate College website.