The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication sciences and disorders (speech-language pathology and audiology). A baccalaureate degree or equivalent semester hours of approved courses in communication sciences and disorders must be completed in order to enter a master's degree program. The master's degree is required for professional certification and membership in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The department offers a Master of Arts degree in communication sciences and disorders for speech-language pathology only. For more information about admissions to the graduate program, consult with the Chair of the department.

General Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree

In addition to successful completion of the university core requirements and CLASS college requirements, students must:

1. Complete 47 semester hours within COMD for the major. Additional courses outside the major are also required as listed below:

• COMD 1333, 2139, 2338, 2339, 2376, 2385, 3375, 3380, 3381, 4333, 4382, 4489, and;
• 6 hours of Social Sciences (must include 3 hours of 2000+ level Psychology courses). A list of suggested courses is available from the COMD advisor

The following courses are required by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). Both of these requirements can be met through University Core Courses.

• A college level Biology course;
• A college level Physical Sciences (chemistry, geology, or physics) course.

2. All COMD majors will be advised by COMD undergraduate faculty and staff advisor(s).
3. Acceptance into the COMD major will only occur upon successful completion of the departmental core. The departmental core is successfully completed when the student has earned a grade of B- or better in these four classes:

• COMD 2338: Phonetics
• COMD 2339: Speech and Language Development
• COMD 2139: Speech and Language Development Lab
• COMD 2376: Anatomy and Physiology for Communication

4. All COMD courses must be completed with a grade no lower than B. A student may earn no more than one grade below a B- in a COMD major course.

• Enrollment in the major will not be permitted after a second grade  below B- is earned.
• A single course may be repeated ONCE to resolve a grade below a B-
• Grades below B- in a prerequisite course must be resolved before enrollment in subsequent courses.
• Students who earn more than one grade below a B- may petition the faculty to remain in the major:
  • A meeting to consider petitions is scheduled at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
  • Please see the COMD Academic Advisor for guidance in writing a strong petition letter and to determine specific dates for submission.

5. Students must file a degree plan once the following requirements are completed:

• 60 credit hours must be completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a COMD major cumulative of not less than 2.67.
• University Core requirements must be completed as follows:
  • 6 core credits Communications
  • 6 core credits Math or Math Reasoning
  • 6 core credits Natural Science (3 credits Biology must be included with a grade of C or better)
  • 6 core credits U.S. History
  • 6 core credits Political Science
  • 3 core credits Social Science
  • 3 core credits Visual and Performing Arts
• 21 major hours must be completed in COMD
• All completed courses that are required by the major must have a grade of B- or better.
• Only one required COMD course may be repeated to achieve this standard.

6. Clinical Procedures, COMD 4489, is a required class and is one of the final courses taken as part of the COMD sequence. This course introduces students to the clinical process and has a strong hands-on component. There is no substitute for this course. The following eligibility requirements are strictly enforced.

• Only students with senior status may enroll in Clinical Procedures
• Students must have a COMD degree plan filed and approved prior to enrollment.
• Students must have a GPA of 2.67 in the COMD major. This includes grades for all COMD courses taken. If a course has been repeated, both grades enter into the calculation.
• Ideally, Speech and Language Disorders in Children, COMD 3375, should be completed prior to enrollment in Clinical Procedures. However, it may be taken concurrently with Clinical Procedures, with instructor approval.

7. Students who enroll (register) for advanced classes in COMD without successful completion of the prerequisites will be dropped by the instructor. Neither the department nor the instructor will be responsible for tuition refunds.
8. Courses in the major that are seven or more years old may not count toward a degree whether taken at the University of Houston or transferred to the University of Houston. A minimum of twelve hours of advanced COMD courses must be taken in residence in the department.
9. All COMD majors must pass a speech, voice, and language proficiency test.

The communication disorders academic program is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA).

General Sequence of COMD Courses for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

All students should see a college or COMD advisor for assistance in determining their full program of study which includes university and college core course requirements. COMD courses are typically offered once a year and must be taken in sequence to accommodate for prerequisites.

Below is the suggested four and two year plan for COMD courses only. Any non-COMD courses required for the major needs to be inserted into the plans in addition to core requirements.