Q: Does the master's program require the GRE?

A: GRE scores have been permanently waived and are no longer required as part of the application process to the master’s program.
 

Q: How will grades of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory or Pass/Fail impact my application? 

A: We will use the numeric grades that are provided on transcripts to calculate the total GPA and major GPA. Grades of S/U or P/F earned during the COVID-19 situation will not be included in calculations; however, applicants must have successful completion of all prerequisites (i.e., satisfactory or pass). See the Graduate Admissions page for more information.
 

Q: I have an undergraduate degree but it was not in communication disorders. Can I apply to the master’s program?

A: No. You must complete (or be in the process of completing) the required prerequisite coursework before applying to the UH COMD master’s program. You can find more information on our Post-Baccalaureate Leveling program webpage: http://www.uh.edu/class/comd/programs/post-baccalaureate-leveling-program/general-info/ 

Q: I am taking leveling classes from another university. Will you accept these classes? What if they are online?

A: Yes. We accept undergraduate or leveling/post-bachelor’s courses from any university, as long as the content matches the content of our courses. They can be face-to-face or online courses.

Q: How can I tell if my classes will meet the requirements for admission?

A: Look at the list of required courses on the admissions website. Match up your courses with those listed – most of them are obvious from the course titles. After you have done this, if you still have questions about specific classes, you may email Laura Cizek, Ed.D. with specific questions. http://www.uh.edu/class/comd/programs/graduate/admission/index.php

Q: My University doesn’t offer a “Clinical Procedures” course. What should I do?

A: Look at the description of the UH COMD Clinical Procedures course and the topics/skills covered. If you have covered these as part of another course (e.g., many university programs include these in an undergraduate speech/language disorders class), then you can submit a course syllabus to see if you have met the required content. If you have any questions about the content of the Clinical Procedures course, please contact Laura Cizek, Ed.D.

Q: What if I won’t be finished with my undergraduate degree or my leveling/post-bachelor’s classes before the January 15th application deadline?

A: That is fine. Most of our applicants are not finished. As long as you have completed at least 12 hours of the prerequisite courses by the application deadline and the rest of your requirements and degree, where applicable, will be completed before the beginning of the fall term, you can be considered for admission.

Q: What if I won’t have all of my prerequisite courses completed before the beginning of the fall term?

A: All COMD prerequisite courses must be completed by the beginning of the fall term (i.e., August 15), or your admission will be deferred to the following year. The non-COMD prerequisites must be completed before you complete the master’s program, although we strongly encourage applicants to complete them before beginning the program.

Q: What are the new 2020 standards for observation? 

A: All observation hours accrued after January 1, 2020 must be done with a clinician who has completed the required 2 hours of supervision training, according to the standards of the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology. For more information visit the ASHA website.

Q: Do I need to have my 25 observation hours completed before beginning graduate school, or will I get them in the program?

A: You must have all 25 hours completed and signed by an ASHA certified SLP prior to beginning graduate clinic. If you do not have them done, then your clinic assignments and your graduation will be delayed at least one semester. As of January 1, 2020 all observation must be done with a clinician who has completed the required supervision training. See above. 

Q: Do I need a statistics class?

A: Yes. Certification regulations require statistics. The statistics course can be from any academic discipline other than COMD (psych stats, business stats, etc.). However, the course must be a stand-alone statistics course, which means the course content must be only statistics. For example, the course cannot be half stats, and half research methods. Statistics courses taught within a communication disorders department/program will NOT count toward this requirement.

Q: Do you have a quota of UH, in-state, or out-of-state students that you must meet when making admissions decisions?

A: No. We take the most highly-qualified students regardless of where they completed their undergraduate or leveling courses.

Q: What are the minimum GRE and GPA requirements?

A: We no longer require the GRE. The averages for accepted applications are posted on our admissions page. Your GPA in the major should be 3.0 or higher.

Q: When is the best time to schedule a visit to UH COMD?

A: Each year in the fall we have information sessions, open houses, and tours where potential applicants receive an extensive overview of the UH COMD master’s program, have an opportunity to meet faculty and staff as well as current master’s program students. Prospective students have the opportunity to ask questions from the graduate director. Although there is no virtual tour of the department or clinic, you can learn a lot from reading information from our website  and the Graduate School website.

Q: When will I know if I am accepted or not?

A: Letters will be sent out the week of March 15th.

Q: When do I have to make a decision if I am accepted?

A: All acceptances must be made by April 15th.

Q: Are there scholarships available?

A: We have some departmental scholarships that are offered along with admission to the program to defray the cost of graduate school. We do not have any full ride scholarships. There are also university, state and national scholarships that are offered throughout the year. Accepted students will be informed of these opportunities as they arise. Learn more at our Financial Assistance section.

Q: Are you an accredited program?

A: Yes. We are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Questions and/or requests for information about accreditation or the CAA can be directed to:

The Council on Academic Accreditation in
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard, #310
Rockville, MD 20850
accreditation@asha.org 
301.296.5700