Academic Programs: Graduate
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COMD) offers a Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA). Graduates of the master’s degree program meet the academic standards for speech-language pathology as determined by ASHA 
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Admission to the graduate program is limited to 30-40 new students each fall. Students learn in a supportive and challenging environment with easy access to faculty and supervisors and experience a well-balanced educational and training program. The faculty consists of 9 full time academic and clinical professors and five adjunct professors with specialized interest in voice disorders, motor speech disorders, right hemisphere cognitive-communication disorders, adult language disorders, swallowing, child language, literacy, bilingualism, multiculturalism and fluency.
All of the graduates from our program pass the national examination and 100% of those seeking employment are employed at the time of graduation. The overall graduation rate is 91%. The percentage of students who graduate within the expected time period for the program is 84%.
Academic Coursework
Academic courses cover etiology, characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of child and adult communication disorders (including speech, language, cognition, hearing, and swallowing).
Students must complete 30 academic credits for the master’s degree.
Full-time students typically complete the program in two years (5-6 semesters). Part-time students typically complete their program in three years (8 semesters). Part-time student take a reduced course load and clinic load during their first two years. Full-time attendance is required their second summer and final two semesters to complete externship placements.
Clinical Practica
A minimum of five semesters of clinical practica are required. These are completed both at the University of Houston Speech, Language & Hearing Clinic: A United Way Facility and at a wide variety of clinics, schools, and hospitals in the Houston area.
Specialty Tracks
Specialty Tracks: Students in the graduate program have the option to complete one of three Specialty Tracks. These tracks facilitate additional, focused knowledge and skills on (1) Multilingual/Multicultural Speech and Language Issues, (2) Medical Speech-Language Pathology, or (3) Public School Practice. Specialty Tracks do not take the place of the core graduate curriculum, but rather they fulfill the 6-credit elective requirement. Students take 6 credits of elective courses in one specialty area. One of the externship placements will provide related clinical experience. Students who do a thesis can tailor their research project to one of the specialty areas to partially satisfy the requirements of a specialty track. Students wishing to select a specialty track must declare that decision by the end of the first spring semester. Students who opt not to complete a specialty track can take electives in a variety of topic areas.
Part-Time Graduate Program
Students who have been accepted into the graduate program may opt into the part-time program. In the part-time program, course-work and clinic experiences are spread over 8 semesters. Students graduate at the end of their 3rd spring semester. Please click here for more information on the part-time gradaute curriculum. During the last 2 semesters, students will be assigned to externships. The externships require a 30-40 hour per week commitment. Part-time students may have the option to complete 3 externship positions, if they have successfully completed all on-site clinic requirements prior to their 2nd summer in the program.
Due to the sequencing and availability of classes and clinic placements, students who begin part-time cannot accelerate their program to graduate earlier than the end of their 8th semester.
Part-time students must complete clinic experiences in each semester of the program. They must be available to be on-campus for clinic assignments and courses. Although the majority of graduate courses are taught in the evenings, some are offered only during the day. Clinic experiences are scheduled during the work-day.
Admissions criteria and procedures are the same for all students, regardless of whether applicants intend to be full-time or part-time students. Please click here for more information on the graduate admission procedure.
Evidence-Based Practice Reports
All graduate students complete at least three formative Evidence Based Practice case studies as part of their clinical training. A COMD Alumni scholarship is awarded to one student who demonstrates outstanding performance on the EBP reports.
Comprehensive Exams
All graduate students who do not complete a Master’s Thesis must take a comprehensive exam in their 5th semester which serves as a summative assessment. The exam consists of complex clinical scenarios with multiple-choice questions regarding the scenarios. Questions probe etiology, characteristics, assessment, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders, as well as research and ethical issues.
Master’s Thesis
Graduate students have the option of completing a Master’s Thesis under the direction of one member of the faculty drawing upon a wide range of research interests.
Complaint Procedure
Graduate students who have complaints should follow the University of Houston guidelines and those of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.For additional options, consult the Graduate Student Handbook.