Admission is considered only for the summer semester. In addition to the criteria established for general admission to graduate studies, applicants must have the following:

• Hold an undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders (or equivalent area) from a regionally accredited college or university

Note: Generally, individuals with undergraduate degrees from another discipline (e.g., nursing, education, biological sciences) may be required to complete prerequisite coursework to include content knowledge, skills, and experiences.

• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a minimum GPA of 3.0 during the last 2 years of undergraduate study during which at least 30 credit hours was earned
• Two letters of recommendation
• Resume
• Application with personal statement
• Fifteen-minute web-based interview

Step 1 

The Department of Communication Disorders at Southeast Missouri State University participates in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Computerized Application System (CSDCAS). This system provides a convenient way to apply to multiple programs while submitting only one set of application materials. You may access the application at the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Science and Disorders to create an account and begin the application process. Note that a fee is required to participate in the CSDCAS application system. During the application process, be sure to designate Southeast Missouri State University as one of your applicant institutions. 

The deadline for submitting all application materials is January 15 for the following summer semester cohort. Applications that have not been completed by this date will be ineligible for consideration. It is the applicant’s responsibility to meet the deadline requirements. 

Step 2 

Follow the instructions on the CSDCAS web application carefully and submit all required materials:

• The GRE requirement has been waived for the 2023 application cycle. 
• The department requires 2 letters of recommendation, which are requested during the CSDCAS application process. Directions are provided in the online application. Letters should not be sent directly to the department or admissions office at the university. Only letters requested and submitted through CSDCAS will be accepted. If more than 2 letters are submitted, only the first 2 letters in order of submission will be considered by the admissions committee. It is strongly suggested to choose references such as instructors from major courses or supervisors of clinically relevant experiences, if possible.  
• You must submit all official transcripts to CSDCAS at the address below: 
  
  CSDCAS Verification Department 

  P.O. Box 9113 

  Watertown, MA 02471 

Step 3 

When completing the CSDCAS web application, you will notice that there is a supplemental application required. For this requirement, you should complete the Southeast Missouri State University online  Application for Graduate Admission. In addition, you must send a copy of your driver’s license or birth certificate to: 

Southeast Missouri State University 

Office of Admissions, MS3550 

One University Plaza 

Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 

admissions@semo.edu 

Important Note: Note that this is a procedural step required by Southeast Missouri State University in addition to the CSDCAS application. Applicants who have not completed this step by the application deadline will not be considered for admission. 

Step 4 

Applications for the Communication Disorders Graduate Program are considered for summer admission only. Please check the website for details. In addition to the application materials and steps required by the CSDCAS and Southeast Missouri State University applications, an interview is required for prospective graduate students. Candidates selected by the Admissions Committee members will participate in a 15-minute web-based interview in January. Upon completion of the first round of interviews, the committee will send out decision letters.  Students have until March 15 to respond.  This process will continue on a rolling basis until all available spots in the cohort are filled. 

Step 5 

If you wish to apply for a graduate assistantship or other financial assistance, please visit the department's Financial Aid page. Note that the department offers a limited number of departmental graduate assistantships for which anyone who is granted admission to the graduate program may apply; however, other departments and offices on campus frequently have openings available for assistantships and a list of these positions is maintained in the graduate office. Please complete the application form for a graduate assistantship if you wish to be considered for a graduate assistantship in the department. Upon completion of the initial application, the graduate admissions committee will select which candidates will complete the second phase of the application process. The second phase includes a web-based interview and a mock grading task. Other departments and offices may require a separate application form and/or process. The deadline for application for graduate assistantships in the department is January 15. Decisions regarding graduate assistantships are made after admissions decisions have been determined. 

Need Assistance? 

If you have questions concerning any aspect of the CSDCAS web application process, please contact CSDCAS via the methods described below:  

• CSDCAS Applicant Help Center and Instructions  
• CSDCAS Applicant Customer Service Desk, available Monday thru Friday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM Eastern Time 
 
  • Phone: (617) 612-2030 
  • E-Mail: csdcasinfo@csdcas.org 

If you have questions concerning the supplemental application to Southeast Missouri State University, please contact Graduate Admissions at 573.651.2192 or graduatestudies@semo.edu.  
If you have questions about admission to the graduate program in Communication Disorders at Southeast Missouri State University, contact Dr. Jayanti Ray, Department Chairperson (jray@semo.edu) or Dr. Samantha Washington, Graduate Admissions Committee Co-Chairperson (swashington@semo.edu). 

• CD603 Advanced Communication Disorders Clinical Practicum (3 enrollments) (9) 
• CD608 Clinical Methods in Speech Language Pathology (2) 
• CD616 Literacy Essentials for Speech Language Pathologists (3) 
• CD620 Developmental Articulatory and Phonological Disorders (3) 
• CD625 Research Methodology in Communication Disorders (3) 
• CD628 Cognitive Communication Disorders and Their Functional Implications (1) 
• CD629 Neuroscience of Communication Disorders (2) 
• CD630 Acquired Language and Disorders and Their Functional Implications (2) 
• CD634 Language and Cognitive Disorders in Infants and Preschool Children (2) 
• CD635 Language, Cognitive and Social Communication Disorders in School-Aged Children (3) 
• CD641 Voice Disorders (2) 
• CD642 Stuttering and Cluttering (2) 
• CD643 Augmentative/Alternative Communication Systems (2) 
• CD651 Neurogenic Speech Disorders (2) 
• CD652 Swallowing Disorders (3) 
• CD653 Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing (1) 
• CD656 Craniofacial Anomalies and Resonance Disorders (2) 
• CD659 Speech and Language Services for Special Populations (2) 
• CD669 Externship in Communication Disorders (2 enrollments) (6) 
• CD685 Professionals Issues in Communication Disorders (2) 

Choose One of the Following Options: 

Non-Thesis Option 

• CD683 Research in Communication Disorders (2 enrollments) (3) 
• GR698 Master’s Final Comprehensive Examination (0) 

Thesis Option 

• CD695 Thesis (2 enrollments) (3) 
• GR699 Master’s Oral Examination (0) 

Additional requirements:* 

• CD399 Speech and Hearing Science (3)
• CD525 Aural Rehabilitation (3)

*If the student did not have CD399 and/or CD525 or equivalent courses as an undergraduate, the student must take these courses as a graduate student.

The degree requirements in Communication Disorders are designed to meet the academic and clinical standards established by the Council for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Completion of the degree requirements constitutes one component toward the establishment of the student’s eligibility for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). 

It is the student’s responsibility to confer with his/her academic advisor regarding recent changes (if any) in academic or clinical standards. Also, it is the student’s responsibility to complete any additional requirements for the CCC-SLP beyond completion of the degree and to submit proper documentation of all required components.