Communicative Disorders - BS, BA
About This Degree
A bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders is a pre-professional degree that prepares students for graduate school in speech-language pathology or clinical or educational audiology. Students in USU’s program choose to focus on either speech-language pathology or audiology.
Speech-language pathologists work with individuals of all ages who have difficulty communicating, learning to communicate, feeding, or swallowing. This may include infants with feeding disorders or children with speech, language, hearing, or literacy development problems. It may also include children and adults who stutter, have voice disorders, or suffer from speech, language, and swallowing problems as the consequence of neurological disease or stroke.
Audiologists evaluate and manage individuals who are suspected or have been identified as having differences associated with hearing. Audiologists conduct testing to help identify hearing loss, select and fit hearing aids, program cochlear implants, and provide aural rehabilitation.
Students receive a by completing all required courses in the major. To receive a BA, students must also gain proficiency in one or more foreign languages.
Utah State University (USU) has established a track in American Sign Language Interpreting (ASLI), which is an Associate-to-Bachelor's Degree (BS) in the Communication Disorders and Deaf Education Department. All courses, including upper division courses are offered completely online. Visit https://statewide.usu.edu/saltlake/asl for more information.
ADVISING
At a Glance
College: Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services
Department: Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Department
USU Locations:
- Logan campus
- Statewide campuses
- USU Online
Program Requirements
Career And Outcomes
Career Opportunities
With a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders, students may be qualified for the following careers:
- Clinical aide
- Assistant or technician in speech-language pathology
- Assistant in clinical audiology and educational audiology
Most undergraduate students go on to receive graduate degrees in MS, MA, MEd, or AuD, allowing certification and/or licensure as a professional speech-language pathologist or audiologist. With graduate degrees in these fields, students will be eligible to work in the following areas:
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Rehabilitation centers
- Nursing facilities
- Home health care centers
- Community centers
- Private practice settings
The Career and Design Center provides counseling and information on hundreds of job and internship opportunities and even helps students apply and interview.
Job Outlook
USU Locations
*This degree is available at various USU locations.
- Beaver
- Bicknell
- Blanding
- Brigham City
- Castle Dale
- Cedar City
- Cortez (CO)
- Delta
- Ephraim
- Heber City
- Junction
- Kanab
- Kaysville
- Moab
- Montezuma Creek
- Monticello
- Monument Valley
- Nephi
- Orem
- Panguitch
- Park City
- Price (USU Eastern)
- Richfield
- Roosevelt (Uintah Basin)
- Salt Lake
- St George
- Tooele
- Tremonton
- Vernal (Uintah Basin)
- Wendover
**This degree is 100% available online. USU is a SARA-approved institution offering fully online programs nationwide; please visit USU's state authorizations for details.
The communicative disorders and deaf education degree (BS) is available online for students who are unable to attend classes on Logan Main Campus. The online and on-campus programs cannot be combined. Students should consult with the Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Department advisor before beginning the program.
Admission
Admission Requirements
In addition to Utah State University’s admissions requirements, the communicative disorders program has additional requirements:
- Admission to the COMD major typically occurs at the beginning of the junior year (approximately 60 credits)
- Students admitted to the university with less than 60 credits can be admitted to the COMD Pre-Program
- Admission GPA of 3.0 across at least five of the COMDDE major courses that the student can take in pre-COMDDE status: Required General Education, Additional Core, COMD 2600, COMD 3500 and COMD 3010
For more information, see the COMDDE department website or the USU Catalog.
International students have additional admissions requirements.
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