COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
Bachelor’s Degree Program
The U.S. Department of Labor says demand for speech-language pathologists in the United States is expected to grow by 27% through 2028, significantly faster than the average growth rate. Opportunities for audiologists are also on the rise, with a much-higher-than-average increase of 17% projected for the next decade.
A top-10 “Best Job,” speech-language pathologists earn strong salaries, on average $79,000 per year.
If you’re looking for a rewarding career in one of these areas, or have been wondering what education you need to become a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist, a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders will put you on the right track. This pre-professional program will prepare you for entry-level careers in health, education, and human services, as well as for a master’s degree .
A Communication Sciences and Disorders major is also excellent preparation for people looking to pursue work in other helping fields such as early childhood, special education, nursing, social work, or counseling.
CAN WE BRAG A LITTLE?
Jobs and grad school success
100% of our Communication Sciences and Disorders major were employed or enrolled in graduate school within one year of graduation (2018-2019)
Changing Lives One Voice at a Time
Our students engage in valuable, clinical experiences, like the Chatter Matters Camp, which helps non-verbal children with augmentative and alternative communication devices become better communicators.
Warhawk earns national speech language pathology scholarship
Kelly Pollina is one of 10 students in the country to receive the prestigious award. She hopes to work as an audiologist with children, focusing on the infant and toddler populations, who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Why study Communication Sciences and Disorders at UW-Whitewater?
As a Communication Sciences and Disorders major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, you’ll gain a foundation in human development and biological sciences and prepare to work with individuals with diverse and multilingual heritages, and people of all ages.
Small program, big opportunities
We’re incredibly proud that a large percentage of our majors participate in undergraduate research, and many have presented or have been published nationally.
We find these enriching experiences to be a competitive advantage for our program and our students, especially when it comes to applying to graduate programs.
Options to enrich your studies, increase your marketability
Studying at UW-Whitewater means you have access to other academic programs and resources that can help you expand your skills and knowledge — and career opportunities. Many of our students choose to minor in areas such as:
- Allied Health
- Family, Health, and Disability Studies
- Human Resource Management
- Early Childhood Education (for non-education majors)
- Spanish
- Psychology
- Music
- Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health
Here are a few other reasons to consider earning your degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at UW-Whitewater:
- Go into the community and local schools to assist with hearing screenings
- Attend regional and national conferences, such as Annual Midwest Conference on Cochlear Implants
- Engage with inter professional opportunities with faculty and professors from other programs, such as occupational and environmental health and safety
- Prepare for your job search with a senior capstone course that includes a mock interview and portfolio
- Apply for various scholarships specific to our major
What our students do
Participate in community service projects
Gain hands-on experience through clinically relevant volunteer opportunities
Co-author papers and presentations with their professors
Clinical experiences and campus facilities
In such a hands-on field, it’s important that you gain experience working with clients and practitioners. You’ll have many chances at UW-Whitewater.
On-campus clinic
The UW-Whitewater Center for Communication Disorders works with community members of all ages with varying speech-language-hearing conditions. A learning lab for our graduate students, this clinic also provides observation and volunteer opportunities for our undergraduate students.
Another highlight of our undergrad program is that you can complete your required 25 observation hours in our on campus clinic, which means you don’t have to seek those opportunities on your own.
On-campus and abroad: Additional hands-on experiences
Undergraduate research
Since 2014, more than 120 students in our program participated in UW-Whitewater’s nationally recognized undergraduate research program. Our students dive into topics they’re curious about, as well as assist faculty members with their academic research, from considering the effects of vaping to how concussions in high school sports can lead to long-term memory and communication issues.
Travel study
Every other year, a faculty member from the Communication Sciences and Disorders bachelor’s degree program offers a travel study, which is a semester-long class that culminates with a short-term international trip. Previous and future sites include Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland, Scotland and Ireland.
Explore opportunities
Campus involvement
Many of our Communication Sciences and Disorders majors are members of the National Students Speech Language Hearing Association. This organization allows students to make professional connections, organize and participate in community service projects, and promote speech-language pathology and audiology through various events.
What our graduates do
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists
Counselors and social workers
Special education teachers
Occupational therapists
Nurses
Communication Sciences and Disorders careers
Our undergraduate students are prepared to enter the workforce right after graduation. They find Communication Sciences and Disorders jobs in health, human services and education, such as:
- Applied behavior analyst therapist
- Behavioral therapist
- Behavioral treatment therapist
- Family support specialist
- Program coordinator
- Special education paraprofessional
- Special education teacher assistant
- Therapy technician
- Medical billing specialist
- Hearing aid specialist
- Sales and marketing for speech, language, or hearing industry
Graduate and professional school
With the ultimate goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, most of our majors attend graduate school after completing their bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders.
Hired Before Graduation
Megan Bargiel from Huntley, Illinois, earned a B.S. in communication sciences and disorders and a B.A. in Spanish and was hired as a behavioral technician with Newline Behavioral Solutions in Elgin, Illinois.
"I am most proud of publishing research on bilingual language acquisition and presenting the work at honors conferences. Dr. Kam provided endless support in my academic and professional career. She recognized my research, guided my travels in presenting my work and was a huge mentor in my achievement of graduating with honors."
Hired Before Graduation
Makenna Clark, from Joliet, Illinois, earned a B.S. in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish and was accepted to graduate school at Lewis University pursuing a Master of Speech Pathology in Romeoville, Illinois.
Hired Before Graduation
Holly Kropke, from Channahon, Illinois, earned a B.S. in communication sciences and disorders and was accepted to graduate school at Augustana College pursuing a Master of Speech Language Pathology in Rock Island, Illinois.
"I am most proud of getting to complete hearing tests on 5 year olds and I'd like to acknowledge Lynn Gilbertson, who made learning about my major very interesting and made me want to learn more and more."
Our Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty
Our faculty members have expertise and research interests in many areas, including occupational health, bilingual language acquisition, hearing conversation, cognition, and voice and swallow.
Recent papers and publications have been on fascinating topics such as:
- “Noise Levels of Amusement Ride Operators” (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene)
- “Effects of Deep Brain Stimulation on Vocal Fold Immobility in Parkinson’s Disease” (Surgical Neurology International)
- “Performance of Low-income Dual-language Learners Attending English-only Schools” (Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools)
The nature of our program will also give you the chance to learn from faculty members in other academic areas such as biology, psychology, English and sociology.
Want to learn more about a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders? Contact us »
UW-Whitewater offers the following undergraduate options:
- Bachelor of Science — Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Minor in Communication Sciences and Disorders
In addition to UW-Whitewater’s general education requirements, as a Communication Sciences and Disorders major, you’ll take a variety of core and elective classes from across disciplines, such as:
- Hearing and Speech Science
- Anatomy and Physiology of Human Communications
- Speech and Language Disorders in Children
- Writing in the Sciences
- Psychology of Adolescence
- Race and Ethnic Relations
- Basic Social Statistics
Post-baccalaureate program:
This is a specialized course sequence that typically can be completed in one year, allowing a student with a bachelor's degree in another field to prepare for application to a master's degree program in speech-language pathology. Learn more »
Master's degree:
Explore our Master of Science (M.S.) in speech language pathology »
To apply, you’ll complete the UW-Whitewater standard application for admission and indicate your interest in earning a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
