Distance Master’s Degree
United Federation of Teachers (UFT Cohort)
About
The Communication Disorders Department at Western Kentucky University (WKU) was established in 1975, and accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in 1993. The Department is now part of the College of Health and Human Services, although the physical facilities still reside within the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. More information about the traditional on-campus program for communication disorders is available on the Department of Communication Disorders website.
UFT Partnership
The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in New York City was searching for a mechanism by which members of the Speech Chapter could complete a Master’s Degree without leaving the service of the city schools.
WKU Full-time Faculty
- Dr. Frank Kersting, Ed.D. - Full Professor.
- Dr. Barbara Brindle, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor.
- Dr. Richard Dressler, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor.
- Dr. Stan Cooke, Ed.D. - Faculty Emeritus.
- Dr. Lauren Bland, Ph.D. - Associate Professor.
Program of Study
The Master of Science in Communication Disorders is designed to prepare professional speech pathologists to meet the needs of the communicatively impaired in hospitals, clinics, nursing facilities, schools, etc. It is also designed to meet the academic and clinical requirements of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, leading to national certification and state licensure.
A minimum of 42 academic and 7 clinical credits are required for graduation, as listed below. The Research Methods (CD 500) course may be taken at WKU, or any convenient local institution. Individuals lacking pre-requisite coursework may be required to take additional classes.
Required Courses - (Course Descriptions)
| CD 489G | CD 506 | CD 512 |
| CD 500 [Research Methods] | CD 507 | CD 514 |
| CD 502 | CD 508 | CD 515 |
| CD 503 | CD 509 | CD 590 (1 cr.) |
| CD 504 | CD 510 | CD 591 (6 cr.) |
| CD 505 | CD 511 |
Recommended Sequence
| YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Fall | Fall |
| CD 503 - Advanced Diagnostics | CD 502 - Motor Speech Dis. | CD 500 - Research Methods |
| CD 512 - Phonology | CD 504 - Seminar in Language | CD 515 - Pediatric Audiology |
| Spring | Spring | Spring |
| CD 489G - Geriatric Com. Dis. | CD 505 - Orofacial Disorders | CD 506 - Dysfluency |
| CD 511 - Neurology | CD 514 - Dysphagia | CD 510 - Professional Issues |
| Summer | Summer | Summer |
| CD 507 - Dysphasia | CD 509 - Speech Science | CD 508 - Voice Disorders |
| CD 591 - UFT Clinical (2 cr.) | CD 591 - Clinical (2 cr.) | CD 591 - Clinical (2 cr.) |
Clinical Experience
ASHA requires that the first 25 hours of clinical experience in any program be supervised by instructional staff. The United Federation of Teachers has agreed to develop a Communication Disorders Clinic to serve both as a clinical training opportunity for students enrolled in this partnership program and as a clinical service for its extended membership. Two of your members have agreed to serve as adjunct faculty, so that this requirement may be met in New York City. Additional clinical experience can be accommodated in your area, provided that an ASHA-certified supervisor is available.
ASHA requirements effective January, 2005:
| 400 ASHA Clinical Hours | |
| 25 Observation | 375 Practica |
Additional Requirements
Research Methods A graduate level course in research design and methodology is required by the Graduate College for all graduate students. You do not need to take this course through WKU if a local institution has one available.
Transferring Graduate Credits The Graduate College will accept up to 12 graduate credits from other accredited institutions. You must have a grade of B or better, and a GPA of 3.0 or better. Please provide course description and copy of the syllabus for evaluation. Courses must be equivalent to WKU course offerings to be credited. Prior approval of the advisor is required.
Note: The Graduate College mandates that all coursework be completed within a six year period. That means that graduates of Summer 2005 may only apply courses completed after the Summer of 1999.
State Teacher Certification Standards vary per state. Check with the Department of Education in your state to see if any additional coursework is required. This would be in addition to the 51 hours required for graduation.
Comprehensive Exams By the final semester of coursework, the student must have taken and passed the PRAXIS exam in speech-language pathology. Students who do not pass must successfully complete a written exams prepared by program area faculty.
Clinical Hours We will need an official summary of clinical hours from your undergraduate institution if you intend to use them for ASHA certification.
Forms
The following forms are required by the Graduate College during your course of study:
- Form C - This program form for Master's level students details your plan of study. The Graduate College Checks this against what you have completed before you can graduate. You may take up to 12 credits before filling out the Form C.
- Form D - Admission to Candidacy. Due before the last 9 hours of coursework. Research Methods must have been completed before this form is submitted.
- Form E - Completion of Competency. Due last semester, after completion of the PRAXIS or competency examination.
Access to Coursework
Western Kentucky University uses the Blackboard Course Info software, which provides a template upon which web-based courses are constructed. You can reach the log-in page via the Information Technology and Academic Technology pages, or by direct URL: http://ecourses.wku.edu/.
The Distance Learning Department is another good resource, found at http://www.wku.edu/reachu/.
Technical Requirements
Minimum System Requirements
COMPUTER:| PC (Desktop or Laptop) | MAC (Desktop or Laptop) |
|---|---|
|
|
Note: If you are purchasing a new computer, most of the manufacturer's standard system should be okay except the RAM size. You'll probably want to spend some extra money for additional RAM. We would recommend at least 1 GB of RAM. WKU partners with Dell to give students discounts on personal computer purchases. We also usually recommend purchasing additional years of warranty, especially for laptops.
Internet AccessCable access or DSL (Bellsouth, Insight, etc.) is recommended because it is faster and more reliable. Dial-up (phone access) is OK, but relatively slow and connections are occasionally dropped. AOL is not recommended because it has problems interacting with the course software.
EmailAn email account is required so that we may get in touch with you. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will provide an email account, as do many companies and agencies. Check with your ISP if you do not know your email address. WKU will also provide you an email account once you are registered as a student.
BrowserBe sure you have the most current version of your preferred browser. If you do not know what type or version of browser you have, launch it, go to HELP on the menu bar, then click on ABOUT. Go to the respective company website (below) and check which version is being advertised. There will be links to free downloads and installation on your personal computer is very straightforward.
Additional Software & Plug-Ins (The plug-ins are free downloads.)- PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer
- Windows Media Player or RealPlayer
- Acrobat Reader
- Macromedia Flash
- Others may be required by individual instructors.
Microsoft Word (part of the MS Office Suite) is the word-processing software of choice supported by WKU. Students using another word-processing system should save their files as Rich Text Files (RTF) before transmitting. Inform your instructor if you are doing so.
Students are generally eligible for academic discounts of up to 80% on software packages. Search on "academic software" to locate suppliers. You will need to verify your student status before making a purchase.
Technical Support
Help DeskAssistance is available between 9 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. EST. Call (270) 745-7000.
Admissions
Screening Application
Send your completed application form, UFT addendum, copies of transcripts and GRE scores (for those without a Master’s Degree in another area), three letters of reference and a letter of intent, describing why you want to pursue a distance master’s degree in communication disorders. At least one of the letters of reference should be from your current supervisor or employer. Those taking the GREs should check by what date they need to have their scores submitted. Please send all documents directly to Dr. Brindle in the Communication Disorders Program at the address at the bottom of the page. Access the application form on the Graduate Admissions WKU webpage.
You will be contacted as to whether or not you have passed the prescreening process. Once you have received an affirmative response, you must make formal application to Graduate Studies.
Formal Application
For information on WKU Admissions Requirements, Policies and Procedures, Fees and Expenses, and Application (print out & mail in with $35), go to the WKU Graduate Admissions Requirements.
Registration
Register online for distance master’s courses in Communication Disorders via TopNet. This site provides information on admissions, schedule bulletins, registration, student records, and financial aid. TopNet assistance is available.
Once the Graduate College has entered you into the computer system, log in for Student Services (through TopNet) and follow the directions. Your initial Personal Identification Number will be six digits from your social security number. We strongly recommend that you change this as soon as possible. Your advisor is Dr. Brindle.
Classes
The benefit of web-based instruction is that most of the learning and contact is at your own convenience. There are two functions during which you need to be concerned about specific times: 1) Assignment due dates, as specified in the syllabus per course; and 2) Synchronous chats. Many instructors incorporate a weekly chat session to address questions and further explore more difficult concepts. Instructors typically assign chat times in consultation with their students or offer a choice of chat sessions.
Getting Started
The first week of class you need to log into Blackboard as indicated above. A short Blackboard tutorial (pdf) is available. You will see the titles of the courses for which you are enrolled on the right side of the page. Click on the title to go to the designated course site. Check the Announcements page for any recent instructions, then read the Syllabus, Course Documents, and Assignments. Go to Communications, then Student Roster, to make sure that your e-mail address is correct. If not, go to Change Your Information under Tools to correct it. Contact your instructor if you have difficulty accessing the course site.
Texts
Check the syllabi on the individual instructors' webpages for texts and/or required materials. You may opt to purchase from the publisher, request a local bookstore to order it for you, or order it online via the WKU Bookstore at http://www.wku.edu/Info/Bookstore/.
Advising
Dr. Barbara Brindle is the Graduate Advisor. Call her at (270) 745-4299 or email via barbara.brindle@wku.edu.
Contact Us
Communication Disorders Department
College of Health & Human Services
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd.
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone:(270) 745-4541
Email: barbara.brindle@wku.edu
