Communication Sciences and Disorders Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

NOTE: Students will be accepted into this certificate beginning Fall 2023.

Mission

The mission of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is to prepare Christian men and women with the prerequisites for graduate studies, so they can enter graduate school to become licensed, certified Speech-Language Pathologists and to help serve the millions of people who have a communication disorder.

Program Distinctives

The program is designed for people who graduated with a major that was not Communication Sciences and Disorders, but who now want to pursue a career in Speech-Language Pathology (i.e., a prerequisite gathering certificate).

The program distinctives include:

• Ten core prerequisite CSD classes over 10 months
• Courses in person on weeknights and Saturdays to accommodate working people
• Integration of faith with clinical practice
• Opportunity to possibly transition into Biola’s M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology program

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes, including their biological, neurological, acoustical, cultural, and developmental bases and the nature, etiology, and characteristics of speech, language, hearing, swallowing, and other communication disorders (ULO 1).
2. Demonstrate their ability to integrate their faith into clinical practice (ULO 2).
3. Develop diagnostic and intervention plans for individuals with a variety of communication and swallowing disorders (ULO 3).

Each Program Learning Outcome (PLO) listed above references at least one of the University Learning Outcomes (ULO 1, 2, 3), which may be found in the General Information section of this catalog.

GPA Requirements

A student must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, and no single grade lower than a "C" to receive the certificate. Anyone receiving a lower grade must repeat the course with a higher grade to receive credit for the course.

Curriculum Requirements

In addition to the courses below, students must complete 25 hours of observation.