Getting Started

School: PHHS

Information below is meant to guide first-year students in getting starting with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

All undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

Students should take General Education courses in Human Biology, Psychology, Mathematics, College Writing, etc.

BIOLOGY 110 (BS) or KIN 100 (BS)
PSYCH 100 (SB)
ENGLWRIT 112 (CW)
MATH 101-102 or 104 (R1)

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses

There are no pre-requisite courses for the Communication Disorders major.

How to Declare the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.

For Exploratory Track students and students transferring from another major: Students are asked to attend an Introduction to the Major session run by departmental advising, after which they may be signed in to the major as a Primary or Secondary major. Students should determine whether they want Communication Disorders to be their primary or secondary major in discussion with departmental advising.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Minimum total # of credits required: 50

This is a pre-professional major for students who want to continue to graduate study to become speech-language pathologists or audiologists. Graduate school is essential for professional employment as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

40 credits of Communication Disorders courses
14 credits of specific background courses in Public Health, Physics, Child Development, and Statistics.

Is there a minor?
No, a minor is not available.

For further information, contact:
Dr. Gwyneth Rost
Undergraduate Program Director
358 N. Pleasant Street, Room 319
413-545-3636
grost@umass.edu