M.Sc. in Communication Sciences and Disorders

 

The Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders provides graduate-level research training that addresses basic or applied questions about human communication and its disorders. This option is appropriate for students who wish to do research but not carry out clinical work in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and also for students with professional qualifications who want basic research training in the field (without doing a Ph.D.).

Students in this program must complete a minimum of 45 credits, have a minimum residency of 3 academic terms, and complete an M.Sc. thesis based on the student’s own research. The thesis should demonstrate the ability to carry out research and to organize results, all of which must be presented in good literary style.

 

M.Sc. or Ph.D.?

In our School, the majority of students with a Bachelor's degree or non-thesis Master's degree, who are firmly committed to undertaking the Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, apply directly to the PhD program and complete an initial Qualifying Year. These students effectively bypass the M.Sc. degree. Students who opt to complete the M.Sc. degree often do this to know whether they are well suited to conduct a PhD in our field or because they intend to do their PhD at another institution or in a related field, among other reasons.

 

M.Sc. Degree Requirements (45 credits):

  1. A minimum residency requirement of three academic terms. The majority of time is devoted to research, with course work determined by the student’s thesis committee on the basis of individual needs.
  2. At least 45 credits including:
    • a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 39 credits for thesis research (courses SCSD 671, 672, 673, 674)
    • a minimum of 6 credits in non-thesis courses. The non-thesis credits can be special topics courses in the School (SCSD 675, 676) and/or courses in other departments, as arranged with the student's thesis supervisor.
  3. A thesis, which is based on the student’s own research. This thesis, while not necessarily requiring an exhaustive review of work in the particular field of study, or a great deal of original scholarship, should show familiarity with previous work in the field. The thesis should demonstrate the ability to carry out research and to organize results, all of which must be presented in good literary style. The thesis will not normally exceed 100 pages.

 

Notes:  

  • Prospective students who seek both professional and research training in Communication Sciences and Disorders must apply to the M.Sc. Applied degree; if accepted, these students are automatically eligible to apply to the "M.Sc. Combined Program".

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