Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences

Website: https://twu.edu/communication-sciences-oral-health/communication-sciences-coms/coms-programs/bs-in-communication-sciences/

The undergraduate program in Communication Sciences prepares students for graduate-level work and related career opportunities in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology by providing foundational knowledge in the areas of typical communication development, differences and disorders of communication for children and adults, and intervention strategies for helping children and adults become successful communicators.

Note: The program in Communication Sciences no longer offers an emphasis in deaf education. Students interested in pursuing teacher certification as an educator of the deaf and hard-of-hearing should pursue the Bachelor of Science in Education with an emphasis in education of the deaf.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

  1. Utilize effective strategies to increase literacy skills in children in the classroom.​
  2. Demonstrate accurate use of portable audiometers to identify individuals with possible hearing loss. ​
  3. Provide appropriate therapy interventions to address speech and language deficits, under the direction of a licensed speech-language pathologist.

Admissions

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.

The program admits once a year and begins in the fall semester. Applications are only accepted between January 1 and April 1.

Requirements

Additional program requirements include:

  • GPA of 3.25 or higher, either cumulative or over the last 30 semester credit hours of coursework.
  • Completion of at least 40 semester credit hours of college coursework.
  • Completion of the following courses with a grade of C or better (these courses may be in progress at the time of application but must be successfully completed before beginning the program).
    • Biology
    • Chemistry or Physics
    • Statistics
  • Submission of a one-page letter of intent responding to a specific prompt in the program application.

How to Apply

  • Apply to TWU (if not currently attending) before April 1 to meet the program application deadline.
    • Submit all transcripts (except TWU transcripts) to Admissions Processing to be fully accepted into the university.
    • Program applications will not be considered until copies of all transcripts have been received and reviewed by the Office of Admissions Processing, which may take several weeks.
    • Acceptance to TWU does not guarantee admission to the communication sciences program.
  • ​After acceptance to TWU, complete the online Communication Sciences Program Application that includes uploading a one-page letter of intent responding to a prompt.
    • The program admits once a year and begins in the fall semester.
    • Program applications are only accepted between Jan. 1 and Apr. 1.
    • Applicants enrolled in courses at a college other than TWU during the spring application semester must submit an official transcript that includes those spring grades to the Office of Admission Processing by June 15.
    • To access the program application, students must be fully accepted to the university, have their Pioneer Portal account set up, and be logged in to their TWU Google Drive account. For technical questions, contact the TWU Service Desk.
  • Applicants will be notified of acceptance status by mid-April.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 123  

Major: 48 SCH

Program Code: COMMSCI.BS    CIP Code: 51.0201.00

Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 once admitted to the program. No more than two grades of C will apply toward the major, nor will credit be awarded toward the major for a grade of D or F. COMS courses may be repeated one time to replace a grade.

Texas Core Curriculum

ENG 1013Composition I3
ENG 1023Composition II3
Mathematics3
Life & Physical Sciences6
Language, Philosophy, & Culture3
Creative Arts3
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-18653
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present3
POLS 2013U.S. National Government3
POLS 2023Texas Government3
Social & Behavioral Sciences3
CAO: Women's Studies3
CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics3
Total SCHs42

Courses Required for Major

COMS 2233Anatomy and Physiology for Speech and Language3
COMS 3001Overview of Communication Disorders1
COMS 3063Language Development3
COMS 3333Phonetics3
COMS 3523Audiology3
COMS 3553School-Age Language3
COMS 3563Language Disorders and Intervention3
COMS 3633Aural Habilitation3
COMS 4103Articulation and Phonological Disorders3
COMS 4123Voice, Fluency, and Social Communication Disorders3
COMS 4203Diagnostic Procedures 3
COMS 4303Introduction to Clinical Processes3
or COMS 4133 Clinical Methods for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
COMS 4463Differentiating Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students3
COMS 4473Research Fundamentals in Communication Sciences3
COMS 4623Neural Foundations of Communication3
COMS 4633Speech and Hearing Science3
COMS 4653Literacy for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing3
Total SCHs49

Departmental Requirements

Any Core Mathematics Course3
MATH 1703Elementary Statistics I (may be applied from core)3
BIOL (may be applied from core)4
PHYS or CHEM (may be applied from core) 4
Electives18
Total SCHs32

Recommended Plan of Study

First Year
FallTCCNSCHs
ENG 1013Composition I ENGL 13013
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-1865 HIST 13013
Mathematics Core3
UNIV 1231Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 13001
Select one of the following Social/Behavioral Science Core courses:3
Introduction to General Psychology PSYC 2301 
Introductory Sociology SOCI 1301 
 SCHs 13
SpringTCCN
ENG 1023Composition II ENGL 13023
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present HIST 13023
MATH 1703Elementary Statistics I MATH 13423
Select one of the following Life/Physical Science courses:4
Human Anatomy and Physiology I
and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory
BIOL 2401
& BIOL 2101
 
Principles of Biology I
and Principles of Biology I Laboratory
BIOL 1406
& BIOL 1106
 
Elective3
 SCHs 16
Second Year
FallTCCN
Select one of the following Life/Physical Science Cores:4
Principles of Physics I
and Principles of Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 1301
& PHYS 1101
 
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 1311
& CHEM 1111
 
POLS 2013U.S. National Government GOVT 23053
COMS 2313Global Perspectives in Deafness 3
CAO: Women's Studies3
 SCHs 13
SpringTCCN
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core3
Creative Arts Core3
POLS 2023Texas Government GOVT 23063
Elective3
Elective3
 SCHs 15
Third Year
FallTCCN
COMS 2233Anatomy and Physiology for Speech and Language 3
COMS 3001Overview of Communication Disorders 1
COMS 3063Language Development 3
COMS 3333Phonetics 3
COMS 3523Audiology 3
Elective3
 SCHs 16
SpringTCCN
COMS 3553School-Age Language 3
COMS 3633Aural Habilitation 3
COMS 4103Articulation and Phonological Disorders 3
COMS 4623Neural Foundations of Communication 3
Elective3
 SCHs 15
Fourth Year
FallTCCN
COMS 3563Language Disorders and Intervention 3
COMS 4203Diagnostic Procedures 3
COMS 4473Research Fundamentals in Communication Sciences 3
COMS 4653Literacy for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 3
Elective3
Elective3
 SCHs 18
SpringTCCN
COMS 4123Voice, Fluency, and Social Communication Disorders 3
COMS 4303Introduction to Clinical Processes 3
COMS 4463Differentiating Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students 3
COMS 4633Speech and Hearing Science 3
Elective3
 SCHs 15
 Total SCHs:  121