Graduate Admission

Admission Requirements

Applicants should follow the admissions process described in the university graduate catalog. The Department of Communication Disorders at Marshall University is participating in the central application system known as CSDCAS. Applicants will apply online using the CSDCAS application. To learn more about the CSDCAS application process, visit https://csdcas.liaisoncas.org.

Completed applications along with all supporting materials, including official transcripts must be received by the January 15 deadline to receive priority consideration for admission the following fall. In addition, applicants must also meet the requirements below:

1. An undergraduate degree (or pending degree) in Communication Disorders from a regionally accredited institution is required. Students with deficits in undergraduate coursework, or those wishing public school certification, may need to complete additional requirements. Applicants must submit their most recent transcript, including grades for the fall semester that precede the application deadline. Students admitted to the graduate program will be required to submit final transcripts following completion of the undergraduate degree.

2. An Overall and Communication Disorders Grade Point Average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for full-time admission. A student may be admitted for provisional enrollment with an overall or Communication Disorders GPA between 2.5 – 3.0 when the applicant possesses a degree and shows academic promise but does not meet the criteria for full admission. Refer to the Graduate College for further explanation of “provisional enrollment.”

3. All students must submit a personal statement or letter of intent.

4. All students must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who can comment on the applicant’s academic and/or clinical performance and potential. At least one letter must be from one of the applicant’s classroom instructors in communication disorders.

5. All completed applications which are “verified” via CSDCAS are reviewed on an ongoing basis in the spring semester each year. Generally, more students apply than can be accepted; therefore, the selection process is competitive.

6. Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a formal interview with faculty during the spring semester. Note: Applicants who are accepted to the graduate program will receive further instructions from the Communication Disorders Graduate Program Director regarding formal application to the graduate program. All admissions are term specific. International applicants will be required to submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score in addition to the other requirements described for consideration. The minimum TOEFL scores to be considered for admission must be a Total Score of 105 with the minimum section requirement of “Speaking” of 26 and an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.5 with at least 7.5 on the speaking and listening segment. TOEFL requirement is waived for applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. 9 International applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree from a college or university outside of the United States will have to complete their credential evaluation [WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP)] from the World Education Services (WES) to verify that their education is equivalent to the US undergraduate education and have the report sent to CSDCAS. For additional information, follow the instructions on the website of Marshall University Graduate College (www.marshall.edu/graduate/admissions/international-admission (http://www.marshall.edu/graduate/admissions/internationaladmission/

POST BACCALAUREATE/LEVELING UP PROGRAM

Students with undergraduate degrees in a field other than communication disorders will be required to take foundational courses prior to applying to graduate school. Application to the graduate program will vary depending on individual student needs. The program plan is developed in consultation with a designated department advisor. Please contact Pam Holland if you have questions about this program. 304-696-2985 holland@marshall.edu

Courses in this program are offered both face-to-face and online include:

● CD 101: Introduction to Communication Disorders (offered Spring and Fall)

● CD 228: Language and Speech Development

● CD 239: Phonetics

● CD 229: Anatomy/Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mech.

● CD 322: Developmental Speech Disorders

● CD 328: Developmental Language Disorders

● CD 460/560: Basic Audiology

● CD 427/527: Therapeutic Procedures with observation hours

In addition to enrolling in the CD courses above, students will also be required to enroll in the following courses if they are not reported on their official transcript to ensure they meet the ASHA 2020 Standards for Certification https://www.asha.org/Certification/2020-SLP-Certification-Standards/

● Biological Science

● Physical science: physics or chemistry

● Statistics

● Social/behavioral science

For students in the leveling up program to be eligible for teaching certification, they must also meet the following, non-CD certification requirements. These courses can be taken prior to admission to the graduate program or concurrently.

● EDF 201 (or Graduate course equivalent: EDF 619)

● CISP 421/520 Students enrolled in the post-baccalaureate/leveling up program must meet the academic standards as stated in the admission policy and complete all other application requirements.

Student Admission Data

Average	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
Verbal GRE	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Quant. GRE	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Analytic Writing	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
GPA (overall)	3.65	3.6	3.7	3.7	3.7
GPA (CD)*	3.62	3.6	3.6	3.7	3.6

* Students with a degree in other fields are encouraged to apply to the program. The CD GPA may not be applicable for this student.

* As of fall 2021, students are no longer required to take the GRE for admission to the graduate program.

	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
Applications	63	60	87	144	95
Admitted	54	49	61	70	63
Class Size	27	24	34	34	28