Graduate Program FAQs
I have an undergraduate degree in something other than Communication Sciences and Disorders. Can I still apply to UM’s master’s program?
Students who have a Bachelor’s degree in a different field can be conditionally accepted and will be required to complete required core courses before being fully admitted.
What background courses will I need for the Graduate Program?
Students who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (including the courses or equivalent courses listed below), with a GPA of 3.0, are eligible to apply for our graduate program. Please review your transcript and any courses you are taking during your final semester of your undergraduate degree program to see if you meet all of the following requirements listed under non-CSD majors.
Students that are non-CSD majors are required to take following or equivalent courses:
-CSD 205 (Anatomy and Physiology)
-CSD 211 (Phonetics)
-CSD 216 (Normal Development of Communication)
-CSD 351 (Audiology)
-CSD 452 (Fundamental Speech & Hearing Science)
-CSD 495 (Clinical Science)
-6 additional credits focusing on disordered speech or language, e.g.
-CSD 301 (Speech Sound Disorders)
-CSD 316 (Language and Learning Disorders)
-CSD 356 (Aural Rehab)
-CSD 405 (Voice and Fluency)
In addition to the courses listed above, students must take a course in each of these areas, if they have not already: Statistics, Social Science, Biological Science, and Physics or Chemistry.
How do I know if my bachelor’s degree is acceptable? Can I take my missing prerequisite courses at UM?
Most speech pathology or communication science degrees are acceptable. In the case that they are not, or you are a conditionally admitted student needed to take prerequisite courses, there are following options:
- If you are conditionally admitted, you will take the required core courses over a year. Conditionally admitted students must maintain a GPA of 3.75 in order to continue into the graduate program.
- Any student can enroll as a non-degree seeking undergraduate student and take the required core courses and apply for the graduate program. Some courses are prerequisites for another in the core courses, so keep that in mind in how long it will take to complete the prerequisite courses.
- Students can also complete required courses elsewhere. Equivalency for the courses offered elsewhere will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Does Ole Miss have student disability services that are easy to access?
Yes, visit the UM SDS website here. The University of Mississippi is committed to access and inclusion. Accommodation information is available on the SDS website.
Am I required to have a certain kind of computer?
No. However, the University of Mississippi IT helpdesk does recommend some system specifications, linked here.
What is the tuition for the graduate program?
- Please use the tuition estimator located at this link: https://bursar.olemiss.edu/tuition-fees/tuition-estimator/
- Please review the information at this link: https://finaid.olemiss.edu/cost-of-attendance-2021-2022/#3
Do you offer graduate assistantships?
Yes, we do offer a limited number of graduate assistantships to the top ranked applicants who submit a GA application by the due date, February 1st. These graduate assistantships are typically offered on a semester by semester basis and are limited to the first fall and spring semesters of the program. The assistantships cover 75% of the tuition during the period of the graduate assistantship for up to 13 credits. The GA applications are located in the application on CSDCAS process and will include two brief essay questions. You can find more details related to graduate assistantships at this link:
https://catalog.olemiss.edu/graduate-school/assistantships-fellowships
Is the GRE required for admission?
Yes.
Is there a “cut-off” for GPA and GRE scores to apply?
Students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply. Competitive applicants typically present a higher GPA. Mean scores for the Class of 2021 cohorts are listed below. Note that this means that some individuals’ scores are above or below these numbers. There are no
minimum GRE score requirements. Please pay close attention to your percentile ranking for GRE scores. We prefer percentiles that are higher than 30th.
| Overall GPA | 3.70 |
| CSD GPA | 3.86 |
| GRE verbal | 149 |
| GRE Quantitative | 147 |
| GRE Writing | 3.8 |
Will I need a special parking permit for my classes at the Graduate school?
Yes, since all classes take place in the South Oxford Center, you will need a SOC parking permit, which can be obtained through the UM Department of Parking and Transportation, for 55$.
How do I apply to the Master’s degree program?
All information regarding the application process is located at https://csd.olemiss.edu/graduate/admissions/ . All applications must be submitted through CSDCAS by February 1st to be considered for admission.
What is the application deadline?
February 1.
If admitted to the program, are students able to defer entrance?
Possibly. Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator to discuss.
How many students graduate each year from the master’s program?
Approximately 30 to 35 students have been graduating each year from our master’s program- however, class size varies from year to year. Since the department moved to a much larger renovated facility, we expect to graduate more students in the near future.
How long is the program? When can I start?
The graduate program consists of 7 semesters over the course of two years, including the summers: Summer-II & August intersessions, Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring. The program begins in the second summer session.
What makes the UM graduate program special?
The University of Mississippi Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders is ranked among the top 100 graduate schools nationwide and is number 1 in Mississippi. We have unique hands-on clinical and research opportunities, with an excellent Speech and Hearing Clinic located on site. The UM first year students are partnered individually with one or more clients for an entire semester and gain experience with assessment, therapy, support, lesson planning, parent and teacher communication, and family education.
Is this MS program accredited by ASHA?
The Masters of Science program in the field of speech-language pathology at The University of Mississippi is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (CAA of ASHA). Upon graduation, students are eligible to complete their clinical fellowship year and sit for the national exams, thereby completing standards for national certification.
Is there an online-only option available?
Currently, this program is not offered completely online. Some courses are offered online to allow students the flexibility to attend their clinical practicum and still complete their classes at the same time.
What is the pass rate for UM’s students who take the PRAXIS II?
It has varied from 80 to 100% over the last 5 years.
What is the employment rate after graduation from this program?
In the last two years, the employment rate has been 100%.
Where do graduate students live?
Ole Miss offers graduate student specific housing in the Campus Walk apartments, if students choose to apply. You can also visit this website (https://offcampus.housing.olemiss.edu/housing) to view current available off campus housing and meet roommates. There are also many student housing complexes in Oxford, with a variety of amenities. Many Ole Miss Facebook groups include listings of apartments for lease or sublease.
Will I need a special parking permit for my classes at the Graduate school?
To best accommodate potential clinical practicum sites, it is recommended students purchase either a Commuter or Park & Ride pass. More information about purchasing a parking pass can be found here.
Are faculty members actively involved in any research? Is it possible for graduate students to gain experience in research?
Much of your master’s level coursework is dictated by the certification and licensing requirements. However, you can ‘specialize’ by doing thesis research in a given area, by doing directed reading or research with a given professor, or by requesting certain types of clinical placements. Use this link faculty page and click on the relevant faculty name to go to their page to download their CVs.
How many clinical clock hours are required in your program?
400 clinical clock hours are required, including 25 observation hours and 375 hands-on hours. A minimum of 325 hours must be earned under the direction of the University of Mississippi CSD faculty and/or approved off site supervisors. Under special arrangements, portions of practicum can be completed elsewhere. This requirement is set to allow students to enter a clinical fellowship experience after graduation.
Where do students go for their externships?
Depending on the semester, students can find placement in regional medical and educational settings. During the final semester of the program, students are able to find and apply to external placements all over the country.
What about Oxford? Is it a nice town to live in?
Of course, we think Oxford is a great town to live in. Oxford is centered around “the Square”, featuring everything from nationally acclaimed restaurants to boutiques. For some outside time, Sardis Lake isn’t far away, and Lamar Park is a popular park for students to picnic or walk. Some students affectionately refer to Oxford as the “Velvet Ditch” because it is easy to fall into and hard to leave. ESPN listed Oxford as the country’s best college town ahead of the 2021 NCAA football season.
https://news.olemiss.edu/espn-names-oxford-as-americas-best-college-town/
Are there any famous University of Mississippi Alumni?
Some notable alumni include: Archie Mannie, Eli Manning, James Meredith, DK Metcalf, William Faulkner, John Grisham, Leigh Anne Tuohy, and Bill Parsons.
What have you found to be the biggest obstacle for your students in this program?
The transition from undergraduate to graduate courses, and juggling clinical time as well as classes is something that some students may struggle with. However, with proper time management it is easy for students to get acclimated.
Does Ole Miss offer the 5-year program for Speech Pathology?
No, at this time Ole Miss does not specifically offer the 5-year program for Speech Pathology. However, some students finish all their undergraduate requirements in 3 years and thus may finish with the graduate degree in five years.
What is the retention rate for this program?
The retention rate over the last 2 years has been 100%. Typical retention rate is close to 100%, with the exception of students who may face personal issues.
Are advisors easily accessible?
Advisors are easily accessible via emails or through virtual meetings held via Zoom or for in-person meetings.
Does the program require immunizations?
Immunizations are recommended as a protective measure for students, clients and clinical supervisors. We need a copy of your vaccination records. Recommended vaccinations for completion of medical externships include: Hepatitis B series, two Measles, Mumps, and rubella vaccines, two varicella vaccines, and Tdap vaccine within the past 10 years. Also, you will need a TB test and a Flu shot. Furthermore, many clinical practicum sites now require students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and all graduate assistants will be required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
What is the faculty-student ratio?
In clinical practicum, students often receive one-to-one attention for individual therapy sessions or may collaborate with 4-5 other fellow students for group therapy. In academic graduate classes each instructor can teach 30 to 65 students and provide additional individual assistance based on student requests.