Program Overview

The undergraduate program provides students with foundational knowledge, skills, and experiences in speech, language, and hearing. The major also provides broad exposure to a variety of disorders to communication and swallowing.

Secondary admission priority deadline for fall semester is January 15. Following the deadline, applications are accepted until the program is full.

Why Study Communication Sciences and Disorders at Grand Valley?

• Unique curriculum, including broad exposure to communication and swallowing disorders.
• State-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories on a campus located in the heart of Grand Rapids' medical mile.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021-2031) anticipates a 21-percent increase in need for speech-language pathologists due to an aging population, the growing number of autistic children needing communication and social interventions, and improved survival rates for premature infants.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021-2031) anticipates a 10-percent increase in need for audiologists due to hearing loss and balance disorders in an aging population, early hearing loss identification in infants, and advances in hearing aid design.
• The coursework provides an outstanding preparatory experience for GVSU students that goes above and beyond what many other institutions provide. It will fulfill the prerequisite requirements of most speech-language pathology and audiology graduate programs and prepare students for graduate study.

Career Insights

Location & Format

All undergraduate students begin their academic career on the Allendale Campus. Students in this major continue their upper division studies on the GVSU Health Campus, near the Grand Rapids Medical Mile.

• Face To Face

Coursework

• Audiologic rehabilitation
• Anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanism
• Articulation and phonological disorders
• Cognitive and social aspects of communication
• Feeding and swallowing
• Fluency
• Neurological foundations of communication
• Receptive and expressive language
• Phonetics
• Hearing and speech science
• Voice and resonance

Core studies also include courses in biology, physics, psychology, statistics, research methods, and foundations in education, health care, and ethics.

Combined Degree Programs

Many GVSU undergraduate programs can be combined with an existing master’s degree program to save on tuition and get you into the workforce sooner. On average, you can save $8,500 by pursuing a combined degree and take up to four fewer courses than if earning the degrees separately.

Talk with an advisor about how you can build your combined degree from existing programs to further personalize your education and create your own niche area of expertise.

Admission Requirements

Students typically apply for admission the second semester of the sophomore year. Prerequisites include 3.0 GPA; application form; official transcript(s) from all non-GVSU colleges/universities attended. Application forms can be found on the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) website.

Helpful Links

• Scholarships
• Financial Aid
• Tuition & Fees
• Study Abroad
• General Education Handbook
• Health Professions Programs
• Communication Sciences and Disorders Programs
• Health Science Programs

For More Information

gvsu.edu/csd
500 Lafayette Ave. NE, Suite 204
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616) 331-5540
Fax: (616) 331-5550

gvsu.edu/admissions