Communication Disorders: Sample 4-Year Plan
The plan listed below is designed to provide suggestions for sequencing your major courses, but there are also other ways to sequence most majors. This plan is meant to provide aid in early, provisional planning. Please consult with your academic advisor to make strategic academic decisions about which courses to take each semester.
Sample Four Year Plan: Communication Disorders (BA/BS)
Boldface courses must be taken in sequence.
Semester 1
- CMDS 200: Introduction to Communication Disorders (3 cr)
- TRU 120: First-Year Seminar (3 cr)
- ENG 190: Writing as Critical Thinking (3 cr)
- Foreign Language (as placed) (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 2
- CMDS 200: Introduction to Communication Disorders (if not taken Fall Semester) (3 cr), OR Elective (3 cr)
- COMM 170: Public Speaking (3 cr)
- PSYC 166: General Psychology (3 cr)
- MATH 156: College Algebra (**) (3 cr)
- Foreign Language (as placed) (3 cr)
(**) = MATH 186: Precalculus (4 cr) can be taken in place of MATH 156: College Algebra (3 cr) and MATH 157: Plane Trigonometry (2 cr). Must take MATH 156 and 157, OR MATH 186 to cover both.
Semester 3
- CMDS 261: Phonetics (3 cr)
- B.A. or B.S. required support course (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
- MATH 157 Plane Trigonometry (**) (2 cr)
- CHEM 100: Chemistry for Contemporary Living (4 cr), OR PHYS 100: Concepts in Physics (4 cr)
(**) = MATH 186: Precalculus (4 cr) can be taken in place of MATH 156: College Algebra (3 cr) and MATH 157: Plane Trigonometry (2 cr). Must take MATH 156 and 157, OR MATH 186 to cover both.
Semester 4
- CMDS 101: Clinical Observation I (1 cr)
- CMDS 261: Phonetics (if not taken Semester 3) (3 cr)
- CMDS 460: Language Development (3 cr)
- Missouri Statute (1-3 cr)
- PSYC 332: Child Development (3 cr), OR PSYC 377: Developmental Psychology (3 cr)
- BA/BS required support course (3 cr)
- BIOL 100: Biology (4 cr)
Semester 5
- CMDS 470: The Speech Mechanism (3 cr)
- CMDS 472: Audiology (3 cr)
- CMDS 301: Clinical Observation II (1 cr)
- LING 238: Introduction to Linguistics (3 cr)
- STAT 190: Basic Statistics (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum course (3 cr)
Semester 6
- CMDS 380: Principles of Clinical Management (3 cr)
- CMDS 473: Aural Rehabilitation (△) (3 cr)
- CMDS 477: Articulation and Phonology (△) (3 cr)
- CMDS 550: Counseling in Communication Disorders (△) (3 cr)
- JINS 3XX: WE/____________ (3 cr)
(Δ) = CMDS 473, 477, and 550 are required for CMDS 480: WE/Clinical Practice [CAPSTONE OPTION 1]. These are not required for CMDS 489: WE/Capstone in Communication Disorders [CAPSTONE OPTION 2]. It is strongly recommended that 25 hours of observation be completed prior to enrolling in CMDS 489.
Semester 7
- CMDS 474: Speech and Hearing Science (3 cr)
- CMDS 490: Professional Issues in Communication Disorders (3 cr)
- CAPSTONE OPTION 1 > CMDS 480: WE/Clinical Practice Capstone (3 cr)
- Elective (∞) (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum coursework (6 cr)
(∞) = Selected graduate courses may be taken Fall or Spring Semester Senior Year if undergraduate hours are not needed (e.g., CMDS 567: Neural Bases of Speech, Language, and Swallowing; or CMDS 578: Augmentative & Alternative Communication)
Semester 8
- CAPSTONE OPTION 1 > CMDS 480: WE/Clinical Practice Capstone (***) (3 cr), OR CAPSTONE OPTION 2 > CMDS 489: WE/Capstone in Communication Disorders (***) (3 cr)
- CMDS 520: Interprofessional Healthcare Team Experience (if needed) (1 cr)
- Elective (∞) (3 cr)
- Elective (∞) (3 cr)
- Elective (∞) (3 cr)
- Dialogues Curriculum coursework (3 cr)
(***) Students must complete one elective to obtain 30 hours in the CMDS Major.
(∞) = Selected graduate courses may be taken Fall or Spring Semester Senior Year if undergraduate hours are not needed (e.g., CMDS 567: Neural Bases of Speech, Language, and Swallowing; or CMDS 578: Augmentative & Alternative Communication)
NOTES:
- Total Hours Required = 123
- CMDS 475: Sign Language (3 cr) is offered as an elective – when available.
- (**) = MATH 186: Precalculus (4 cr) can be taken in place of MATH 156: College Algebra (3 cr) and MATH 157: Plane Trigonometry (2 cr). Must take MATH 156 and 157, OR MATH 186 to cover both.
- (Δ) = CMDS 473, 477, and 550 are required for CMDS 480: WE/Clinical Practice [CAPSTONE OPTION 1]. These are not required for CMDS 489: WE/Capstone in Communication Disorders [CAPSTONE OPTION 2]. It is strongly recommended that 25 hours of observation be completed prior to enrolling in CMDS 489.
- (∞) = Selected graduate courses may be taken Fall or Spring Semester Senior Year if undergraduate hours are not needed (e.g., CMDS 567: Neural Bases of Speech, Language, and Swallowing; or CMDS 578: Augmentative & Alternative Communication)
- WE = Writing Enhanced course
- If you have not completed the Civics Exam, we recommend doing so in your first year.
- Truman students are required to complete a Portfolio to graduate. We recommend starting to compile your work for the Portfolio sooner than later.
- Students must complete their Application to Graduate the semester prior to graduating. Apply to graduate through TruView.
- Graduating seniors need to complete their seniors test and questionnaire. We recommend reviewing the Assessment & Testing page to plan accordingly.
- The Dialogues curriculum requires a certain number of courses/credit hours in the following Perspectives: Social, Arts and Humanities, STEM, Communications, and Statistics. The exact number of courses a student will be required to take during their undergraduate career varies individually according to the credit transferred in.
Department Chair: Please contact the Center for Academic Excellence with any updates to the plan above. Rev. 7-30-24
This is a sample course sequence to illustrate class offerings for this major. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for certifying completion of degree requirements based on requirements specified in Truman's Official Catalog.
Sample Plans for Related Majors
Communication: Sample 4-Year Plan English Major: Sample 4-Year Plan Linguistics Major: Sample 4-Year Plan