A QUICK GUIDE TO UTD

AND GETTING INTO

GRADUATE SCHOOL

BOB STILLMAN
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR GRADUATE STUDIES:
SCHOOL OF BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES
AREA HEAD:
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS AREA

TOPICS
WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING A

GRADUATE PROGRAM
WHAT ADMISSIONS COMMITTEES LOOK FOR IN

EVALUATING PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

WHAT UT DALLAS HAS TO OFFER

THE BASICS
AM I READY FOR 2 MORE YEARS IN SCHOOL?
(4 FOR THE Au.D.)
DO I HAVE THE ACADEMIC RECORD?
YOU STILL HAVE TIME

IS THIS THE RIGHT FIELD FOR ME?

CAN I AFFORD IT?
CAN I BE A PART-TIME STUDENT AND WORK FULL TIME?
CAN I BE A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND WORK PART-TIME?

WHAT TO LOOK FOR (AND ASK ABOUT) IN A

GRADUATE PROGRAM (ACADEMIC)
APPROACH TO CLINICAL EDUCATION (Student-centered, individualized,

homogeneous or heterogeneous outcomes, fixed or flexible degree

plans, clinical or research emphasis, specializations and certificates)
PRACTICUM (On and off-campus experiences, variety of sites,

immersion, choice, supervision style)

CLASSES (Size, instructors)
FACILITIES
REPUTATION (SLPs former students, Ph.D. program, ranking,)
LEVELING or PREREQUISITES (Time to degree, reapplication, attitude

toward non-majors)

What to look for in a Graduate Program (Personal)

ATMOSPHERE: FACULTY, STUDENTS
ADVISING
FUNDING, WORK
QUALITY OF LIFE (LOCATION, COSTS,

LEISURE)

PREPARING FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL

SHOW YOU TAKE ACADEMICS SERIOUSLY
Get Good Grades
Take Challenging Courses
Observe Clinical Programs
BE NOTICED (POSITIVELY) BY FACULTY (TO
GET GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS LETTERS)
Attend Office Hours/Reviews
Volunteer in research or as a teaching

VISIT PROGRAMS
Learn about them
Show you are interested

assistant

GRE
PLAN FOR IT
STUDY FOR IT
REPEAT, IF NECESSARY

WHATS CONSIDERED BY
ADMISSIONS COMMITTEES
QUANTITATIVE
GRADES (overall, major, last 2 years, trajectory)
GRE (V+Q Scores, some also include W)
WHATS EXPECTED

QUALITATIVE
FACULTY RECOMMENDATIONS (OTHERS)
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
SKILLS, PROFESSIONAL GOALS, AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCES

(FIT, WRITING SKILLS)

HONEST EXPLAINATION OF WEAKNESSES IN RECORD
DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU ARE GOING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL

INTANGIBLES (VISITING)

WHY UT DALLAS?
APPROACH

TO CLINICAL EDUCATION: SHAPE COURSES AND PRACTICUM AROUND YOUR

DEVELOPING INTERESTS AND CAREER GOALS
PRACTICUM

(ON- & OFF-CAMPUS EXPERIENCES, VARIETY OF SITES, IMMERSION, HOW

SELECTED, CHOICE, INTERNSHIP, SUPERVISION STYLE)
CLASSES

(INSTRUCTORS, DEGREE PLAN, SPECIALIZATIONS)

FACILITIES:

CALLIER-DALLAS, CALLIER-RICHARDSON, EXPANSION

REPUTATION/RANKING,
ATMOSPHERE:
ADVISING:
FUNDING,

Ph.D. PROGRAM (ADDITIONAL COURSES)

FACULTY, STUDENTS

CLINICAL AND ACADEMIC, OPEN DOOR

WORK (work-study, hourly, off-campus)

LEVELING/PREREQUISITES
RESEARCH
QUALITY

(TOTAL TIME, NO REAPPLICATION)

OPPORTUNITIES

OF LIFE (We dont own your time)

CURRICULUM:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
UTD PREREQUISITES (Undergraduate) What you need to

know to get started. May be completed at UT Dallas or

elsewhere.
Intro to Communication Disorders
Phonetics
Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
Articulation Disorders

ASHA/TX Licensure Requirements (Graduate or

Undergraduate, at UTD or elsewhere)

Biological Science (Human Biology preferred), Physical Science (Physics or
Chemistry preferred), Social Science, Statistics
Audiology, Language Acquisition, Speech Science
Clinical Observation (must observe an ASHA-certified SLP, documentation)

CURRICULUM:
GRADUATE REQUIREMENTS
Language Disorders (minimum 5 courses) 3 in either Child or Adult
Language Disorders, 2 in the other. One Child and 1 Adult course
specified.
Speech Disorders (minimum 3 courses) All 3 specified
Dysphagia (minimum 1 course) Specified.
Free Electives to reach 39 graduate credit hours (excluding
Prerequisites and Practicum) (26 electives offered annually plus 11
one-credit online modules)
Practicum and Internship Pediatric and adult core (1 semester
each), elective practicums and internship (3 semesters)

APPLYING TO UT DALLAS
APPLY ON-LINE: www.utdallas.edu/admissions/graduate
Apply Directly to the M.S. Program in Communication
Disorders (no leveling program)

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

FEBRUARY 1 FOR SUMMER AND FALL

SEPTEMBER 15 FOR SPRING
SOFT DEADLINES
ROLLING ADMISSIONS

QUESTIONS/VISITS: Email me: stillman@utdallas.edu

Program Office 214.905.3060 or
communicationdisorders@utdallas.edu
More Info: http://bbs.utdallas.edu/comd/