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Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders
The Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders is a pre-professional program offering students the knowledge required for an education leading to a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist.
Topics include:
- speech and language development and disorders
- relevant anatomy and physiology
- audiology and audiometry
- phonetic transcription of typical and disordered speech
- other topics as required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing in California
Students will be prepared to work as a speech-language pathology assistant and/or apply for entrance into MA/MS programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Mission and Goals Statement
The Certificate program is aligned with the mission of the Human Services Program. This mission is to provide diverse members of the community a university education that focuses on the knowledge and skills required to help those in need. The goals of the program are to provide a broad interdisciplinary background of the knowledge and skills needed to help improve the quality of life of those in need; to provide the opportunity for specialization in either target populations or methods of intervention; through supervised fieldwork, to provide experience applying academic knowledge and skills in human services organizations.
Career Possibilities
Speech-language pathologists and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants work in a variety of settings that offer year round, 10 month, full time, part time, and/or per diem employment.
Therapists work in public and nonpublic schools, preschools, community colleges, colleges and universities. They also work in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health care, rehabilitation hospitals, individual and family services, out-patient care centers, and child care centers.
Others choose to work for corporations, in the offices of physicians or other allied health practitioners, or own a private practice. Many speech and language pathology practitioners opt to work in more than one setting. These sites employ both Speech-Language Pathologists and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.
CSD Program Features
The Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders offers classes only in the evenings and on Saturdays which allows students to work full or part time and complete the prerequisite courses required for admission into a graduate program. The program affords students the opportunity to observe certificated, licensed, and credentialed speech and language pathologists in clinical and school settings in the geographic area surrounding the university. The times that courses are offered accommodates students who live outside the immediate geographic area of CSUDH. Students are trained within a cohort model and are mentored throughout the certificate program.
CSD Admission Requirements
Students must hold a BA/BS in any discipline Disorders from an accredited institution and have minimum 3.0 GPA.
To apply, visit Cal State Apply.
Pre-Admission Disclosure for Academic Programs Leading to Licensure or Credentialing
Admission into programs leading to licensure and credentialing does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or credential. Licensure and credentialing requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the CSU and requirements can change at any time. For example, licensure or credentialing requirements can include evidence of the right to work in the United States (e.g., social security number or tax payer identification number) or successfully passing a criminal background check. Students are responsible for determining whether they can meet licensure or credentialing requirements. The CSU will not refund tuition, fees, or any associated costs, to students who determine subsequent to admission that they cannot meet licensure or credentialing requirements. Information concerning licensure and credentialing requirements are available from the College of Continuing and Professional Education (310) 243-3741.
CSD Program Costs
The program costs $285/unit. Each course is 3 units, and there are 36 total required units, for a total cost of $10,260. As of the Fall 2025 term, program costs will be $299/unit, for a total cost of $10,764.