The graduate program is 51 credit hours for those pursuing a non-thesis creative component (aka comprehensive examination) and 57 credit hours for those pursuing a Master’s Thesis. Course work in communication sciences and disorders and research design is combined with a minimum of 400 clock hours of clinical practicum experience.
Typical Course Sequence for Graduate Program (2021-2023)
| Fall-1st Year | Spring-1st Year | Summer-1st Year |
| 5143 Phonological Disorders | 5013 Evidence-Based Practice | 5163 Dysphagia |
| 5193 Motor Speech Disorders | 5113 Advanced Language Disorders in Children | *5423 Augmentative/ Alternative Communication |
| 5713 Fluency Disorders | 5153 Neurological Communication Disorders | *5340 Counseling for SLPs |
| 5210 Advanced Practicum | 5210 Advanced Practicum | 5210 Advanced Practicum |
| Fall-2nd Year | Spring-2nd Year |
| 5183 Traumatic Brain Injury & Dementia | 5243 Language and Literacy Disorders in School-Age and Adolescence |
| 5334 Voice and Resonance Disorders | 5533 Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| 5210 Advanced Practicum | 5210 Advanced Practicum |
*Courses are offered as electives.
If you have any questions regarding externship placement, please contact Megan Whitehead, the Externship Coordinator, at megan.whitehead@okstate.edu or by phone at 918-594-8573.
Jumpstart
Students admitted into the CDIS Graduate Program have the option to begin clinical practicum and/or the AAC course in the summer prior to fall coursework. The benefits of participating in Summer Jumpstart are that you familiarize yourself with routines and processes of clinical practicum prior to beginning a full course load in the fall, you will maintain the same clients into the fall semester, and you will have one less client in the fall. If you choose to jumpstart your clinical practicum, you will receive two clients in the summer.
Research opportunities
There are many research opportunities available at OSU. All graduate students have the option to complete a master's thesis. Thesis projects are directed by a member of the graduate faculty and require a three-member committee. Results from masters theses are typically presented at regional and national conferences and submitted for publication in professional journals. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the research projects conducted by the faculty members.
Students who do not choose a thesis option are required to complete a comprehensive examination.
Clinical Practicum
First-year graduate students obtain clinical practicum experience in the state-of-the-art OSU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic located in Murray Hall. Students can also opt to complete their clinical practicum in the OSU-Tulsa Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic. Students work with a variety of patients representing a range of communication disorders across the life-span.
During the second year of graduate school, students complete classes during the first eight weeks of each semester, and then participate in an eight to ten week full-time off-campus clinical rotation. A variety of sites reflecting the wide range of work settings available to the SLP are potential practicum placements and include medical centers, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities, outpatient and private clinics, and schools. These sites allow student clinicians to widen their clinical experience base through varied service delivery systems and patient exposure.
For all important information and forms related to the Clinical Practicum, please refer to the Clinic Manual (for 2022-23): Clinic_Manual_2022-2023.pdf
A complete listing of off-campus internship sites includes 80 agencies. It is also possible to set up practicum experiences with out-of-state facilities. Some recent out-of-state practicum sites have included:
- Medical Center of the Rockies (Colorado)
- Children's Center of Richmond (Virginia)
- Center for Speech-Language Disorders (Illinois)
- Grand Prairie Independent School District (Texas)
A sampling of some of the more frequently used sites includes:
For more information, see the Graduate_Manual_2022-2023.pdf, Clinic_Manual_2022-2023.pdf, or visit the Graduate College Website (https://gradcollege.okstate.edu/).