Communication and Swallowing Sciences and Disorders Coursework

The Communication and Swallowing Sciences and Disorders (CSSD) concentration requires 18 credit hours of coursework outside of other program requirements. This coursework focuses on the sciences investigating all aspects of communication and swallowing disorders and their rehabilitation. This concentration includes a range of interdisciplinary, conceptually broad subfields, unified by the anatomical and neurophysiological structures they share. Students may focus on the mechanisms and rehabilitation of swallowing and the upper aerodigestive tract, and/or speech, language, and hearing sciences and disorders. The required courses reflect the fact that CSSD is conceptually broad. Thus, graduate courses have been identified which encompass the wide range of science being conducted by the graduate faculty, and are selected from departments and institutes across the University of Florida. Students may choose from a variety of courses to fulfill their core requirements to create a unique program preparing them to do research in their field of interest.

Core Curriculum

Students must take at least three graduate level SPA courses from those listed here. Because the various subfields in the CSSD concentration are so diverse, the core courses taken will vary among students. The nine credits can be selected from the list below, and must be approved by the Primary Mentor and PhD Supervisory Committee.

  • SPA 5204: Phonological Disorders (3 credits)
  • SPA 5211: Voice Disorders (3 credits)
  • SPA 5254: Neurocognitive Disorders of Language (3 credits)
  • SPA 5401: Pediatric Language Disorders (3 credits)
  • SPA 6010: Basic Auditory Science (3 credits)
  • SPA 6233: Motor Speech Disorders (3 credits)
  • SPA 6270: Auditory Processing Disorders (3 credits)
  • SPA 6314: Clinical Auditory Electrophysiology (3 credits)
  • SPA 6324: Audiologic Rehabilitation for Children (3 credits)
  • SPA 6564: Communication and Aging (3 credits)
  • SPA 6581: Dysphagia Management (4 credits)
  • SPA 6936: Special Topics in Hearing Science (3 credits)
  • SPA 6936: Special Topics in Speech and Language (3 credits)
  • SPA 7354: Hearing Conservation and Noise Control (3 credits)

Additional Concentration Coursework

CSSD students are required to take nine additional credits of coursework that is not specific to SPA. This list provides a sampling of appropriate CSSD concentration courses, but is not intended to be a comprehensive listing. Additional concentration coursework should be selected under the guidance of the primary mentor and supervisory committee and based on the student’s research aims.

  • RSD 6401: Skeletal Muscle in Aging & Disease, and Implications for Rehabilitation (3 credits)
  • RSD 6710: Motor Control: Translating from Fundamental Research to Rehabilitation Practice (3 credits)
  • RSD 6718: Neuroplasticity as a Foundation for Rehabilitation (3 credits)
  • RSD 6930: Control of Breathing and Airway Defense (3 credits)
  • APK 6116: Physiological Bases of Exercise & Sport Sciences (3 credits)
  • APK 6118: Neuromuscular Adaptations to Exercise (3 credits)
  • CLP 7934: Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior (3 credits)
  • CLP 6115: Clinical & Cognitive Neuroscience: Methods & Theory (3 credits)
  • GMS 6705: Functional Human Neuroanatomy (5 credits)
  • LIN 6707: Psycholinguistics (3 credits)
  • LIN 6796: Cognitive Neuroscience (3 credits)