Preparation in Communication Disorders entails both undergraduate and graduate coursework and clinical practicum experiences. The program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) and is designed to meet all of the requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) issued by ASHA. Such preparation also meets or exceeds the speech pathology requirement for teacher licensure and health licensure in Minnesota.
The graduate course of study begins in the Fall Semester of an academic year. The specific courses students must take are partially a function of their preparation at the undergraduate level of study. Students transferring from other institutions usually have little difficulty in establishing a course of study, if they have already earned a B.S. or B.A. degree with a major in Communication Disorders. Students without an undergraduate degree in the discipline (i.e., transition students) can expect to take at least an additional year of study to remove deficiencies prior to enrolling in the graduate program.
Many of the program's hundreds of alumni have enjoyed careers in academia as well as careers in schools, rehabilitation centers, private practice, medical centers, and hospitals.