Eastern Illinois University :: Communication Disorders and Sciences

Why study SLP or AUD at EIU?

Check out this brochure about the undergraduate program in Communication Disorders & Sciences (CDS) at EIU!

CDS EIU Castle

CDS faculty and students pause for a picture in front of the EIU castle during the ASHA Foundation 5K.

Core Communication Disorders & Sciences (CDS) courses prepare you for graduate school in speech-language pathology or audiology. Speech therapy or audiology are both rewarding careers helping people, with many job openings in schools, hospitals, and private practice. The careers page has more information and videos about being a speech therapist or audiologist.
Class sizes are small in CDS (usually 30 or less); you will find it easy to develop friendships with classmates, and faculty will know your name and care about your learning.
Courses are rigorous but functional, with many clinical cases and examples, taught by faculty who worked as SLPs and who make teaching their first priority.
¨Open-Door” policy: You will see faculty and students working and talking together in offices all day long. Faculty are accessible, making it easy to stop by and ask a faculty member a question or just to chat.
Seats in CDS courses are guaranteed and foundational coursework prepares you for success in any graduate program.
You can major in Communication Disorders & Sciences with a variety of minors, options, or study plans such as pre-health (OT/PT/PA), bilingual studies, early childhood, pre-med/dentistry, or business administration to best meet your goals. The advising page tells you more about these various study options.
"Fast Track" 3 year bachelors degree study plan with Early Admission to Graduate School

EIU is the only Illinois public university that offers clinical practicum for undergraduate students.
You first participate in a full semester structured clinical shadowing experience in the EIU clinic where you assist a graduate student clinician. You are in all therapy sessions, helping take data, interacting with the client, and eventually planning and implementing activities in the session. You participate in the weekly supervision meetings with the graduate clinician and faculty supervisor. You take a companion clinical methods course (CDS 3900) to learn about clinical techniques.
As a senior, you treat your own client for a full semester in the EIU clinic (CDS 4900) with 1:1 supervision and weekly meetings with your faculty supervisor (if you attend EIU as an undergrad for 2 1/2, 3 or 4 years). This is a significant and beneficial experience before you start graduate school and begin treating multiple clients each term.

CDS faculty lead a study abroad program (therapy abroad with our partners at Mico CARE Centre in Jamaica) often offered over Spring Break or for a week in May.
CDS faculty advisors can help you find other study abroad opportunities such as spring break, summer, or full semester in universities abroad with speech-pathology programs.

Students have the opportunity to work on an individual research project for an honors thesis with a faculty mentor over a 2-year period, often leading to a presentation at state and national conferences. Learn more about the departmental honor's program for CDS.
Many students also choose to engage in an independent study (CDS 4850) with a faculty mentor, assisting in research in the community or other clinical settings.

All students will have a faculty member as their advisor. Your advisor will know you well and provide individualized support.
All faculty are happy to give you advice about minors, service learning opportunities, summer work suggestions, study strategies, study abroad options, graduate school applications, and general guidance as needed.

CDS students also often have success with EIU Merit Scholarships, Honor's Program Scholarships and other EIU scholarships such as First Generation, Community Ambassador, and Legacy.
If you plan to work as a speech-language pathologist in Illinois schools for a period of time after graduation, EIU CDS students are eligible to apply for the ISAC scholarship for Special Educators Teacher Tuition Waiver.
The CDS department has several internal scholarships available for students thanks to generous donors.

Each year we ask graduating seniors and graduate students about their experience as a CDS student at EIU.
- Consistently, 95-100% of students say:
  - They had wonderful learning experiences in CDS in clinical and case-based courses.
  - They feel ready for graduate school or work as a speech-language pathologist.
  - If they had the choice to make over again - they would definitely choose EIU!