Admissions
Who can apply?
We accept three types of applicants:
- Students who have a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology, or Speech and Hearing Science. Students with Master’s degrees from other professions will be considered and evaluated on a case-by-case basis for admission.
- Students also can pursue a combined MS and PhD in CSD. Students who are interested in a combined degree should apply for the MS program first. During the first semester of Master’s study, students can meet with faculty and participate in faculty research to identify an area of research focus and a potential doctoral mentor. At the start of the second or third semester, if the student has a very strong academic record and a faculty member has agreed to become their PhD advisor, the student can apply to the PhD program.
- Students with a Bachelor’s degree and exceptional academic records and backgrounds may pursue a PhD in CSD. These types of students who are admitted into the CSD PhD. program will be required to take additional prerequisite CSD core courses, which will be determined by the primary mentor and the CSD PhD admission committee.
When you have decided that a PhD is your path:
STEP ONE: Identify your mentor
Potential students will need to identify a mentor prior to application to the program. Students will not be admitted unless there is a faculty mentor willing to serve as their mentor. The mentor will serve as the student's academic advisor throughout the program and will serve as their dissertation chair. In rare cases, students may elect to change mentors, but only with the current mentor, prospective mentor, and doctoral graduate program director's approval.
STEP TWO: Once you have a faculty mentor, then you are invited to apply to the PhD program.
What is needed to apply?
- Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
- GRE: No minimum required; however, preferred- GRE verbal and quantitative scores in the 50th percentile or above, with a written score of 4 or above. These scores must have been received within the past 5 years.
- Minimum scores on the TOEFL or IELTS must be achieved for English proficiency by non-native English speakers. These scores must have been received within the past two years. The CSD Department adheres to the standards set forth by the Graduate School for English proficiency ( see https://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=959283).
- Three letters of recommendation, two of which should be from former or current professors.
- Resume or CV.
- Evidence of research experience and/or scholarly writing- preferred, but not required.
- Statement of Purpose, which should include answers to the following prompts:
- Describe academic and/or personal experiences which have led you to pursue graduate study in CSD.
- Why is Baylor University your choice for your PhD?
- What are your career goals and future career plans?
- What is your intended focus area in CSD? Why? Is this focus supported by the current literature?
- Which faculty member(s) at Baylor do you wish to work with as your academic mentor(s) and why?
- Interview with Admissions faculty and potential mentor is required on campus when feasible or via video interview.
- A faculty mentor must be identified by the applicant, before admission and the mentor must agree to accept the student as a mentee.
When are applications accepted?
Applications are accepted on a rolling admissions basis, with full-time study preferred and part-time study permissible. Applicants who are admitted at full-time status will be offered four years of funding, contingent on successful progress each year. To determine “successful progress,” annual reviews will be completed by the student and reviewed by the student’s mentor, the PhD Director, and the Department Chair, with financial support offered only as available and necessary.
What is the annual tuition and are stipends available?
Full tuition remission awards and stipend awards are available to doctoral students.
How many students are estimated to be in each annual cohort?
The target enrollment for the CSD PhD program will be four new students per year.
How are classes offered?
Courses are offered through residential mode (i.e., face-to-face courses). We hope in the future to offer hybrid and online offerings.