First Advisement Meeting with the DGS 

Each student must schedule an advisement meeting with the DGS during the first two weeks of the semester.  At this meeting, the DGS reviews undergraduate transcripts and discusses university degree and ASHA certification requirements with the student.  

First Year End Review by DGS

The DGS reviews each graduate student's progress in the program after the first year of the program. 

Students' performance is reviewed based on the University of Minnesota Master's Program Standards and CSD Department requirements for academic and clinical performance.  In order to maintain good academic standing in the program, students must meet these standards. 

Students who fall below the program's minimum GPA requirement may be terminated from the program.  

Students also must file a degree plan with the Graduate School to continue in the program.  

Qualifying for Off-Campus Internships

Clinical Education Policy 5.2.5

 The Director of Graduate Studies reviews students' progress toward the degree. Formal reviews take place at the end of the  first year of graduate school, after each subsequent off-campus internship, and at the end of the program. Students progress to off-campus internships in their second year of the program. In order to be considered for an off-campus internship, students must have met the following criteria:

• Be a CSD graduate student in good standing with the Graduate School.

• Completed their most recent on-campus internship without needing a clinical intervention. 

• Completed any formal academic intervention requirements from the previous semesters to the satisfaction of the assigning  faculty member   

• Completed at least 25 guided observation hours by spring semester of their first year or at least 6 months prior to the off-campus internship start date. 

• Earned summative scores of 4 or higher on the most recently completed internships and without the aid of any intervention plans.

For further information, refer to the Clinical Education Handbook.

Reviewed Spring 2021 

With permission, based on policy of the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Academic Intervention Policy

This policy applies to graduate program academic courses. Please refer to the clinical education handbook for the intervention policy and procedure for clinical education courses. 

Course assignments and learning outcomes align with ASHA Certification Standards. As part of qualifying for professional certification, graduate students must demonstrate proficiency in all CFCC Standards addressed through courses, as defined by a rubric for assessing student 

It is the policy of the Department of Communication Sciences and disorders that students whose performance falls below established performance standards on any learning outcome in an an academic course must meet with the instructor to create an intervention plan for addressing that objective.

The purpose of the intervention plan is to ensure the student acquires the knowledge/skills from the course and demonstrates sufficient knowledge and skills addressed in CFCC standards. The student must successfully complete the intervention plan by the established deadline. Successful completion of the intervention plan is documented as evidence of meeting the certification standard and learning objective. Successful completion of the intervention plan will not result in a change of grade for the assignment or for the course.

Students will not be placed in an off-campus internship unless intervention is completed for all courses required for that placement. Students may appeal decisions to the CSD Department’s Program Standards Committee and should refer to the UMD website for other student grievance procedures.

Academic Intervention Procedure

1. When the course instructor identifies that a student has not demonstrated proficiency in one or more standards in a course, the instructor notifies the student.

2. The student is responsible for meeting with the instructor to create and document an intervention plan.

3. The student must successfully complete the intervention plan within 4 weeks of the plan’s creation unless other arrangements have been made with the course instructor. 

4. Faculty submit documentation of completed intervention plans to the assessment coordinator for processing.

Reviewed and Updated Spring 2023

Intervention Procedures for Clinical Internships

(Clinical Education Handbook Policy 5.2.4) 

All students meet with their clinic instructors on a regular basis to review their clinical performance, identify strengths and areas for growth.  Together, the intern and instructor identify knowledge and skill areas to target for clinical growth.  These goals are documented, and progress is reviewed by the student and the supervisor, as part of the mentoring in practicum.  

As a part of reviewing a student intern’s performance, a clinic instructor must determine if the student is performing at an acceptable level to continue in practicum without specific department intervention.  

The intervention procedures for clinical practicum outline a formal process for working with a student who is performing at below acceptable levels in practicum.  The procedures are in place for the support of the student and for the protection of the clients with whom the student may work.

Clinical Intervention Policy 

Graduate students begin the program with on-campus internships. If an instructor identifies that a student’s skill is emerging or not evident  on the clinical performance evaluation,  or if the student  is earning an overall grade of B- or lower, then the instructor initiates an intervention plan to support the student’s learning. A student must successfully complete any assigned intervention in order to participate in another on-campus internship. 

Qualifying graduate students progress to off-campus internships.  Instructors collaborate with preceptors to determine when a student’s performance warrants intervention. If a student earns a rating of 2.9 or lower on any aspect of the clinical performance evaluation or if a perceptor has a concern that requires involvement of university course instructors or the externship director, the student’s performance will be evaluated to determine the need for an intervention.  

The department reserves the right to dismiss a student from practicum on the basis of insufficient progress and protection of the human rights of the client

Clinical Intervention Procedure: On-Campus Internships

1. Determine need for intervention

   1. Define concerns: The instructor documents the concerns on the clinical performance evaluation.   

   2. Instructors hold preliminary review meeting:  The instructor brings documented concern to the clinic director and the other clinic instructors working with the intern.  The instructors and director review the concerns to determine whether they are resolvable without a formal clinical intervention plan.  If the group determines a clinical intervention plan is needed to support student learning and client care, then the intervention procedures will commence.  The clinic director informs the director of graduate studies and the externship director of the need for an intervention plan.

   3. Advise the student of the need for intervention: If an intervention is warranted, The instructor who raised the concern reviews the performance evaluation with the student and advises the student that an intervention plan will be created for them to complete.

2. Implement the intervention plan

   1. A clinical intervention team is assigned to participate in the intervention procedures. The student’s intervention team includes the clinic instructor(s) who brought forth the concern or a designated instructor, the clinic director, and the externship director. The team creates a formal written intervention plan that outlines learning outcomes/standards to be addressed, clear objectives, performance criteria for success, and a timeline for completion. 

   2. Meet with the student to review the plan:  The student meets with the clinic director and one instructor from the intervention team to review the plan. The student must agree to complete the intervention  plan in order to continue the internship. 

   3. Complete regular periodic reviews of the student’s progress:  The assigned instructor(s) will meet with the student and discuss their progress on a regular basis at their weekly team meeting.

   4. Hold intervention team midpoint review: At the midpoint of the intervention period, the team will review the student’s progress toward the established goals.  The team looks for evidence that the student is making satisfactory and steady progress, as well as acceptable overall performance on the clinical performance evaluation and the intervention plan. Adjustments in the plan may be made as deemed appropriate by the team after discussion with the student.

3. Final Review at the end of the intervention period:  

   1. Determine satisfactory completion and inform the student of the decision: A student’s performance will determine continuance in on-campus internships and will be reflected in their grade. 

      1. Students who successfully complete their assigned clinical intervention plans are eligible to continue on-campus internships.

      2. Students who do not successfully complete assigned intervention plans are not eligible to continue on-campus internships.   If the student had been actively involved with clients, the clients will be reassigned to another student intern to ensure quality, ethical treatment.  

   2. Determine next steps:  The clinical intervention team will make recommendations to the student regarding continuation of the clinical component of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program.  The team will discuss options for additional intervention or courses of study which may help the student progress in identified goal areas. The department reserves the right to dismiss a student from practicum on the basis of insufficient progress and protection of the human rights of the client.

Clinical Intervention Procedure: Off-Campus Internships

Note: Students must meet the qualifications for off-campus internships as outlined in section 5.2.5 of the CSD Clinical Education Handbook.  The following procedures outline intervenion for off-campus internships.

1. Determine need for intervention

   1. Define concerns: The preceptor documents the concerns on the clinical performance evaluation and/or reaches out directly to the students off campus liaison or direct of externships to identify the point of concern.   

   2. Preceptor will have an in-person meeting or via phone (per their preference) with their students off-campus liaison:  The off-campus liaison will set a meeting with the preceptor within 1 business day of hearing about a concern from the preceptor. Depending on the nature of the concern the Director of Externships may be present as well. The preceptor will review the concern with the off campus liaison to determine whether they are resolvable without a formal clinical intervention plan.  If the group determines a clinical intervention plan is needed to support student learning and client care, then the intervention procedures will commence.  The director of externships informs the director of graduate studies of the need for an intervention plan.

   3. Advise the student of the need for intervention: If an intervention is warranted, the preceptor and the off campus liaison will review and discuss the intervention plan and process with the student.  

2. Implement the intervention plan

   1. A clinical intervention team is assigned to participate in the intervention procedures. The student’s intervention team includes the preceptor(s) who brought forth the concern, off campus liaison assigned to the student, and the externship director. The team creates a formal written intervention plan that outlines learning outcomes/standards to be addressed, clear objectives, performance criteria for success, and a timeline for completion. 

   2. Meet with the student to review the plan:  The student meets with their assigned off campus liaison and the director of externships, and preceptor(s) to review the plan. The student must agree to complete the intervention  plan in order to continue the internship. 

   3. Complete regular periodic reviews of the student’s progress:  The preceptor(s) and assigned off campus liaison will be in regular-weekly correspondence to discuss the student’s progress. The instructor and preceptor will update the student regarding their progress and provide opportunities for discussion on a weekly basis .

   4. Hold intervention team midpoint review: At the midpoint of the intervention period, the team will review the student’s progress toward the established goals.  The team looks for evidence that the student is making satisfactory and steady progress, as well as acceptable overall performance on the clinical performance evaluation and the intervention plan. Adjustments in the plan may be made as deemed appropriate by the team after discussion with the student.

3. Final Review at the end of the intervention period:  

   1. Determine satisfactory completion and inform the student of the decision: A student’s performance will determine continuance in off-campus internships and will be reflected in their grade. 

      1. Students who successfully complete their assigned clinical intervention plans are eligible to continue in their  off-campus internships.

      2. Students who do not successfully complete assigned intervention plans are not eligible to continue off-campus internship(s).     

Determine next steps:   The team will discuss options for additional intervention or courses of study which may help the student progress in identified goal areas. The department reserves the right to dismiss a student from practicum on the basis of insufficient progress and protection of the human rights of the client.