Fall Second Year


Fall Second Year: A Shift in Focus

During the fall semester of your second year, your focus shifts from from a primarily academic focus to more attention on your clinical education and Plan B project. You also have a number of due dates and administrative business to take care of for your degree. Be attentive to emails from the department, information on the Graduate School website and directions in this handbook.

Academic Courses

You have a number of academic courses in the fall semester, in addition to your Plan B Project. Typically, students also have a part-time off-campus internship. In the spring, you will register for CSD 8099 and you will likely register for an internship. You typically will not have other academic coursework.

Plan B Project

You are registered for CSD 8099 in the fall and again in the spring. You are working with your advisor to complete your project and participate in your Oral Exam by the end of this academic year. Pay close attention to Graduate School deadlines and forms related to your Plan B project and Oral Exam.

Clinical Education

Students typically complete a part-time off-campus internship semester. See the Clinical Education Handbook for details. If you are taking an off-campus internship in the spring, you will be meeting with CSD faculty to complete clearances needed for the spring placement.


Upcoming Due Dates

In your second year, you need to be aware of a number of important due dates. These due dates are listed in fall semester so you can plan ahead. Scroll down for additional instructions regarding each topic.

Items DUE

Check the Graduate School Website Information and Due Dates: Graduate School Website (LINK)

When you completed your Graduate Degree Plan, you were also required to complete the Assign/Update Master’s Final Committee form (electronic form). This form is used to specify the members of your exam committee and your new adviser (Plan B Adviser). You need to change your advisor from Dr. Dana Collins to your Plan B Adviser and also list your committee members. If you haven’t submitted this form by now you MUST do this as soon as possible!!!

    1. Review the Degree Completion Steps. This is to help you plan for submitting the required paper work to apply to graduate and to complete your Final Examination Report.

Thinking Ahead to ASHA Certification - The ETS Praxis Exam: Study and Register

DUE DATE: Check ASHA Website

The ETS Exam is a national professional examination in partial completion of the requirements for certfication. The ETS Exam is not a degree requirement.

ASHA recommends that applicants for certification take the Praxis examination AFTER completing coursework for their advanced degree (master's degree).

Information about the ETS (ASHA Certification) exam and exam dates is available on the ETS web site.

ETS Website

Your test is called Praxis II: Subject Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology. The test code is 5331. When registering for the exam, you must identify the following to receive your test scores:

  • UMD: CSD R0148 (This is also your attending institution)

  • National ASHA Code: R5031

  • State licensing agency, if required (not required in Minnesota). State agency codes are listed on the ETS Web site.

  • You will receive an email with your scores after you take the test. Email or forward the score report to Michelle at mtessier@d.umn.edu.

Your major field and certification: Speech-Language Pathology code 705

More information on the Praxis exam is available at ASHA

The department owns two copies of "An Advanced Review of Speech-Language Pathology" to help you prepare for the ETS examination. If you would like to see these books, they are located in the Clinic Resources Center (CRC) in the CSD Department. You may ONLY use them in the CSD Department. Do not remove the books from the CSD Department. The UMD Library also has this book in the reference section of the Library.