UCI, or any institution in the University of California system, does not have a CSD, major which is typically the major which offers a direct pathway for completing the pre-requisite requirements for entry into Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology programs.
However, completing any undergraduate degree and sufficient coursework will also satisfy entry. We've created a roadmap of the courses at UCI that cover these core topics which you can use to guide you in choosing which courses to take. The entry coursework for SLP and AuD tend to be similar, however additional courses covering language disorders are typically required for SLP programs and some AuD programs require a course in ASL.
ASHA has specific pre-requisite course requirements for students pursuing a career in Speech-Language Pathology to complete at the graduate or undergraduate level for certification. Although these standards were designed specifically for SLP certification, this is also a standard for many AuD programs as well. Applicants must have prerequisite skills and knowledge of life sciences, physical sciences, behavioral sciences, and math. Classes taken at the high school level are not eligible to meet this requirement, except advanced placement (AP) courses that appear for credit on your college/university transcript.
Evidence of at least one course in each of the following four areas is required:
Statistics (for precaution we recommend taking a stand-alone stats course offered by the statistics department, research methodology courses do not count towards this requirement, and some schools will not accept courses offered outside of a mathematics or statistics department.)
Physical science (coursework in physical science must include content in either physics or chemistry. Labs are NOT required.)
Biological science (Broad areas include: anatomy, biology, cell and molecular biology, computational biology, ecology and evolution, environmental biology, forensic biology, genetics, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biosciences, natural science, neurobiology, neurology, physiology, and zoology.)
Social/Behavioral Science (coursework in social/behavioral sciences can include psychology, criminology, sociology, anthropology, ethnic/cultural studies, and cognitive science)
Programs will require you to have completed these requirements before you apply. There are many courses you could take at UCI that should satisfy these requirements:
Statistics
Stats 7 (basic statistics) is recommended.
4 unit course offered every quarter and during summer.
sometimes taught in sequence with Stats 8 (introduction to bio stats)
Physical Science
Any 4-unit CHEM or PHYSICS course should be sufficient.
Chem 1A is recommended for students whose field of study is not within the physical, biological, or health sciences
4-unit course offered during fall, winter, and summer
students who do not have the pre-requisites should first enroll in either Chem 1X (2 units) or Chem 1P (4 units)
Biological Science
Any 4-unit BIO SCI course covering ASHA's acceptable content areas.
Social/Behavioral Science
Any 4-unit course covering ASHA's acceptable content areas.
Lower-division courses offered by the School of Social Ecology or the School of Social Sciences are recommended
Ensure you satisfy the prerequisites for each course and look at the course enrollment history to see which quarter each course is typically offered.
Phonetics
LSCI 115: Phonetics
4 unit course offered once a year
LSCI 3: Intro to Linguistics
4 unit course offered twice a year
LSCI 51/PSYCH 56L: Acquisition of Language
4 unit course offered every fall
LSCI 155/PSYCH 150: Psych of language
4 unit course offered every winter
N.B. covers topics on children’s language development/disorders
LSCI 182V/Educ 151/PSCI 192V: Language and Literacy
4 unit course offered every winter and spring
N.B. course covers how to support literacy and oral language development
LSCI 116 (previously listed as 159): Speech Science
4 unit course offered every fall.
LSCI 158/PSYCH 161: Language and The Brain
4 unit course offered once every 2 years
LSCI 159: Cog Neurosci of Language
4 unit specialty course typically offered every winter quarter
N.B. Covers the cognitive and neural mechanisms of language
COGS/PSYCH 160A: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
4 unit course offered every winter and summer
N.B. Covers the brain regions involved in language production and processing
Hearing Science
COGS/PSYCH 131B: Hearing
4 unit course offered every winter
PSYCH 161H/Bio Sci N147: Hearing and the Brain
4 unit course offered every fall
N.B. Clinical topics like tinnitus and cochlear implants are discussed in more detail than PSYCH 131B. Some programs, but not all, will consider this class a sufficient replacement for an Audiology course
LSCI 117: Acoustic phonetics
4 unit course offered once a year.
N.B. Covers acoustic properties of speech and their relationship to speech articulation and speech perception
American Sign Language
ASL 1A (LSCI 99): Introduction to American Sign Language
4 unit course offered every fall
Taking the entire 3-class sequence (ASL 1A-B-C) along with deaf culture (LSCI 11) is highly recommended
Courses that educate and build cultural/linguistic appreciation:
LSCI 51B: Bilingual Education
4 unit course offered every fall and spring
Covers current issues in bilingual education, the effects of bilingualism on children's linguistic and cognitive development, bilingual education programs, literacy, special needs, and assessment
LSCI 11 (previously LSCI 99) : Deaf Culture
4 unit course offered once a year
Covers topics in Deaf culture such as language, identity, traditions, norms, and values
LSCI 68: Language and Culture
4 unit course offered every winter
Examines how cultural knowledge is linguistically organized and how language might shape our perception of the world
LSCI 2: Discovering Language
4 unit course offered every fall and spring
Examines language's role in identity, language loss, legal and educational contexts, and examples of spoken, signed, and Native American languages
Courses on compassion, humanistic approaches, issues, and ethics in healthcare:
NUR SCI 92: Compassion in Healthcare
MED HUM 1: Health, Wellness, and Conception of the Body
ANTHRO 134A: Medical Anthropology
SOCIOL 154: Medical Sociology
Unfortunately, UCI does not offer all the courses that SLP/AuD programs might require, such as:
Anatomy and Physiology of Speech, Hearing, and Swallowing Mechanism
Introduction to Communication Disorders
Audiology and Audiometry
Auditory Habilitation
Fluency Disorders
Speech Sound Disorders (Articulation/Phonological Disorders)
Cultural/Linguistic Diversity in CSD
Luckily, there is a way students can complete these courses during their time at UCI without the need to enroll in a post-bachelorette program!
Any undergraduate student enrolled in any University of California campus can enroll in one course per quarter at any California State University (CSU) or participating California Community Colleges without formal admission or an additional Tuition Fee. This program is called Cross-Campus Enrollment, and you can use this system to take the CSD requirements that UCI doesn't offer at a CSU in person at a neighboring campus or online.
Visit the cross-campus enrollment page to see a list of CSD courses offered by CSUs and instructions on how to enroll in the cross-campus program.
Please note that this information only covers the pre-SLP/AuD coursework. This pathway is designed to illustrate the order in which you should take courses to fulfill prerequisite requirements. The chart does not include general education or major-specific coursework. Be sure to consult with your school and advisor to determine how to best adapt your schedule. (CE indicates the course is taken at another campus through the cross-campus enrollment program)