Please use the CSDCAS Application System to find the University of Kentucky CSD Application. https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
While the minimum admission requirement is a 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0, the average GPA of students selected for our program is 3.8. Currently, there is no GRE requirement. Our admission decisions are based on a composite of information about the applicant, not merely one factor. The composite includes but is not limited to:
- grades
- personal achievements/involvement during school or since graduation
- service activities
- leadership
- motivation
- time management skills
- letters of recommendation
Our application in the CSDCAS portal will by live by October 15th. Applications for both Traditional Master’s Program and Pre-Requisite/Master’s Program will be due on February 1, 2025.
(Please note: Application materials received after the posted deadline will not be considered in admission review.)
Our application through CSDCAS will require the following:
- official transcript(s)
- three letters of recommendation
- responses to two written and one video prompt
CSDCAS must verify all official transcripts from anywhere credit has been earned. Applicants that submit transcripts in the fall will have an opportunity to submit updated fall transcripts after they receive official grades, and CSDCAS will reverify them. More information can be found on the CSDCAS Applicant Help Center page. You MUST be a verified applicant by the deadline to be reviewed for admittance to our program.
Students with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology will begin their coursework in the summer semester and should select the Traditional Master's Program on the CSDCAS application.
Students who do not have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology will begin their coursework in the fall semester and should select the Pre-Requisite/Master's Program on the CSDCAS application.
Yes, those terms are interchangeable and different universities use different terms like those for their degree in CSD. A Bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology, speech pathology, communication sciences and disorders, etc. are all the same.
The Traditional Master's Program is expected to be 6 semesters of study. The Pre-Requisite/Master's Program is expected to be 8 semesters of study.
Some students apply to our CSD Graduate Program after having completed a Bachelor’s degree in another field of study. In addition to their Bachelor’s degree (in another field) they then took what we call “pre-requisite” courses for the Master’s degree. The pre-requisite and undergraduate courses at UK include; Clinical Phonetics, Language Across the Lifespan, Speech & Hearing Science, Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech Mechanism, Neural Bases of Speech & Language, Clinical Experience in Communication Disorders, Audiology, Aural Rehabilitation and Grammar. If a student has a completed Bachelor’s degree in another field and has taken ALL of those pre-requisite courses then they may be eligible to apply as though they have a completed Bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology.
Contact Anne Olson for questions. Please note, it is likely that you will need to complete all prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in the 6 semester course of study for students who already have a Bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology.
The student who enrolls in the Master’s program with a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in speech-language pathology will complete the Master’s degree, if successful, in 6 semesters of graduate study. The student who enrolls in the Master’s program with a Bachelor’s degree in another field of study will complete the Master’s degree, if successful, in 8 semesters of graduate study.
In light of the current health pandemic and in efforts to create a more equitable admission process, the CSD Graduate Program is waiving GRE scores and adopting a more holistic approach for consideration. All student applications are carefully reviewed for many factors including, but not limited to; Overall GPA, GPA in the CSD major, honors, awards, research experiences, bilingualism, commitment to service, writing ability, evidence of leadership, enthusiasm for the profession, strength of recommendations, and other broad sets of experiences and skills that suggest that you may bring a unique perspective to communication disorders.
Faculty members who have taught you, should write at least 2 of your letters of recommendation to speak about your academic performance. Faculty members who have worked with you in research, volunteer work, or a leadership role (e.g., NSSLHA, Student Ambassadors) would also be excellent.
Try to select someone to write a letter for you who can speak to other unique and valuable experiences and opportunities you may have had. A letter from an employer, mentor or someone who has supervised a Study Abroad experience, an inner city experience, or a research experience in another area may genuinely enrich your application and allow us to see what you bring that makes you distinctly different or qualified for our profession.
Written prompts: You'll be asked to provide two written responses, limited to 3,000 characters each. These responses are meant to be brief, and allow you to describe your personal characteristics and your interest in UK. Please follow the directions carefully.
Video prompt: You'll be asked to provide one recorded video prompt, limited to 3 minutes. You will upload your video response to YouTube as an unlisted, but not private, link. Please follow the directions carefully.
The faculty members usually meet to make final decisions about admissions in early to mid March. You will hear from us by email before the end of March.
Generally speaking, we receive anywhere between 150-300 applications per year and cohort sizes vary year to year depending upon the application pool. Typically we admit 30-35 students per year.
The CSD Department has various training grants and scholarships available. learn more. Please see our Funding Opportunities page for more information.
The University of Kentucky Graduate School offers a number of financial support options. You can read about the various financial support options and determine if you are eligible to apply.
Also, the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences has information about support funding on its website. Click here for the College of Health Sciences then select “Students” and finally select “Scholarships and Financial Aid”. Once again you will be able to see the various options and determine your eligibility to apply.
Students and university programs are obligated to make decisions no later than April 15th. We may ask you for an earlier decision, but you have a right to ask us to wait until April 15th.
The 1st year graduates will mostly be on campus working in our academic clinic under the direction of Donna Morris and Aimee Sayre. The 2nd year will include 3 semesters of outside clinical/school rotations.
Yes, if you are offered admission to either the Traditional Master's Program or the Pre-Requisite/Master's Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kentucky, you will be asked to apply to The Graduate School through Apply Yourself at a cost of $125.00.
Additionally, you will be required to pay a tuition* deposit to accept and hold your place in the Program. The tuition deposit must accompany your letter indicating that you are accepting your place in the program. The non-refundable tuition deposit fee is $500 for Kentucky residents and $1000 for non-residents of Kentucky. The fee will then be credited to your first semester tuition (summer or fall depending on the program). If you accept your place in our Graduate Program and then decline after April 15, 2024 you will not be eligible for a refund of the fee.
* For more information, see the UK Tuition and Fees 2024-2025 page, and the UK Cost of Attendance page.
UK offers several on-campus living arrangements. Please visit https://www.uky.edu/housing/about-graduate-family-housing for more information, virtual tours, application and frequently asked questions.
Contact our Department Chair, Anne Olson.