Are you interested in a job that uses the humanities and the sciences? Do you want to help people? Do you observe exactly how we communicate with one another? If you said yes to any of these questions, think about majoring in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) in college! CSD majors study the science behind communication problems and also learn how to diagnose and rehabilitate patients with communication disorders.
Education
According to the College Board, CSD majors usually earn a bachelor’s degree. If you are interested in studying CSD, take AP Psychology, speech, a foreign language and AP Biology in high school. Typical CSD college courses include American Sign Language, audiology, phonetics, and anatomy/physiology of speech and hearing.
What to know before you apply
Some colleges accept freshman in the CSD program, while others require one or two years of college before letting a student apply. Depending on what you want and your own learning style, you should find out the college’s specific program requirements before applying there. Also, you should find out whether the college will help you find job shadowing experience or will provide a clinic for hands-on work. Finally, you should know whether you will be focusing on children’s communication, adult’s communication, or both.
Salary
CSD majors are prepared to work as occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists, and special education teachers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational therapists earned an average annual salary of $74,970 in 2011. Speech-language pathologists earned an average of $72,000 and audiologists earned $71,000. Special education teachers earned between $56,460 and $59,080 in 2011, depending on the grade level they taught.
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