Bachelor of Health Science in Communication Disorders (CDIS)

Are you passionate about helping people learn to speak and communicate effectively? A bachelors degree in Communication Disorders is the first step toward admission to graduate program and becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist. Use your passion and your skills to assist individuals in nearby Chicago or anywhere in the world you may launch a career after your time at GSU.

Our location in Chicago’s Southland offers unique pre-clinical experiences that will prepare you for a certification program and graduate study. You will work closely with highly qualified faculty, thanks to our small class sizes and faculty mentorship opportunities. If you have questions about the best way to become a speech-language pathologist, an undergraduate advisor and the CDIS undergraduate program director will work with you to determine the courses and next steps to take.

The Chicago Southland offers many pre-clinical and observation experiences for your coursework. While the small size of our campus aids in instruction, our proximity to Chicago allows you to observe experienced master clinicians in speech-language pathology and professionals in other related health professions.

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), your job will be to evaluate a speech, language, or swallowing difficulty, explore treatment options, and prepare a treatment plan for your client. A day in your life of as an SLP might include daily therapy sessions, parent or clinical team meetings, or discussing a client's treatment plan to be facilitated by a teacher, social worker, or other professional.

As a BHS student in Communication Disorders at GSU, you must develop a solid foundation in biological, and physical sciences.  This foundation will help you understand the underpinnings of typical and unusual cases and how to solve problems for accurate diagnosis of a speech or language disorder.  At the graduate level, you’ll enjoy hands-on experience with clients in a variety of settings creating treatment plans and practicing treatment options.

The ability to communicate is influenced by a variety of factors at diverse points across the lifespan. Governors State’s Bachelor of Health Science in Communication Disorders (CDIS) equips students with the foundational knowledge and academic credits needed for entry into the Master’s program to become a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). Students receive real-world preparation that includes a state-of-the-art audiology suite and clinical tools such as Master Clinician and SimuCase.  

In addition to completing the undergraduate curriculum for a degree in CDIS, students also meet course requirements for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Professional Educator License endorsement in Non-Teaching Speech-Language Pathology, and undergraduate-level content required for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

During didactic coursework undergraduate Communication Disorders students engage in many practical, real-life activities that help them prepare for graduate school.  Once in graduate school, students participate in internal practicum experiences supervised by CDIS faculty and full-time external practicum experiences.