The Communication Disorders & Sciences (CDS) program is pleased to offer a 4+1 program for highly qualified first year (freshmen) students entering the University of Oregon. The 4+1 program allows a student to complete their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree at the UO in 5 years, as opposed to the traditional 6-year timeline. The CDS master’s degree is a professional degree that leads to certification as a speech language pathologist serving people across the lifespan with cognitive, communication, and swallowing disorders.
The 4 + 1 program allows students to start the graduate program in fall term of their fourth (senior) year; however, they are still classified as undergraduates for the purposes of tuition that term. This saves them one term of graduate tuition (and two terms of undergraduate tuition) and allows them to enter the speech language pathology job market early.
Students are accepted to the 4+1 program through an application process. The minimum qualifications for students applying to the program are:
- declared major in communication disorders
- evidence of school or volunteer experience, or paid employment working in human services (e.g., camp counselor, peer mentor, care provider)
- minimum 3.5 high school GPA
Students in the program meet all requirements of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the accelerated timeline requires summer coursework for most students. An individualized plan will be developed with the CDS undergraduate director to help you meet all requirements.
Applications for the 4+1 program are submitted to the department during fall term. Only first year students can be considered. The application process is competitive and not all students who apply will be admitted. Typically, four to five students are accepted each year. The process for applying occurs in several steps:
- All students are notified of the opportunity to apply early in fall term through a Canvas announcement. Interested students submit a resume and statement of interest to the CDS Director of Undergraduate Studies by the deadline noted in the announcement (typically around week 4 of the term).
- Initial materials are evaluated shortly after submission. Students are then notified if they have been selected to advance in the application process. If so, they are invited to submit their full application which includes an application essay and two letters of reference. Applications are due the Monday of week 10 of the term.
- The final step in the process is an interview, and students are invited to interview early in winter term. Not all students will necessarily receive an interview; the decision is based on the materials submitted thus far and fall term grades.
- Final decisions regarding admission to the program will be made shortly after interviews are complete.