Graduate Handbook - 4-2018 - Iona University

2020-2021 ADMISSIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The CSD Graduate Program uses Communication Sciences and Disorders Computer Application System (CSDCAS) to collect all requirements for admission, which are as follows: a. Iona College Graduate Admission Application b. CSD Supplemental Application c. Three letters of Reference d. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores e. Resume f. Brief Video The most successful candidates will have completed all pre-requisite coursework requirements, written a well-organized and unique personal statement, obtained three strong letters of reference, scored between a 140-160 on each section of the GRE, earned a minimum 3.3 grade point average for all major courses, and documented a myriad of work and extracurricular experiences on their resume. The application process will begin when the College has received all of the above material through CSDCAS. Completed applications will be reviewed by a Graduate Admissions Counselor and Iona College faculty members. Faculty members will independently evaluate each application and assign a rating based on a judgment of the applicant's overall potential for successful graduate study based on the documents submitted with the student’s application. Students will receive information about their admissions’ status within the spring semester of their application. Conditional Acceptance & Support Plans If all prerequisites are not complete at time of admission, applicants will receive a conditional admittance until all prerequisite courses are complete. If applicants earned less than a B in a prerequisite course and/or have a GPA lower than a B, a support plan for the applicant’s first semester of study will be implemented. Support plans may include the following: seminars addressing challenging content for the applicant, 1:1 meetings with the program director to enhance study and organizational skills, and other colloquia to support the applicant’s transition to graduate studies in CSD. Transfer Credit A student wishing to apply credit earned at another institution of higher education to a master’s degree at Iona College must obtain a School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Programs Transfer Credit Authorization form from the Admissions’ office. This form requires the signature of the Department Chairperson or Graduate Program Director and a representative from the Dean’s office. The student must also have an official transcript from the other institution sent to the Admissions office. It is strongly recommended that students have transfer credit approved prior to enrolling. Coursework must have been completed within the past five years with a minimum grade of B, and may not have been used for any other degree program at any other college. Course work must be clearly delineated at the graduate level and directly relate to the concentration of SpeechLanguage Pathology. A maximum of six (6) credits from other institutions may be 9

2020-2021 transferred for credit towards the graduate degree with a concentration in in Speech Language Pathology. 10

2020-2021 English Language Competency The Iona College CSD Graduate Program will follow the Iona College Graduate Admissions English Language Policy, which is stated on Iona’s website: s-science.aspx The English Language Policy is as follow: IBT TOEFL: 80 or better, OR IELTS: 6.5 or better Iona offers English as a Second Language (ESL) services. Information about this program can be found at: neral-au-pair-program/course-information.aspx 11

2020-2021 CURRICULUM Degree Completion The Master of Arts degree program in Speech-Language Pathology is a competency-based program. Therefore, students are expected to achieve a minimum competency level of B in required didactic courses and clinical education practicum. The minimum graduate requirements for the Master of Arts degree program in Speech Language Pathology are: 58 semester hours of course work, consisting of, at a minimum o 45 required semester hours (15 courses) in the Speech-Language Pathology curriculum, and o 13 required semester hours in clinical practicum (5 practicum courses) an overall graduate grade point average of at least 3.00 (A 4.00) with a minimum competency level of B in all courses and clinical practicum; 400 clock hours of clinical observation and practicum with individual clients. Clock hours must be distributed as follows: o Clinical Observation (25 clock hours minimum) prior to beginning initial clinical practicum o Clinical Practicum consisting of direct client/patient contact (375 clock hours minimum), at least 325 clock hours at the graduate level. Sample Typical Program Fall Semester 1 CSD 515 Language Disorders in Children CSD 505 Neuroanatomy and Physiology CSD 603 Advanced Speech Sound Disorders CSD 610 Practicum 1 Spring Semester 1 CSD 500 Language Disorders in Adults CSD 615 Evaluation Procedures for Diagnostic Purposes in Speech-Language Pathology CSD 524 Dysphagia in Adults and Children CSD 611 Practicum 2 Summer CSD 519 Language Development and Disorders in School-Age Children CSD 521 Augmentative and Alternative Communication CSD 580 Clinical Communication CSD 612 Practicum 3 Fall Semester 2 CSD 570 Aural Rehabilitation CSD 517 Research Methods in Speech and Hearing 12

2020-2021 CSD 581 Cognitive Communication and Aging CSD 613 Practicum 4 Spring Semester 2 CSD 501 Voice Disorders CSD 575 Fluency Disorders CSD 527 Social Communication Development and Disorder CSD 614 Practicum 5 Program Duration Students are required to spend a minimum of five semesters (including the summer semester between the first and second years) to complete the requirements for the M.A. degree. Any of the following is likely to require extension of the minimum duration for completion of the program of study and delay graduation: Unsatisfactory performance in academic courses Unsatisfactory performance in clinic practica or externship assignments Violation of the ASHA Code of Ethics. If it is necessary for the graduate student to alter his/her graduate education by reducing the number of courses and/or clinical assignments during one or more semesters due to illness, family situations, etc., the duration of his/her graduate education is automatically extended and he/she should not expect to graduate according to the originally projected graduation date. Students who accept clinical practicum placements that require preliminary training or other commitments that extend the residency period beyond the duration of graduate study specified above should not expect to graduate according to the originally projected graduation date. Continuous Enrollment Students who fail to complete all academic or clinical requirements in the minimum time periods described above must maintain continuous enrollment as a condition of their continued candidacy for the graduate degree. Leaves of Absence, Withdrawals, & Readmission Students will follow the College policies in regards to leaves of absence and withdrawals, all which are stated in the Iona College Graduate Catalog. It should be noted that since CSD courses are offered only once per academic year and require a certain sequence in order to optimize learning, a leave or withdrawal will put the student significantly behind in his or her plan of study. For example, if a student withdraws from all courses during the Fall semester, the student will not be able to rejoin the program until the following Fall. Students who have been inactive for one year (two semesters) or more must file an application for readmission and remit a reapplication fee. Students should note that requests for readmission will be reviewed under the admission requirements in place at the time that the request is submitted. Please see the Graduate Catalog and the Office of Graduate Admission for additional information. 13

2020-2021 Student Records Student progress toward acquiring competencies required for graduation and certification (i.e., CAA standards & CFCC standards) will be documented using a web-based tracking application, CALIPSO, to enable you to have access at any time to your academic and clinical progress through the program. In addition, during each academic term, you and the graduate program director will update your progress by the graduate program using the KASA feature in CALIPSO. This form will summarize your progress through the program. It will also help you verify that your degree completion is on track and that the prerequisites for your Clinical Fellowship (CF) are up-to-date. Upon graduation, students are provided with their academic and clinical records (i.e., all clinical documents; documents in CALIPSO). Records are maintained in a locked cabinet in the CSD department. If alumni are in need of their records, a formal request to the CSD Program Director should be made. Paper records are maintained for 5 years and CALIPSO records are maintained for 8 years. The program director and department administrative assistant have access to paper records; the program director and clinic director have access to the CALIPSO records. In addition, current students and graduates may obtain an official transcript by visiting: http://catalog.iona.edu/content.php?catoid 9&navoid 617&hl transcript&returnto search#Tran scripts The CSD program follows all college policies and procedures in regards to student records. Please contact the Provost office for additional information about College policy. 14

2020-2021 EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE All classroom assessment measures will reflect the individual course goals and objectives, which will be provided in writing and distributed to all students during the first week of each class. All course objectives must be directly related to the program’s learning goals. Evaluation by written examination, aural examination, oral presentation, group activities, projects, research papers, and competency testing are among some of the techniques to be used by the faculty. Clinical practicum performance will be evaluated based on specific objectives determined by each practice setting. Knowledge and Skills Acquisition Knowledge and Skills Competence The current MA in Speech-Language Pathology curriculum is in accordance with the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology’s (CFCC) 2020 standards and the CAA’s 2017 standards. The course sequence has been reviewed and adapted to comply with these standards to provide you with multiple opportunities to acquire and demonstrate competency in all the knowledge and skills areas. Every course syllabus will list a set of standards (i.e., knowledge and/or skills) that will be met upon successful completion of the course. The department has set a competency of 80% or better on each of the assessments aimed at fulfilling the standards. (See Knowledge and Skills Summary in Appendix.) Additionally, in order to demonstrate acquisition of these knowledge and skills, the status of all graduate students is monitored in formative and summative manners. Formative assessment is on- going and examples of formative assessment include quizzes, homework assignments, projects, papers, and mid-term assessments in academic and clinical courses, clinical supervisor comments on diagnostic reports, weekly therapy plans, and long-term therapy plans. Examples of summative assessment are final assessments and grades in academic and clinical courses, supervisor’s comments on end of semester progress reports, ratings of clinical skills using the evaluation form in CALIPSO and a comprehensive examination required for graduation. Iona’s graduate program in speech-language pathology is designed to assess and track students’ ongoing progress in both the academic and clinical components of their programs. Knowledge and Skills Remediation Plan If a student fails to achieve the minimum competency level specified for a given assessment within a course, the instructor will provide the student an opportunity to remediate the knowledge/skill area. Such remediation might entail retaking a part or all of the assessment or completing another assessment specifically designed to address the specific knowledge an d/or skills area. The faculty member will provide a time-line for completing the remediation. Unless stated otherwise, students are required to complete the remediation prior to the commencement of the next semester/Graduation. The remediation is offered as a means of ensuring that students achieve a minimum level of competency on all standards. Any improvements in knowledge and/or skill as a consequence of the remediation plan will not be considered towards the final course grade. A note of the remediation offered to each student and the outcome of the process will be documented in the student’s file (see Appendix B), in accordance with the Department’s knowledge and skills-tracking process. All remediation plans, along with student's achievement of knowledge and skills, will be posted by the Program Director to the student's CALIPSO account each semester. 15

2020-2021 Policy on Examinations All examinations or skill/competency evaluations shall be stated and dated clearly in each course outline at the start of the semester. If the course schedule must be revised, the instructor will provide adequate notice. Unless stated in the course outline, there will be no repeat testing for failed student performance. Students will only be excused from any type of performance evaluation with a documented reason for the absence. Any student who must be absent from an exam must notify the course instructor in advance. Documentation for the absence must be given to the course instructor. In the event of an emergency, the student must make every effort to contact the instructor on the day of the exam using the contact information provided in the head of the syllabus for the class, and must provide written documentation immediately upon returning to the College. Make-up examinations will be scheduled at the discretion of the course instructor. The student must coordinate with the instructor with regard to suitable date and conditions of any make-up examination or other form of performance evaluation. Policy on Written Assignments All written materials submitted in fulfillment of the Speech-Language Pathology program’s coursework and other obligations must meet professional standards. Each written document submitted must be clearly legible, complete, and concise and must meet the requirements and criteria established by the course instructor or clinical supervisor. The writing skills of a professional must efficiently and effectively communicate critical information needed by the reader. The professional standard established for the Speech- Language Pathology program is the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Unless otherwise stated, all written assignments must be typed or electronically printed. Each student is responsible for proofreading all written work for both content and style before submission. Students are expected to produce original work. Proper citations of reference materials must be made at all times. Any student representing another student’s work as her or his own shall be subject to disciplinary action. 16

2020-2021 Grades The graduate degree program in Speech-Language Pathology is a competency-based program. Therefore, students are expected to achieve a minimum competency level of “B” in all required courses. Grades are earned as follows: A AB B 93-100 90-92 87-89 83-86 BC C F 80-82 77-79 73-76 73 If a student receives a grade of “C ” (or lower) in a required course, he/she must meet with the Program Director prior to beginning additional course work. 1. Students who receive a grade other than “A,” or “B” in a course taken for credit toward the graduate degree must comply with a competency-based remediation plan agreed to by the student and a group of CSD faculty. If after one remediation the student has still not met all competencies addressed in the course, the student's faculty group may opt to deny the student clinical practicum until competency is met. 2. If a student's overall (cumulative) GPA falls to 2.99 or lower, he/she will not receive any clinical assignments (practicum or externship) until the GPA meets or exceeds 3.00. 17

2020-2021 Appeal of Grades The student has the right to appeal any decision relating to student performance evaluations. The student must first meet with the course instructor who graded the assignment and discuss the concerns. If the problem cannot be resolved, the s tudent may request a meeting with the CSD Program Director and the CSD Department Chair for further guidance in resolving the problem. In the event that a student cannot resolve the matter at the department level, the student may appeal to the Dean’s Office of the College of Arts and Science. 18

2020-2021 REMEDIATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE Satisfactory Academic Progress Monitoring A. Initial advisement meeting with Program Director: During the summer prior to entrance into the Iona College CSD graduate program, students attend a meeting with the program director. During this meeting, students are given the CSD Graduate Handbook and review the curriculum and expectations of the CSD Graduate program. B. Mid-semester & end-of-semester check-in for each class: All syllabi for academic courses include learning outcomes linked to specific CFCC standards. Each professor will advise students about their progress about meeting the learning outcomes for the class during the middle of the semester and then again at the end of the semester. Typically, students who have earned a grade of “B” or better in the class will have met the class’s learning outcomes. C. Semester meeting with Program Director: Students are required to meet with the Program Director at least once during each semester to review academic coursework plans and progress towards achieving expected knowledge and skills. D. End of year meeting with CSD Program Director: At the end of year 1 and then again at the end of year 2 (exit int

The MA program in speech-language pathology at Iona College is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland, 20850, (800) 498-2071 or (301) 296-5700. Complaint Procedures