Why Major In Communication Disorders at Truman?
- Individual attention: Teaching and advising are our
highest priorities. You will have an academic advisor who is a CMDS faculty
member (see Faculty & Staff profiles). We
make sure that CMDS majors receive preferred registration for major required
classes, so that you can graduate on time.
- Undergraduate clinical opportunities:
Truman offers a Clinic or Non-Clinic option to CMDS majors (see
Undergraduate Curriculum). Although many universities have discontinued
undergraduate clinic opportunities because of their high cost in faculty
time and resources, it is our position that this is an essential experience
for students before they commit a graduate program and finishing their
professional credentials. The Clinic option includes 25 clock hours of
observation, the opportunity to be a Clinical Assistant spring of junior
year, and 2 semesters of Clinical Practicum during the senior year.
- Working with talented peers in a supportive environment:
Of your classmates in communication disorders at Truman, 85-90 % will plan
to go for at least a master’s degree. You will become accustomed to doing
your best work among a group of highly motivated peers, but in an atmosphere
that encourages collaboration and mutual support. Most CMDS majors are
members of Truman’s chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing
Association, known locally as the Communication Disorders Association (see
Communication Disorders
Association (CoDA) ).
![[photo of freshmen week picnic]](../New_Photos/resized/Division%20Day2%208-06small.jpg)

Freshmen
picnic
Working in the clinic
- Broad experience in liberal arts and sciences.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the
best way to prepare for advanced study and a career in communication
disorders is to obtain an excellent background in liberal arts and sciences.
This is exactly what the undergraduate experience at Truman provides.
- Choice of B.A. or B.S. degrees: The CMDS program offers
both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Sciences degrees (see
Undergraduate
Curriculum). Both degrees are equally valued by potential graduate
schools and employers.
- Successful graduate school preparation: Truman CMDS
majors enjoy a very high admission rate to their first choice of graduate
programs. In addition to all of the fine public and private master’s
programs within the state of Missouri, Truman graduates routinely obtain
early admission and financial support at many prestigious communication
disorders programs across the country. Recently these have included programs
at: Vanderbilt, Gallaudet, Indiana University, University of Illinois,
University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, University of Nebraska,
Howard University, University of Minnesota, and the University of Kansas.
- Research opportunities: Many CMDS students take
advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities provided at Truman.
Within the program we have an ongoing volunteer student research group (open
to students at all levels) that explores the clinical uses of new
technology. In addition, CMDS students are frequent recipients of
Undergraduate Research Stipends and McNair Scholar research opportunities.
Students majoring in CMDS have participated annually at Truman’s
distinguished Undergraduate Research Conference for the past 16 years.
Undergraduate students present regularly at the annual convention of the
Missouri Speech Language Hearing Association (examples),
which is a signal honor more common for master’s or doctoral students.
![[photo of student researchers]](../New_Photos/resized/SRC05Rev.JPG)

- Modern, comfortable facilities: The clinical facilities
at Truman are attractive and well-designed for instruction. All therapy
rooms have direct observation and videotaping capability. Our primary
classroom includes high-quality projection capability for computer and video
images (see
Welcome to the Clinic).
- Outstanding clinical materials and technology:
Truman's clinic houses an unsurpassed collection of traditional therapy
materials, tests, and clinical computing resources (see the
McGuire Media Center and labs) available
to students all day every day.
- Satisfaction with results: Alumni surveys and contacts
consistently indicate high satisfaction with the undergraduate and graduate
preparation received at Truman.
- Location: In the heart of a quiet, safe community with
the best that small-town life has to offer (see
www.kirksvillecity.com)
- Good value: Truman has been widely acknowledged as an
excellent educational value (click here for
recent reports and
reviews). Be sure to compare our tuition and the cost of living in
Kirksville with your other choices.
Go back to Truman's homepage and take the
virtual tour if you want to see what the campus looks like. Call us. Make
arrangements to visit our program and talk to students and faculty. Truman could
be just what you're looking for.


