American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Standards for the Certificates of Clinical Competence (CCC)

Standard III-A: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and the social/behavioral sciences.

The applicant must have transcript credit (which could include course work, advanced placement, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or examination of equivalency) for each of the following areas: biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and mathematics. Appropriate course work may include courses such as human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, genetics, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and non-remedial mathematics. The intent of this standard is to require students to have a broad liberal arts and science background. Courses in biological and physical sciences specifically related to communication sciences and disorders may not be applied for certification purposes in this category. In addition to transcript credit, applicants may be required by their graduate program to provide further evidence of meeting this requirement.

(NOTE: Course work in biological and physical sciences related to communication sciences and disorders included under another standard – one addressing basic human communication processes.)

What This Means for Undergraduate Students in Appalachian’s Communication Disorders Undergraduate Degree Program

• Appalachian’s general education core requirements continue to allow CSD students to meet the ASHA CCC standards in the areas of in mathematics and the social and behavioral sciences.
• Because the standard in science for the ASHA CCC requires transcript credit in both biological and physical science, completing Appalachian’s general education Science Inquiry requirement in one specific science area (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, or Physics) will not meet this requirement.
• Students who complete the Science Inquiry requirement will need to take obtain additional science credit in the missing area (biological or physical science).
• There are presently three themes in Science Inquiry that will allow CSD students to meet the ASHA science requirement during their undergraduate studies, without needing additional credit: Contemporary Science; Global Environmental Change; and Life, Earth, and Evolution.

Current and prospective CSD majors at Appalachian should be guided by the following information when deciding how to meet the science requirements for the American Speech-Hearing-Language (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC):

• ASHA does not require any specific number of credit hours in either science area. The position of the Department of CSD is that students should select the least restrictive (credit hours, cost, etc.) course of action for their own personal situations. As little as one semester hour of credit in biological or physical science (whichever is needed) is sufficient. Independent study is acceptable. Auditing a course is not acceptable.
• When completing one of the current Science Inquiry themes is not possible, students may choose from among options that include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Use some of the elective hours in your course of study to obtain credit in the area needed (biological or physical science). This may be done either at Appalachian or by transfer credit from another college/university.
  • Take a course at another college/university and do not include it in your course of study at Appalachian. If you choose this option, it is your responsibility to see that your graduate program has a copy of the transcript for that credit.
  • Take a test (e.g., advanced placement, CLEP, departmental credit by examination or test). If this option is chosen, test results must be recorded on a transcript (from Appalachian or another college/university), and your graduate program needs a copy of the transcript.
• Transfer students’ completion of both the General Education Science Inquiry requirement and the ASHA CCC science requirement will be contingent on a transcript evaluation by Appalachian for transferred science credit hours. Students should consult their University College Advisor and their advisor in the Department of CSD when making decisions about these requirements.