The Communication Disorders and Sciences (CDS) program specializes in the area of speech-language pathology. Speech-language pathologists are professionals educated in the study of human communication, its development, and its disorders. By evaluating the speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing skills of children and adults, the speech-language pathologist determines what communication problems exist and the best way to treat them. Students in the CDS program study normal communication as well as procedures for assessment and intervention of persons with communication disorders.<br><br>CDS is a program that trains speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The CDS program offers both bachelor's and master's of science degrees, during which classroom instruction is integrated with practical experience. The undergraduate program is broad in scope and provides the necessary pre-professional background for the academic, clinical and research aspects of the master's level. Professionals in these disciplines are concerned with evaluation, treatment and research in human communication as well as disorders of human communication. Unfortunately, millions of persons in the U.S. have communication disorders.<br><br>Those who have disorders of speech, language, voice, and fluency (for example, stuttering) may be treated by speech-language pathologists. If you want to be a speech-language pathologist, then you should plan to attend our undergraduate and graduate program. People who have hearing disorders may be treated by audiologists. If you want to be an audiologist you can attend our undergraduate program, but then you will need to plan to go elsewhere for your advanced degree because there is no graduate program in audiology at SIUC.