Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders - Virtual Information Session

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Looks like we're going to go ahead and get started. Everyone is logged in. So good afternoon or hello and good day to whatever time you may be watching this. If this is pre recorded and you were watching it via link. My name is Jen Radwanski and I'm the Associate Director for Graduate admissions here at Stockton University. And today I am joined by some of my amazing colleagues and we are here to share a little bit more about our Master of Science and Communication Sciences and Disorders program here at Stockton. So.

Before I turn it over to my colleagues to introduce themselves, I just want to give you a couple little tidbits of information. If you are joining us live, you will notice that this is a webinar format. We cannot see you or hear you. However, there is a chat feature on the right hand side of your screen. Please feel free to use that chat feature. However, what I will tell you all is that this is a very comprehensive presentation and more than likely we will get to all of your questions through the slides that we'll be providing you today. So it probably is best.

Just to hold your questions till the end, jot them down on a note section on your phone or on a piece of paper. And then we will do a full live Q&A at the very end of the session. In that chat feature. For those of you who are watching the recording of this, at the very end of the slides of the slides, we will provide you with our contact information so you too can have your questions answered and you can reach out to us. So thank you for for again for joining us. And I am going to next have my colleague Matt introduce himself.

Hi everybody. My name is Matt. I am the Assistant Director of graduate UMM Technology here in admissions. Uh, I will be primarily speaking about the process of applying to UMM, our MCSD program and the process through sidcast. As Jen said, we're thrilled that you're here today and thank you for your interest in Stockton University.

So again, Matt and I will be here to help manage the chat and some of it will be helping with a little bit of the presentation. But we are going to turn things over to, uh, one of our two program chairs, Doctor Phil Hernandez, who is going to tell you a little bit more about himself and then give you a really comprehensive overview of this program. So Doctor Hernandez, take it away.

Hello everyone. Thank you for joining us today, this morning, this evening.

Just my role at in a program is a Co chair. The other Co chair, Doctor Stacy Castle is teaching right now. She's not able to join us. However, the PowerPoint is very thorough and I will share the information regarding, you know, the perspective as a faculty member within the program. Also, Matt and Jennifer will be chiming in with some of the information regarding applications. OK.

So let's get started. So it's a Master of Science and Communication Sciences and Disorders program here at Stockton University. We are an accredited program, so we prepare students to be ASHES certified, which is the American Speech Language and Hearing Association in speech language pathology.

You also prepare students for certification as Speech Language Specialists by the New Jersey Department of Education and for New New Jersey licensure. We also prepare our students to demonstrate principles of evidence based practice.

To provide opportunities for continuing education and to provide direct clinical services to the surrounding community. OK, we are like I said, we are fully accredited. Our next site visit will be in 2029. That's when the council and academic accreditation and speech language pathology and audiology come out to our campus and a interview faculty interview students look at our facilities, look at our score syllabi, make sure that everything that.

Doing to the standards of the CAA, OK.

So here's the accreditation statement. So this statement needs to be published on our website and wherever we advertise our program, which comes directly from the CAA, also the American Speech and Language Hearing Association. Please feel free to take a look at that information. If there's any questions about complaints or concerns regarding Stockton's program, there is a link that you can.

E-mail the CAA and Asha.

Regarding your concerns, OK, this is our faculty, so we do have 4.

Didactic faculty members. And then we had three clinical faculty members that, you know, is part of our faculty. And we also have adjuncts. So we have Lauren Padula, Megan Mapes or audiologist, and then Lindsay Daly, who's also a speech science pathologist who works full time.

In a school, but she supervises our students in the afternoons.

OK. And we have prerequisite.

So based on Ashes certification standards, there is a certification.

If you click on that link you can see those those standards.

Great. So one of the things I wanted to chat with you all about is the required program prerequisites. What we do in the Office of Graduate Admissions is we do have an opportunity that after you attend one of these sessions or review our website, you have an opportunity to schedule an appointment with one of our team members here if you have additional application questions. And the reason I'm jumping in to share at this point is because the most frequently asked question we get for this program is in regards to the prerequisite courses.

And the reason being is that there are a number of these prerequisites that are very unique. As you notice the the five course 4 courses at the bottom, excuse me, biology, physical science and physics or chemistry, statistics or a social science. Those are pretty routine, especially at a liberal arts institution. The five prerequisites that are at the top that you see here in speech and hearing, anatomy and Physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism, introduction to communication disorders, Speech and language development.

And phonetics, these are a little bit more difficult to come by and your institution may not have those or you may have been a different major that didn't allow you to take these courses. However, they are a requirement to apply for the program. They can be in progress at the time of application and we'll get to that a little bit later. But what I wanted to share with you is if you are in a place where you are not able to take these at your undergraduate institution or you've completed your undergraduate.

And have not taken these, simply make an appointment with our office. So we have a number of ways that we can help you to achieve these prerequisite courses and we can talk through what the best options are for you. And I just wanted to kind of highlight that it shouldn't be a deterrent from applying from the program, but it may result in you needing to make a separate virtual appointment with one of our team members for us to be able to assist you. So just wanted to share that.

Thank you, Jennifer. And also this is not just a Stockton requirement. This is required for every single graduate program across the country. So this is stand standard for the CAA and the Asha. OK. So in addition to that, we also recommend because in our rubric we give extra points if you have an audiology course, if you're taking an audiology course, if you're taking a linguistics course, and if you speak a different language, it could be sign language different, you know, French, Spanish, whatever other language.

We do give you those extra points when we look at your application.

Our degree requirements to 63 credit hours, so it's clinical and academic, 400 hours of supervised clinical, practical hours of 25 must be in guided observation. So many students do come into our program with the 25 guided activation hours. However, it's not required. I mean there are other ways that you can't, we can have you complete those 25 hours.

Prior to getting into the clinic and seeing clients, OK, we do a Sep 75, undergraduate experiences. So if you have a clinic at the undergraduate level, we do accept accept 75 hours. Another degree requirement is a comprehensive exam and the practice exam in speech science pathology, which is the national exam that you take to become a national certified speech language pathologist, OK.

Students so we.

Our target enrollment is 30 time, 30 time, excuse me, 32 full time graduate students.

We do get many applications, so you know, it is a selective process, our first year sequence, so we have one. You have to be sound disorders, language disorders in young children plus an application course, neurology, research and communication disorders, advanced clinical methods.

Which is a course that I teach and then clinical methods application which is from.

Semester one fall semester you are in the clinic and we, you know that process of local methods application process walks you through that clinic, right, that process and everyone is paired in in teams of two, all right. And same thing with spring semester. So our first year is pretty jam packed.

So you know, these are the courses that we need to have you take prior to sending you out to your first clinical externship, right because.

A lot of the placements are requesting these courses before you go out into your externships. OK, We also have our social justice model.

Module so module 1, Module 2 and module 3, as you will see there are non bearing credit models. Module So you're going to be assigned tasks, you know, read a chapter or look at a video and then we have a speaker based on that topic. Come and speak to the cohort about that. That topic, for instance, module #1 is racism, anti racism.

And allyship. Module 2 is implicit, explicit biases, Module 3 is microaggressions. And then in the summer.

You'll be taking the Culture Advanced Culture Linguistic Diversity Issues course, which is part of the Social Justice Model module.

And then in the summer, so the summer is a regular full time semester. So it's courses and clinicals. So you're expected to be, you know, in classes that entire that entire summer.

Four courses against a regular semester.

Where you see the asterisks for clinical Practical 1 and electives. It's optional, but it's something you would discuss with your preceptor or your advisor.

Whether you're going to take it or not during the summer session, OK.

Then your second year is, as you see is lighter on the, you know, coursework, but you're going to be out in your clinical externships all day, every day. So maybe from 8:00 till 5:00 or 8:00 to 4:00, you'll be out in your clinical experience and then you'll have these classes in the evening virtually. OK, same thing with spring semester 2.

These are the electives that we currently offer. So we have medical, speech science, pathology, school based SLPS, advanced counseling and communication disorders, second language acquisition, bilingual diagnostics application and research seminar. Everyone is required to take two electives. So these are the electives that we do offer in the spring, in the summer and in the fall.

But there's something you'll discuss with your preceptor as far as which ones you're going to take.

Collector practica clinical methods applications for one year. One utilizes a problem based learning approach.

Student clinicians treat one client in pairs and then clinic 1 is right. On our campus we have a speech and hearing clinic, so students are treating 2 clients independently. When you reach clinic 1 and then clinics two and three. Or your externships could be hospitals, clinic facilities, skilled nursing facilities, rehab centers, private practice.

And you're going to be supervised by clinical educators out in the field.

So we do have our speech and hearing clinic on campus. So we provide assessment and treatment services to clients across the lifespan from birth all the way to 100.

Providing an environment in which students can begin to acquire knowledge and skills needed by speech science pathologists. We also in the summer have PT and OT students who come into our clinic and provide services. So we do that collaboration with that program. So here we have a video of our speech engineering clinic.

Alrighty, so hope you enjoyed that video. So in our program we do offer a bilingual.

Bilingual English Spanish specialization, which is offered to students that are enrolled in the Master of Science Communications Communications program and the purpose is to enhance the preparation of future bilingual speech language pathologists with special interest in working with Spanish English bilingual individuals within the scope of practice of speech science pathology. So if you speak Spanish, if you take in Spanish in college.

In high school, you feel comfortable, you know, at least communicating with clients.

We often, you know, this is something that we offer because there is a huge, huge need for bilingual speech language pathologists in the field. OK, so you don't have to be Hispanic, you don't have to be a native speaker, as long as you can speak the language, we highly encourage you to apply. OK, so prospective students interested in the the best program, there are two pathways. So the first one is you will respond to the supplementary application of this of the.

Program in sidcast in Spanish. You'll write a brief essay, 500 words or less, on reason why you want to be part of the best program. Demonstrate Spanish language proficiency with a Spanish Zoom or phone interview and then complete your GA application, which is your graduate assistantship application. OK.

And then the second pathway is once you're admitted into the program, so the first pathways you're going to be when you apply into the program, you're going to, you know, fill out that section of the application.

But however, if you are already admitted into the program and you want to be part of the program, there is the second pathway. So once you're admitted, students may decide to participate in best. If they do that, you know, if they did not do so, be a pathway 1.

They will contact me Doctor Hernandez as the best advisor by the end of second week of fall semester one. However, you're going to be eligibility requirements for Pathway 2 include #2 and #3 so writing your essay in Spanish and your phone interview or zoom interview in in English. I mean in Spanish, sorry.

And then, however, if you do Pathway 2, you're not eligible for GA credits until spring semester 1. So something to take into consideration to think about.

And then the outcome. So prior to graduation, students in the best program will demonstrate clinical competencies when working with bilingual clients and satisfy satisfactory completion of the following requirements. So.

There's going to be 1 assignment in each course. So where you're going to be focusing on the Hispanic population, for instance, it's not an extra assignment, it's an assignment that's already part of the course. But it's going to be have that that focus on Hispanic population or Spanish speaking population, OK.

Clinical experience with bilingual clients.

And then completion of community, community engagement activities in Hispanic community a minimum of 10 hours. So we go into the community, we do workshops for parents on how to develop literacy skills or what is an appropriate recommendation or referral for a speech and language evaluation based on second language acquisition. And you know the whole second language acquisition phenomenon. So we talked to parents about that and educators also. So and then the last part of it is.

Donor research project, right?

So here are some examples of the projects that we've done in the past. So here's a parent teacher training service learning where we went to a local preschool into the training for teachers and parents on what is speech pathology? What do we do? What are the developmental milestones? What are things to look for? What are some red flags? Who do you contact if you suspect that your child has a speech and language problem?

That whole process.

And then our students have done capsule research projects.

They present at national organizations, state, local organizations.

And also here at Stockton, we have a day where students across all disciplines share their research across university, OK.

All right, so students have been presented at state, national, international levels.

And some of the research projects, faculty research projects consists of experiences of racially and physically diverse undergraduate students pursuing speech language pathology. So these are some of the projects that have been conducted already. The impact of report on therapeutic outcomes. Treatment of persistent articulation areas using biofeedback tools. Pitch perception in people with and without musical training.

Influence of having a therapy dog present in treatment sessions for stuttering and cultural competence.

Responsive practices. Humility across the curriculum. Master's curriculum.

Here we have some more students doing, you know, sharing their research internationally, locally or nationally. OK.

Connections between the classroom and the clinic. So what we try to do is whatever we're teaching in the classroom, make sure it's relevant to our clinical sites and our the clinical experiences you're going to be experiencing. So treating language based literacy, our clinic is very big on problem based learning and simulations. Also in our classrooms we're seeing more and more simulations. We're doing more and more simulations in our classrooms.

And then using language sample analysis using salt software, which is a, a published software that you know, you punch in the information of what a client has said, a child has said based on the story retail and it gives you an analysis of, you know, mean length of utterances, how long do they speak of complexity in those type of things.

Here we have them making the connections right? So classroom book plus, you know, hands on activities, lot of reflections.

Frankly, ask questions. So Matt's gonna take on from here.

Thanks, Phil. Absolutely. So now we're going to dive into the application. So when is the deadline for your application to be verified? Your deadline is January 15th, 2025. So let's talk about what verification means. Your application process, it's through sidcast. So that's the centralized application for communications disorders programs. You're going to start a Cidcast application and then you would select Stockton University and that's how you.

Normally applied to the institution to get verified, it means that you're filling out everything that's required within your sidcast application and that includes putting in your own prerequisites. So you are on the hook to put in your transcripts. They're legitimate entry from the student. So any courses that you have taken at any institution, you're responsible for putting that within the transcript entry section.

When you're done with that transcript entry and you've done all the other requirements of your application.

You then go to a verification process. So that verification process is done directly by sidcast, the company. So all of your transcripts, they are sent directly to sidcast. All your materials, they're sent directly to the Sidcast application and uploaded within the sidcast application. So if you send materials here, that's absolutely fine. However, we cannot add them to your sidcast application so that you can reach verification.

The only way you can be verified is to send your transcripts directly to Sidcast. They'll review what you put in into your transcript entry and verify that if you stated you got to be an audiology that your transcript really does say you received to be an audiology. So take your time on the application. It is, it is a big application, but you know, make sure that you're getting your feet wet. Obviously you still have an opportunity to apply to this program. The verification deadline is January 15th, so you have plenty of time, but you should still.

Start it as soon as you possibly can in the possible opportunity that your application does not get verified. So if you're not verified, they'll contact you meaning sitkas and they'll say hey, so you have a discrepancy on your application and typically the discrepancy is in regards to your transcript entry. So the company will reach out, say hey, you got it. You said you got to be in this course. It's actually an A, so please go ahead and fix that and then we'll go ahead and verify your.

Afterward. So what that means is really just take your time. You know, if you're putting that transcript entry in, make sure you're in a room and you can really zone in and make sure that you're putting all the information in accurately so that way you don't hit a roadblock in your process of getting verified. OK, So all completed applications require documents, they are to be received in sidcast as I've stated. And then yeah, there is no additional application. So once you are verified in sidcast, your application.

Is imported into Slate, which is our application system here at Stockton and you'll receive an e-mail and we'll let you know, hey, your verified application has been received by Stockton. Please click this link to complete the creation of your applicant account. And then that's it. So you click that link, you would generate your applicant account here at Stockton. You would pay a $50 supplemental Stockton fee. And then from there, whenever a decision is made on your application, you'll be informed via that applicant account that you create.

All decisions are virtually released, so you'll have letters that go directly to you.

So what are the admissions criteria? So we've, we've talked about the admissions criteria a little bit, but as Doctor Hernandez has said, the cohort, it's a 32 person cohort and that cohort is every fall. So if you're applying to this program, keep in mind there's no spring start. It's always full. So the next cohort that comes in will be fall 25. It is a competitive program. We, we do have a fair amount of applications.

But you are applying to be a part of a 32C cohort program, the overall emissions requirements. So you should have a 3.2 cumulative GPA. So that means all per all your classes are considered together and it's making one cumulative GPA. You should be around the 3.2 GPA to head to review if and when you are verified by that deadline. The prerequisite courses we have talked about.

But those are listed on our site as well, so the prerequisite courses.

Their anatomy and Physiology, phonetic speech and hearing science, intro to communications disorders, speech and language development. And then there are additional courses that are not ******** required at this time, but recommended such as the audiology course that we discussed before. So when you're applying your admissions requirements, you can have outstanding prerequisites. OK, So naturally if you're applying right now.

You're, you're likely a rising senior and you're in your first semester, so if you still have outstanding coursework, go ahead and put that plan of action within your application.

So that way when you are reviewed, our faculty are aware of the courses that are outstanding. You may have up to two outstanding prerequisites in the spring term. So a lot of applicants will ask like, hey, if I have outstanding prerequisites, does that mean I shouldn't be applying? I should wait an entire year? No, you should absolutely apply. In fact, it's very typical that there are outstanding prerequisites. That's absolutely the norm, I would state.

So just make sure that if you do have a plan of action and you're registered for the spring.

Include those courses as in progress courses and then you will get an e-mail when an academic update period occurs and you'll go back in and you'll state what you got in those courses just so that the faculty know you successfully completed that prerequisite when you did complete that semester. OK. And those prerequisites, they should be a minimum grade of AC. So if you, if you need to retake a prerequisite.

To accomplish a better grade, you may do so as well.

So the missions criteria, emissions requirements, as I've stated, the three, two cumulative GPA is what you should be aiming for. All your transcripts, even if you transferred from 1 institution to the next, all that academic history should be within your sidcast application. So if you went to a school even for one semester and it was one course, if that course shows up on a transcript that you did not put in into Cidcast, you would then go into a holding pattern and.

Let you know we can't verify you right now because you do have an entire other institution that was transferred into this transcript, but you must include that in your academic transcript entry. OK so again, it's a very important part of your application. It's not it's not all of your application There's essay questions there's your your letters or recommendation. So there's a lot of other important aspects of your application, but I would say the beast part of the app is the transcript entry. Luckily there is tons of walkthrough videos on.

Site So if you play the video, it's like a 10 minute video and it breaks down exactly how you put the transcript entry in. There is actually another option too. It's an additional fee. But if you want sidcast to put your transcript in for you, you can do that and there are instructions on how to request that and pay the additional fee and then cidcast can put your transcript entry in for you. I've seen it done both ways. I can't say like there's there's more pro a one way than the other, but that opportunity is for you if you would like them.

To put that entry in for you, it's just an additional fee. So you're going to need letters of recommendation as well. It's 2 letters of recommendation from individuals who have first hand knowledge of your academic potential, right. So when you're sending out these recommendations, it's through the sidcast application. You're going to put their information in including their e-mail and then it goes directly to your recommender. They put all their information in and then they put the recommendation in for you for this program again, it's.

All directly through the sidcast application and really.

Really think about who you want to recommend. You obviously get someone who can really speak on you as an applicant, someone that would highly recommend you. Also avoid getting recommendations from family or personal friends. It really should be somebody who could speak on you academically and perhaps even volunteer wise, somebody that has worked with you, right? So somebody that can really, really recommend you on the aspect of you as a student.

So not like a grandma giving you a recommendation or your mom, although I'm sure you're all loved. Make sure it's the proper recommendations.

So this is another link if you want to visit our site, this is a core functions. So you can visit our program website there to read that document and the documents a guide for future practitioners and audiology and speech language pathology core functions.

So as I stated before, it is a cohort and it's a full time cohort which which is a positive, you're going to be very close with your cohort. So it's a cohort of 32 students. It starts every fall as I've discussed and it is a full time program. So there is not a current part-time option. So when you're considering programs, just keep in mind this is a full time program. You do have a set schedule and you are required to have those courses take place in your fall semester and.

Semester. So as doctor Hernandez went in before and discussed what you take each academic term when it's your fall one and spring one, those courses are set in stone and it's on a full time status. So you are a full time student, a part of a 32 cohort program. And as stated before, there are no spring admissions. We only admit for every fall term.

So what does the committee consider? So we spoke on GPA, we spoke on recommendations. Honestly, it is a holistic review, right? So when you are filling out your application, don't be bashful in regards to your.

Your successes and your certifications and your experiences. If there's a section in the said cast application, my suggestion is to fill it out. A lot of individuals will get bashful and they'll think like, hey, so I only did this minor thing where like I assisted and I helped that.

Out at an event, please put that if you have been doing all these activities and certifications things that you should be including in a resume and proud of, please include that in your sidcast application.

Recommendation is perhaps you're not even aware of all the good things you've done. So have some conversations with other friends or family members because the next thing you know, you'll have a conversation and like, hey, didn't you do this or didn't you have this huge project that you presented?

So talk to other individuals because sometimes, as I said, it's hard to talk about yourself, but there's probably not a better time than to do so when you're applying to Graduate School and applying through sidcast. OK, so they're considering you as an entire applicant. However, GPA is put into the scoring, your quality of your admissions, the graduate essays, right? So please, please, please do not be using ChatGPT.

Or any automated responses to an essay. It is trackable. I'm really have it be personal, have it come from the heart. And if there are multiple essays, don't answer an essay that looks the question may be a little bit different. My suggestion is to never answer something the same way. So if there is a question on the Sitkast application and the next question is similar, answer it a little bit differently. It it. It's in your best interest to really put effort and personalization in your responses. Umm.

And essays are a part of your holistic review and then the letters are recommendation, obviously. So if people are recommending you.

They're gonna be good recommendations most likely, and that is a part of your academic review when you head to the committee after getting your application verified. So as I've said, and I'll hammer it home again, really take your time on the sidcast application. It can be overwhelming at first. However, they really do break it down in nice sections and take your time on that because if you do hit a roadblock and then you go into.

Awaiting verification. There's an opportunity that you may not be verified by the deadline, but the great thing is sidcast is your application. That is your main source. So if you haven't started an application yet, feel free to start one after this webinar if you're comfortable doing so. Select Stockton and then you can see exactly what I'm discussing broken down fairly nicely as a part of the Sitka application.

So what else does the committee consider? So experiences, as I've discussed, there is an experience section. You will put some experiences in a resume, right? But don't short yourself. So if it's in your resume, that's great. Put it in your experience section as well. You're selling yourself. It's a competitive program. So really put yourself in the best light possible and don't short yourself anything that you think may.

Help the view of of your academic profile and you as a student for the committee. Feel free to continue to include that within your application.

So life experiences, involvement in organizations, athletics, volunteer experience, related work experiences, research experience, leadership, right? Everything that I just formally discussed. Don't sell yourself short. Really put yourself in a great light when you're applying to this program.

So how can I increase my odds of admission? OK, really. Like I said, put the effort into the application, Sell yourself. Make sure that when you're doing your essays right, maybe put that in a Word document 1st instead of typing it directly into the application so that you can read it, reread it again, give it to somebody that can give you good perspective, different eyes on your essay, right? Something that perhaps you missed or something that could be written a little bit better, right?

Take the essay seriously. Obviously it's a little section of your overall application.

But read it, get some peer reviews on that, and then be comfortable with your essays. Sell yourself. I know I've said it 100 times, but really don't. Don't sell yourself short in this application. Let it be known who you are and the experiences you have. And your GPA is obviously a big part of it, but it's a holistic review, so take your time on it. If you have any questions about the application, it is a piece of an application. Whatever we can help you with here in our office, feel free to reach out to us.

If you run into any technical issues with Sidcast, you will unfortunately have to reach out to that program and and it's a real organization. However, their turn around time is great and we'll know exactly what's going on in your scenario. Everything is recorded for us on the administrative end. So if you're in awaiting verification and there's a hold up, we'll be aware of what it is, whether it's a transcript, miss entry or.

Whatever the issue is will be aware of it so you know, take your time on the application. If you need to communicate with people, make sure that you're reaching out.

We want you to get verified and feel comfortable with your application so ultimately you could head to review when you are done.

And graduate assistantships, I'll wrap up with that. So graduate assistantships, they're a great opportunity for our students to get some credit allocation and credit assistance. As a new student, you can apply to be a grad assistant the exact same time you're applying to the program. So when you are verified and when you're imported into our application system and you set up your applicant portal, you'll log in and it'll say welcome to your applicant portal and you'll see an optional form in there. That's the graduate assistantship application.

So it's, it's a virtual, it's a link right within your portal. It's optional. You don't have to apply for it. However, if you feel that you want to be a grad assistant or at least just throw your hat in the ring, absolutely fill out that application. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes maximum. A lot of the information will actually be pre filled out from your your general application and to be Aga, you'll work with faculty, you can do some research.

Honestly, it's it's a broad range of outcomes what you'll be doing as a graduate assistant, but it's likely to be hands on experience.

Within your program and then you're getting credit assistance with that, right? So if you're granted up to three credits a course here at Stockton, the graduate course is 3 credits. So if you were given a three credit graduate assistantship, look at it as having a course taken care of for you, right? So it's a really great opportunity for some new graduate student assistants. And as Doctor Hernandez has said before too, if you don't want to be Aga first term, that's OK too, right? If, if you're not comfortable not only joining.

Program, but being a grad assistant you could always apply as a continuing student the next year.

All right, so I know that was a ton of content and I think we've been up to speed on the replies in the chat, but right now I'll open it up for everyone to have those questions addressed if we did not. But I know the Sidcast application, it's a big process. If you have any questions, as I've stated, feel free to reach out to us. You're definitely not alone in this application process.

Matt, as we're waiting for folks to dive into that chat feature, could you talk a little bit further about how input looks in sidcast for a student who has a course still in progress? So for example, they still have a spring term to complete and they're doing the application, you know, at the end of December.

Yes, absolutely. So you can put your transcript entry and you're going to put that status as in progress, right. So you will have the ability to put in future terms and then you would just put Spring 25 and you would say this, you know if it's A&P, it's in progress and and it will be completed in this term. So you do have the ability to state what's been completed, but also what will be completed and that's in the transcript entry.

Great walkthrough video on the site for that transcript entry.

Because again, it's, I'm not trying to scare anybody, I just want you to know it is like you thoroughly have to go through it. But the great thing is it's a 10 minute walk through video and it'll go through the steps like this is how you find the course that you're looking for. This is how you put the information in in progress. This is how you would add in progress courses. And then the academic update period is an important period where then you go back to the in progress courses and you're inserting the.

The grades that you received so that we can be sure that your prerequisites were accomplished.

Umm, because as a part of your admission to the program, you can be admitted, but it's always pending, umm, graduation and pending successful completion of prerequisites, right? So if and when you are admitted, we'll be sure to get that final transcript that's showing any outstanding requirements so that we can ensure that they've been met and then you're good to go for the fall 25 term.

Sure.

Awesome. Thank you. Doctor Hernandez, we have a question for you and this is, this is a great question. Caitlin brings up. If you are coming from out of state, does this mean you're certified in the state you graduate from based upon the location of your graduate institution?

So once you graduate from our program, you can apply it to any state. So for certification, for licensure, each state has their own licensure requirements. So you would have to take a look at those licensure requirements, but.

Yeah, so Asha does.

Take into account that maybe graduated from Stockton, NJ, you live in Florida and that's fine so you don't have to do anything extra.

Perfect. Thank you.

Perla, how much is tuition? That is a great question. So what I would recommend, we have all of this on our forward facing website and this does change year to year based on us being a state institution. But if you go to the website that Matt posted earlier in our session to our Communication Sciences disorder page, on the left hand side there is a button that says finances and right when you click on it, it breaks everything down by credit.

And so you can look at it whether or not you are in state or out of state and it it is very clear and in a forward facing space.

Is the cost per credit, just know that that can change from year to year and that you may want to take that into consideration. In the big picture, Anyone who's watching this prior to December, December 3rd, we actually are having another one of these information sessions on how to finance your graduate education that you can sign up for. I highly recommend that session and we'll dive really deeply into the options as far as how to pay for Graduate School with our colleagues from the Office of Financial Aid. So that's a really great question. Thank you for bringing it up.

Alright, does being a graduate assistant replace a course or do I have to take all courses in the program? Another good question. This is does not replace a course, it replaces the.

Need for you to pay for part of a course, all courses must be taken. It is not in place of its additional work. So this is additional research within your program, but it does help to reduce the cost of the rest of your coursework. So another really great question.

Right. Yep. And it'll, it'll function as a graduate assistantship, not an internship. So slightly different. So it's, it's, it's additional work and then you're getting credit allocation. So it's assistance in paying for your courses. Yeah.

Cool. And then you also see Matt dropped in a real direct link for the financial information. Matt, thanks for doing that. So please feel free to jump into that link for a deeper dive. And again, it's dependent on in state, out of state. And then again year to year there can be increases as a state institution. So great. All right, I am not seeing any additional questions, so I will close by. First of all, thanking Dr. Hernandez, Matthew, Matt, thank you as well.

And thank all of you who are joining us live for taking that time to come and listen. We hope that this has encouraged you to apply for this program. If you have additional questions, you can see all of our contact information there. We are very happy to help all of you through this process. So please don't hesitate to reach out to us. I also want to highlight in in particular, Doctor Hernandez. Thank you especially.

Because I think the opportunity here straight from a program chair is such a gift. And I truly every time we do one of these sessions and someone, I actually had someone asked me this yesterday at an event, they said what is what is the best part of going to Graduate School at Stockton? And I said, it's our faculty.

It's the relationship that they have with our students that they know you personally, they care about you, and they're there to see you succeed. And so again, thank you, Doctor Hernandez, for taking the time to be here and to show us that and to tell us more about your program. But again, the highlight of coming to Stockton is our amazing faculty here. So I hope everyone has a wonderful day and we hope to talk with you all again soon. Take care, everyone. Bye, bye.