Program Overview

Communicative Disorders Assistant Ontario College Graduate Certificate program

Program description

As a student in the CDA program, you gain knowledge and hands-on experience to work in an adjunctive capacity as supportive personnel to qualified Speech-Language Pathologists and/or Audiologists in a variety of treatment settings, including virtual care. Students focus on conducting programming after the Speech-Language Pathologist or the Audiologist has completed the assessment and determined the therapy plan. Students gain clinical experience in our on-site speech, hearing and language clinic and during the placement semester.

Based on a thorough understanding of physiological and functional speech/language and hearing conditions, students develop programming skills and learn intervention techniques to elicit and sustain communication behaviours. In addition, students identify behaviour and environmental factors that can potentially support or erode the efficacy of therapy.

Intake information

• Start date: Fall 2025
• Campus: Barrie

Tuition and fees

• Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information on the cost to attend Georgian.
• You can afford this! Explore OSAP as well as awards, scholarships and bursaries to help you pay your way to graduation.

Work-integrated learning

• This program includes a field placement component where you’ll gain hands-on experience in a setting relevant to your program.
• Learn about types of work-integrated learning at Georgian.

Admission requirements

• Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma, Degree or equivalent with a specialty in communication disorders, linguistics, human anatomy and physiology, social sciences, or human services curricula.

Selection Process

Applicants with a diploma or degree outside the specialty listed above will be considered if they have volunteer and/or work experience in a clinical setting with a speech-language pathologist, audiologist and/or communicative disorders assistant.

This is a highly competitive program. Applicants will be assessed and ranked based on academic grades. The overall minimum GPA is determined annually.

Additional information

Prior to the commencement of client contact, students must have proof of completed TB and vulnerable sector screening.

In addition to these requirements, applicants must also provide proof of a current standard First Aid, C.P.R. BLS certification, and verification of immunization as outlined on the clinical preparedness permit prior to the commencement semester 2.

Certain clinical placements will require students to have updated flu shots, Hepatitis B vaccination, additional site specific vaccination as well as a Vulnerable Sector Screening Police Record Check including a check of the Pardoned Sex Offender Database.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their eligibility to participate in clinical placements. The College assumes no responsibility for these matters and students should be aware that tuition will not be refunded in the event that access to a placement is denied.

Placement requirements

• In order to provide quality practicum placements (“Placements”), students are placed in a variety of agencies, largely in the region serviced by the campus.
• Students are required to provide their own transportation to Placements.
• Placements may vary in length (e.g. six to 12 hour days) and may include weekends and evenings, with varying start and end times (e.g. day, afternoon, overnight).

Career opportunities

Graduates of this program are prepared for employment as supportive personnel serving children and adults with complex communication needs. Graduates may find work in a variety of settings including children’s treatment centres, school boards, public health units, hospitals, and private speech and/or audiology clinics.

Why study Communicative Disorders Assistant at Georgian?

• Experiential learning: One of the key features of our program is that our students complete clinic rotations in both fall and summer semesters in the Harmonize for Speech, Hearing and Language Clinic.
• Experienced faculty: Our highly qualified faculty members are well known for their experience, and their ability to work with students to put theory into practice.

Course overview

• 15 program courses
• 2 field placements

Program-specific courses

• Semester 1 courses:
  • CODA 1000 – Speech Sound Disorders
  • CODA 1002 – Child Language Development and Intervention Supports
  • CODA 1003 – Introduction to The Communicative Disorders Assistant Profession
  • CODA 1004 – Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • CODA 1006 – Introduction to Communication Disorders in Adults
  • CODA 1021 – Introduction to Audiology
  • CODA 1022 – Introduction to Clinical Theory
  • CODA 1023 – Introduction to Clinical Practice

Course delivery method

• In person: This program is delivered fully in person and requires you to attend campus.

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