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Communicative disorders assistants, under the guidance of speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists, help implement effective treatment plans that will assist people of all ages to communicate more effectively.
Applicants whose first language is not English or who are internationally educated in a non‐English speaking country must meet Durham College’s English Language Proficiency Policy.
This program may be highly competitive and have a specific selection process and application deadline. Please refer to Admission Processes for details.
Please note: For applications to the CDA program, there is no requirement to submit a letter of intent, resume or references. However, as noted above, volunteer and/or work experience may be requested if applicants do not meet the academic requirements for admission listed above.
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To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.
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905.721.3000
This graduate certificate program is designed for students with previous education and/or relevant experience (please see the entrance requirements section of this page for more details).
Communicative disorders assistants (CDAs), under the guidance of qualified speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists, play a variety of roles including providing speech and language therapy to children and adults in addition to carrying out speech/language screenings and hearing screenings and assessments.
Durham College’s CDA program, which is recognized by the Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada (CDAAC) and Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) will enable you to obtain the knowledge, skills, confidence and credentials needed to deliver a wide range of communication services to clients of all ages with speech, language and/or hearing disorders.
We provide you with a thorough understanding of physiological and functional speech/language and hearing disorders and the development of essential programming skills and communication intervention techniques as we prepare you for a rewarding career in the field of communicative disorders and teach you the most current and effective therapy techniques.
Our faculty members are dedicated speech-language pathologists, audiologists and communicative disorders assistants with many years of clinical experience in communicative disorders. They foster student learning through:
You will practice your skills in our dedicated CDA classroom, clinical resource library and speech-language/AAC and audiology lab, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and clinical resources that allow students to hone their clinical and professional skills.
Students gain practical clinical experience throughout the academic year with the opportunity to participate in our on-campus DC Kids Speech and Language Clinic and our DC Hearing Clinic. Our on-site community speech and language clinic, in partnership with Grandview Children’s Centre, provides assessments and intervention to clients from preschool-age to high school. Under the supervision of a registered Speech-language Pathologist, students participate in speech and language assessments, assist in the development of treatment plans and provide direct therapy to a wide range of clients.
Our CDA program also includes two clinical field placements in the third and final semester of our program, totalling over 500 hours, often leading to full-time positions for our students after graduation.
In Semesters 1 and 2, we also facilitate recruitment sessions with clinical agencies looking to hire our graduates, as well as with colleges and universities that offer graduate programs in Speech-language Pathology and Audiology.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2023-2024 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.
Your learning experience will be complemented by two clinical field placements in the second semester, totaling over 500 hours, under the supervision of qualified clinicians. This opportunity will provide you with hands-on experience and the ability to practice your skills. Depending on student preference, field placements may be obtained locally as well as throughout Ontario and Canada. Our CDA program has a Field Placement Officer who can assist in the process of finding field placements or placements can be chosen and secured by students.
Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:
It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:
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Graduates may also be eligible to apply their academic credits toward further study through Durham College’s partnerships with many Canadian and international colleges and universities.
To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
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