Offered by Durham College in Oshawa, Canada, Communicative Disorders Assistant (graduate certificate) is a postgraduate certificate in Speech & Language Therapy programme. The programme runs for 3 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 17,839 per year (CAD 5,127 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Postgraduate Certificate
Field:Speech & Language Therapy
Duration: 3 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,127 / year
International tuition: CAD 17,839 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
As a graduate of the communicative disorders assistant program, you’ll have the specialized knowledge and practical skills needed to support speech language pathologists and audiologists in delivering vital communication services. The communicative disorders assistant profession continues to grow across Canada, with opportunities spanning healthcare facilities, educational institutions, rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Your expertise will help clients of all ages, from children with developmental delays to adults recovering from stroke or injury, achieve their communication goals and improve their quality of life.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: A college diploma or a degree is required, weighted towards communicative disorders, linguistics or cognitive science, psychology, the health or social sciences, and human or social services curriculum. Where a credential falls outside that range, Durham will still consider the applicant if they bring clinical volunteer or work experience alongside a speech-language pathologist, an audiologist or a communicative disorders assistant. Durham asks for no letter of intent, no resume and no references, although that experience may be requested from applicants who fall short of the academic requirement. Proof of English proficiency is required, and anyone educated internationally in a country where English is not the language of instruction must satisfy Durham's English Language Proficiency Policy; this certificate sits with Practical Nursing as an exception carrying a higher international bar - IELTS Academic 7.0 with no band under 6.5, or TOEFL iBT 94 with no section under 23 (5 from 21 January 2026), with PTE Academic, CAEL and Duolingo not accepted. Durham lists this among the programs it expects to be highly competitive, so applicants who are complete by the equal-consideration date get ranked on an average of four senior-level prerequisite subjects (Grade 11 or 12 at the C, M or U level), and the marks needed in practice sit above these published minimums.
Application Details
Start Date:September intake - the only intake listed on this program's page. Classes begin 8 September 2026 in the current cycle.
Application Deadline:Domestic (apply at ontariocolleges.ca): equal-consideration date 1 February for a September start - 1 February 2026 covered the September 2026 intake and the same rule applies to the next September intake. Applications completed after the equal-consideration date are still accepted and assessed while seats remain. International: apply through Durham College's own international application, not ontariocolleges.ca; Durham publishes no general international closing date and directs applicants to the Intakes and Availability table on the program page. This program is on Durham's list of programs anticipated to be highly competitive: qualified applicants complete by the equal-consideration date are ranked on the average of four senior-level (Grade 11 or 12, C, M or U) prerequisite subjects.
