Students wishing to enter the masters' degree program in speech-language pathology who hold a baccalaureate degree in some other profession must first take a series of undergraduate courses in speech pathology and audiology.
These courses are listed in the sequence in which they are offered; it is not possible to begin this sequence in the spring. Any student who wants to attend part-time should consult with Robert S. Pierce, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator.
I. Required courses in Speech Pathology and Audiology
Fall (15 semester hours)
Applied Phonetics
Hearing Science
Anatomy and Physiology of Speech
Speech and Language Development
Neural Processes in Speech and Language (optional but strongly recommended)
Spring (11 semester hours)
Audiometry
Clinical Preparation-Audiology (2)
Language Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Articulatory and Phonological Disorders
Summer
Aural Rehabilitation
Fall
Clinical Procedures
Clinical Preparation-Speech/Language Pathology (2)
Speech Science
Students begin by applying to the general admission office of the university to obtain post-baccalaureate (post-undergraduate, not seeking a degree) status in order to take these undergraduate courses.
Students then apply to the College of Education, Health, and Human Services for admission into the masters' program after completion of the Fall semester. The deadline for this application is February 15 and students can apply to begin the masters' program in either the following summer or fall.
The remaining undergraduate courses are subsequently taken along with graduate level courses. It is important to note that admission to post-baccalaureate status does not guarantee acceptance into the masters' program.
II. Required courses for ASHA certification
ASHA requires students to have courses in the following areas. These courses are not required for the masters' degree itself but are required to meet certification standards.
These can be undergraduate courses:
- biological science
- physical science
- mathematics or statistics
- behavioral or social sciences (2 courses)
III. Clinical Preparation
Before students can begin accruing clinical clock hours in the master's program, they must obtain and document a minimum of 25 hours of observation. While approximately 10 of these hours will occur during some of the required courses, students are responsible for obtaining the remaining hours on their own during the post-baccalaureate program. Procedures for obtaining these hours are posted in the department.
