Program Description
Upon completion of our program graduates will be prepared to become a certified speech-language pathologist, able to assess and treat infants, children, and adults with acquired or developmental speech, language, and/or swallowing disorders.
The Master of Science, M.S., education programs in speech-language pathology {residential and distance education} at the 猎奇重口 are accredited by the of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (), 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.Our program meets the clinical and academic standards for Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology () by ASHA and and many other states.
We are committed to providing students with high-caliber academic and clinical training experiences with a focus on inter-professional education and research. Our goal is to prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective speech-language pathology services for a range of populations in all relevant environments.
SLP Graduate Program Prerequisites
Students enter the 猎奇重口 Master’s degree program with
1) an undergraduate degree with a communicative sciences and disorders (CSD) undergraduate major, or
2) an undergraduate degree in a non-CSD area with the additional completion of CSD leveling courses.
Information about the 猎奇重口's campus-based and online CSD Leveling Sequence can be found on the Post-Baccalaureate Leveling Sequence webpage, and detailed descriptions of each course can be found in the .
Degree Options and Required Coursework
There are two degree options:
- Thesis Option: 71 total graduate credits (35 graduate program course credits, 30 practicum credits, and a minimum of 6 thesis credits; may require an additional semester)
- Non-thesis Option: 65-68 total graduate credits (32-35 graduate program course credits, 30 practicum credits, and 3 capstone/portfolio project credits)
The cousework for these programs can be broken down as such:
- 32 credits of graduate program courses, a majority of which focus on developmental and acquired communication and swallowing disorders.
- Either a graduate thesis (6 credits) or graduate non-thesis portfolio project (3 credits).
- An additional 3 credit elective of graduate-level coursework. Permission may be requested from the Graduate Advisor to complete the required elective as a graduate course from another department. Some students will have multiple electives if there is a need to complete multiple undergraduate or Standard IV area requirements if these have not been completed prior to graduate school.
For full course descriptions, please access the 猎奇重口 .
Additional Prerequisite Requirements: ASHA Standard IV-A
In addition to the required CSD courses, in order to apply for SLP Certification the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) requires students to complete in the following content areas:
- Physical Science: Physics or chemistry.
- Biological Science: Science of living things (human or animal): biology, general anatomy & physiology, neuroanatomy & neurophysiology, human genetics, or veterinary science (must be non-CSD courses)
- Social/Behavioral Science: Psychology, sociology, anthropology, or public health.
- Statistics: Prerequisite for SLP 600: Research Methods. One stand-alone course is required. UM’s graduate Research Methods CSD course does not count for stats. Psychology, Math, or Social stats; stats also meets the previous math course category.
*The suggested courses, or approved equivalent courses, must be documented on your transcripts with a passing grade. Advanced placement, CLEP, or exam of equivalency may be used, but transcripts must be provided.
You may have already have completed this coursework in your Bachelor’s program. If, however, you still need to complete any of this coursework, you can fulfill requirements through additional distance or on-campus learning options through the 猎奇重口 or another institution.
Prior to the start of graduate school, the Graduate Advisor will review each student’s undergraduate CSD or leveling work to determine whether all prerequisite courses are completed prior to the start of graduate school. If some coursework is not completed in a student’s undergraduate or leveling training prior to the start of graduate school, then the Graduate Advisor will work with a student to determine how best to integrate the required courses into each student’s plan of study. Typically, students will take a course as an elective during their graduate studies and careful planning will be made to ensure a prerequisite course or courses are taken prior to/or concurrently with accompanying graduate coursework that requires associated foundational knowledge. It should be noted, however, if a student has a significant amount of prerequisite coursework that is not completed in an undergraduate and/or leveling post-baccalaureate studies, additional semester(s) of coursework may need to be completed and related extended plans of study may be required for full training completion.
Required Clinical Education Coursework and Credits
Clinical education coursework includes (See Clinical Education website):
- 30 credits of clinical practicum, which includes specialty clinics and direct experiences across multiple settings (see clinical education coursework).
- Working with children and adults with developmental/acquired/swallowing 3 practicum levels that develop clinical skill and competency across multiple sites.
- A minimum of 375 supervised clock hours (25 hours of guided observation must be completed before beginning clinical practicum).
Information for Current SLP Graduate Students
SLP Graduate Student Handbooks
SLP Graduate Student Clinical Requirements
SLP Graduate Program Policy
Past SLP Graduate Student Handbooks