Our graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology is being developed to meet the accreditation standards of the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. We anticipate accepting graduate students for the 2014-2015 academic year, pending the awarding of candidacy by the Council on Academic Accreditation. Full program information will be posted once all appropriate approvals from state and national agencies are received.

What will I study?

You will acquire the scientific knowledge and clinical skills to prevent, assess, and treat all aspects of human communication and swallowing disorders, including disorders of articulation, language, voice, fluency and feeding in clients from infants to the elderly. You will participate  in supervised clinical practicum in all areas of speech-language pathology practice with both children and adults in both educational and medical settings.

View Program Brochure

Why choose Speech-Language Pathology at SHU?

Our curriculum design and approach to learning employs case studies, problem-based learning approaches, cooperative learning, and laboratory experiences. Clinical education, designed to meet ASHA requirements for 400 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum, will be met through interactions with expert clinical supervisors working in field placements for all aspects of SLP practice. You will also participate in two intensive externships, and a capstone clinical research experience. An optional certification for specialty practice in Autism Spectrum Disorders will be available through elective course work in addition to the basic requirements for the M.S. in SLP.

Why SHU may be the right fit for you:

Starting in the Fall of 2013, our undergraduate students can complete a minor concentration in Speech-Language Pathology in preparation for entrance into our Master’s Degree program. At that time, college graduates who have not completed an undergraduate major in Communication Disorders will also be eligible to take the courses listed below at SHU as a post–baccalaureate pre-professional plan of study in preparation for entering into a master’s degree program.

Will I have internship opportunities?

Yes, graduate students will obtain 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum in the prevention, evaluation and treatment of disorders of articulation, fluency, voice/resonance, language, hearing, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of communication, and communication modalities in both children and adults. Settings will include sites such as:

Will I have study abroad opportunities?

Yes, you will have the opportunity to obtain clinical practice hours at SHU service learning sites in Jamaica and Guatemala.

Are there special admission requirements?

Applicants to the Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology will be required to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, to have successfully completed either a major or minor course of study in communication disorders or speech-language pathology, to include the following prerequisite courses or their equivalents, with an average GPA of 3.2 or better in the pre-requisite courses with no single course grade below C (2.0):

• 3 credits of Biology (e.g., BI 030 or 111)
• 3 credits of Physical Science (e.g., PY111 or CH 030)
• 3 credits of Statistics (e.g., MA 131)
• 6 credits of Social Science (e.g., PS 110, PS 252)
• Introduction to Communication Disorders
• Phonetics
• Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Swallowing
• Speech Science
• Development of Language
• Introduction to Clinical Methods and Observation
• Introduction to Audiology and Hearing Science
• Neurological Bases of Communication and Swallowing
• Education in the US
• Education of Children with Special Needs

These courses may also be completed as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student at SHU or elsewhere. 

What can I do with an SLP degree?

Graduates of the Master’s Degree program in Speech-Language Pathology will be able to practice as licensed and certified speech-language pathologists in schools, preschools, birth-three centers, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, business, and private practice.