Degree  Programs

Candidates for admission to the master's program in speech-language pathology are required to hold a four-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited institution. An undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders is not a requirement. Qualified students from all backgrounds are encouraged to submit applications.

The length of the program may vary depending on the undergraduate background of the student. The prerequisites are:

  • Speech and Language Science (CDIS 204)

  • Audiology and Hearing Science (CDIS 205)

  • Functional Anatomy and Physiology (CDIS 206)

  • Language Development (CDIS 307)

  • Phonetics and Phonology (CDIS 309)

You can find the course descripts for the "regular" master's pathway in our catalog starting on page 150. You can find the 5 prerequisite courses for the Grad Plus pathway in our catalog starting on page 147. 

The final formative assessment for the MS degree is an oral presentation of a single case from an array of 6 cases that are provided to you in the first semester of the graduate program. The guidelines and rubric for scoring the oral presentation accompany the case studies. Completing a formal master's thesis (experimental study) is not an option. However, students who may be interested in pursuing a research path in their career have the option of becoming involved in projects that utilize the research process with individual faculty as part of their studies. This would be in addition to completing the oral examination.