Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (MS)

College of Health and Human Services

The Master of Speech-Language Pathology (MSLP) program is a full-time, two year graduate program (60 credit hours) that accepts students in the fall of each academic year. The first year of the program students are concurrently involved in academic course work, clinical experiences and research. During the second year of the program, students are enrolled in two, 10-12 week clinical internships (an adult internship and a child internship). The clinical internships can be completed at sites throughout the United States. Students also take one online course while enrolled in their first internship and a second online course while enrolled in their second internship. The first online course assists students in preparing for the national speech-language pathology exam.

SAU offers an undergraduate minor in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). The minor consists of courses that are pre-requisites for the Master Speech Language Pathology Program. Seven courses make up the CSD minor. These courses are offered in alternate years. Five of the seven courses are offered in fall and spring semesters. Two of the seven courses are offered during a three-week accelerated time frame immediately following the conclusion of spring semester. Each course has three credits. Since these courses are offered in alternating years, students can expect to complete these courses over a two-year period. All courses require permission of the MSLP Program Director, and students completing this minor are required to meet with the MSLP Program Director at least once per semester. Additionally, the MSLP Program offers an Early Decision Pathway for high school seniors and first year students wanting to continue at SAU for their master's degree in speech-language pathology.

Upon completion of the MSLP Program individuals complete a Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship (SLPCF) experience under the mentorship of an individual holding the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). This experience must consist of the equivalent of 36 weeks of full-time clinical practice, with full-time defined as 35 hours per week. Applicants for certification in speech-language pathology must also successfully complete the Praxis examination in speech-language pathology that is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Applicants often take this exam during their last year of the program. For more information on the Praxis exam, please visit www.asha.org/certification/praxis. A state license is also required. Additional courses might be required by individual states for state or educational licensure.

Mission Statement

The mission of the program is to support the development of speech-language pathologists who are dedicated to positively impacting their communities through service, advocacy and scholarship. 

Program Goals

  1. To provide opportunities that prepare students to recognize the inherent dignity of people through ethical, compassionate, and culturally responsive professional practice, informed by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the mission of St. Ambrose University.
  2. To foster a moral code of mutual respect, honesty, and integrity in students through academic experience, clinical practice, professional interactions, and scholarly endeavors.
  3. To provide a program where faculty and clinical supervisors have the requisite knowledge and skills to provide quality instruction to graduate students.
  4. To provide an experience that prepares students for successful entry into independent professional practice as speech-language pathologists by fostering clinical excellence, interpersonal communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, professionalism, and lifelong learning.
  5. To provide opportunities for students to develop a greater understanding and awareness of human cultures, capabilities, and differences.

Student Learner Outcomes

Knowledge Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of biology, chemistry or physics, social and/or behavioral sciences, and statistics and/or research methods.
  2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes - including the appropriate acoustic, biologic, cultural, developmental, genetic, embryologic, linguistic, neurologic, and psychologic bases.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate information pertaining to typical and atypical human development across the life span.
  4. Students will demonstrate knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders and differences—including the appropriate etiologies, characteristics, anatomic, physiologic, acoustic, cultural, developmental, linguistic, and psychological considerations in the following areas: speech sound production; stuttering, cluttering and fluency; voice and resonance; receptive and expressive language and literacy; hearing; swallowing and feeding; cognition and cognitive aspects of communication; social aspects of communication and; augmentative and alternative communication modalities.
  5. Students will demonstrate current knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and intervention for individuals with communication and swallowing disorders - including consideration of a person’s anatomy, physiology, neurology, psychology, development, language, and culture across the areas listed in the prior student learner outcome.
  6. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and rules of the ASHA Code of Ethics.
  7. Students will demonstrate knowledge of processes used in research and how to integrate research principles into evidence-based clinical practice.
  8. Students will demonstrate knowledge of contemporary professional issues that impact speech-language pathology practice.
  9. Students will demonstrate knowledge of entry-level and advanced certifications; state licensure; other relevant professional credentials; billing and reimbursement; and local, state, and federal regulations and policies relevant to professional practice including but not limited to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Skills Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate skills in oral, written, and nonverbal communication for entry into professional practice.
  2. Students will demonstrate skills in evaluation - screenings and preventive activities; collection and integration of case history information, including social determinants of health; select, implement, and adapt appropriate evaluation procedures; synthesize assessment data to formulate diagnoses, develop recommendations, and make referrals as needed; effective clinical documentation and report writing and; communicate assessment outcomes clearly to individuals, families, and interprofessional teams. These skills will be demonstrated across the disorders listed in number 4 outcome of Knowledge section.
  3. Students will demonstrate skills in intervention - develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans with measurable goals and functional outcomes; determine appropriate frequency, intensity, and duration of services and utilize suitable materials, instrumentation, and procedures for intervention and prevention; monitor and evaluate individual progress; dynamically adjust intervention approaches to meet evolving needs, and complete accurate documentation using electronic systems and;  communicate relevant information to support effective intervention and make referrals as appropriate. These skills will be demonstrated across the disorders listed in number 4 outcome of Knowledge section.
  4. Students will demonstrate skills in interaction – students will communicate effectively by recognizing and responding to the needs, values, preferred communication modes, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds of individuals and their support systems;  collaborating within interprofessional teams to support coordinated care and provide counseling related to communication and swallowing disorders and; demonstrate ethical practice and maintain high standards of professionalism in all interactions. These skills will be demonstrated across the disorders listed in number 4 outcome of Knowledge section.

Degree Requirements

  1. A minimum of 60 graduate semester credit hours completed in a course of study addressing the knowledge and skills pertinent to the field of speech-language pathology.
  2. Completion and presentation of a graduate research project.
  3. Completion of a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology. Twenty-five hours must be spent in clinical observation, and 375 hours must be spent in direct client/patient contact. 325 of the 400 clock hours must be completed during graduate study in a program accredited in speech-language pathology by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
  4. Completed application for graduation filed with the Office of the Registrar.
  5. Graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  6. Completion of program of study.

Admission Requirements

  1. An overall GPA of 2.85 or higher at time of application, as verified by CSDCAS, and at the time of enrollment in the program.
  2. A GPA of 3.0 or higher in courses directly related to the study of communication sciences and disorders at time of application and at the time of enrollment.
  3. A minimum of one course with a grade of ‘C’ or better in each of the following areas: biology, statistics, social sciences, and chemistry or physics. A grade of C- is not considered as meeting these admission requirements. A passing grade in a pass/fail graded course will not be considered as meeting this requirement.
  4. Completion of the following prerequisite courses prior to enrollment in the MSLP Program:
    • Phonetics
    • Articulation and Phonological Disorders
    • Neurology, Anatomy, and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanisms
    • Speech and Hearing Science
    • Language Development and Disorders
    • Audiology and Aural Rehabilitation
      ​* Note: Courses listed above do not need to be completed when you apply, but applicants must have a plan in place for completing them before fall enrollment in the MSLP program. If you have classes you are planning to take but have not currently taken, the CSDCAS application provides a section to indicate as such.
  5. Verification of the following:
  • Background Check;
  • CPR certification that is current through planned graduation date;
  • Documentation of a physical exam completed within 11 months of program start;
  • Documentation of 25 observation hours with speech-language pathologists who had national certification at the time the observation hours were completed;
  • Official transcripts;
  • Specified immunizations

Application Procedure

Applications are received through the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service for Clinical Education in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (CSDCAS). The deadline for applications to the MSLP program is February 1. The Centralized Application Service provides a convenient and efficient process to apply to multiple schools using a single web-based application. The system provides a real-time status tool so applicants may check the status of their application, transcripts, and letters of reference online at any time. You can log onto a secure site (https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/) to fill out a common application which will be sent to each school that you apply to. Be aware that once an application has been submitted through CSDCAS, CSDCAS requires 4-6 weeks to verify transcripts. MSLP applications committee reviews only those applications which have been submitted, completed, and verified by CSDCAS by our Feb. 1 application deadline. Therefore, we encourage applicants to complete and submit their application prior to Jan. 1.

Please note additional requirements or application procedures may be added. Persons should check with the MSLP program for the most current information.

Admissions Appeal Procedure

Applicants to the MSLP Program who have been denied acceptance, or an admissions interview may appeal the decision to the MSLP Appeals Committee. Applicants have two weeks from the decision date to inform the Program Director of his/her plan to appeal the admission decision. The Program Director and applicant will arrange a time to meet face-to-face or via the phone to discuss the decision within one week of the Program Director being informed of the person’s plan to appeal. The applicant will then have one week following that conversation to submit a letter and, if necessary, supporting documentation to support reasons why the denial should be overturned. The MSLP Admissions Appeal Committee will review the original application and additional materials, and will then have two weeks to inform the applicant of the appeal committee’s decision.

Transfer Credits and Clinic Hours

Students accepted into the MSLP program for graduate study as a transfer from an accredited Speech-Language Pathology graduate program at another institution of higher education will have their transcripts reviewed to determine which speech-language pathology courses are transferable. No more than 3 credits of graduate level coursework in the area of speech-language pathology will be allowed to transfer. If the graduate transfer student obtained clock hours for clinical practicum, those clock hours will be accepted toward the requirements for certification as long as they were obtained while attending an accredited institution of higher education and under the requirements set forth by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the student passed the clinical practicum with a letter grade of ‘B’ or higher.

Retention Policy

MSLP students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 (B) grade point average or above each semester they are enrolled in the program, as well as a cumulative GPA of 3.0. At any point in the process of completing the program when a student falls below a 3.0 grade point average, he/she is placed on academic probation and has one semester to bring their GPA in the program to 3.0. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the program. Additionally, students who have two or more student performance reviews are at risk for program dismissal.

Licensure/Accreditation

For more information on state licensure requirements, please visit the following website: www.asha.org/advocacy/state. The terminal degree for speech-language pathologists in the United States is a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from a graduate program that has received candidacy accreditation status or accreditation status. The SAU Master of Science (M.S.) residential education program in speech-language pathology at St. Ambrose University is accredited by the:

Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 
2200 Research Boulevard #310
Rockville, MD, 20850
800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

Questions and/or requests for information about accreditation or the CAA can be directed to:

The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard, #310
Rockville, MD 20850
800-498-2071
accreditation@asha.org