Speech-Language Pathology

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is designed to prepare students to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat clients/patients across the lifespan who have delayed, disordered, or atypical abilities in speech, language, communication, cognition, swallowing, and hearing. The program addresses a growing need for clinical expertise through acute care courses that are not routinely offered in other graduate SLP programs. Students graduate with proficiencies that will allow them to flourish in a variety of adjacent career choices and with a variety of patient populations: from the youngest to the oldest in schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and rehabilitation centers.

Students will gain clinical competencies by working in conjunction with Hershey Medical Center, the Penn State College of Medicine, and related community partners, while also working to address the growing need for healthcare and medical research in the Harrisburg region.

The program is intended for full-time students. Courses will be scheduled for fall, spring, and summer semesters. Admission is encouraged for the fall semester. Spring admission is reserved for exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

Each applicant will submit a resume, personal statement, writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. 

Students must be accepted by the Penn State University Graduate School. After admission to the Graduate School, students may register for courses.

Applicants have two options to qualify for program admission review:

1. A bachelor’s degree with a CSD major from an accredited institution of higher learning. 
2. Students with a bachelor's degree in an area other than CSD are required to complete specific foundational classes in CSD prior to admission to the graduate SLP program. Students can complete these classes through a bridge or pre-certification program.  Foundational coursework must be completed in the following areas: phonetics; speech science; speech sound disorders; clinical observation (25 hours); typical language development; anatomy, neurology, and physiology for CSD; audiology; and aural rehabilitation.

Other Admission Prerequisites:

• Consistent with rules set forth by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA), students are also required to complete undergraduate coursework in biological sciences (BIO - no lab required), social/behavioral sciences (PSYCH or SOC or ANTH), physical sciences (CHEM or PHYS- no lab required), and a dedicated course in statistics prior to admission. Students who are only missing one of those foundational courses may be given special consideration for admission. This will be completed on a case-by-case basis. 
• A minimum 3.0 GPA overall and in prerequisite coursework. Special consideration may be given to competitive students on a case-by-case basis.
• A minimum 2.5 GPA on prerequisite science coursework (BIO and CHEM/PHYS). Special consideration may be given to competitive students on a case-by-case basis. 

Applicants must have completed undergraduate courses in the following areas:

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Degree Requirements

Master of Science (M.S.) 

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies.

The program will require a minimum of 57 credits at the 500 level and above for graduation. Students will satisfactorily complete either a thesis option (CSD 600) or a research-based scholarly paper/capstone project (CSD 596). 

The program will require a minimum of two years of study during fall, spring, and summer semesters (a total of five semesters).

During academic and clinical practicum coursework, students will complete at least 375 clinical hours required as part of ASHA’s certification of clinical competence (CCC) requirements. Objectives will be met using reiteration, with topics learned in a didactic format reinforced in practicum settings. Assessment will include rubric-style scoring, observations during practicums, and formal and informal style examinations using instructor and preceptor rating scales. Details are included in course descriptions.

Multicultural, ethical, and interdisciplinary topics will be primarily covered in a new, one-credit course, CSD 841 (Cultural Considerations in CSD).  This information will also be embedded within other didactic and clinical courses (e.g., CSD 895A, CSD 895I, CSD 547, CSD 551).  Practicum hours will be tracked formally through an online data base.  

¹

Incorporates SARI requirement.

²

Students may only register for CSD 600 / CSD 610 if they are pursing the Thesis Option.

Concentrations

Students will also have the opportunity to specialize in one of two available concentrations: (1) medical speech-language pathology; or (2) autism/education support. During their second (spring) and third (summer) semesters, students must choose one course in either concentration (3 credits).  Students have the option of choosing one additional concentration course during their fourth semester (3 credits).  The maximum number of credits with the concentration and thesis options is 63.

The medical concentration will include training in additional topics for students who choose to focus their careers in healthcare settings. The autism/education support concentration will provide students with more extensive coursework in these areas that is not otherwise available in the M.S. in SLP program. 

Minor

A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policy GCAC-218 Minors.

Student Aid

Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by the Fox Graduate School.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Course List

Learning Outcomes

1. Synthesize the principles and practices of ethical conduct within the profession and apply those to a diverse set of clinical applications.
2. Apply the knowledge of concepts, theories, and best practices to solve problems pertaining to human communication and swallowing disorders.
3. Interpret evidence-based information and apply that information to a variety of clinical settings across diverse populations.
4. Communicate effectively in both written and oral formats while recognizing and respecting the needs and values of diverse populations.
5. Summarize the benefits of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration through interprofessional clinical education and experiences that involve the client, families, and the community.

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