speech language pathology near me

Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech language pathology is the study and treatment of human communication and its disorders. These specialists work with the full range of human communication including speech, language and hearing disorders. Speech language pathologists work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults (ASHA, 2017).

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Speech language pathologists also provide rehabilitation services to patients who are deaf or have hearing difficulties and augmentative and alternate communication systems for individuals with severe expressive and/or language comprehension disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder or progressive neurological disorders (ASHA, 2017). They also work with people who do not necessarily have a disorder, but are looking to improve their communication effectiveness, such as those with an extreme accent).

These healthcare professionals also provide training and education to other health professionals and to their patients and their relatives.  Counseling and consultative services are provided by speech language pathologists, in addition to training and supervising support personnel. They collaborate with physicians and health care professionals from a multitude of disciplines.

A speech language pathologist may work in a variety of settings with a variety of duties and responsibilities. Some may teach at an academic institution, work in a private practice, or work for a national, state or local government or agency. Others may focus on research to enhance knowledge about human communication processes and develop new assessment and treatment methods that may lead to more effective outcomes (ASHA, 2017).

Disorders Treated by Speech Language Pathologists

A speech pathologist evaluates and treats speech, language, social communication, cognitive communication and swallowing disorders. These disorders are defined by ASHA (2017) as:

Speech disorders occur when a person has difficulty producing speech sounds correctly or fluently (e.g., stuttering is a form of disfluency) or has problems with his or her voice or resonance.

Language disorders occur when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings (expressive language). Language disorders may be spoken or written and may involve the form (phonology, morphology, syntax), content (semantics), and/or use (pragmatics) of language in functional and socially appropriate ways.

Social communication disorders occur when a person has trouble with the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication. These disorders may include problems (a) communicating for social purposes (e.g., greeting, commenting, asking questions), (b) talking in different ways to suit the listener and setting, and (c) following rules for conversation and story-telling. All individuals with autism spectrum disorder have social communication problems. Social communication disorders are also found individuals with other conditions, such as traumatic brain injury.

Cognitive-communication disorders include problems organizing thoughts, paying attention, remembering, planning, and/or problem-solving. These disorders usually happen as a result of a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or dementia, although they can be congenital.

Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) are feeding and swallowing difficulties, which may follow an illness, surgery, stroke, or injury.

The History of Speech Language Pathology

The beginnings of medicine in general dates back to ancient times. Speech language pathology as a specialty medical field can be traced back to the early 19 th century. Throughout the 20 th century, the field achieved significant advances in professional establishment, and speech language pathology continues to grow and develop through the 21 st century and beyond.

The 19 th Century

There were three trends during the 19 th century that led to the development of speech language pathology as a healthcare profession. The elocution movement, the scientific revolution and the rise of professionalism all contributed to the growth of speech language pathology. Each field made its own significant contributions that led to the need for speech language pathologists.

The Elocution Movement

The first pathway, the elocution movement, was a broad movement in America where elocutionists set up practices to work with orators, politicians, singers, preachers, actors, and non-specialists who wanted to improve their speaking, orating, or singing (Duchan, 2011). Elocution refers to clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation (Oxford, 2017). The term was first used in the early 19 th century for improving speaking, reading aloud, giving oral presentations or singing.

Two notable elocutionists during this time were Andrew Comstock and Alexander Graham Bell, who both offered lessons in speech, language or hearing problems.

Andrew Comstock

Andrew Comstock (1795-1864) was a professor of elocution in Philadelphia, where he worked with students with speech difficulties. Comstock invented the phonetic alphabet, which not only helped his students improve their speech and phonics, but it was also used to transcribe documents such as the New Testament (Duchan, 2011). Comstock is thought to have a significant influence on the entire speech language pathology profession.

Comstock developed a system of speech therapy to specifically treat patients with stammering and articulation issues. He argued that people who stammer must first learn the elements or oral language, including the articulatory positions of individual sounds (Duchan, 2011). Voice exercises that emphasized pronunciation, inflection and pitch were incorporated into Comstock’s speech therapy, as well as singing and choral speaking. Practice drills focused on pitch, time and force.

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922)

Alexander Graham Bell’s mother suffered from severe hearing loss, which spurned his desire to design methods for teaching the deaf and those with communication difficulties (Duchan, 2011). He began educating deaf students in Boston in 1871, and he also worked with individual patients and clients, which is how he met his future wife.

In 1872, Bell opened his own school for students who were deaf, stuttered or had difficulty with articulation. Bell’s speech therapy system was known as Visible Speech. The Visible Speech system involved a phonetic alphabet, based on the position of the articulators during the production of different speech and non-speech (e.g. yawns) sounds (Duchan, 2011).

Of course, Bell is most famous for inventing the original form of long-distance verbal communication, the telephone.

The Scientific Revolution

During the 19 th century, there was a dramatic shift in medicinal views from religious and philosophical to those based on science. With the introduction of Darwinism and the establishment of academic psychology programs in the United States and Europe, scientific research was becoming more widely accepted. The scientific revolution led to crucial developments in the field of speech language pathology including phonetic and brain studies, technological advances, the development of psychological testing, and the study of child welfare.

The Study of Phonetics and the Brain

Elocutionists gradually developed a scientific approach to oration and speech therapy. This included utilizing speech sounds, delivery, and phonetic categories and a framework for conceptualizing domains and elements of speech pronunciation (Duchan, 2017).  Brain students were being performed by physicians who were diagnosing and treating those with aphasia and other speech language disorders (Duchan, 2017).

During this time, the different areas of the brain and their respective functions were being discovered, which led to a diagram or map of the brain centers and where the disconnections were that affected language, literacy and speech disorders. James Sonnet Greene was a laryngologist who focused on speech disorders. He used the brain diagram to identify speech “cluttering” and “agitographia”, or illegible writing due to missing letters and syllables (Duchan, 2017).

Greene associated speech language disorders with dysfunction of the nervous system and the brain in particular. He also identified the progression of speech and language development, where a person’s speech issues affect their ability to correctly write due to conceptual representation.

While some conditions were explained by the brain localizationists as originating from dissociations between cortical brain centers, others were seen originating from problems with or damage to a particular center (Duchan, 2011).  For example, an oral language disorder was related to the brain’s auditory word center, and literacy was related to the visual word center of the brain.

Among the Americans to use these concepts to account for speech, writing, or auditory impairments in children were Samuel Torrey Orton (1925), a psychiatrist working at the University of Iowa, and Mildred McGinnis (1929), a teacher/therapist working at Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis. W. L. Worcester (1896), a physician providing services to institutionalized adults at Danvers State Insane Asylum near Boston, reported on 15 cases whom he diagnosed as exhibiting word deafness (Duchan, 2011).  

Further advances in scientific research of the brain led to the identification of the right and left sections of the brain and how they each affect brain function. A psychiatrist by the name of Samuel Terry Orton related speech and language disorders to the dominance of one side of the brain over the other.

Technological Advances

The development of speech science led to further technological inventions and advances that improved the ability of speech language pathologists to measure various aspects of sound perception and production. Yale University established one of the first speech pathology laboratories to analyze different aspects of speech, language and hearing.

According to Duchan (2011) there were serval other notable technological advances that significantly influenced the development of speech language pathology:

Floyd Summer Muckey (1858-1930) was the first to give a working analysis of tone, to photograph a manometric flame recording and to take a photo of the vocal cords in action.

George Oscar Russell (1890-1962) invented a type of palatography—where dynamic movements of the tongue were revealed through bends in aluminum foil and developed a method for x-ray used for examining position of articulators in vowel production.

Carl Emil Seashore (1866-1949) invented and patented the following instruments: Iowa Pitch Range Audiometer, Tonoscope, Chronoscope, Time-sense apparatus, and Stimulus key.

Psychological testing

Further advances in psychological testing led to intelligence testing and quantifying one’s academic abilities. These tests included arithmetic, handwriting, spelling, drawing, reading and language ability. Although many of these tests had no actual scientific relativity to a person’s actual intelligence (not to mention racially biased), this type of testing would eventually be the basis for assessing speech language disorders and disabilities.

Child Study and Welfare

The child studies and child welfare movement led to advances in the identification and education of childhood development and the proper stages and milestones as related to speech and language development, in addition to other mental and physical developmental milestones. The University of Iowa was one of the first academic establishments focused on child development.

Rise of Professionalism

The emergence of professions in the United States also occurred in the 19 th century. Standards and qualifications and the definition of the nature and scope of various medical professions were developed and organized, which led to a more structured atmosphere for speech language pathologists and other health care professions.

Speech Correction

Speech correction emerged as its own individual profession, although its professionals typically practiced in other fields such as general medicine and psychology. The American Academy of Speech Correction was established in 1926 as a group of clinical and academic elites experienced in speech correction education and therapy.

The 20 th Century

In 1925-1926, the organization of speech disorder and speech correction professionals led to further establishment of the science and principles within the field. The 20 th century can be broken down into the Formative Years, the Processing Period, Linguistic Era and the Pragmatics Revolution.

The Formative Years (1900-1945) involved the development of terminology and treatments for speech language and literacy disorders, in addition to the classification of alalia (language and motor speech disorders arising from cerebral lesions or motor paralysis), paralalia (articulation disorders) and dyslalia (stuttering) (Duchan, 2011). The identification of lisping as a speech disorder led to the categorization of four types: negligent, organic, neurotic and cluttering.

A multitude of treatments, exercises and therapies emerged as speech and language disorders were more fully understood. In addition, the incidence, nature and therapy methods for treating children who stutter, and children with monotonous voices, with letter substitutions (articulation disorders), idioglossia, and a lack of speech were developed (Duchan, 2011). Speech issues experienced by children were identified as being caused by one or more of the following: mental deficiency, brain injury, digestive disorders or lack of parental reinforcement of speech development.

In 1928, Sara Stinchfield was the first person in the US to receive a PhD degree in speech pathology. Her research identified five speech habits associated with speech and language development: sound bombardment, sound imitation and sound and word sequencing. She developed a motor-kinesthetic approach to speech therapy that involved muscle exercises, among other exercises and practices.

 The Processing Period (1945 – 1965)

World War II led to significant advancements in all aspects of medicine and rehabilitation professions. During this period clinicians began to acknowledge that there was something else going on in speech besides perception and motor production of sounds, something variably dubbed symbol formation inner language, mediation and psycholinguistic processing (Duchan, 2011).

Kurt Goldstein was a neuropsychiatrist who studied brain injuries and aphasia as a language disorder as opposed to a speech disorder. Of particular relevance to Americans reading Goldstein were his ideas of symbol formation, his concept of concrete and abstract attitudes to account for literalness in aphasia, and his notion of inner speech, a level of language located in processing somewhere between perceived and motor speech (Duchan, 2011).

The Linguistic Era (1965 – 1975)

The Linguistic Era involved the developed of behavior medication programs dedicated to teaching language behavior, syntax assessment, and further advancements in research methodologies, articulation disorders and psycholingual advancements. With the termination of the second-world war there was a new emphasis on developing frameworks for conducting therapy with aphasic veterans, which was then gradually transferred to other patients and children with similar conditions or disorders (Duchan, 2011).

The Pragmatics Revolution (1975 – 2000)

Around 1975 emphasis began to shift from defining language in terms of form (syntax and phonology) and content (semantics) to defining language in terms of its use (Duchan, 2011). Groupings of communicative acts and functions, such as requests or greetings, and non-verbal aberrant behavior were further defined and incorporated into therapies.

Speech act theory helped to establish pragmatics as a clinical field involving structural linguistics, conversation, discourse genres, social interaction and event participation. In combination, these areas changed clinical practice so dramatically that their combined additions into assessment and intervention began to be called a "pragmatics revolution" (Duchan, 2011).

Communication therapy and the incorporation of social interactions into clinical therapies allowed for significant advances in the development of educational tools and curriculum-based therapy programs. Clinical services were now delivered in classrooms, homes and other community settings (Duchan, 2011).

How to Become a Speech Language Pathologist

An aspiring speech language pathologist must follow a specific educational path in order to become licensed to practice in this medical field. An undergraduate degree, graduate degree, and a clinical fellowship must be completed, in addition to passing a national examination for speech language pathology.

Undergraduate Degree

Some colleges and universities offer an undergraduate degree in communication science disorders, although this major is not a requirement to become a speech language pathologist. Other majors related to speech language pathology include communication, speech, or hearing sciences. It is recommended that any future speech language pathologist research accredited graduate programs to determine an appropriate undergraduate major.

Graduate Degree

Regardless of the state a speech language pathologist practices in, they must complete a graduate program in speech language pathology that is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CCA), which results in a master’s degree in speech pathology. Coursework in the graduate program may include voice articulation, phonology, literacy and neurological substrates. Some students may choose to specialize in early intervention, child and adolescent therapy or neurogenic disorders.

Also included in a speech pathology graduate program is clinical training. During the clinical education, students diagnose and treat patients under the supervision of a licensed speech language pathologist. In addition, students may choose to elect courses in a foreign language to improve their communication skills with patients who may not speak fluent English.

A clinical fellowship is not required for licensing in most states; however, it is required to become certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Certification is available in academic programs, clinical practice, continuing education and clinical specialty recognition.

Speech language pathologists who choose a sub-specialty field typically complete a fellowship in order to receive additional training and education to develop the required skills needed for a sub-specialty area.

Licensing and Certification

Speech language pathologists must possess a minimum of a graduate degree and pass the Praxis examination in order to become licensed in most of the United States, although the requirements may vary slightly by state. A speech language pathologist cannot legally evaluate or treat patients without a license. To become certified, a license must be maintained.

Many speech language pathologists are certified through the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Some hold dual certifications in speech language pathology and audiology. To become certified, a speech language pathologist must complete a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited college or university, pass the Praxis examination, and complete at least a 36-week clinical fellowship.

Job Prospects

Because of the high demand for speech-language pathology services, part-time, full-time, and PRN (literally, pro re nata—in medicine, on an "as needed" basis) opportunities may be available depending on location, desired facility, employment flexibility, and other factors (ASHA, 2017).  Salaries for speech language pathologists range between $70,000 and $93,000, although this may vary depending on experience and location. Administrative positions may earn a higher salary as well. Hourly pathology employees are paid a rate between $40 and $76 per hour.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a job growth of 21% by the year 2024, which is more than the average of all occupations. Most recent graduates are able to find employment shortly after obtaining their license. The predicted job growth is due to a variety of factors, including a rapidly increasing aging population, medical advances, growth in academia enrollments and an increasing demand for speech language pathologists in health care and private practice settings (ASHA, 2017).

Speech-language pathology requires attention to detail, specialized knowledge and skills and intense concentration. The emotional needs of clients and their families may also be demanding. This field enjoys flexibility of schedule and a variety of daily tasks and activities.

ASHA – American Speech and Hearing Association. Speech Language Pathologists. Retrieved October 20, 2017 from: https://www.asha.org/Students/Speech-Language-Pathologists/

Duchan, Judy. A History of Speech Language Pathology. 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2017 from: http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~duchan/new_history/overview.html

Study.com. How to become a speech language pathologist. 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017 from: http://study.com/articles/How_to_Become_a_Speech_Therapist_Education_and_Career_Information.html

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Corewell Health is the new name for Beaumont.

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Speech & Language Pathology

Beaumont's Speech and Language Pathology department is the most comprehensive in Michigan and one of the largest in the United States.

The Beaumont Speech and Language Pathology department provides a wide variety of services to adults, adolescents and children with speech, voice, language, hearing and swallowing disorders.  

The department has more than 60 speech and language pathologists who work in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation. These dedicated therapists are clinically certified and state-licensed specialists who will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and develop a unique treatment plan to address each of your specific goals.

Our services are available at various Beaumont hospitals and several outpatient programs. 

To best serve you, our services are divided into:

Adult Services

Beaumont’s Speech and Language Pathology program for adults is designed to provide treatment for your speech, language, voice, hearing and swallowing disorders as a result of a stroke, brain injury, head and neck cancer, voice disorder, fluency disorder, neurodegenerative disease and progressive disease.

Adolescent Services

Beaumont’s Speech and Language Pathology program for adolescents is designed to help your child (preteen through young adults) with speech and language disorders learn to communicate.

Pediatric Services

Beaumont’s Speech and Language Pathology program for pediatrics is designed to help your child (newborn through adolescent) through specialized speech and language therapy treatment to achieve maximum communication capability, functional capacity and social potential.

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Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2024 – Seats Limited

We have had a much larger number of applicants than expected and are no longer accepting regular-entry student applications for Fall 2024. We ARE still accepting applications for leveling students (who haven’t completed any background courses in communication disorders).

If you have any questions, please complete the form below for more program information and to register for our next live webinar information session. For those who have already taken this step, please reply to your email from Yesenia Baez, Admissions Advisor, with any questions you may have.

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An Online Pathway Designed for Your Success in Speech-Language Pathology

As the areas of professional practice for speech-language pathologists are rapidly expanding, so are the types of clients they are expected to serve. Ithaca College's online SLP program will equip you with broad clinical experience as well as academic instruction to be workforce ready.

About Ithaca's Online SLP Program

With more than 100 years of experience in SLP education, Ithaca College supports your journey to practice through fully online coursework and prerequisites (alongside in-person clinical experiences). The online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) is a competitively priced, accredited program designed to provide the same level of engagement and support you’d receive in an on-campus program. Here, you’ll benefit from: 

• Degree completion in less than 3 years 
• Our history of  exceptional program  outcomes 
• Immersive virtual simulations 
• Ongoing student support 
• No travel requirements (outside of in-person clinical experiences) 
• Clinical placement support in your local area 
• The opportunity to earn your degree while maintaining work/life balance 
• A connected learning environment 
• Engaged faculty dedicated to student success 
• A diverse community of peers from across the country 
• 53 total credits without prerequisite courses 
• 71 credits with prerequisite courses 
• 100% online coursework 
• No on-campus residency requirement 
• Accredited by the  Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association  
• 8 semesters, part-time (2.7 years to complete), without prerequisite courses 
• 11 semesters, part-time (3.7 years), with prerequisite courses 
• Two intakes per year (Fall and Spring) 
• Tuition: $53,000 (without prerequisite courses) 
• Tuition: $71,000 (with prerequisite courses)
• Bachelor’s degree with 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) 
• 2 letters of recommendation 
• 25 observation hours 
• Prerequisite courses 

Speech and Hearing Prerequisites (offered online)

• Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanisms 
• Child Language Development 
• Basic Audiology 
• Basic Speech Science 
• Clinical Observation 

Other Prerequisites

One college-level course in each of the following:

• Physics or Chemistry
• Social or Behavioral Science

Students from a number of states are welcome to apply to Ithaca College’s online SLP program. Please see our  State Authorization page  for more detailed information. 

Licensure Requirements: 

For SLP licensure, every state requires a graduate degree and a passing* score on the  Praxis Examination  in Speech-Language Pathology. Licensure requirements by state can be viewed  here.  Please see our state licensure disclosure  here . 

*Each state determines its passing score for professional licensure and teacher credentialing 

Accreditation

Ithaca College is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Ithaca College's Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CAA)*.

*The Master’s of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (distance education) at Ithaca College 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, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

Our current accreditation period extends through January 31, 2027.

A copy of our department's vision, mission, and strategic plan is available for review .

Online SLP Program Curriculum Sample

Information is provided about the development of normal and disordered communication in children from 3 to 21 years of age. Includes material regarding important theories, legislation, service delivery models, assessment, remediation, literacy, and specific populations of special-needs children.  Attributes: TE. (3 Credits)

Objectives are to help the student understand basic statistical concepts utilized in research design and in speech-language pathology and audiology. Focus will be on the scientific method as a problem-solving process, developing experimental procedures for answering research questions, learning to establish and test hypotheses, and summarizing and interpreting data. (3 Credits)

Introduction to augmentative communication with discussion of its impact on individuals who are severely speech and language impaired. Students are familiarized with augmentative communication techniques and strategies. Assessment and intervention options are covered. Students have an opportunity for hands-on experience with a variety of augmentative communication devices and other adaptive equipment. Attributes: TE. (3 Credits)

Prepares students to identify, differentiate, and contrast the phenomenology, symptomatology, and diagnostic and therapeutic processes of adult aphasia, apraxia of speech, and related disorders. (S) (3 Credits)

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STEP 4 Get Started on Your MS SLP Degree Confirm your admittance and earn your online SLP master’s degree in 3 years or less.

How will I secure clinical experience placements?

Our dedicated placement team will help you find an appropriate clinical experience so you can save time and focus on your studies.

When do the clinical experiences take place?

Throughout your program, you will have four clinical practica, as well as two full-time externships in the final semester. These experiences will prepare you for a career in speech-language pathology.

What is involved with clinical experiences?

The clinical experiences are designed to provide you with real-world, hands-on experience to complement your classroom learning. These off-campus experiences in practice settings near your home enrich your graduate experience by preparing you for action in the field in a variety of settings.

How far will my clinical experiences be from my home?

Our dedicated placement team will work with you to secure a clinical placement as near to your home as possible.

"Today at my externship, I received the coin of excellence from the Commander of the hospital. This coin is given to recognize personnel who performed to excellence far beyond what is normally expected...I would not have been able to accomplish something like this if it was not for the speech-language pathology department at IC. Thank you."

- SLP Student

"Ithaca College is a community that helps you flourish and discover your true potential. I am the person I am today because of IC."

A Supportive Online Pathway to a Fulfilling SLP Career

With more than 100 years of experience in SLP education, Ithaca College supports your journey through fully online coursework with no travel requirements, clinical experience placements near your home, the same level of support you’d receive in an on-campus program, and exceptional program outcomes .

An Immersive and Connected Online Experience

Designed with the same rigor as a campus program, our online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program provides immersive virtual simulations, dedicated faculty attention, and the ability to connect with a diverse community of peers from across the country.

Why Ithaca College?

U.S. News & World Report (2023)

*Ithaca College has offered Speech-Language Pathology programs for more than 100 years as a campus-based program

Online SLP Program FAQs

The program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CAA)*.     *The Master’s of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (distance education) at Ithaca College 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, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.     Our current accreditation period extends through January 31, 2027.      A copy of our department's vision, mission, and strategic plan is available for review .    

The degree can be completed in 8 semesters (2.7 years) without prerequisite courses or 11 semesters (3.7 years) with prerequisite courses.

Yes! Ithaca College has a more than 100-year legacy in SLP education, so you can expect a quality education taught by expert faculty dedicated to student success.

Yes! This program is designed specifically for working professionals to maintain work/life balance. No campus visits or travel are required. However, in your last semester you will be expected to dedicate time to clinical experiences and work commitments may need to change.

SLP By the Numbers

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lightcast.io (2022)

The demand for speech-language pathologists is one of the fastest growing in the United States. SLPs work in a variety of environments, including education and healthcare, across the lifespan with individuals who are experiencing communication and/or swallowing disorders, including such positions as:  

•  Special education teacher  
•  Administrator  
•  College faculty  
•  Researchers  
•  Doctoral candidates  
•  Consultants  

What Can You Do With a Master's in Speech-Language Pathology?

Speech is the most basic form of communication and a critical part of our development — it makes us uniquely human. From infancy to the end of life, we use speech and language to learn, develop our personalities, and communicate our ideas and emotions. Language helps us view and adapt to the world around us.

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How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist

A career in speech-language pathology requires a master's degree and a clinical fellowship.

How to Become a Speech Pathologist

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Speech-language pathologists specialize in treating various speech impediments and addressing language comprehension difficulties.

Humans use their mouths and throats constantly, often unconsciously, to perform basic tasks like swallowing food or speaking aloud, so problems within this section of the body need to be addressed immediately and thoroughly.

Speech-language pathologists assist in these situations, and demand for their services is growing rapidly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment within this profession will grow 25% through 2029, partly as a result of the aging American population and health ailments that are common among seniors that hinder talking and eating, such as strokes and Alzheimer's.

The median annual wage among U.S. speech-language pathologists in May 2020 was $80,480, according to the BLS, which notes that the usual entry-level academic credential within this field is a master's degree . Licensing requirements for this profession depend upon the state where a person practices, and many jobs within this field require national certification.

What Is Speech Pathology and What Does a Speech Pathologist Do?

The field of speech-language pathology encompasses much more than just communication disorders. The area of study also includes lessons about accent reduction and how to encourage children who are extremely picky eaters to consume food so that they are well-nourished, for example.

Speech-language pathologists specialize in treating various speech impediments and addressing language comprehension difficulties. They teach social skills to people with developmental disabilities, provide guidance to individuals with cognitive disorders and intervene when a person struggles to swallow food or beverages.

These clinicians routinely advise people who cannot hear well on how to understand others and express themselves, and they also show people who cannot speak how to communicate using picture boards and technological devices.

"Speech therapists help toddlers say 'mama' for the first time, assist teenagers who have a fluency disorder (stutter), and help adults who have suffered strokes be able to eat on their own again," Kassie Hanson, a Nebraska-based certified pediatric speech-language pathologist, wrote in an email.

Hanson recalls the beginning of her career and how working with a 2-year-old girl who was unable to talk solidified her career path. "After many sessions with the little girl, she said some of her very first words," Hanson says. "Just months later, she was talking in short phrases and sentences. Getting to help a little girl say her first words was life-changing and confirmed for me that I was in the right career!"

Steps to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-language pathologists recommend that people who want to join their field complete all of the following tasks:

• Pursue a bachelor's degree and take college courses that relate to speech-language pathology.
• Search for accredited speech-language pathology master's programs using the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's EdFind Tool .
• Gain relevant work experience and prepare a strong graduate school application with solid grades, essays and recommendation letters.
• Excel on the GRE General Test if the targeted graduate school considers GRE scores.
• Get into a master's program, ideally with a generous scholarship to reduce the cost.
• Obtain a master's degree in speech-language pathology.
• Complete a clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology.
• Take and pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology, a national test that assesses understanding of key content and current practices within the field.
• Secure a state license to practice independently if it is offered or required by your state.
• Get certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or ASHA.

An undergraduate education in a related subject, such as communication sciences and disorders, may be mandatory for admission into a master's program in speech-language pathology, though academic prerequisites depend upon the graduate school, and some programs have a more flexible policy on college majors .

Speech-language pathology master's students learn about the many health conditions that can interfere with a person's ability to swallow, communicate or eat, including ailments that primarily affect children and diseases that are common among seniors.

Jolene Hyppa-Martin, an associate professor and a speech-language pathologist with the University of Minnesota—Duluth 's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, notes that master's programs in speech-language pathology generally include lessons about how people who are unable to talk can express themselves via various alternative and augmentative communication devices.

Hyppa-Martin, who has a Ph.D. in speech, language and hearing sciences, adds that speech pathology students often have coursework where they learn how to counsel patients.

Standards set by ASHA's Council on Academic Accreditation mandate that all entry-level speech-language pathology programs allow students to accumulate at least 400 hours of supervised clinical practice experience. These rules also require faculty at such programs to focus on teaching certain core values like accountability, concern for patients, cultural competence and professional duty.

Hawaii board-certified speech-language pathologist Julia Kuhn explains that speech-language pathologists are expected to do a clinical fellowship – which is usually a paid, entry-level job immediately after graduation – so they can supplement their broad academic training with hands-on experience in a particular focus area, such as swallowing disorders or pediatric language issues, before they practice independently within that specialty.

Isa Marrs, a board-certified speech-language pathologist in New York, says that licensure helps to ensure that speech-language pathologists are trained thoroughly enough to care for vulnerable people. "There are so many important things that you are doing in somebody's life that having the proper training is crucial," she says.

What It Is Like to Work as a Speech-Language Pathologist

Although other health care providers such as physicians and nurse practitioners tend to earn higher wages than speech-language pathologists, there are many perks to this profession, including a solid work-life balance and a strong sense of purpose, according to experts.

But Kuhn warns that there are some hassles that come with the territory of speech-language pathology, such as a reliance on government payouts from social welfare programs like Medicare, which occasionally reduce compensation rates substantially.

Another downside to the field is the heavy caseloads that many speech-language pathologists carry, Kuhn says. Pathologists may feel frustrated by a limited amount of upward mobility since they rarely ascend to management positions, and their pay rates don't necessarily increase steadily over the course of their career, she notes.

An interest in social interaction is necessary to enjoy a career in this field, Kuhn says, as is genuine enjoyment of therapy sessions, which encompass the majority of a pathologist's workday.

Most speech-language pathologists emphasize the meaningful nature of their work. Marrs notes that there is a particular satisfaction that comes from teaching a person with a lisp to speak in a way that makes the individual feel proud rather than self-conscious.

She recalls teaching a child with autism how to chew so he could eat food that wasn't pureed. "When we accomplished that, it opened up so much for this child, as far as learning how to eat things other than baby food," Marrs says.

Hyppa-Martin says she uses voice banking tools to record those who will lose their voices due to degenerative health conditions. The software programs produce simulations of patients' voices and can be used to converse with others. Hyppa-Martin notes that one of her former clients who had a terminal illness was able to use voice bank technology to deliver a speech at his oldest daughter's wedding before his death.

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Tags: health care , health , speech problems , education , graduate schools , students

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Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

• Adjunct Faculty
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic
• Student Outcome Data

What Is Speech-Language Pathology?

Speech-language pathology is a specialized area of health care that deals with human communication science and disorders. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) specialize in the prevention, identification, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of swallowing, speech, and communication disorders. These disorders can be due to a variety of conditions including autism, brain injury, stroke, or cleft palate.

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes also called speech therapists) work with patients of all ages to improve their quality of life. They evaluate and treat children and adults who are unable to produce speech correctly or fluently, or have problems with their voice. Speech-language pathologists also help individuals who have difficulty with receptive language (understanding others) or expressive language (sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings). Finally, SLPs work with children and adults who have difficulty swallowing food or liquid.

The mission of the program in Speech-Language Pathology is to improve the lives of individuals with cognitive-linguistic, communication, and swallowing/feeding disorders by offering students the academic, research, and clinical foundations needed to provide evidence-based clinical services to diverse populations, utilizing current best practices.

About the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center graduate speech and language pathology program is an academically rigorous and comprehensive program recognized for its excellence in preparing speech pathologists who excel in their profession.

In addition to the academic coursework, over the course of the two-year program, you will gain experience in the university clinic and at least two other settings. Many clinical opportunities are available in the Lubbock community, but students can also participate in externships in other Texas cities and across the country. If you have already earned an undergraduate degree in a field other than communication disorders, we have several options for completing your leveling work.

Application open

Application deadline

Program Start Term

In our unique SPLASH program (Summer Program for Language/Literacy, Social Skills and Hearing) , as an incoming graduate student, you also have the opportunity to start your first in-house clinical rotation in the summer before beginning your first-year graduate classes.

You can learn more about the Speech-Language Pathology program by visiting our FAQ page.

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 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, Maryland 20850 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700

Learn how to apply to the MASTER OF SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

"When applying to graduate schools, I searched for an affordable yet high caliber program that would enable me to provide exceptional patient care. My experience at TTUHSC has empowered me to confidently and compassionately provide services from birth to end of life care. I am fortunate to serve as an integral member to interdisciplinary teams across the state of Texas all while making a positive impact in the lives of my patients and their families all thanks to TTUHSC."

Dalan Gore, M.S., MBA, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathology Class of 2019 Speech-Language Pathology

Certification As a Speech-Language Pathologist

Although specific licensure requirements vary by state, graduation from an accredited program is required for certification as a speech-language pathologist. Certification is granted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and includes having a passing score on the national Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology.

• For the past sixteen academic years, TTUHSC students in the Speech-Language Pathology program had a 100% pass rate on the Praxis Exam in Speech-Language Pathology.
• For the past three years, graduates of the program have a 100% employment rate in the field.
• More information on certification and state licensure requirements may be found on the ASHA website.

Graduate Degrees in Speech-Language Pathology Accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)

• Emerson College - Master's in Speech-Language Pathology online - Prepare to become an SLP in as few as 20 months. No GRE required. Scholarships available.
• NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
• Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.

CAA-Accreditation Standards for SLP Programs

The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) is the semi-autonomous accrediting arm of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

CAA accreditation serves as ASHA’s stamp of educational excellence for SLP graduate programs . Students of these programs can be assured that they’ll gain the core set of knowledge and skills required to bring excellence to professional practice. Accreditation is based on six program components:

• Administrative structure and governance
• Program resources

CAA-accredited graduate programs are recognized as having certain universal attributes that allow them to qualify for the distinguished programmatic accreditation:

• Regionally accredited
• Regularly perform internal evaluations to reassess program goals and how those goals are achieved
• Have a long-term strategic plan in place for the program
• Administered by professional, qualified, and competent faculty who maintain continuing education requirements, including a program director who holds a graduate degree in speech-language pathology
• Ensure that the student clinic serves patients in a nondiscriminatory manner and that all clinical education is monitored
• Provide current, accurate information to the public about the program
• Ensure that the curriculum is consistent with the goals of the university and based in scientific and research foundations
• Provide student advisement on a regular basis
• Conduct ongoing and systematic assessments of student performance

Learn more about how CAA’s accreditation standards  help ensure graduates enter practice fully prepared for the demands of the profession.

CAA-Accredited Speech-Pathology Master’s Programs by State

Schools throughout the nation offer master’s degrees in the field of Communicative Sciences and Disorders through online programs, hybrid programs offered partially online, and through traditional campus-based programs.

School profiles in the ASHA EdFind searchable database are updated annually based on information collected through the CSD Education Survey. Information gathered in the survey is also published in state and national aggregate reports and collated in CSD education trend data reports for master’s and doctorate programs .

Research and clinically focused doctorate programs are available through schools offering CAA-Accredited master’s programs as shown here, however, programmatic accreditation through the Council on Academic Accreditation only applies to master’s programs in SLP and CSD.

Choose A State To View Graduate Programs

Connecticut, district of columbia, massachusetts, mississippi, new hampshire, north carolina, north dakota, pennsylvania, rhode island, south carolina, south dakota, west virginia.

• MS in Speech-Language Pathology
• No online offerings
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology (Thesis Track)
• Master of Communication Disorders (Non-Thesis Track)
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology (Thesis Track & Non-Thesis Track Offered)

There are no graduate educational programs in SLP at this time.

• MS in Communication Disorders
• PhD in Speech and Hearing Science
• No online classes
• MS in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology
• Limited online course offerings
• Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
• PhD in Speech-Language-Hearing Disorders
• MA/PhD in Speech-Language-Hearing Disorders
• Master of Communication Disorders
• MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MA in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MA in Speech-Language Pathology
• MA in Communicative Disorders
• MA in Communication Disorders
• Fully online MS in Communicative Disorders
• Doctor of Audiology
• PhD in Language & Communicative Disorders
• PhD in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
• Online MA in Speech-Language Pathology
• SLP prerequisites offered online
• Limited online and hybrid course offerings
• AuD in Audiology
• PhD in Speech Pathology
• PhD in Language
• PhD in Audiology
• PhD in Speech Science
• PhD in Hearing Science
• PhD in Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• PhD in Communication Sciences
• Graduate Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MS in Communication Sciences & Disorders
• Online MS in Communication Sciences & Disorders
• PhD in Speech-Language Pathology
• Graduate Certificate in Medical Speech-Language Pathology
• D. in Education, Communication Sciences and Disorders Track
• Online Doctorate of Audiology
• AuD/PhD Dual Degree
• MA in Education Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MEd in Speech-Language Pathology
• MEd in Communication Disorders
• Doctor of Speech Language Pathology
• MS in Speech Language Pathology
• Doctor of Audiology Program
• Online offerings in Deaf Education
• MS in Communication Disorders and Sciences
• Hybrid/Online MS in Communication Disorders and Sciences
• MHS in Communication Disorders
• Doctor in Audiology
• MS in Speech, Language, and Learning
• Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MA in Speech and Hearing Science (Clinical and Non-clinical tracks)
• AuD Program
• MA in Speech Language Pathology
• PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Dual Track Degree Programs
• PhD in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
• MS of Speech-Language Pathology
• Clinical Doctorate in Audiology
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Combined AuD-PhD Program
• Limited online offerings
• Clinical Doctor of Audiology
• Clinical Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Communicative Disorders
• MA in Education Communication Disorders
• Online MS in Speech-Language Pathology
• MCD in Speech-Language Pathology
• PhD in Applied Language & Speech Sciences
• AuD in Clinical Audiology
• PhD in Hearing and Speech Sciences
• MA/PhD in Speech Language Pathology
• AuD/PhD Program in Audiology
• MS/PhD in Speech-Language Pathology
• Limited prerequisites offered online
• PhD in Communication Disorders
• MA in Speech Pathology
• MA in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• PhD in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• MS in Speech/Language Pathology
• MS Communication Sciences & Disorders
• MA Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MS in Communicative Disorders
• Online Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Program
• MHS in Speech-Language Pathology
• MHS/PhD Program
• MS in Communicative Sciences & Disorders
• Distance Learning MS in Communicative Sciences & Disorders
• Master of Science in Education in Speech-Language Pathology
• MS in Speech Pathology
• Emphasis available in Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders; Early Childhood Communication Disorders; or Language and Literacy Disorders
• Prerequisites for the Graduate Program offered online
• MSEd in Speech-Language Pathology
• BS-MS in Communication Disorders and Sciences
• Prerequisites required for the MS program offered online
• PhD in Linguistics with Speech and Hearing Sciences concentration
• MS in Communication Disorders: Speech-Language Pathology
• PhD in Speech-Language Sciences and Disorders
• MS in Communication Sciences
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology with Teacher Certification
• BS/MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Pediatric Dysphagia
• MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• Online MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• MA in Communicative Disorders and Sciences
• PhD in Communicative Disorders and Sciences
• No online courses
• Certificate in Communication Sciences & Disorders
• Doctorate of Audiology
• Dual AuD/PhD program in Audiology
• Doctor of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Med in Communication Disorders
• MS-PhD Bridge Program
• MA Speech-Language Pathology
• PhD in Speech-Language Science
• Doctorate in Hearing Science
• Doctor of Clinical Audiology
• MA-PhD in Speech-Language Pathology Program
• MS in communication sciences and disorders
• MA Speech and Hearing Sciences
• MS Speech and Hearing Science
• Limited online courses
• MS in Communication Disorders & Sciences
• MA in Communication Disorders & Sciences
• BHS-MS in Speech Language Pathology
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
• BS-MS Speech-Language Pathology
• MA in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
• MA in Communication Science
• MS in Communication Science
• MA in Speech Pathology & Audiology
• Master of Speech Pathology
• MS in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• BS in Audiology
• BS in Speech Pathology
• Limited online and hybrid offerings
• MS in Speech and Hearing Sciences
• MA in Communication and Learning Disorders
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology with an emphasis in bilingual SLP
• MS in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
• BS-MS in Speech-Language Pathology
• Prerequisites offered online
• Speech-Language Pathology Pre-Master’s Track Certificate Program Offered Online
• AuD Doctor of Audiology
• AuD/PhD Dual Doctorate in Audiology
• Online prerequisites for a Speech-Language Pathology graduate program
• Med in Speech Communication Disorders
• PhD in Education–Speech Communication Disorders
• Post Baccalaureate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders
• MS in Medical Speech-Language Pathology
• Aud Program
• Post-baccalaureate bridge program
• Post-baccalaureate courses
• Career Resources
• How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist
• Both Sides of the Frenectomy Debate
• Certification
• State Licensing Overview
• Student Resources
• What is Speech-Language Pathology?
• CAA-Accredited Graduate Programs
• Directory of CSD and SLP Undergraduate Programs
• Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology
• SLP Clinical Fellowship
• SLP Thesis Track
• 2022 SLP Scholarship Guide
• 2022 Top SLP Master’s Programs
• Practice Settings
• Private Practice
• Telepractice
• Specialty Areas and Disorders
• Ankyloglossia (Tongue Tie) and Lip-Tie Issues
• Aphasia (Post Stroke)
• Apraxia of Speech
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Child Language Disorders
• Communication Competency Assessment
• Early Intervention
• Fluency Disorders
• Forensic Speech-Language Pathology
• Laryngeal Imaging
• Late Talkers
• Low-Incidence Disorders
• Multilingual Patients
• Occupational Therapy
• Otoacoustic Emissions Screening
• Patients with Autism
• Patients with Cochlear Implants
• Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation (E-stim)
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation
• Spasmodic Dysphonia
• Stuttering and Cluttering
• Swallowing and Feeding Disorders (Dysphagia)
• Transnasal Esophagoscopy and Pharyngeal/Esophageal Manometry
• Transgender Voice Modification Therapy
• Voice Therapy
• Dual Certification in SLP and Lactation Consultancy
• Continuing Education is Key to Career Versatility and Longevity in This Field
• Do You Speak with an Accent? … You Can Still Be an Outstanding SLP
• The Challenges and Rewards of Working with English Language Learners
• Some Advice on How to Approach Your Clinical Fellowship
• 4 Things a Job Description Can’t Tell You About the Profession
• 5 Things I Love Most About Being an SLP
• Your Guide to Getting Started in Telepractice
• Why Team Player SLPs are Even More Effective Than Superstars
• Why Working With the Entire Family Gets the Best Results in Kids Struggling with Speech-Language Issues