Master's Degree Leading to ASHA Certification in Speech-Language Pathology
The master’s degree program in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) is designed to provide a theoretically and clinically rich path for students planning to work as speech-language pathologists in medical, educational, and private practice settings. The program culminates in one medical-based internship and one school-based internship, as well as a comprehensive exam or thesis. SLP program students build a strong foundation of theoretical and clinical knowledge through academic and clinical experiences.
Students completing the SLP program obtain a Master in Arts degree from the University of Colorado and are eligible to receive the Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) upon successful completion of the clinical fellowship year and the national Praxis examination. Students can also apply for Colorado state licensure required to work in the public schools.
Two-Year Program: Students with an undergraduate degree in speech, language and hearing science / communication disorders, will complete the SLP program in 2 years (24 months). The program starts in early August (3-week intensive course) and ends in summer two years later. Students are enrolled for August intensive, fall year 1, spring year 1, summer year 1, fall year 2, spring year 2. Students will then finish their internships in spring or summer of year 2 depending on the internships (students will not need to enroll in the final summer term).
Three-Year (Leveling) Program: Students without an undergraduate degree in speech, language and hearing science / communication disorders who do not have their prerequisites completed, will enter the program as “leveling” students. Levelers will complete the program in three years (36 months). Levelers will spend the first year of the program focused on completing the prerequisites coursework. Students are enrolled for, fall year 1, spring year 1, August intensive, fall year 2, spring year 2, summer year 2, fall year 3, spring year 3. Students will then finish their internships in spring or summer of year 3 depending on the internships (students will not need to enroll in the final summer term).
Applicants to the two-year program should have the necessary prerequisite coursework and clinic observation hours prior to the start of the program. Prerequisite coursework and clinic observation hours do not need to be completed before applying. Admitted students will be asked to submit a prerequisite coursework form and submit their observation hours. Students with any gaps in these requirements should work with the MA-SLP advisor and/or the MA-SLP Director of Clinic to ensure these gaps in requirements are completed in a timely manner. Applicants to the three-year program will complete these requirements in their first year of the program.
Prerequisite Coursework
AHSA Prerequisite Coursework
Students must have this content knowledge in order to meet ASHA 2020 Standards for Certification in Speech-Language Pathology. Descriptions of acceptable courses for each requirement can be found on the ASHA website.
- Biological Science
- Physics or Chemistry
- Statistics
- Social Science
Coursework must be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level at an accredited institution. AP coursework is accepted. Coursework from massive open online courses (MOOCs) are not accepted. Examples of MOOCs include, but are not limited to: Educause, MOOC.org, edX, Coursera, and Khan Academy. Coursework in the areas of biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and statistics cannot be related to speech-language pathology, audiology, communication sciences, hearing sciences, or logopedia.
Speech, Language, and Hearing Prerequisite Coursework
Students must have coursework that covered the following fundamental content. These six requirements do not necessarily need to be met by separate courses. For example, a student may meet requirements 2 and 3 by taking a Speech and Hearing Sciences course and a course covering Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanism.
- Phonetics - a course that focuses on production of speech sounds, transcribing speech using the International Phonetic Alphabet, analyzing the acoustic properties of speech sounds, and understanding how speech sounds vary depending upon the context.
- Speech Science - a course that provides a basic understanding of the structural organization (anatomy), function (physiology), and neural controls of the structures used to produce speech, swallowing, respiration, and related behaviors in humans.
- Hearing Science - a course that focuses on the three main aspects of the hearing process: sounds in the environment (physical acoustics), sounds encoded within the auditory system (physiological acoustics), and perception of sound (psychological acoustics).
- Language Development - a course that covers the development of language in childhood and into adult life, emphasizing the role of environment and biological endowment in learning to communicate with words, sentences, and narratives.
- Audiological Evaluation - a course that covers studies basic principles and techniques of hearing evaluation, including pure-tone, speech, immittance, and advanced audiometry; hearing conservation in hospital, school, and industrial settings; and identification and evaluation of auditory pathologies. Required projects in screening and pure-tone audiometry.
- Audiological Rehabilitation - a course that covers basic principles and techniques related to the habilitation and rehabilitation of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing: amplification, speech, language, auditory, speech reading, and educational issues.
Observation Hours
Admitted studnets will be required to provide proof of 25 guided observation hours signed by an ASHA-certified SLP. Since the beginning of 2020, the ASHA requirement is that observation hours from any source be “guided,” meaning that there must be some discussion with the supervising SLP(s) about the cases/sessions that were observed. You can obtain observation hours over the summer in community settings, such as schools, hospitals, and private practices. Additionally, the SLHS clinic will allow student observations over the summer, if you are in Colorado.
The Clinical Education Program is a critical part of your graduate program. Students in the two-year program, assuming readiness, register for two credits of clinical practicum in the first fall semester, and 3 credits for the subsequent spring, summer, and fall semesters. Levelers (three-year students) begin their clinical training following completion of prerequisites and the initial summer intensive session required of all MA-SLP students. Clinical practicum experiences during these semesters are completed primarily at the University of Colorado Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic, housed in our building with supervision and mentorship by clinical faculty in their areas of expertise. Supplemental supervised short-term off-site experiences in the Boulder/Denver metro area may also be available.
The master’s degree work will culminate in at least one (if thesis plan) or two (if non-thesis plan) full-time internships in off-campus professional settings during the spring semester of year 2. For the spring full-time internships, students register for two 7-credit internships. Due to the length of time required by internship sites and certification standards, students typically finish the second internship in the summer and receive their degree in August. Students will be invited to attend spring commencement and students will not need to enroll in the final summer term).
Upon completion of internships, you can expect to exceed the minimum requirements for clinical contact hours (400 hours) specified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association for its Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).
The comprehensive examination in the MA-SLP Program consists of Part I and Part II. Part I consists of the PRAXIS Exam and Part II consists of either a comprehensive portfolio assessment OR a MA thesis and oral defense.
Students in the MA-SLP Program may choose to complete a Master’s Thesis. If a student chooses to do a thesis, they are not required to complete the comprehensive portfolio assessment. Learn more about the thesis option .
Completion of Part I and Part II of the comprehenisve exam must be done following the timetable specified and announced each year.
Part I: ETS PRAXIS Exam in Speech-Language Pathology
All students must successfully complete and pass the PRAXIS Exam (ETS) in SLP during the last year of their program; this is a graduation requirement. Scores must be sent directly to CU Boulder (code 4841), ASHA (5031), and CDE if applicable (code 7040).
Part II: Comprehensive Portfolio Assessment
Students will receive instructions for the written portion during the summer of year 1, and the portfolio is required to complete early fall of year 2. The comprehensive portfolio assessment in Part II involves compiling and submitting a collection of academic and clinical work, known as artifacts, from various SLHS courses and clinic assignments. The portfolio includes 4 Academic Artifacts and 2 Clinic Artifacts, each accompanied by a reflection paragraph. These artifacts showcase a range of student work, underscoring their expertise and development across different academic and clinical domains. Additionally, a Professional Growth Reflection Paper is required, focusing on learning progress, growth areas, future goals, and a learning plan.
Students pursuing a master’s degree leading to certification in speech pathology may choose to do a master’s thesis. Students who pursue a thesis are: 1) not required to complete the comprehensive portfolio assessment and 2) may complete one internship rather than two. The MA-SLP faculty must approve your request to complete a thesis, based on your standing in both your clinical work and your coursework. Learn more about the thesis option