Master of Health Science (M.H.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology
Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) are trained to diagnose and treat communication
and swallowing disorders. Our SLP program equips students with the knowledge, clinical
experience, and professional skills needed to make a meaningful impact in the lives
of individuals across the lifespan.
An education in speech language pathology allows graduates to choose from various
career settings, including education, healthcare, private practice, corporate environments,
and government agencies. The new Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology
offers an educational experience for aspiring speech-language pathologists (SLPs).
This full-time, lock-step program is designed to provide a rigorous and supportive
learning experience that prepares students to become highly qualified speech language
pathologists. Students can look forward to a comprehensive curriculum that blends
academic coursework with hands-on clinical training, access to state-of-the-art facilities,
and mentorship from experienced faculty.
Accreditation
The Master of Health Science (M.H.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology {residential} at
麻豆国产AV is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation
in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071. Candidacy
is a 鈥減re-accreditation鈥� status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs
for a maximum period of 5 years.
Learn More
New speech-language program now accepting applications
"I am excited that we will be filling this important area, SLP, that is desperately
needed for all of Georgia," said CAHS Dean Lester Pretlow, PhD.
Speech Language Pathology (SLP) Admissions Information Session
The program director discusses application and admissions requirements and deadlines,
followed by a question-and-answer session, during an information webinar hosted by
Health Professions Outreach.
By the Numbers
22
Graduate Student Cohort
29
New Courses
95%
Face-to-Face Instruction
72
Credit Hours
6
Semesters
Licensure Disclosure Statement
Graduates of the 麻豆国产AV Master of Health Science (M.H.S.) in Speech-Language
Pathology who successfully complete all academic and clinical education requirements
are eligible to take the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology. Successful
completion of the Praxis examination, clinical fellowship, and all applicable ASHA
certification requirements qualifies graduates to apply for the ASHA Certificate of
Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). Graduates are also eligible to pursue state licensure,
including licensure through the Georgia Board of Speech-Language Pathology and educator
certification through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, as applicable.
Intended to provide experiential learning opportunities to keep pace with the increase
of medical SLP service delivery needs.
One-of-a-kind curriculum to include SLPP 5302 Head and Neck Cancer and SLPP 5101 Anatomy
of the Head and Neck, a lecture/cadaver lab course for reflective hands-on learning.
Lab training opportunities using professional grade Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation
of Swallowing (FEES) and Voice Lab equipment.
Interprofessional Education (IPE) opportunities with occupational therapy, physical
therapy, respiratory therapy, physician assistant, dietician, and medical students.
Study Abroad opportunity in Jamaica providing therapeutic services to the residents of Mustard Seed Communities. This
interprofessional education (IPE) opportunity with CAHS occupational therapy students
is a voluntary week-long event (Saturday to Saturday) based on space availability.
Second year SLP graduate students enrolled in SLPP 6501 Pediatric Externship and SLPP
6502 Pediatric Externship - Seminar are eligible to participate.
One-of-a-kind opportunities to experience clinical rotations at inpatient and outpatient
AUMC, Georgia Cancer Center, Children鈥檚 Hospital of Georgia, Charlie Norwood VA Hospital,
and Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home, local school districts, outpatient pediatric
and adult therapy facilities, etc.
One-of-a-kind opportunities to participate in on-campus specialty clinics - Interdisciplinary
Equality Clinic, Clinica Latina, Costa Layman, Healthy Grandparents and .
White coat ceremony to officially mark a student鈥檚 transition into the world of healthcare.
Prepare graduates with the required knowledge and clinical skillset needed for entry
level professional practice and employment in a range of education and health-related
work settings and be recognized for their competence, leadership, ethics, and commitment
to service and life-long learning.
Transform graduates to become independent clinicians to deliver effective, culturally
sensitive, and evidenced-based clinical services to individuals with differences or
disorders in communication and swallowing.
Provide graduates with a well-rounded, high-quality academic and clinical experience
that is directed by certified SLP faculty and clinical supervisors promoting transformational
learning, mentorship, and service-learning through critical thinking and evidence-based
clinical practices.
Offer an innovative and well-rounded curriculum of study to promote the development
of interprofessional educational practice to guide clinical decision-making via interdisciplinary
collaboration with on-campus academic programs to include occupational therapy, physical
therapy, respiratory therapy, physician assistant, dietician, nursing and medical
students.
Applicant Information
Applicants from any undergraduate major are welcome to apply, provided they complete
the required prerequisite coursework prior to enrollment.
Requirements
Applicants will submit an official transcript verifying an earned undergraduate degree
from an accredited institution AND official transcripts from an accredited institution(s)
of the following SIX prerequisite courses with an earned grade of B or better within
the past FIVE years prior to applying to the program. All SIX prerequisites MUST be approved by program admissions as equivalent/accepted
prerequisite courses from an accredited institution.
An applicant is eligible to apply for the fall admissions cycle if currently enrolled
at an accredited institution anticipating graduation and/or will have completed ALL
six prerequisite courses PRIOR TO the start of the fall semester. Please upload valid
documentation from your current institution(s) indicating proof of enrollment. Please
note - eligibility is CONTINGENT upon earning a grade of B or better in all six prerequisite
courses AND receipt of an official acceptance letter to the program.
Prerequisites
Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism
Introduction to Audiology
Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology
Phonetics
Speech and Hearing Science
Speech and Language Development
Applicants must complete coursework in the following general education areas consistent
with the 2027 ASHA Certification Standards:
Biological Sciences
Physical Sciences (chemistry or physics)
Social/Behavioral Sciences
Statistics
*For more information, please refer to the for Speech-Language Pathology.
of 25 guided observation hours completed under the supervision of a speech-language
pathologist who holds current ASHA Certification (CCC-SLP) is required prior to interview
consideration. Documentation must include the supervising SLP's ASHA certification number. Guided observation hours may be completed
through university coursework or other approved clinical observation experiences.
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Resume
(online, open response situational judgement test) Testing dates are limited. Dates listed on CASPer are the ONLY testing dates for the
admissions cycle. No additional tests will be scheduled. You MUST select 麻豆国产AV as a recipient of your CASPer results. Registering for
a test date NOT assigned to AU will NOT be shared with AU and will be invalid. CASPer
results from a previous admissions cycle are not valid. Effective January 31, 2025, applicants may reserve an AU test date. A CSDCAS ID is required; however, if you
do not yet have a CSDCAS ID, enter a set of zeros as a placeholder to reserve a future
test date. Applicants will update with the correct CSDCAS ID once received.
Writing sample
GRE is not required
English proficiency exam scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English and who do
not qualify for an English proficiency exam waiver per the criteria listed below.
麻豆国产AV will accept official or scores. TOEFL Minimum Overall Score is 79 internet based or 213 computer based. The
IELTS Minimum Overall Band Score: 6.5. Official exam scores must be taken within
2 years of the date of application. The 麻豆国产AV institution code for submission
of TOEFL or IELTS scores is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
The program will utilize the , a centralized application service for graduate level speech-language pathology academic
programs. The CSDCAS application fee is $150 for the first graduate program applied
to and $50 for each additional graduate program. All information must be submitted
directly to CSDCAS to complete your application. Your application MUST BE VERIFIED BEFORE the December deadline! Plan accordingly.
CSDCAS application verification is a 4 to 6-week process. It is the applicant鈥檚 responsibility
to check your application status. We strongly advise to check your CSDCAS application
frequently to manage any issues with CSDCAS BEFORE the deadline. The CSDCAS customer
service # is 617-612-2030. Again, your application MUST BE VERIFIED BEFORE the December
deadline. NO exceptions! Go to
When CSDCAS verifies your application is complete, applicants will receive an email
from the AU Graduate Admissions Office (GAO) verifying your CSDCAS application has
been successfully received and will provide a link to the AU GAO supplemental application.
The supplemental application fee is $25. The supplemental application will be shared
with SLP departmental administration. It is the applicant鈥檚 responsibility to check
your AU supplemental application for required documentation and updates. An incomplete
AU supplemental application will be ineligible for an interview. It is the applicant鈥檚 responsibility to check your AU supplemental application for
required documentation and updates. An incomplete AU supplemental application will
be ineligible for an interview.
We do not require evaluations or references. While CSDCAS inherently includes a section
for references, it is not a requirement for our program.
If eligible, a single interview format will be offered as either in-person or virtual.
Interview invitations are sent via email in February through CSDCAS. It is the applicant鈥檚
responsibility to check your CSDCAS email for updates. Interview invitations must
be accepted and acknowledged by the requested deadline. No exceptions.
Criminal Background Check
Per AU policy, criminal background checks will be conducted prior to enrollment in
the health profession programs in the Dental College of Georgia, College of Nursing,
and the Medical College of Georgia, and in participating programs in the College of
Allied Health Sciences, College of Education, and The Graduate School at 麻豆国产AV
(AU). Final admittance is conditional on a satisfactory criminal background report
which must be completed and approved prior to matriculation. Additional information
regarding this policy may be found .
Graduates will complete a minimum of 400 supervised clinical education hours in accordance
with current CAA accreditation requirements under the supervision of qualified clinical
educators.
Graduates will be well prepared to successfully complete the Praxis Examination in
Speech-Language Pathology as required for state licensure and ASHA certification.
Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to be eligible to apply
for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).
Graduates from the 麻豆国产AV Master of Health Science (M.H.S.) in Speech-Language
Pathology are eligible to sit for the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology
(5331). The Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology (5331) is an integral
component of ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) national certification
standards and a requirement for state professional licensure. Individuals are eligible
to apply for national certification once they have completed all graduate-level academic
course work and clinical practicum and been judged by the graduate program as having
acquired all of the knowledge and skills mandated by current CAA and CFCC (Council
for Clinical Certification in Speech-Language Pathology) standards. When an earned
passing score on the Praxis exam is achieved, the department has determined a speech-language
pathologist is eligible to apply for licensure to practice in any state or territory
within the United States including the Georgia Board of Speech-Language Pathology
and the Georgia Educator Certificate in the field of speech-language pathology by
the Georgia Board of Education.
The curriculum is designed to meet the current Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA)
accreditation standards and the 2027 ASHA Certification Standards for Speech-Language
Pathology.
SLP graduates will improve community health by increasing the provision of highly
qualified SLP graduates to fill the state and nationwide critical shortage.
Healthy Grandparents Program makes back-to-school easier for grandparents
"The grandparents are so focused on taking care of these kids, and any bit of information or resource they can get, they will take it and apply it at home," says Mike Patton.
Thankful for the opportunity: Pretlow reflects on productive career
"I am a Jaguar because I grew up here. I've been here for 25 years and this has been the highlight of my professional career," says Lester Pretlow, PhD.
Professor, students receive awards at annual convention
"I am deeply grateful for this investment in my education and in the work I hope to do for others," says Robyn Rayford.
A lesson in persistence: Student and program director earns her EdD
"One of my professors described getting your doctorate as an exercise in persistence, and I've always remembered that," says Joann Denemark, EdD.
Life-Changing, Life-Saving Education
The College of Allied Health Sciences at 麻豆国产AV trains and educates today鈥檚
health care professionals: the therapists, technicians, administrators, managers and
assistants who are the backbone of our country鈥檚 health care workforce.
