speech language pathologist degree

Best Speech-Language Pathology Programs

Ranked in 2024, part of Best Health Schools

Speech-language pathology is a competitive field for

Speech-language pathology is a competitive field for those who wish to help people with communication disorders, swallowing difficulties, voice pitch problems and more. These are the top master’s programs in speech-language pathology. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. Read the methodology »

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How to Become a Speech Pathologist

• Speech pathologists evaluate and treat people with speech and language conditions.
• To become a speech pathologist, you need a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.
• You also have to complete a supervised clinical fellowship and pass a licensing exam.
• It can take up to eight years to become a speech therapist.

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists or SLPs) work closely with people who have various speech conditions and swallowing disorders. These professionals can work in many settings, but most speech pathologists are employed by educational and healthcare organizations.

To become an SLP, you must earn a bachelor’s degree in a closely related field, complete graduate school with a master’s degree in speech pathology , work post-grad clinical hours, and pass a licensing exam.

In this guide, we’ll break down the steps required to become a speech therapist.

Featured Online Speech Pathologist Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

5 Steps to Become a Speech Therapist

To become a speech therapist, you must successfully complete several steps, from earning an accredited degree to getting licensed. We’ll walk you through each step below, starting with your undergraduate studies.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in CSD or a Closely-Related Field

The first step in your journey to becoming a speech therapist is to earn a bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate degrees in speech therapy are not always available, which is why many prospective SLPs pursue bachelor’s degrees in communication sciences and disorders.

You may also consider other closely related degrees, such as English or linguistics , but you should check with your prospective graduate program to ensure it doesn’t require a specific undergraduate degree. Bachelor’s degrees typically consist of approximately 120 credits and require four years of full-time study to earn.

Step 2: Earn a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology

The next step in your educational journey is to earn a graduate degree. While SLP programs are not commonly available at the bachelor’s level, you’ll find that many schools offer master’s degrees in speech-language pathology . These programs typically involve advanced coursework and require you to choose an area of study to specialize in.

Specializations can include options such as child language disorders, swallowing disorders, fluency disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and aphasia. Any program you consider should hold accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

Step 3: Complete a Clinical Fellowship

In order to receive licensure and work as a speech pathologist, you must complete a clinical fellowship . These typically last a minimum of 36 weeks and require you to complete at least 1,260 hours under the supervision of a licensed professional.

Common fellowship locations include hospitals, schools, clinics, residential care facilities, and outpatient healthcare settings. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides helpful guidance on finding a good fit.

Step 4: Pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology

As with many other healthcare occupations, you must pass an exam before you can become licensed. The exam for SLPs is administered by Praxis and covers nine sections spread across three categories. ASHA recommends taking the test after completing your graduate degree and fellowship.

Examinees must earn a minimum score of 162 to pass the exam and seek licensure. You can take the test an unlimited amount of times and scores remain valid for five years.

Step 5: Obtain Licensure and Optional Certification

Every state requires speech therapists to hold licensure in order to practice; in order to qualify, applicants must hold, at minimum, a master’s degree, complete a fellowship, and pass the certifying exam. Each state administers its own licensing division.

Many speech pathologists decide to earn the optional Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) certification offered via ASHA . While optional, many employers may prefer or even require it. This is why many SLPs ultimately pursue professional certification — to gain a competitive edge and demonstrate professional achievement.

How Long Does It Take to Become an SLP?

Becoming an SLP requires a great deal of dedication and focus, making it important that you carefully consider all the steps. Earning a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years, while most master’s degree programs in SLP take about two years.

After graduating, plan to spend at least 36 weeks completing your fellowship requirements. If you want to study before taking the Praxis exam, build this into your timeline as well. Lastly, you must apply for state licensure. Plan to spend approximately seven years meeting all requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Become a Speech Therapist

Is speech pathology a hard major.

As with any master’s program, earning a graduate degree in speech pathology can be a rigorous endeavor. Speech pathology programs typically include both science and liberal arts courses, requiring you to exercise all parts of your brain.

Additionally, most master’s in speech pathology programs require you to complete a clinical practicum. For these reasons, some students may find it challenging.

What’s the difference between a speech therapist and a speech pathologist?

These terms are used interchangeably, and for good reason: they’re the same profession. These roles require the same educational and licensing requirements and perform the same job responsibilities.

What is the fastest way to become a speech pathologist?

While you must follow all the steps outlined in this article to become a licensed SLP, there are opportunities to accelerate your progress. At both the undergraduate and graduate degree levels, look for accelerated programs .

Accelerated programs typically require you to enroll full time and take more classes at once, but they speed up the time it takes to earn your degree. Additionally, taking summer classes and transferring credits — if you have any — from previous institutions can also help accelerate your timeline.

What degree do you need to be a speech pathologist?

Before enrolling in an undergraduate program, review the requirements of potential master’s programs, as some require you to hold a bachelor’s degree specifically in communication sciences and disorders. Others allow for a wider range of undergraduate studies. At the graduate level, look for programs specifically in speech-language pathology.

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• How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-language pathology is a foundational area of study within the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD). As a speech-language pathologist, you will be part of a growing number of professionals that focus on the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in a variety of different patient populations– from young children with speech challenges to elderly stroke victims.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Calvin University - Calvin University's Online Speech and Hearing Foundations Certificate - Helps You Gain a Strong Foundation for Your Speech-Language Pathology Career.
• George Mason University - George Mason University's Graduate Programs in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Applied Behavior Analysis. - Prepares you for a rewarding career as a Speech and Language Pathologist.

Speech-language pathologists are master’s-educated, state licensed, and often nationally certified through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Although licensing requirements vary slightly from one state to the next, all licensing boards require SLP professional candidates to complete pre-licensure professional experience requirements and hold a post-bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology.

Steps to Becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist

Here’s what’s involved in meeting the education, experience and examination requirements to become a speech-language pathologist:

Step 1. Complete an Undergraduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), there are more than 200 institutions offering undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science) in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD).

A bachelor’s degree in CSD ensures a seamless transition to a CSD master’s program. Although an undergraduate degree in CSD is not mandatory for entering a CSD graduate program, it may eliminate the need to take certain prerequisites before beginning graduate studies.

CSD undergraduate degree programs include foundational courses in statistics and the social/behavioral, physical and biological sciences, as well as courses related to:

• Normal language development
• Language disorders and phonology
• Linguistics
• Anatomy of hearing and speech mechanisms

Many undergraduate programs in CSD offer research experiences and many require students to participate in research activities designed to provide students with the skills required for future research and clinical practice.

Step 2. Complete a CAA-Accredited Graduate Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology/Communicative Sciences and Disorders

To become a speech-language pathologist, you must complete a minimum of an entry-level graduate degree (MA, MS, MEd) from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) .

Program titles may include:

• MS Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• MS Speech-Language Pathology
• MS Communication Sciences and Disorders, specialization in speech-language pathology

Many CAA graduate programs offer:

• Part-time/evening programs
• Partially or fully online delivery
• Combined degree programs (bachelors/masters)

Speech pathology graduate programs consist of about 48 credits and are located in colleges/departments of education, audiology, healthcare sciences, public health, behavioral and communication sciences, and rehabilitation, to name a few.

They include both academic and clinical coursework, and many students also supplement their program with research-related activities. A number of CAA-accredited programs offer study abroad opportunities.

Clinical Practicum Requirements

All CAA-accredited speech-language programs include supervised clinical experiences, designed to provide students with opportunities to become acquainted with the speech-language pathology profession and apply their newly acquired knowledge.

Clinical practicum requirements for licensure vary slightly depending on the state. For example, Illinois and Pennsylvania require a clinical practicum of at least 375 hours, while in Texas the clinical practicum requirement is 400 hours, and in Florida it is just 300. Some states, like Arizona and Washington State, have no specific clinical practicum requirements, instead deferring to ASHA requirements, which stipulate 350 hours.

Clinical placement advisors work with students to arrange clinical experiences in at least three settings and with a number of populations.

Before commencing their clinical practicum, students of online SLP master’s degree programs would attend a number of on-campus clinical immersion experiences where they would get to engage in practicum seminars with faculty and fellow students.

Prerequisites and Admission Requirements

Admission requirements and processes may differ slightly from one graduate program to the next, but all require incoming students to complete foundational undergraduate coursework that supports studying speech-language pathology at the graduate level. Some programs allow new students who hold an undergraduate degree in an area other than communicative science and disorders to enter the program and then complete outstanding prerequisites prior to moving on to graduate-level courses. Other programs only admit students after they have successfully completed all prerequisite coursework. Some colleges and universities even offer prerequisite courses online, allowing students to complete all necessary courses before starting their graduate program.

Earning an undergraduate degree in communicative sciences and disorders would usually satisfy all undergraduate requirements.

Prerequisite undergraduate courses generally include:

• Biological science
• Physical science
• Behavioral and social science (2 courses)

Other admission requirements include:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Admissions essay
• Letters of recommendation

Step 3. Complete a Post-Graduate Fellowship

You would begin your post-graduate fellowship after the successful completion of your CAA-accredited graduate program.

Before beginning your clinical fellowship in speech language pathology , you may need to apply for a temporary license (also called an intern or limited license) through your state’s board of speech-language pathology and audiology.

To qualify for a temporary license, you must possess a master’s or doctoral degree from a CAA-accredited program and submit a plan for your clinical fellowship, signed by a licensed supervisor.

Temporary licenses are usually valid for a year, just long enough to complete your clinical fellowship.

Practical training through a speech-language pathology clinical fellowship is necessary for state licensure. Speech-language pathology clinical fellowships consist of a period of training completed under the guidance and supervision of a licensed speech-language professional.

Clinical fellowship requirements vary from one state to the next, although most states require fellowships to last 36 weeks (1,260 hours).

Many states mirror the clinical fellowship requirements that must be met to earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) credential through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which requires a clinical fellowship to:

• Be at least 36 weeks, at 35 hours per week, for a total of 1,260 hours
• Be mentored by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathology professional
• Have at least 80 percent direct clinical contact, such as through activities related to assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, screening, counseling, etc.

Step 4. Take a National Exam in Speech-Language Pathology

You must take and pass the Educational Testing Service’s (ETS) Praxis II: Subject Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology to earn state licensure. Generally, you may take this examination at any time following the successful completion of your CAA-accredited graduate program. Most students take the Praxis at some point during their clinical fellowship.

You must register directly with ETS for the Praxis II: Subject Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology . The registration process allows you to choose the exam location and date that best meets your needs. There are test centers located throughout the country. You can learn more about available test centers near you here .

Each state has their own passing score requirements for the Praxis exam, although most follow the CCC-SLP certification minimum requirements for a score of 162.

The exam consists of the following topics:

• Typical development and performance across the lifespan
• Factors that influence communication, feeding, and swallowing
• Epidemiology and characteristics of common communication and swallowing disorders
• Wellness and prevention
• Culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery
• Counseling, collaboration, and teaming
• Documentation
• Legislation and client advocacy
• Research methodology and evidence-based practice
• Communication disorders
• Feeding and swallowing disorders
• Developing case histories
• Selecting appropriate assessment instruments, procedures, and materials
• Assessing factors that influence communication and swallowing disorders
• Assessment of anatomy and physiology
• Speech sound production
• Voice, resonance, and motor speech
• Receptive and expressive language
• Social aspects of communication, including pragmatics
• Cognitive aspects of communication
• Augmentative and alternative communication
• Feeding and swallowing
• Developmental
• Disease processes
• Auditory problems
• Neurological
• Structural and functional
• Psychogenic
• Evaluating factors that can affect treatment
• Initiating and prioritizing treatment and developing goals
• Determining appropriate treatment details
• Generating a prognosis
• Communicating recommendations
• General treatment principles and procedures
• Establishing methods for monitoring treatment progress and outcomes to evaluate assessment and/or treatment plans
• Follow-up on post-treatment referrals and recommendations
• Communication impairments related to cognition
• Treatment involving augmentative and alternative communication
• Hearing and aural rehabilitation
• Swallowing and feeding

You can learn more about the Praxis exam by studying the Speech-Language Pathology Study Companion .

Step 5. Apply for State Licensure as a Speech-Language Pathologist

To apply for state licensure, you must complete an application and submit it to the licensing authority, along with:

• Application fee
• Graduate degree transcripts (sent directly from the CAA-accredited institution)
• Praxis exam scores (sent directly from ETS)
• Results from a criminal background check

Depending on the state, you may also be required to complete a course on HIV/AIDS and take and pass a state jurisprudence examination.

Continuing Education Requirements

To maintain state licensure as a speech-language pathologist , you must complete the necessary number of continuing education requirements during your renewal period. Continuing education requirements vary.

For example, in Tennessee, speech-language pathologists must complete at least 10 hours of continuing education per calendar year, while in California, speech-language pathologists must complete at least 24 clock hours of continuing education during every two-year renewal period.

Step 6. Consider Professional Certification

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (AHSA) Speech-Language Pathology Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) is a nationally recognized, voluntary designation that increases opportunities for:

• Salary supplements
• Career advancement
• Job mobility
• Professional credibility

To qualify for CCC-SLP certification, you must:

• Complete a master’s or doctoral degree from a CAA-accredited institution
• Complete a clinical fellowship of at least 36 weeks that is mentored by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathology professional
• Pass the Praxis II: Subject Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology

You may submit an application for CCC-SLP after you have completed your graduate degree from a CAA-accredited academic program. You must complete and submit the Application for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)-2014 Standards , along with the $461 fee for membership and certification.

To complete the application for certification, you must also submit:

• Your passing exam score (sent directly to ASHA from ETS)
• Official transcripts, sent directly from your CAA-accredited program
• Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship (SLPCF) Report and Rating Form

To maintain your CCC-SLP credential, you must complete 30 professional development hours during every three-year certification period, which begins January 1 of the year following your initial certification.

Back to Top

• Career Resources
• 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
• SLP Scholarship Guide
• 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