Become an expert in diagnosing and treating speech, language and swallowing disorders in children and adults

Our Master of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology program will prepare you to become a speech language pathologist (SLP) who treats all aspects of communicative and swallowing disorders across the life span (children through adults), including the following:

• fluency
• receptive and expressive language
• cognitive aspects of communication (attention, memory, sequencing, problem solving, executive functioning)
• voice and resonance ( including respiration and phonation)
• speech sound production
• augmentative and alternative communication
• hearing (including the impact on speech and language)
• swallowing
• social aspects of communication

You’ll take classes that will focus on:

• basic science courses
• specific communication and swallowing disorders
• research methods
• clinical coursework, which includes 400 hours of supervised clinical experience

Here, you’ll gain critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal skills you need to become an independent clinical practitioner. You’ll be trained to work in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, clinics and private practice.

Our M.S. degree in Speech Language Pathology offers students a pro??gram of academic and clinical preparation that meets:

• ?the requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology,

• the requirements for Illinois State Licensure to practice as a speech-language pathologist, and

• the requirements for a Professional Educator License endorsed in Speech-Language Pathology (non-teaching) to work as a speech-language pathologist in Illinois public schools.?

?A dynamic industry with projected growth

Nationally, there is a significant demand for SLPs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts 21% growth by 2024, resulting in nearly 30,000 new positions in the U.S. Additionally, in 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked speech and language pathology as ‘one of the Best 100 Jobs” and one of the “Best Healthcare Jobs.”

Application Deadlines

Applications are no longer being accepted for fall 2022 entry.  The fall 2023 application will be available through CSDCAS on July 14, 2022.  Faculty will start to review applications in fall 2022 with a final application deadline of January 15, 2?023.  Interviews will be held in winter and early spring 2023.

Student Accommodations

Students seeking accommodations must first be admitted to DePaul University through the standard admissions process. Admitted DePaul students with a documented permanent or temporary disability are encouraged to self-identify and request enrollment with the DePaul University Center for Students with Disabilities Services (CSD). The steps for students to receive accommodation can be found on the CSD Website.

Admission Requirements

Submit an online application, letters of recommendation, personal statement and official transcripts.

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Required Courses

You will take a total of 26 courses, with the option to conduct research and write a thesis.

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93%

of College of Science and Health graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Your path to becoming a practicing speech-language pathologist

After graduation from the program, you’ll take the Praxis Speech-Language Pathology Test, a national assessment of specific content knowledge. Then you’ll begin a required Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY), which is the final step required to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). You’ll also be eligible to apply for state licensure through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), and a professional educator's license through the Illinois State Board of Education.

Alumni Network

Graduates of DePaul’s speech-language pathology program will be connected to the larger alumni network of more than 20,600 graduates of the College of Science and Health.

Scholarships

Graduate school is an investment in your future. Learn more about the financial aid and scholarship opportunities available to you.

Admission Requirements

????How to apply

Online applications must be submitted through CSDCAS. CSDCAS is the online, centralized application service for Communication Science Disorders and Speech-Language Pathology programs nationwide. Visit the CSDCAS Applicant Help Center? for detailed application instructions.  There is not a supplemental application through DePaul's website- please only submit a CSDCAS application. You will, however, be asked to fill out one form upon verification of your CSDCAS application so please watch for an email from graddepaul@depaul.edu.?

Application Deadline

The fall 2023 application is available now through CSDCAS.  The priority application deadline will be January 16, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST.   We recommend submitting your application via CSDCAS 4-6 weeks ahead of the deadline to allow time to verify your application credentials. We will only review applications complete or verified by the deadline. If you do not receive a confirmation email from DePaul University, CSDCAS has not yet verified your credentials and should be contacted.  Applications will be reviewed after the deadline until the fall cohort is filled.??

Requirements

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program is designed as a full-time course of study. Students must complete and fulfill the following requirements upon application:

• Bachelor’s Degree: To be eligible for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) including the courses listed below OR a bachelor’s degree in any area other than CSD with completion of the prerequisite coursework. 
  • Applicants must have a previous grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. We are looking for a minimum 3.0 GPA in Communication Sciences and Disorders coursework as well. 
  • The GRE is not a requirement for this program in any application cycle.?
  • You can apply while you are still enrolled in undergraduate degree program or while you are completing prerequisite coursework.?
• Prerequisites:  Any of the prerequisites may be in progress when an application is submitted but all must be complete before the start of the SLP program. Prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or above.  Prerequisites must be completed at regionally-accredited colleges or universities. DePaul offers these SLP prerequisite courses to current students or students enrolled in our SLP Post Baccalaureate Program?. 
  • Prerequisite Courses- one course in each of the following subject areas:
    • • ?Biological Science (e.g., Human biology, Human anatomy and physiology, Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, Human genetics, Animal biology/veterinary science)
      • Physical Science (e.g. Physics, Chemistry)
      • Social/Behavioral Science (e.g. Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Health)
      • Statistics
  • Communication Sciences & Disorders Courses- one course in each of the following?:?
    • • ?Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech & Hearing Mechanism
      • ?Introduction to Audiology
      • Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders
      • Normal Child Language Development
      • Phonetics
      • Speech & Hearing Science
      • Speech Sound Disorders
      • Aural Rehabilitation (highly recommended before starting the graduate coursework)?
  • ?Do you have questions about whether a course you have taken or plan to take will meet a prerequisite, please email graddepaul@depaul.edu with the school and course number/name for review.
• Personal Statement/Essay: Limit answers to 500 words (about 2 pages double spaced) per prompt.?
  • Why are you pursuing a career in speech-language pathology? Specifically explain why you are interested in attending DePaul's SLP program. Discuss any other pertinent information you feel is important for us to know.
  • Speech language pathologists work with clients from a wide variety of backgrounds. As a future speech language pathologist, share what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you and why they are important. 
  • If your academic record does NOT accurately reflect your capabilities, please describe why it does not. Present any inform?ation that may assist the admissions committee in interpreting and evaluating your academic history or credentials.?
• Letters of Recommendation: Three (3) letters of recommendation (e.g. professor, supervisor, or employer), on professional letterhead (recommended), who can comment on the academic, clinical and professional experiences of the applicant should be submitted via CSDCAS.
• Transcripts: Official transcripts of all undergraduate coursework will be submitted directly to CSDCAS.

 

International Students 

Applicants with international undergraduate degrees who do not require a student visa to participate in University courses and/or degrees can be considered for admission.  All instruction in the MS-SLP program is conducted in English. To be considered, a candidate must submit:

• Course -by-course credential evaluation report (including transcripts). Applicants can send an official WES evaluation directly to CSDCAS.  DePaul also accepts evaluations from: One Earth, Educational Perspectives or ECE which would need to be sent directly to DePaul (not CSDCAS). We will not accept credential evaluations from any other service.
• Official English proficiency exam scores- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test are accepted for applicants whose education was completed in a language other than English or their native language is not English.

Degree Requirements

????Students are required to complete 102 credit hours. ?The curriculum covers 6 major areas: core courses (13 credit hours), research courses (5 credit hours), child/adolescent courses (19 credit hours), adult courses (16 credit hours), other disorder courses (13 credit hours) and clinical education (36 credit hours). The program is designed to be completed in seven quarters.

 

Clinical Curriculum: Students will complete at least 400 hours of supervised clinical experience. Students will engage in 4 quarters of clinical practica at the DePaul University Clinic on the Lincoln Park Campus and two quarters of externship placements. The DePaul Speech and Language Clinic is a donation based clinic and accepts clients from the community ranging in age from young children through adults with a variety of communication and swallowing disorders to provide our SLP students with a breath of clinical experiences.

Degree Requirements

Core Courses

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
SLP 400	INTERPROFESIONAL EDUCATION	2
SLP 401	NEUROGENIC BASIS OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS	4
SLP 402	CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND DISORDERS	4
SLP 403	PROFESSIONAL ISSUES AND ETHICS IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY	2

Research Courses 

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
SLP 410	RESEARCH METHODS	3
SLP 411	TOPICS IN RESEARCH FOR SLPS: EBP	2

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
Child/Adolescent Courses
SLP 420	SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS	4
SLP 421	LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD	4
SLP 422	LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN SCHOOL-AGE POPULATIONS	4
SLP 423	AUTISM & OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS	3
SLP 424	LANGUAGE, LITERACY & LEARNING	4
Adult Courses
SLP 430	APHASIA	4
SLP 431	DYSPHAGIA	4
SLP 432	ACQUIRED NEUROLINGUISTIC AND NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS	4
SLP 433	MOTOR SPEECH DISORDER	4
Other Disorders
SLP 440	VOICE AND RESONANCE DISORDERS	4
SLP 441	FLUENCY DISORDERS	3
SLP 442	AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN	3
SLP 450	SPECIAL TOPICS	3

Clinical Education

Course	Title	Quarter Hours
SLP 480	CLINICAL METHODS IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY	4
SLP 481	CLINICAL PRACTICUM I	4
SLP 482	CLINICAL PRACTICUM II	4
SLP 483	CLINICAL PRACTICUM III	4
SLP 484	CLINICAL PRACTICUM IV	4
SLP 485	EXTERNSHIP: SCHOOL PRACTICUM	8
SLP 486	EXTERNSHIP: MEDICAL PRACTICUM	8
SLP 487	FOUNDATIONS IN CLINICAL PRACTICE LAB	1

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