Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-language pathologists specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, voice disorders and swallowing disorders.

Speech-language pathology is not a major. Therefore, you must choose a degree-granting major (and minor, if appropriate). Clemson offers basic-science and social-science prerequisite coursework required by speech-language-pathology graduate programs; however, neither courses in linguistics, anatomy, and physiology of speech and hearing, nor audiology are offered on our campus. Students must plan to take these courses elsewhere in order to become eligible applicants for most SLP graduate programs. Be sure to accommodate prerequisite courses for your SLP schools of interest.

What is Competitive?

Admissions criteria vary by institution and should be verified individually. A competitive grade point average for the occupational therapy program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has been a 3.6 in recent years, and a competitive applicant should score in the 50th percentile or higher on the Graduate Records Examinations. Many programs require a minimum of 25 hours of documented observation with an SLP practitioner with American Speech-Language-Hearing Association certification.

Programs vary as they relate to when prerequisite coursework must be completed. Some programs require completion prior to application while others will provisionally accept students and allow completion of coursework at the program’s institution prior to matriculation. Finally, a handful of programs will allow students to complete remaining prerequisite coursework alongside the program curriculum. In some cases, this could add up to a year of additional time to your graduate studies.

Core Preparation Courses

Requirements vary by institution and should be verified. Students planning to pursue a degree in speech-language pathology should expect to take the following courses:

• General Biology: BIOL 1030 and BIOL 1050, and BIOL 1040 and BIOL 1060 or BIOL 1100 and BIOL 1110.
• Physical Science: PHYS 2070 and PHYS 2090, and PHYS 2080 and PHYS 2100 or CH 1010 and CH 1020.
• Behavioral or Social Science: PSYC 2010, SOC 2010 or ANTH 2010.
• Statistics: STAT 2300, STAT 3090 or MATH 3020.

The following courses are not offered at Clemson and must be taken elsewhere:

• Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing.
• Communication Disorders.
• Introduction to Audiology.
• Introduction to Language Development.
• Introduction to Phonetics.