INTRODUCTION

Speech-Language Pathologists are health professionals that prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. The Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) at Gannon University is established as a post-baccalaureate program that involves a theoretical and practical professional curriculum consisting of advanced courses, research, and clinical experiences relevant to the discipline and required to earn the master’s degree. This curriculum was carefully aligned with the certification requirements for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Pennsylvania Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology licensure.

Students with an earned baccalaureate degree in communication sciences and disorders who have completed all courses, or their equivalents with a C or higher and a GPA of 3.0 or higher in these courses prior to matriculation may be eligible for direct entry into the professional phase of the program. The Program Director will review all coursework to determine eligibility for direct admission to the professional curriculum during the admission process.

MISSION

The mission of the Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology Program at Gannon University is to foster the development of highly skilled, compassionate speech-language professionals who are dedicated to lifelong learning, leadership, and person-centered service. The program prepares graduates in providing holistic, evidence-based speech, language, and hearing healthcare and educational opportunities for an ever-evolving, culturally diverse society.

ACCREDITATION STATUS

The Master of Science degree program in Speech-Language Pathology at Gannon University 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. This is a “pre-accreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of five years. Students graduated from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) or from a program with CAA-candidacy status, may submit their online application for ASHA certification any time after completing the necessary coursework and graduate clinical practicum, and after receiving confirmation from their program director that the requirements in Standards I–V have been met.” https://www.asha.org/certification/SLPCertification.htm.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The program is designed as a full-time course of study. Transfers to the program will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A maximum of 6 credits may be accepted for transfer, if a grade of B or higher was achieved, and approved by the program director.

Prior to matriculation in the program, students must complete and fulfill the following requirements:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with successful approval of required courses.*
Cumulative prerequisite course grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale; grades below a “C” are not acceptable.
Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale).
Prerequisite courses, as shown below, must be completed within ten years preceding entrance into the graduate program.
All prerequisite courses must be completed by June 1 in the year of enrollment.
Personal interview. Spoken English skills, as well as ethical, personal and professional qualities to fulfill the role of a speech-language pathologist will be assessed during the interview process.
Three letters of recommendation, which address the applicant’s ethical, personal and professional qualities.
Twenty-five (25) hours of observation of clinical practice by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist; observation hours should vary across settings, ages, and disorders.
Personal Statement/Essay – Practice as a healthcare professional requires the ability to communicate in both verbal and written form. The Speech-Language Pathology Program expects admitted students to demonstrate graduate-level competence in verbal and written communication. Writing samples will be blinded and scored by SLP faculty as part of the admissions process.

Prerequisite Courses

Biological Sciences 3 credits (e.g. Human Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Biology)
Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 credits (e.g. courses in Psychology, Sociology, Public Health)
Physical Sciences 3 credits (e.g. college-level Chemistry or Physics)
Statistics 3 credits (e.g. college-level Statistics course that is computational and not remedial or historical in nature)

* Equivalent coursework includes a minimum of one course in each of the following six subjects:

Normal Speech and Language Development in Children 3 credits
Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanisms 3 credits
Phonetic 3 credits
Speech and Hearing Sciences 3 credits
Introduction to Audiology 3 credits
Communication Disorders in Children and Adults 3 credits

APPLICATION PROCESS

Gannon University and the Speech-Language Pathology Program receives and reviews applications for the Master of Speech-Language Pathology program and all applicant credentials exclusively through the Centralized Application Service for Communication Sciences and Disorders Programs (CSDCAS), provided by the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) and Liaison. Full application instructions can be found on the Gannon University – Erie, Pa profile page: https://csdcas. liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login

PRE-SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY PATH

The foundational coursework is offered online and can be completed on a part-time basis within a one-year timeframe.

Prior to matriculation in the foundational coursework, students must complete and fulfill the following requirements:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or conditional acceptance via articulation agreement.
Cumulative prerequisite course grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale; grades below a “C” are not acceptable.
Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (4.0 scale)
Prerequisite courses, as shown below, must be completed within ten years preceding entrance into the graduate program.
All prerequisite courses must be completed by June 1 in the year of enrollment.

Prerequisite Courses

Biological Sciences 3 credits (e.g. Human Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Biology)
Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 credits (e.g. courses in Psychology, Sociology, Public Health)
Physical Sciences 3 credits (e.g. college-level Chemistry or Physics)
Statistics 3 credits (e.g. college-level Statistics course that is computational and not remedial or historical in nature)

APPLICATION PROCESS

The Office of Graduate Admissions and the Speech-Language Pathology Program receives and reviews applications for the Pre-Speech Language Pathology Path to the Master of Speech-Language Pathology program on a monthly basis. The electronic application can be located at https://apply.gannon.edu.

PROGRESSION TO MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY PROGRAM

Successful completion of all foundational courses (18 credits) at 3.0 GPA or above, in addition to meeting the admission requirements outlined above, guarantees progression to the professional program.

Personal interview. Spoken English skills, as well as ethical, personal and professional qualities to fulfill the role of a speech-language pathologist will be assessed during the interview process.
Three letters of recommendation, which address the applicant’s ethical, personal and professional qualities.
Twenty-five (25) hours of observation of clinical practice by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist; observation hours should vary across settings, ages, and disorders. These hours are observation hours prior to admission; they are part of the 400 hours required by ASHA for Certificate of Clinical Competence, which should be completed as part of our academic program.
Personal Statement/Essay – Practice as a healthcare professional requires the ability to communicate in both verbal and written form. The Speech-Language Pathology Program expects admitted students to demonstrate graduate level competence in verbal and written communication. A writing sample, to be done on-site, will be required of each applicant to assess his/her graduate level competence for written English. Writing samples will be blinded and scored by SLP faculty as part of the admissions process.

The professional program is designed as a full-time course of study. Transfers to the program will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A maximum of 6 credits may be accepted for transfer, if a grade of B or higher was achieved, and approved by the program director.

MS-Speech Language Pathology

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Overview

Program Requirements

Curriculum and Model Schedule