Program Coordinator: Dr. Maryann
Power, CCC-SLP
Tel: 508-929-8567
email:
Maryann.Power@worcester.edu
Speech Language Pathology Courses
SPEECH - LANGUAGE - HEARING CLINIC
Communication Sciences & Disorders Department
Worcester State University offers a graduate program leading to a Master’s
Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. This program is designed to provide a high
caliber academic and clinical program for the preparation of speech-language
pathologists. The program prepares students for positions in public school
speech-language therapy programs, rehabilitation centers, hospital speech and
hearing clinics, nursing homes, special-care facilities, centers for the hard of
hearing, and private practice. The graduate program is accredited by the Council
on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association and approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education. Application forms may be obtained online at
www.worcester.edu.
Admission is considered for the fall semester only.
A monthly information session is held by the graduate coordinator to answer any
questions about the program or prerequisites. Please call (508) 929-8055 to
register.
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS February 15 for the fall semester.
I. Admission Requirements:
A.
Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or
university.
B.
Candidates for admission are required to submit a completed authorized
application form which is available online and at the Graduate Office at
Worcester State University. Requirements and procedures for admission to
Graduate Studies are specified on the application form. The applicant must
comply with these requirements and procedures.
C.
Candidates must submit official transcripts from all undergraduate programs
which were part of the bachelor’s degree and all programs where any prerequisite
courses were taken, including Worcester State University.
D.
Candidates applying for admission must have taken or currently be enrolled in
the following prerequisite courses at the time of application for the master’s
degree program:
·
Three (3) credit hours in biological sciences
·
Three (3) credit hours in physical science
·
Three (3) credit hours in mathematics
·
A three-credit course in statistics (A math statistics would also fulfill the 3
credit hours in mathematics.)
·
Six (6) credit hours in the behavioral and/or social sciences (a course in child
growth and development must be included)
·
Fifteen (15) credit hours in the basic human communication processes: (anatomy
of the speech & hearing mechanism, phonetics, normal development of speech and
language, speech science, hearing science. If speech and hearing science were
taken as one course, a course in another normal communication process is
required). The grades in these courses are weighted heavily.
E.
Applicants must submit scores from either the Graduate Records Examination (GRE)
or the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) and The TOEFL (if English is a second
Language).
F.
Final candidates may be interviewed by department faculty/staff.
To be considered for the master’s degree program, all prerequisite courses must
be completed by the month of May that precedes the fall entrance term. The
courses in anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, phonetics, and normal
language development must be completed at the time of application. Students
completing prerequisites at the time of application must provide evidence of
enrollment. Prerequisites may be taken at WSU in the evening as a
non-matriculated student or as a day student. Day students must complete an
“undergraduate non-degree” application for admission to the Speech-Language
Prerequisites Program. Deadline for day students to apply is:
Fall Semester – July 1
Spring Semester – November 1
II. General Requirements:
A.
The minimum requirement for a master’s degree in speech-language pathology is
fifty-five (55) semester hours of credit.
B.
A maximum of twelve (12) graduate credits of “B-” or above taken within two (2)
years of the term of admission, at an CAA accredited institution, may be
accepted toward the graduate degree.
C.
Courses are taught in the afternoon, late afternoon and evening. A maximum load
is four courses per semester and takes at least two full years including summers
to complete. A three course per semester load takes two and one-half years to
complete. A two course per semester program would take at least three 1/2 years.
A grade point average of 3.0 is required to remain in the program and to earn
the degree. Courses with a grade of C+ or below must be repeated.
D.
All work for the degree must be completed within a period of six years.
E.
The Dean of Graduate Studies reserves the right to periodically review the
performance of graduate students in accordance with the academic standards of
the Graduate Program and of Worcester State University.
III. Curriculum Requirements for a Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language
Pathology
A.
Course Requirements:
CD 901 Introduction
to Graduate and Clinical Skills (summer) 2 credits
CD 920
Articulation & Phonological Disorders (fall) 3 credits
CD 921
Language Disorders in Children (fall) 3 credits
CD 922
Language Disorders in Adults (spring) 3 credits
CD 923
Fluency Disorders (fall) 3 credits
CD 924
Voice Disorders (summer) 3 credits
CD 925
Motor Speech Disorders (fall) 3 credits
CD 926
Reading and Writing Disabilities (summer) 2 credits
CD 927
Audiological Issues for SLPs (fall) 3 credits
CD 928
Aural Rehabilitation (spring) 3 credits
CD 929
Dysphagia (spring) 3 credits
CD 940 Evaluation
& Diagnosis in Speech-Language Pathology (spring) 3 credits
CD 946
Organization of S/L Programs in Schools (summer) 1 credit
CD 947
Augmentative/Alternative Communication (summer) 1 credit
CD 950
Cognitive Aspects of Communication (summer) 2 credits
CD 980
Research in Communication Sciences & Disorders (spring) 3 credits
CD
987 Selected Topics in Communication
Sciences & Disorders – take two
topics for one credit each (summer or spring) 2 credits
CD 990
Speech-Language-Hearing Practicum: College Clinic
(spring, summer, fall) (A minimum of 2 semesters is required in the WSU
Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic) 3 credits each time
CD 991
Speech-Language-Hearing Practicum: Externships. (A minimum of 2
semesters is required in externships) 3 credits each time
B.
Clinical Clock Hours:
In addition to academic coursework, students are
required to complete 25 hours of observation of clinical work and 375 live hours
of participation in diagnostic/therapeutic work in three distinctly different
clinical settings. Observation hours and 50 of the live hours may be transferred
from the undergraduate level.
C.
Written Comprehensive Examination:
Students will be expected to submit a
passing score from the NESPA examination in Speech/Language Pathology and
complete a departmental comprehensive examination.