There are over 300 institutions offering degree programs in audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech, language, and hearing science available in EdFind.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ROADMAP TO A CAREER IN CSD
Get a general idea of what your education path will look like.
Find colleges and universities with CSD programs.
Explore financial aid options.
You already know that you need a graduate degree to work as an audiologist or SLP. What are your best options as an undergraduate student? Do you need to major in CSD, or can you get a graduate degree after earning an undergraduate degree in another major? What courses should you take?
A clinical doctoral-level degree (AuD) is required to work independently as an audiologist.
- An AuD requires approximately 3–4 years of full-time study.
A master’s degree (e.g., MA or MS) is required to work independently as an SLP.
- A master’s degree in speech-language pathology requires approximately 2 years of full-time study if you have an undergraduate degree in CSD.
Pathways to a Graduate Degree in Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology
A bachelor’s degree is required for admission to graduate programs in either audiology or speech-language pathology. However, each graduate program determines whether applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in CSD—and, if not, whether prerequisite undergraduate courses are required, either before admission or as part of the graduate program. Follow one of these pathways as you explore enrolling in a CSD graduate program.
Obtain a bachelor’s degree in a CSD major, and apply for admission to graduate school.
Most undergraduate CSD programs require prerequisite coursework that includes statistics, biological sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and physical sciences. Each graduate program may establish additional required prerequisite coursework, so be sure to check with the graduate program about requirements before applying.
Example: Brandon is receiving his bachelor of science (BS) degree in CSD from ASHA University, which will then enable him to apply for his doctoral degree in audiology (AuD) at the National Audiology University. Before he accepted entry into the university, he checked to see whether they required additional prerequisites and credits in order for him to be accepted into the AuD program.
Obtain a bachelor’s degree in a major other than CSD, and take prerequisite coursework before applying for admission to graduate school.
Some institutions offer academic leveling options to complete prerequisite coursework or second bachelor’s degree programs to prepare students to apply for graduate programs. Other programs offer prerequisites online to students who are not enrolled in the programs.
Example: Elana receives her undergraduate degree in engineering at ASHA University but wants to pursue her master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She decides to take additional coursework online at SLP University, which will then enable her to be considered for acceptance in the master’s degree program at ASHA University.
Obtain a bachelor’s degree in a major other than CSD, and apply to graduate schools that do not require prerequisite courses for admission.
Students without the required coursework will generally take the courses as part of the graduate program. The graduate program may take longer, depending on the number of prerequisite courses that the student needs to take.
Example: Jasmine received her bachelor’s degree in applied linguistics at ASHA University and now wants to pursue a master of science degree in CSD there. She is not required to take prerequisite courses , but because she does not have a CSD degree, it will take additional time for her to complete the program.
Applying to Graduate School
Admission to a graduate program in audiology or speech-language pathology typically requires the following:
- a minimum 3.00 grade point average (GPA) [average GPA for admission may be much higher]
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (although many universities are waiving this requirement or making it optional)
- an essay and/or biosketch
- letters of recommendation
Finding the Right Graduate Program for You
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For your future certification by ASHA, you must complete your graduate coursework and clinical practicum at an institution whose program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). The CAA establishes accreditation standards for both academic coursework and clinical practicum experiences to prepare students to work independently as clinicians.
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All CAA-accredited graduate programs in audiology and speech-language pathology must meet the same standards for required coursework and clinical practicum experiences. Each program has flexibility in how they meet those standards and may offer different options for specialty areas. For example, some programs may offer a multicultural or bilingual emphasis or may offer opportunities to carry out research projects as part of the program or as a paid assistantship.
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Visit EdFind to search institutions that have graduate CSD programs. EdFind can help you search for facets that are important to you, including
- location by state,
- part-time enrollment,
- study-abroad opportunities,
- historically Black colleges/universities and Hispanic-serving institutions,
- prerequisites not required for admission or offered online,
- online options/distance learning, and
- multicultural or bilingual emphasis.
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Visit the campus, and talk with faculty and students to gain information about the academic program that will help guide your decision. It is recommended that you visit the facilities such as the clinic, classrooms, and research labs.
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Establish personal criteria. ASHA does not rank accredited programs, so consider what is important to you. Take time to learn about a program’s faculty, curriculum, research education, and clinical education opportunities. Establishing your criteria will help you decide which program is best for you. For example, does the program . . .
- . . . offer a clinical internship?
- . . . offer a thesis or clinical research paper option?
- . . . include a bilingual emphasis?
- . . . cultivate an understanding and appreciation of diversity, equity, and inclusion?
- . . . conduct research on the population and disorder category that interests you?
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Explore options for financial aid that include scholarships, loans, and work-study programs. Funding sources can include federal grants and loans, scholarships from universities and service organizations, and private foundations.
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Look ahead to your postgraduate plans. Review the standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).
Tips and Resources for Applying to a Graduate CSD Program
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Check Requirements
Admission to a graduate program in audiology or speech-language pathology typically requires the following:
- a minimum 3.00 grade point average (GPA) [average GPA for admission may be much higher]
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (weighting varies across programs)
- an essay and/or biosketch
- letters of recommendation
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Check Specific Factors Related to Each Program’s Decision Process
Each program decides how to weigh each part of the application, so be sure to contact the program to ask what factors go into the admissions decision process. EdFind helps you identify program-specific admission requirements and data on recently admitted students (e.g., average GRE scores and GPA ranges of students who are admitted).
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Study to Learn
Undergraduate courses focus on developing an important foundation for graduate studies. Work hard to learn all you can, and do well in all of your courses. GPA and GRE scores are important parts of your application for CSD graduate programs, but program faculty consider the other factors when making admissions decisions. Visit the Educational Testing Service’s online resources to learn more about the GRE.
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Get Organized
Work on your applications a little each day to decrease the stress, and don’t procrastinate. Finalize the list of programs to which you will apply. The Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) is a centralized admissions service that you can use to apply to multiple audiology or speech-language pathology programs.
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Shadow a Professional
Unlike some other health professions, shadowing a professional is not a requirement for applying to graduate school. Shadowing may help you determine whether you want to pursue a career in the profession, but you should check with the individual graduate program about how they weigh shadowing in the application process.
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Submit a Strong Application
Use resources developed to help students apply to AuD and SLP programs. “The Inside Scoop on Grad School Applications” provides tips for creating a strong application.