Speech-Language Pathology, MS

Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology  

Academic and Clinical Policies

Students enrolled in the OBU MS-SLP program are required to adhere to all program policies and procedures as outlined in the OBU MS-SLP Academic and Clinical Handbook, which can be found on the program website https://www.okbu.edu/programs/speech-language-pathology-ms.html. 

Admission Requirements

To apply for the OBU MS-SLP program, prospective students must submit a completed application through the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS). All information must be submitted directly to CSDCAS to complete the application, and the application must be considered complete by the application deadline. The CSDCAS application includes detailed instructions for completing all application requirements. CSDCAS requires 4-6 weeks to process student information and verify transcripts.

The following must be submitted through CSDCAS:

1. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
2. Official documentation of English proficiency test scores, if required.
3. Three letters of recommendation from:

• An ASHA certified, licensed SLP practitioner or an SLP/CSD faculty member
• Professional reference (e.g., professor, employer, supervisor, volunteer coordinator, student organization advisor, etc.)

Students must meet the following minimum requirements for consideration for admission to the OBU MS-SLP program:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to enrollment.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA from last 60 credits earned at a regionally accredited institution is recommended.
• Documentation of 25 hours of guided clinical observation, which must be completed through an academic program.
   
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than SLP or CSD:
  • Complete four of the seven required SLP core prerequisites with a final grade of B- or higher recorded on a final transcript before applying.
  • Complete all of the SLP core prerequisites and general education prerequisites before enrolling.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 from prerequisite courses is recommended.
• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in SLP or CSD:
  • Complete a Language Science course (or equivalent linguistics course) as part of their undergraduate degree OR successfully complete the OBU Language Science bootcamp course with a minimum score of 80% before enrolling in graduate courses.
  • Conditional acceptance may be granted until the applicant successfully completes the Language Science requirement (course or bootcamp).
  • Math and Science GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended.
• This program is not currently open to international applicants.

Following initial application review, qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a virtual asynchronous interview and may be invited to participate in a virtual synchronous interview.  Following interviews, the Admission Committee will discuss the application, and the student will be notified of an acceptance, waitlist, or denial decision. Admissions decisions will be received within 30 days of completion of the application and interview process.

The OBU MS-SLP program utilizes rolling admissions with review of applications submitted before each cohort deadline reviewed as they are received. Acceptances will be granted to qualified applicants until the cohort maximum is reached. Once the cohort maximum is reached, additional acceptances will be deferred until the next start date.  Accepted students can choose to defer start date a maximum of two semesters without having to reapply due to extenuating circumstances by requesting a deferral in writing. Deferral requests will be reviewed and accepted or denied by the Director of Admissions. The application cycle will close 45 days prior to each cohort start date to allow students time for onboarding and orientation.

Speech-Language Pathology Core Prerequisites 

The following prerequisites are required for MS-SLP program matriculation. Four of the seven SLP core prerequisite courses must be completed with a final grade on an official transcript at the time of application to be eligible for an admission decision. The remaining prerequisite courses may be taken prior to enrollment in the program.

Students may take prerequisite courses through OBU or transfer in equivalent courses from another regionally accredited institution. If courses are completed at another institution, the student must submit official transcripts and may be required to provide a course description and/or course syllabus. Applicants who completed SLP core prerequisites more than seven years prior to admission, may be granted conditional admission and must complete the SLP bootcamp courses with a minimum score of 80% before enrolling. The Director of Admissions is responsible for collaborating with the Registrar for decisions regarding SLP core prerequisites completed at another institution and will verify that the content and learning objectives of transfer courses are equivalent.  

The following courses (or transfer equivalent) are required: 

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
SLP 3003	Communication and Swallowing Disorders Across the Lifespan	3
SLP 4003	Anatomy and Physiology of Speech, Hearing, and Swallowing	3
SLP 3023	Phonetics	3
SLP 3013	Language Science for Speech-Language Pathologists	3
SLP 4013	Audiology Fundamentals for Speech-Language Pathologists	3
SLP 4023	Speech and Language Development	3
SLP 4031	Guided Clinical Observation*	1

* Requires completion of 25 hours of guided clinical observation that meets the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-C). Guided clinical observation hours may be completed as a requirement in a standalone course or may be completed through an academic program without a standalone course.  See below for requirements for documentation of guided clinical observation hours. 

Guided Clinical Observation Hours (Required)

Students are required to complete 25 hours of guided clinical observations in SLP before program matriculation. Observation hours must be completed through an academic program. A standalone observation course is not required. Observation hours completed outside of an academic program or course will not be accepted.   

Required Documentation of Guided Clinical Observation Hours  

Guided clinical observation hours must be completed by observing an ASHA certified SLP who holds a current ASHA CCC-SLP and meets the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-E) for supervision of students. To receive transfer credit for guided observation hours completed at another institution, the student must submit acceptable documentation of 25 hours of guided clinical observation. The Director of Admissions will be responsible for reviewing documentation of guided clinical observations and accepting or denying the documentation. The following will be considered acceptable documentation of guided clinical observation hours: 

• Form from an undergraduate SLP or CSD program at a regionally accredited institution that documents guided clinical observation hours and includes the following: month, day, year, signature and ASHA number of certified SLP observed on each line of the observation record and signature and ASHA number of a program administrator. The form cannot include any arrows, lines, or signatures through multiple observation dates. For observations that occurred after January 1, 2020, the student must also provide the ASHA certification verification for all SLPs observed that shows that the SLP observed completed the required 2 hours of continuing education in supervision PRIOR to the guided observation. 

• A letter from an administrator of an undergraduate SLP or CSD program at a regionally accredited institution where the observation hours were completed on official institutional letterhead that includes: student’s full name and graduation date, a statement that the student has completed a minimum of 25 hours of guided clinical observations per 2020 ASHA Certification Standard V-C, a statement that the guided clinical observations were completed with an SLP that meets the requirements for supervision per 2020 ASHA Certification Standard V-E, and the SLP/CSD program administrator’s original signature, printed first and last name, title and credentials, and ASHA number. 

Required General Education Prerequisites 

ASHA requires specific undergraduate prerequisite courses to be completed before the onset of the clinical fellowship year. The program requires students to complete these prerequisites prior to matriculation to ensure that they will be ready to pursue graduate coursework and advance as a clinical fellow at the end of the program. Courses must have been completed no more than ten years prior to admission. For detailed descriptions of the general education perquisite requirements, please refer to the ASHA document Prerequisite Course Content Areas Related to SLP Certification Standards.

The required areas are: 

Biology  

Physics or Chemistry 

Statistics 

Social Sciences & Behavioral Sciences 

External Clinical Placement Requirements

The OBU MS-SLP program requires students to complete 375 hours of clinical experience during three external clinical placements and one virtual practicum course.  All clinical experiences must meet the requirements for ASHA CCC-SLP as described in the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-C).

To enroll in clinical experiences (external clinical placements OR virtual practicum), students must complete the following requirements by stated deadlines:

1. background check
2. handbook acknowledgement
3. liability waiver
4. 2-step TB test
5. HIPAA, FERPA, and OSHA training
6. clinical practicum application
7. ASHA Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics Assessments
8. Additional requirements such as FBI fingerprinting, drug screening, mandatory reporter training, etc. as required by the specific clinical site.

If the requirements are not completed by stated deadlines, the student will not be allowed to enroll in clinical experiences, which may delay program completion. Students are responsible for all costs associated with completing these requirements. The Director of Clinical education is responsible for verifying completion of requirements and arranging external clinical placements.

Criminal Background Checks

All MS-SLP students are required to complete a criminal background check prior to the first on-campus residency. Criminal background checks will be completed through Exxat when the student creates an Exxat account.  After the initial criminal background check is completed, results will be reviewed by the Director of Clinical Education.  Alerts will be reviewed to determine if alerts are due to minor offenses or criminal convictions. Students with minor offenses (i.e. traffic violations) will be allowed to attend the first on-campus residency experience and enroll in external clinical experiences. Students with criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor) that are not eligible for pretrial intervention or expungement will not be allowed to attend the first on-campus residency experience or enroll in external clinical experiences. Criminal convictions on a criminal background check that are not eligible for pretrial intervention or expungement will result in program dismissal.

The external clinical site has the right to review criminal background check information and determine whether to accept the students for an external clinical placement.  If an external clinical site does not accept a student due to criminal background check information, the program will attempt to secure an alternative external clinical site for the student. If the student is unable to complete external clinical placements due to criminal background check issues, they will be advised that program completion is not possible as external clinical placements are a requirement for program completion.

Professional Credentialing

The MS-SLP program at OBU prepares students to practice SLP at the top of the license. The available credentials and processes to obtain each credential are outlined below. 

Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)

Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to pursue a national credential through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). The Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) can be pursued upon successful completion of a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAA), completion of the Clinical Fellowship (CF), and earning a passing score on the Praxis II Speech-Language Pathology Examination (Praxis). Graduates begin the certification process upon graduation by completing an application on the ASHA website. For complete and up to date information regarding ASHA Certification, visit https://www.asha.org/certification/. 

State Licensure 

To practice SLP in a specific state, a state license must be obtained. The MS-SLP program at OBU meets the education requirements for all 50 states in the United States. However, many states have additional and specific requirements which may include additional coursework, examinations, professional development, and practicum hours. State association and state licensure board information can be found on the ASHA State-by-State website. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and follow the guidelines for licensure in the state(s) in which they intend to practice and to review the licensure and certification disclosures on the OBU website.  

Educator Credential

Some states require an additional certificate to work as an SLP in a school. Requirements vary by state and may include additional coursework, examinations, professional development, and practicum hours. State association and state licensure board information can be found on the ASHA State-by-State website. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and follow the guidelines for educator credentials in the state(s) in which they seek employment and to review the licensure and certification disclosures on the OBU website.

Transfer Credit and Undergraduate Clinical Hours 

The OBU MS-SLP program will accept graduate coursework for transfer credit if the coursework was completed no more than five years prior to admission to the OBU MS-SLP program and was completed through a CAA accredited (or in candidacy) master’s program in SLP or CSD. The Director of Admissions is responsible for collaborating with the Registrar for decisions regarding graduate-level transfer courses and will verify that the content and learning outcomes of transfer courses are equivalent. Students are able to transfer in a maximum of 15 credits of graduate-level coursework from a regionally accredited institution if the coursework meets requirements for transfer and is approved by the Director of Admissions and Registrar.

Undergraduate Clinical Hours (Optional)

The OBU MS-SLP program will accept a maximum of 50 hours of on-site and in-person direct contact hours completed at the undergraduate level to count towards the required 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum as stated in the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-C).

Required Documentation of Undergraduate Clinical Hours

Undergraduate clinical hours must be completed under the supervision of an ASHA certified SLP who holds a current ASHA CCC-SLP and meets the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-E) for supervision or students. To apply undergraduate clock hours to the required graduate clinical hours, the student must submit acceptable documentation of 50 hours of supervised clinical experience. The Director of Clinical Education will be responsible for reviewing documentation of undergraduate clinical hours and accepting or denying the documentation. The following will be considered acceptable documentation of supervised clinical hours: 

• Form from an undergraduate SLP or CSD program at a regionally accredited institution that documents supervised clinical hours and includes the following: month, day, year, signature and ASHA number of certified SLP on each line of the clinical experience record and signature and ASHA number of a program administrator. The form cannot include any arrows, lines, or signatures through multiple observation dates. For clinical hours that occurred after January 1, 2020, the student must also provide the ASHA certification verification for all SLP clinical educators (supervisors) that shows completion of the required 2 hours of continuing education in supervision PRIOR to the clinical experience. 

• A letter from an administrator of the undergraduate SLP or CSD program at a regionally accredited institution where the clinical hours were completed on official institutional letterhead that includes: student’s full name and graduation date, a statement that the student completed 50 hours of supervised clinical experience per 2020 ASHA Certification Standard V-C, a statement that the clinical hours were completed with an SLP that meets the requirements for supervision per 2020 ASHA Certification Standard V-E, and the SLP/CSD program administrator’s original signature, printed first and last name, title and credentials, and ASHA number. 

English Proficiency Policy

As outlined in the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) Core Functions document, the OBU MS-SLP program is committed to preparing students to effectively communicate in all languages and modalities used during service delivery. This commitment underscores our recognition of the varied contexts in which many of our students and clients operate. As professionals in human communication, we recognize that clear and empathetic oral, written, and nonverbal communication are essential clinical skills. This policy ensures that all students are equipped to meet the diverse communication needs of their clients, respecting the linguistic realities of our global community while upholding the highest professional standards. 

Students must demonstrate proficiency in English, as well as any other languages they will use professionally, ensuring comprehensive care and professional communication across diverse linguistic backgrounds. Students providing services in languages other than English must demonstrate proficiency in those languages, as determined by their clinical educator and standards set by the clinical site. All students must demonstrate effective oral and written communication as well as proficiency in English and languages/modalities used during service delivery. 

Requirements for Graduation

To complete the MS-SLP program and qualify for graduation, students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 (B) grade point average (GPA), earn a grade of C in no more than one course, have no course grades of D or F, and receive satisfactory evaluations from clinical educators. 

Requirements for graduation include:

1. Completion of required academic and clinical coursework (56 credit hours).
   • Cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher.
   • Earn a grade of C in no more than one course.
   • No final course grades of D or F.
   • Clinical and professional skill competency rated as entry level on clinical evaluations completed at the end of each clinical externship by all clinical educators.
2. Completion of the clinical research project with a rating of pass or high pass from all faculty evaluators.
3. Completion of required clinical practicum (minimum 400 clinical contact hours).
4. Completion of the summative capstone portfolio with a rating of pass or high pass from all faculty evaluators.
5. A passing score (80% or higher) on the summative assessment.
6. Fulfillment of all financial obligations to the University.
7. Payment of graduation fee.