Speech-Language Pathology, MS

Academic and Clinical Policies

Students enrolled in the MS-SLP program are required to adhere to all program policies and procedures as outlined in the most current version of the OBU MS-SLP Academic and Clinical Handbook.

Prerequisites

Applicants may complete prerequisite courses through OBU or complete equivalent courses through another regionally accredited institution. Courses completed at another regionally accredited institution must be recorded on an official transcript and are subject to review (course description, learning outcomes, course syllabus, etc.). The SLP Director of Admissions is responsible for decisions regarding all required prerequisites completed at another institution.

Speech-Language Pathology Core Prerequisites

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) or Communication Science and Disorders (CSD), the following speech-language pathology (SLP) core prerequisites or equivalent are required for MS-SLP program enrollment. All required SLP core prerequisites must be completed no more than ten years prior to application unless the applicant provides documentation of current and consistent employment as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) or bachelor’s level speech-language therapist. The SLP Director of Admissions is responsible for decisions regarding SLP core prerequisites completed more than ten years prior to application.

The required courses are:

• SLP 3003 - Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders  
• SLP 3013 - Language Science  
• SLP 3023 - Acoustic and Articulatory Phonetics  
• SLP 4003 - Anatomy and Physiology of Communication and Swallowing  
• SLP 4013 - Audiology Fundamentals  
• SLP 4023 - Speech and Language Development  
• SLP 4031 - Guided Clinical Observation *

* 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 the OBU MS-SLP Academic and Clinical Handbook for requirements for documentation of guided clinical observation hours.

General Education Prerequisites

Specific undergraduate general education courses are required for professional certification. The MS-SLP program requires all students to complete these prerequisites prior to enrollment to ensure that they will be adequately prepared to pursue certification. For detailed descriptions of the general education perquisite requirements for certification, refer to this website: Prerequisite Course Content Areas Related to SLP Certification Standards.

The required areas are:

• Biology
• Physics or Chemistry
• Statistics
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

All applicants who receive an offer of admission must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Complete a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to enrollment in graduate courses.
• Recommended 3.0 GPA in the last 60 undergraduate credit hours from a regionally accredited institution at the time of application.
• Provide documentation of 25 hours of guided clinical observation completed through an academic program prior to enrollment in graduate courses.
• Earn a final grade of C- or higher recorded on an official transcript for general education prerequisites prior to enrollment in graduate courses.
• Note: This program is not open to international applicants.

Additional requirements vary based on whether the applicant holds a bachelor’s degree in SLP or CSD.

Applicants WITH a Bachelor’s Degree in SLP or CSD

Must meet the following:

• Meet all general admission requirements listed above.
• Recommended 3.0 major GPA.
• No SLP/CLD course grades below C.
• Have completed at least 15 credit hours of SLP/CSD major courses with a grade of B or higher before applying. Completed SLP/CSD courses must include equivalents for:
  • SLP 3023 - Acoustic and Articulatory Phonetics  and
  • SLP 4003 - Anatomy and Physiology of Communication and Swallowing .
• Applicants who have not completed a Language Science (or equivalent linguistics course) are eligible for admission but must complete required online modules that cover this content prior to enrolling in graduate courses.

Applicants WITHOUT a Bachelor’s Degree in SLP or CSD

Must meet the following:

• Meet all general admission requirements listed above.
• Recommended 3.0 GPA in SLP/CSD prerequisite courses.
• No SLP/CSD prerequisite course grades below B.
• Complete the following prerequisite courses (or equivalent) with a final grade of B or higher recorded on an official transcript before applying:
  • SLP 3023 - Acoustic and Articulatory Phonetics  and
  • ​SLP 4003 - Anatomy and Physiology of Communication and Swallowing .
• Complete all remaining SLP core prerequisite courses with a final grade of B or higher recorded on an official transcript before enrolling in graduate courses.

Application

To apply for the 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 and the application must be verified by CSDCAS prior to the application deadline to be eligible for review. 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. Completed and verified application.
2. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
3. Documentation of guided clinical observation hours (required) and undergraduate clinical hours (optional) that meets the requirements described in the handbook.
4. Official documentation of English proficiency test scores, if required.
5. Two letters of recommendation:

• At least one from an ASHA certified, licensed SLP practitioner or an SLP/CSD faculty member
• One can be from professional references (e.g., professor, employer, supervisor, volunteer coordinator, student organization advisor, etc.)

Applications will undergo a holistic review that considers academic performance, professional experiences, and alignment with program and university mission and goals. Following initial review, qualified applicants will be invited to complete a virtual assessment, which includes video interviews and writing prompts. Applicants will receive an admissions decision within six weeks of completion of the application and assessment process. The application cycle will close six weeks before each start date to allow time for onboarding and orientation.

The program utilizes rolling admissions. Reviews of applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed as they are received. Offers of admission will be granted to qualified applicants until the cohort maximum is reached. Accepted applicants can defer their start date due to extenuating circumstances a maximum of two semesters without having to reapply. Deferral requests will be reviewed and accepted or denied by the SLP Director of Admissions.

Guided Clinical Observation Hours (Required)

The MS-SLP program requires completion of 25 hours of guided clinical observations in SLP prior to enrollment. Guided clinical observations must meet the requirements stated in the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-C). Documentation of guided clinical hours must meet the requirements outlined in the OBU MS-SLP Academic and Clinical Handbook.

Undergraduate Clinical Hours (Optional)

The OBU MS-SLP program will apply a maximum of 50 clinical hours of on-site and in-person direct contact completed at the undergraduate level towards the required 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum as stated in the ASHA certification standards (Standard V-C). Documentation of undergraduate clinical hours must meet the requirements outlined in the he OBU MS-SLP Academic and Clinical Handbook.

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 (clinical externships, virtual practicum, and on-campus residencies, virtual practicum), students must complete all requirements including, but not limited to, a criminal background check and required immunizations by stated deadlines. Clinical requirements are tracked using Exxat clinical management software. If clinical requirements are not completed by stated deadlines, the student will not be allowed to enroll in clinical experiences, which will delay program completion. Students are responsible for all costs associated with completing these requirements. The SLP Director of Clinical Education is responsible for verifying completion of requirements and arranging external clinical placements.

Criminal Background Checks

The MS-SLP program requires all students to complete a criminal background check before program matriculation. Additional background checks and/or drug testing may be required prior to beginning external clinical placements, as determined by facility policies, accreditation standards, and/or state and federal regulations. Individuals working in educational and/or healthcare facilities often must consent to and be cleared to work through criminal background investigations and/or drug screenings.

The MS-SLP program cannot guarantee clinical placement for students whose background check or drug screening results do not meet site requirements. Applicants should be aware that a prior criminal record could restrict their ability to complete clinical placements and/or obtain professional licensure and certification. Acceptance into the MS-SLP program does not guarantee that a student will be able to fulfill academic or clinical program requirements and/or obtain licensure or certification if the student has a criminal record. Students whose results prevent them from participating in required clinical placements will be dismissed from the program.

The external clinical site reserves the right to review background check and drug testing results and determine whether to accept the students for an external clinical placement. If an external clinical site does not accept a student due to background check information or drug testing results, the program will attempt to secure an alternative external clinical site for the student. If no acceptable placement can be secured, the student will be dismissed from the program as external clinical placements are a requirement for program completion.

Professional Credentialing

The MS-SLP program at OBU prepares students for professional practice in the field of speech-language pathology. Information about professional licensure for students in the MS-SLP program can be found on the OBU Professional Licensure Disclosures website.

Transfer Credit

While prerequisite undergraduate courses may be completed at another regionally accredited institution, no graduate-level coursework will be accepted for transfer credit. All curriculum requirements for the MS-SLP must be completed through OBU.

English Proficiency Policy

As outlined in the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) Core Functions document and the OBU MS-SLP Essential Skills and Technical Standards, 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 clinicians and individuals 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 varied communication needs of individuals, 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 linguistic backgrounds. Students providing services in languages other than English must demonstrate proficiency in those languages, as determined by their clinical educator and clinical site. All students must demonstrate proficiency in English as follows:

All students are required to communicate proficiently in both oral and written English. Applicants whose first or native language is not English, or those who have completed a degree or prerequisite courses in a country where English is not the national language, must submit official documentation of English proficiency test scores on one of the following assessments with minimum scores:

• TOEFL iBT: minimum total score of 100 with a score of 22 or higher on each section
• IELTS Academic: minimum overall band score of 8 with a band score of 7 or higher on each section
• Duolingo English Test: minimum overall score of 130

Graduation Requirements

To complete the MS-SLP program and qualify for graduation, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of required academic and clinical coursework (56 credit hours).
   • Cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher.
   • No more than two course grades of C.
   • No final course grades of D, F, or U.
2. Clinical and professional skill competency rated at or above the established minimum threshold on clinical evaluations completed at the end of each on-campus residency and externship, with entry-level competency demonstrated by program completion.
3. Attendance at all mandatory program events including orientation, group advising sessions, and on-campus residencies.
4. Successful completion of the clinical research project.
5. Successful completion of required clinical competencies and externships.
6. Successful completion of summative portfolio elements.
7. A passing score on the summative assessment.
8. Fulfillment of all financial obligations to the University.
9. Payment of graduation fee.