Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, M.S.

Program Overview

Saint Louis University's Master of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences equips students with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality services to individuals with communication and swallowing disorders. The program emphasizes evidence-based practice, ethical behavior, and cultural sensitivity, preparing graduates for successful careers in diverse healthcare settings. With strong clinical partnerships and hands-on experiences, the program ensures that students are well-prepared for a rewarding career in speech-language pathology.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Saint Louis University offers a Master of Science in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences designed to prepare professionals to provide evidence-based, high-quality services to persons with communication and swallowing disorders. The program focuses on developing clinicians who are prepared to serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations across the lifespan.

Objectives:

• Graduates will be able to demonstrate compassionate ethical behavior during clinical practice.
• Graduates will be able to apply clinical reasoning to effectively address communication needs across the lifespan.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate effective interactions with others during academic discourse.
• Graduates will be able to fulfill clinical responsibilities in a professional manner.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to evaluate appropriate information from various sources to effectively implement evidence-based practice.

Outline:

Program Structure:

• Two-year, six-semester program that starts in the summer semester.
• Typical class size is 30 to 40 students.
• Over the past three years, the program’s graduation rate has been 97%, while both the Praxis pass rate and the employment rate of the graduating class are 99%.
• Graduate students will complete a clinical practicum each term.

Course Schedule:

• Required Courses:
• SLHS 5050 Research for the Clinician (2 credits)
• SLHS 5450 Speech Sound Disorders in Children (3 credits)
• SLHS 5530 Augmentative and Alternative Communication (2 credits)
• SLHS 5550 Early Childhood Language Disorders (3 credits)
• SLHS 5560 School-Age Language Disorders (3 credits)
• SLHS 5600 Fluency Disorders (3 credits)
• SLHS 5630 Dysphagia (3 credits)
• SLHS 5700 Voice Disorders (3 credits)
• SLHS 5720 Neurogenic Communication Disorders in Adults (3 credits)
• SLHS 5760 Motor Speech Disorders (3 credits)
• SLHS 5770 Multilingual Communication Disorders (2 credits)
• SLHS 5800 Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology (2 credits)
• SLHS 5820 Cognitive Communication Disorders (3 credits)
• Clinical Practicum:
• SLHS 5010 Foundations of Contemporary Clinical Practice (repeatable for up to 5 credits) (1 credit)
• SLHS 5012 Practicum - Campus Clinic (repeatable for up to 3 credits) (1 credit)
• SLHS 5015 Practicum - Offsite Clinic (repeatable for up to 3 credits) (1-2 credits)
• SLHS 5910 Clinical Externship (6 credits)
• Electives:
• Select six credits from the following electives OR six credits in thesis:
• SLHS 5100 Counseling for Speech Language Pathology
• SLHS 5510 Social Communication Development and Disorders
• SLHS 5520 Pediatric Dysphagia
• SLHS 5580 Language Based Literacy Disorders
• SLHS 5710 Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies
• SLHS 5880 Advanced Audiology
• SLHS 5930 Special Topics
• SLHS 5990 Thesis Research
• Total Credits: 58 (41 academic credits and 17 clinical practicum credits)

Individual Modules:

• SLHS 5050 Research for the Clinician: This course introduces students to the principles of research design and analysis, focusing on the application of research to clinical practice.
• SLHS 5450 Speech Sound Disorders in Children: This course covers the assessment and treatment of speech sound disorders in children, including articulation, phonology, and motor speech disorders.
• SLHS 5530 Augmentative and Alternative Communication: This course explores the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for individuals with communication impairments.
• SLHS 5550 Early Childhood Language Disorders: This course focuses on the assessment and treatment of language disorders in young children, including developmental language disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and other communication impairments.
• SLHS 5560 School-Age Language Disorders: This course covers the assessment and treatment of language disorders in school-aged children, including language-based learning disabilities, specific language impairment, and other communication impairments.
• SLHS 5600 Fluency Disorders: This course examines the assessment and treatment of fluency disorders, including stuttering and cluttering.
• SLHS 5630 Dysphagia: This course explores the assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders, including dysphagia, in individuals across the lifespan.
• SLHS 5700 Voice Disorders: This course covers the assessment and treatment of voice disorders, including vocal fold paralysis, vocal cord nodules, and other voice impairments.
• SLHS 5720 Neurogenic Communication Disorders in Adults: This course examines the assessment and treatment of communication disorders resulting from neurological conditions, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia.
• SLHS 5760 Motor Speech Disorders: This course focuses on the assessment and treatment of motor speech disorders, including dysarthria and apraxia of speech.
• SLHS 5770 Multilingual Communication Disorders: This course explores the assessment and treatment of communication disorders in individuals who speak more than one language.
• SLHS 5800 Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology: This course covers the ethical, legal, and professional issues related to the practice of speech-language pathology.
• SLHS 5820 Cognitive Communication Disorders: This course examines the assessment and treatment of cognitive communication disorders, including memory impairments, attention deficits, and executive function difficulties.
• SLHS 5010 Foundations of Contemporary Clinical Practice: This course provides a foundation for clinical practice, including ethical considerations, evidence-based practice, and client-centered care.
• SLHS 5012 Practicum - Campus Clinic: This course provides supervised clinical experience in the SLU Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic.
• SLHS 5015 Practicum - Offsite Clinic: This course provides supervised clinical experience in off-campus settings, such as hospitals, schools, and rehabilitation facilities.

Careers:

• Graduates of SLU's M.S.
in speech, language and hearing sciences program have gone on to careers at public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, clinics, private practices and universities.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics rates speech-language pathology as one of the fastest-growing professions in the country — it’s predicted to grow 25% by 2029.
• The median annual salary for a speech-language pathologist in 2022 was $84,140.

Other:

• A significant strength of SLU's M.S.
in speech, language and hearing sciences is the wide variety of clinical practicum experiences available to graduate students.
• The department has strong working relationships with hospitals, schools, rehabilitation facilities and community clinics in St. Louis and surrounding areas.
• Research opportunities include independent studies worth 1-2 credits of elective credit or a 6-credit research thesis.
• Students will experience at least two separate off-campus clinical placements, often obtaining 50 clinical hours or more at each site.
• Students are ready for a full-time internship during their last semester, consisting of placements in both medical and educational settings.
• Students typically obtain considerably more than the minimum clock hours required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and are well-prepared to begin their professional careers.
• Students must enroll in five terms (semester or summer) of graduate course credit clinical practicum during their study.
Additionally, six credits of off-campus clinical practice are completed during the last semester of study.
• It is a requirement of the speech, language and hearing sciences graduate program that all students complete a course in Aural Rehabilitation and Neurological Bases of Communication.
Students who have not had these courses as an undergraduate will need to take them in the graduate program in addition to the master’s program requirements.
• Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.