Pre-Speech-Language Pathology Major

Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) is not an undergraduate major at SHU. Rather, the program is a pre-professional minor concentration that must be taken in conjunction with another major such as Health Science or Psychology at SHU. Students who wish to practice as Speech-Language Pathologists will need to complete these undergraduate prerequisites and then apply to and complete a master’s degree program in SLP at SHU or elsewhere. Graduate study in SLP requires two calendar years, including 1–2 summers of graduate-level coursework and 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum.

• Students who minor in Speech-Language Pathology may complete their undergraduate degree at SHU in any major discipline of their choice; the Health Science major leading to the Bachelor of Science in Health Science is preferred, as it offers students a solid foundation in information specific to healthcare practice. Other suggested majors include English, Foreign Language & Culture, and Psychology. Majors must be declared by the end of the freshman year and may require summer or intersession courses to complete the major requirements as well as all the prerequisite SLP courses. The minor must be declared by the first semester of sophomore year. Regardless of the undergraduate major, students must successfully complete all required prerequisites by the end of the summer prior to enrollment in a graduate program. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 and prerequisite GPA of 3.3 with no individual prerequisite course grade below a C are required for admission to SHU’s graduate program in SLP. Additional admissions requirements for the graduate program in SLP can be found in the Sacred Heart University Graduate Catalog.

Faculty

RHEA PAUL, PhD, CCC-SLP

Chair, Founding Director, and Professor

ROBIN DANZAK , PhD

Assistant Professor

JILL DOUGLASS, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

CAROLYN FALCONER-HORNE, MS, ABD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

CIARA LEYDON, PhD, CCC-SLP

Associate Professor

Program Accreditation

The Speech-Language Pathology Pre-Professional program at SHU is designed to meet all requirements of the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) and to prepare students for graduate study in communication disorders, including both speech-language pathology and audiology. The SHU master’s program in Speech-Language Pathology has been accredited by the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education and has been awarded candidacy, the first stage of accreditation awarded by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). This status is awarded to new programs that demonstrate compliance with the Standards for Accreditation as outlined in CAA’s Standards Compliance Continuum for an initial period of five years. It allows the program to matriculate and graduate students who, upon successful completion of the program, will meet all requirements for national certification and state licensure as Speech-Language Pathologists. Program approval for CT teacher endorsement has also been granted.

Requirements

Pre-Professional Speech-Language Pathology preparation includes the necessary prerequisite courses for graduate work in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology. Undergraduates must also complete coursework for their selected major and Sacred Heart University required foundational, elective, and common core courses for a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. Coursework in Education and Psychology, in preparation for teacher endorsement, is also strongly recommended. Twenty-five (25) hours of observation of Speech-Language Pathology practice is required and is included in pre-professional coursework. Admission to the SHU graduate program in SLP requires an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 and a GPA of at least 3.3 with no grade below C on all prerequisite courses listed below. Connecticut requirements for SLP practice in public schools require passing all three subtests of the Praxis Core Academic Skills test (see assessment guide for minimum passing scores at http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/Cert/guides/assess_for_cert.pdf.) or applying for and being granted a waiver by meeting the minimum or higher qualifying scores on the ACT, SAT, or GRE (see http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/cert/certalert_january2015.pdf).

Prerequisite Course Requirements

To complete the pre-professional program in Speech-Language Pathology, students must take the following prerequisite courses, fulfill requirements for their major field of study, and earn a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree (only grades of C or better meet prerequisite requirements).

Basic Science Requirements:

Biological Sciences (3 credits)

(for example, BI 030 or BI 111)

Physical Sciences (3 credits)

(for example, PY 103 or CH 030)

Statistics (3 credits)

(for example, MA 131)

Social/Behavioral Sciences (6 credits)

(PS 110, PS 252)

Pre-Professional Courses:

Must be taken in conjunction with a SHU major such as Health Science, English, Foreign Language & Culture, Psychology

SLP 200	Introduction to Communication Disorders	3
SLP 210	Phonetics	3
SLP 300	Anatomy & Physiology of Speech & Swallowing	3
SLP 310	Introduction to Audiology & Hearing Science	3
SLP 320	Speech Science	3
SLP 330	Development of Language	3
SLP 340	Neurological Bases of Communication & Swallowing	3
SLP 350	Clinical Methods & Observation	3
ED 152	Education in the United States	3
ED 205	Education of Special Needs Students	3

SLP 200, SLP 210, SLP 300, SLP 320, SLP 330, SLP 350: Required for minor in SLP; the other courses listed are needed for admission to graduate programs in Communication Disorders (SLP or Audiology).

ED 152, ED 205: Requires Criminal Background Check (see department for information)

Graduate Admissions Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate program in SLP, all students must:

• Successfully complete all required prerequisites (or their equivalents) by the end of the summer prior to enrollment in a graduate program (see list of prerequisite courses above)
  • Please note: No more than one SLP prerequisite may have been repeated by any applicant
• Hold a Bachelor of Science or Arts degree from an accredited college or university
• Have an undergraduate cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher and a prerequisite GPA of 3.3 or higher, with no individual prerequisite course grade below a C (see list of prerequisite courses above)
• Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• Submit two letters of recommendation from academic sources (e.g., former professor)
• Submit an admissions essay describing interest in the field of speech-language pathology
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Please note: ALL prior schools’ transcripts MUST be submitted for review, regardless of whether or not transferred courses appear on the current school transcript
• Submit documentation of twenty-five (25) hours of observation of speech-language pathology practice by an ASHA-certified SLP documented on SHU form (available from the Graduate Admissions Office)
• Meet Connecticut state statutes and regulations, which require that all candidates seeking admission to an educator preparation program must meet the essential skills test requirement. To fulfill this requirement, candidates for the SHU SLP master’s program must meet one of the following conditions prior to admittance to the graduate program:
  • Pass all three subtests of the Praxis Core Academic Skills test. See assessment guide for minimum passing scores at http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/Cert/guides/assess_for_cert.pdf
• Current passing scores for the PCAS are: Reading: 156, Writing: 162, Math: 150

OR:

• Pass all three subtests of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (Praxis 1 PPST) with minimum scores of 172 on reading, 171 on writing, and 171 on math) prior to September 1, 2014 which will be accepted through August 31, 2019

OR

• Apply for and be granted a waiver by meeting the minimum or higher qualifying scores on the ACT, SAT, or GRE (see http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/cert/certalert_january2015.pdf)
• Submit nonrefundable application fee
• SHU students applying for the graduate program in SLP should apply through the SHU Office of Graduate Admission at www.sacredheart.edu.

All SHU applicants who meet the overall and prerequisite GPA requirements (3.0 and 3.3, respectively, with no grade below C in the prerequisite courses) will be invited for interviews once applications are reviewed.

• Prerequisite coursework: Admission to the SHU SLP graduate program requires successful completion of the prerequisite courses listed above (or their equivalents) with no grade below C and a GPA of at least 3.3.
• It is also strongly recommended that all students applying for the SLP graduate program complete the following courses or their equivalents prior to matriculation in order to fulfill requirements of the State of Connecticut for endorsement as a school SLP:
  • PS 252 Child Development
  • ED 152/ED 552 Education in the US
  • ED 205/ED 569 Education of Children with Special Needs