Prerequisite Coursework

Two-year Speech-Language Pathology Master's Degree Program

  • Required pre-requisite courses
    • One of the following:
      • Bachelor's degree in Speech, Language, Hearing Science (SLHS) or Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD)
      • Complete a post-baccalaureate program in SLHS/CSD 
      • Complete at least one course in each of the following areas:
        • Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
        • Phonetics (transcription skills)
        • Language Acquisition (also called Language Development)
        • Communication Disorders
  • ASHA requirements for undergraduate coursework
    • At least one course in each of the following areas:
      • Statistics (Research Methods does not fulfill this requirement)
      • Physical Sciences (physics or chemistry)
      • Behavioral/Social Sciences
      • Biological Sciences (human or animal related)
  • Recommended courses
    • Neuroscience/Neuroanatomy
    • Auditory Rehabilitation
    • Speech Sound Disorders course
    • A second Communication Disorders course 
  • 25 Clinical Observation Hours  (recommended, not required)
    • ASHA requires a minimum of 25 documented hours of clinical observation as a prerequisite to graduate level clinical work and receipt of the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). We are able to provide these observation hours during the first semester of the graduate program if a student has less than 25 hours at the start of the program.
    • Observations must be under the direction of a qualified clinical supervisor who holds current ASHA certification in speech-language pathology and should be approved in writing by a qualified clinical supervisor who holds current ASHA certification in speech-language pathology.  We do not require a specific form as long as the hours are documented and approved.

Additional Options for Students Without a Background in SLHS/CSD

As a prospective applicant without an SLHS or CSD degree, there are many options to consider (in addition to the options listed above) to fulfill the prerequisites for our Speech-Language Pathology MS Program.

  • Three-year SLP Master's Degree program

    • There are no official prerequisites for our three-year program. However, we strongly encourage you to complete the ASHA requirements listed above. If you matriculate without the ASHA courses, you will need to complete them during your three-year program.
    • The application process is exactly the same for the two and three year programs.  Apply via CSDCAS and GradApp in the fall/spring immediately preceding the fall semester when you intend to matriculate.
    • All applications are reviewed to determine if they best fit the 2- or 3-year program.  We do not review applications prior to submission to make this determination.  If you are unsure, please choose 3-year when submitting your application.
    • The first year is spent taking foundational coursework before beginning the typical two-year MS sequence.

  • Complete a Second bachelor's degree in SLHS/CSD 

  • Complete prerequisite coursework at the University of Arizona as a Non-Degree Seeking undergraduate or graduate student.

    • If you choose to go this route, please email us at slhs_app@email.arizona.edu before applying as a non-degree seeking student and we will put you in touch with an academic advisor.
    • Departmental consent is required for all classes.
    • Required Coursework
      • Offered During the Fall Semester
        • SLHS 261 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
        • SLHS 340 Language Science
        • SLHS 477 Communication Disorders I 
      • Offered During the Spring Semester
        • SLHS 367 Phonetics for Clinical Practice
        • SLHS 441 Language Acquisition (Prerequisite: SLHS 340)
    • Recommended Coursework
      • Undergraduate courses
        • SLHS 362 Neurobiology of Language (Fall)
        • SLHS 471/571 Speech Sound Disorders (Fall) 
        • SLHS 473 Communication Disorders II (Spring)
        • SLHS 483/583 R/L Principles of Audiology (Fall)
      • Graduate courses - May be taken with permission of instructor
        • SLHS 565 Acoustics (Fall)
        • SLHS 555 Developmental Language Disorders (Fall)
        • SLHS 454/554 Audiologic Rehabilitation across the Lifespan (Spring)

Questions? Please reach out to us at slhs_app@email.arizona.edu or (520)621-1192.