Speech-Language Pathology, MS (53-623) (60 hours)

Overview of Program

The Master of Science degree program in Speech-Language Pathology is designed for the academic and clinical instruction of persons to enter the profession of speech-language pathology. Students receive specific educational and clinical training to prepare them for the provision of services in a broad range of settings. This program is accredited in speech-language pathology by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Student Learning Outcomes

The graduate with a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology will use the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to:

1. Analyzes and applies clinical test results to make appropriate recommendations for intervention of communication and/or swallowing disorders
2. Implements intervention plans that involve clients/patients with communication and/or swallowing disorders and relevant others in the intervention process
3. Demonstrate competency in oral communication skills sufficient for entry into professional practice
4. Demonstrate competency in written communication skills sufficient for entry into professional practice
5. Adheres to guiding clinical practice documents such as the ASHA Scope of Practice for Speech-Language Pathology and the ASHA Code of Ethics to protect client welfare
6. Integrates knowledge of research processes and principles into evidence-based practice

Admission Requirements

Applications are processed through the Communicative Sciences and Disorders Central Application System (CSDCAS). The Communication Disorders program admits students in the fall. To be considered for admission, the applicant must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). The program encourages students with undergraduate or graduate degrees from other disciplines to apply. In this circumstance, the student with an undergraduate degree in another discipline must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). For applicants with a completed graduate degree, the cumulative grade point average for this degree must be 3.2 or above (on a 4.00 scale). Meeting the initial requirements to enter the program, however, does not guarantee admission to the program.

Completed applications in CSDCAS will include the following:

1. Transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities, including dual credit course institutions
2. Three letters of recommendation
3. Personal essay following prompt provided in CSDCAS

For more information about the steps associated with the application process, refer to the Graduate Admissions menu on the Speech-Language Pathology MS web page.

Applicants who wish to be considered for financial assistance are highly encouraged to complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when applying for admission.

Application due dates/deadlines: Fall Admissions - March 1

Please note that applications must be complete and have a status of ‘Verified’ by CSDCAS by the deadline to be considered by the Graduate Admissions Committee. The verification process can take up to 6 weeks once you have submitted your application and transcripts. Applications that are not complete, may reapply for a subsequent semester.

Notification of status: Admission to the graduate speech-language pathology program may be approved, placed on a wait list, or denied. If admission is approved, the applicant will receive electronic notification of admission. Applicants whose admission is placed on the wait list or denied will also receive electronic notification. Selection will be completed, and notification will be made by April 1 for fall admissions. Waitlisted applicants will continue to be considered and invitations sent if seats are available until the cohort becomes full. At that time, notification will be sent stating such.

Post-baccalaureate Students: Post-baccalaureate students who meet the graduate admission requirements and are selected for admission to the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology are admitted provisionally. Post-baccalaureate students must successfully complete basic prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0, with no course grade lower than a C, prior to beginning graduate work. Post- baccalaureate students who do not meet the prerequisite course criteria will not be allowed to enroll in graduate courses and will undergo administrative dismissal from the program.

Transfer of Graduate Credits

Students may transfer a maximum of nine credit hours from another CAA-accredited graduate program.

Transfer credits must meet eligibility criteria as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements for the program are based largely on requirements set forth by ASHA. ASHA requirements are based on professional practice trends and as such, are updated periodically. Although this does not happen frequently, if the ASHA requirements change, students must meet the new requirements in order to graduate. Additional graduation requirements are outlined below:

Knowledge and Skills Acquisition

The Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology is a competency-based program. These competencies reflect the knowledge and skills required by the ASHA Certification Standards Program of Study- III, Knowledge Outcomes IV, and Skill Outcomes V. The required knowledge and skills are delineated on the knowledge and skills document. Students will be expected to demonstrate competency-related knowledge and skills throughout their graduate program through formative and summative assessments. Students not demonstrating the achievement of academic and clinical knowledge and skills need to successfully complete remediation procedures that provide documentation of knowledge and skill acquisition. Before the degree is conferred, students must demonstrate successful completion of the requirements through a review process.

Clinical Clock Hour Requirements

Program specifications are required to provide each student clinical experience with persons exhibiting various communication disorders and differences across the lifespan. The minimum number of required hours is outlined here:

• 25 clock hours of supervised observation
• 375 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum in direct client contact
• 325 of the 375 hours must be obtained at the graduate level

Clinic Orientation Policy and Procedures

Clinic onboarding communication will take place with the Director of Clinical Services during the summer preceding a student’s registration for CD 5810  or CD 5811 . This onboarding will include instructions on how to complete the required paperwork to participate as a student clinician. Students will have access to the on-site clinic manual through the Communication Disorders Program’s learning management system to help answer any additional questions. 

All first-semester clinicians will be required to purchase access to the Program’s student management system, which is an online platform used to track clinical competencies and clock hours. In addition, all first semester clinicians (not previously enrolled in CD 4802) must enroll in CD 5810 . Students will pay a one-time fee for clinic shirts and name tag. After completion of CD 5810 , students will enroll in CD 5811  and/or CD 5911 . (Note: if more than one credit of clinical practicum is needed in a given semester, students will enroll in BOTH CD 5811  and CD 5911 ).

Each semester a student participates in an on-site clinical placement. They are required to purchase access to an electronic medical record (EMR) system. This system is used to document patient encounters, maintain accurate clinical records, and ensure students gain experience using EMR software commonly utilized in professional practice settings.

Clinical Practicum Requirements

All students must fulfill the academic and clinical practicum requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology. Graduate clinicians must be enrolled in clinical practicum every semester to meet the practicum requirements and needs of the Welch-Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders. Any graduate student who has not completed practicum requirements by the end of the internship assignment must return to the University’s Welch- Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders to complete requirements.

BLS Certification

Students will obtain certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) training prior to enrolling in clinical practicum experiences. The BLS certification must include a hands-on skills component; online certifications will not be accepted. Students must maintain re-certification throughout all clinical practicum experiences including the internship/externship experiences.

Immunizations

Students must be tested yearly for Tuberculosis (TB) and submit results of testing to the Director of Clinical Services prior to beginning clinic each year. Additionally, students must submit proof of having initiated the three shot series of immunization against Hepatitis B prior to beginning clinical practicum.

Student Clinicians participating in the Welch-Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders are expected to comply with all University of Central Missouri health requirements. This includes current tuberculosis (TB) test and updated immunizations as recommended by the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

All immunizations that are required by the University of Central Missouri and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services must be up to date prior to beginning clinical practicum. People who are not properly immunized pose a public health risk to their patients, co-workers and themselves.

If immunizations and TB tests are not up to date [for example, by virtue of an exemption], you may not be accepted at medical and/or educational clinical rotation sites, etc. This could prevent you from participating in a variety of clinical experiences which would ultimately prevent you from graduating.

Many external clinical sites require seasonal flu shots and will not accept student clinicians who have not received this immunization.

Criminal Background Check

Satisfactory criminal background checks must be completed and validated prior to beginning clinic in the Welch-Schmidt Center for Communication Disorders and again, prior to placement in offsite experiences. If a background check is unsatisfactory, placement in clinical experiences may not be possible. A student unable to be placed in a clinical experience, onsite or offsite, will not be able to complete the program.

Grades

 A graduate student who is placed on academic probation may not enroll in any clinical practicum courses while on probation. Offsite placements are arranged by the program several semesters prior to placement. Required clinical skills as defined by obtaining a minimum of the expected skill level for your cohort will be demonstrated for Certification Standard - Skills Outcomes IV prior to beginning the offsite experience. Students will need to provide their own transportation and housing during the internship/externship experiences.

Clinician Meetings

Clinicians are required to attend clinician meetings which cover a variety of topics ranging from paperwork and procedures to assessment and intervention tools available in the Center. These meetings are scheduled as needed throughout the semester.

Summative Assessment

The summative assessment will take place midway through the sixth semester, during the internship experience. All students must pass a summative assessment prior to degree conferral.

Criteria for Administrative Dismissal

Administrative dismissal from the program will occur under the following circumstances:

1. Two (2) grades of “C” or below in clinical practicum.
2. One (1) grade of “D” or “F” in clinical practicum.
3. Termination from two (2) separate clinical experiences either onsite or offsite.
4. The third semester the overall GPA falls below 3.00.

Only clinical clock hours for graduate clinical practicum experiences in which the student has earned a grade of C or better will apply toward certification or licensure requirements. Thus, if a student receives a grade below C in an on-campus clinic, off-site placement, or internship, the clinical clock hours accrued during that experience will not be applicable toward the 375 hours required by ASHA for the Certificate of Clinical Competence.

Certification and Licensure

Upon completion of the Master of Science degree and the Clinical Fellowship, graduates are eligible for the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the ASHA and licensure as a Speech- Language Pathologist by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Division of Professional Registration. Upon obtaining their unencumbered license as a Speech-Language Pathologist, graduates are also eligible for a Student Services Certificate through application to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This Student Services Certificate provides the graduate with the opportunity for employment as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Missouri’s public schools.

Credit for Life Experience

Credit will not be given for life or previous work experience for courses required in the speech-language pathology major.

Accreditation

The Communication Disorders Program is nationally accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). The contact number for the CAA is (800) 498-2071.