Because of capacity restraints, we are currently not accepting graduate students.
The Two-Year Program
Students who hold a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology or a related discipline, or have an unrelated bachelor's degree and have completed post-baccalaureate studies may apply to the six-semester Master of Science degree program if their program(s) of study included the following courses:
- Normal Speech and Language Development
- Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
- Introduction to Audiology
- Phonetics (IPA transcription)
- Speech Science
- Clinical Procedures
- Statistics
- Introduction to Psychology
- Physics or Chemistry (Physics preferred)
- Biology (Human Anatomy & Physiology preferred)
Additionally, all applicants must have completed at least 25 hours of observation in accordance with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidelines. If offered admission, a record of those observation hours from your university program must be submitted directly to Duquesne University.
To be considered for admission, applicants to the graduate program must have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 or better in their previous academic studies. Truly special circumstances for lower GPAs should be addressed in the personal statement (see statement prompt below).
| Fall 2017 Admitted Students | Great Lakes |
|---|---|
| Average GPA | 3.8 |
| Average GRE - Verbal | 60th Percentile |
| Average GRE - Quantitative | 42nd Percentile |
| Average GRE - Written | 68th Percentile |
Applicants seeking Pennsylvania teacher certification also must have completed special education courses equivalent to GSPED 501: Exploring Inclusive Practices and GSPED 603: Response to Intervention. These courses can be completed as overloads during the first two semesters of graduate study.
Duquesne's SLP program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Our teacher certification program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the National Council For Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Post-Baccalaureate
The department is no longer accepting post-baccalaureate applications. We are only admitting students who meet all the Graduate Program admissions requirements.
Application to Duquesne University's SLP
First, applicants must complete the on-line centralized application (CSDAS) by February 1st. To be complete an applicant must also submit to CSDCAS ALL college/university transcripts (including, if applicable, Fall semester 2017 grades), three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Additionally, all fees must be paid to CSDCAS. For the personal statement please address the following:
"What are your career goals and how would the program at Duquesne University assist you in achieving those goals? Also, discuss anything in your background that you would like the admissions committee to understand."
Second, applicants must complete a free supplemental Duquesne University application. Please do not complete the supplemental application until after you have completed the CSDCAS application and have paid the required fees to CSDCAS. The supplemental application allows us to process the CSDCAS application. There are a couple important points for you to remember. When asked which term (semester) you are applying for indicate Fall that is the only semester the SLP program starts. Also, if you are applying to the SLP two-year graduate program, indicate 'Graduate' when asked.
Third, have official GRE scores sent by ETS to CSDCAS (Duquesne University Department of Speech-Language Pathology) using the Designated Institution code 0736. There is no minimum GRE requirement. Applications are reviewed holistically with GRE scores as one piece of information.
An application is not complete until all three steps have been completed: (1) an application to CSDCAS including all transcripts (with Fall semester 2017 grades), letters of recommendation, and fees have been submitted; (2) a supplemental application to Duquesne University has been submitted; and, (3) official GRE scores are received by CSDCAS.
The CSDCAS deadline for Duquesne University is February 1st. This is the last date when an applicant can submit their on-line application. If an applicant does not submit their on-line application prior to the deadline, they will not be able to apply to our program. PLEASE NOTE that the CSDCAS deadline is for a "Completed" application. This includes all transcripts, letters of recommendation, and payments.
Before filling out the on-line application read the Frequently Asked Questions and Instruction pages on the CSDCAS web site.
Questions about the on-line application should be directed to CSDCAS Customer Service at (617) 612-2030 or at csdcasinfo@csdcas.org
For questions about the Speech-Language Pathology program or to visit the Department, please contact us at (412) 396-4225 or speech-langFREEDUQUESNE
Speech-Language Pathology English Speech and Language Proficiency Policies
English is the language of instruction at Duquesne University and the demands for verbal and written communication in all the health professions are substantial. The demands for verbal and written communication in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) are especially high due to the focus on the speech and language in children, adults, and disordered populations, and requirements of extensive clinical experiences managing individuals with communication disorders. Expectations for language proficiency are designed to insure that students have sufficient English communication skills to succeed in all aspects of academic and clinical education in the Speech-Language Pathology program.
The Department of Speech-Language Pathology requires two phases of testing and clearance to ensure English speech and language proficiency for students who speak American English as a second language. First, students are required to submit adequate iBT TOEFL or IELTS scores during application to the SLP program. Second, students are required to complete additional tests of spoken and written English through the Duquesne University ESL Program to determine if any additional coursework or supports are needed. These guidelines are for applicants who have undergraduate degrees in Communication Sciences.
The following speech and language proficiency policies have been established to help ensure success for SLP students whose first language is other than English:
- SLP graduate (professional) phase applicants whose language is other than English are required to submit an iBT TOEFL score of 90 with an iBT Speaking subscore of 24, or equivalent IELTS scores of a 7.0 and Speaking subtest score of 7.5 to Duquesne University, Designated Institution code 2196. (NOTE: institution codes for TOEFL and GRE scores are different.).
- Once accepted and on campus, SLP graduate (professional) phase students whose language is other than English will complete testing in the ESL Program as part of the Office of International Program's New International Student Orientation. The ESL program will then either (a) provide a clearance for each student verifying that the student has met speech and language proficiency requirements or (b) recommend that the student take additional ESL coursework to support speaking and/or writing. Depending on course schedules, it may or may not be possible for students to take the courses recommended by the ESL Program and meet the course requirements of the graduate program. Regardless, deficient proficiency in English cannot be considered when grades are assigned. All students must meet the same academic and clinical education standards. Finally, there is not a part-time option for the graduate program in SLP.