Speech-Language pathologists (SLPs) work with people of all ages who have communication and/or swallowing problems. SLPs have been educated to diagnoses, assess, and treat language, speech, social-communication, cognitive-communication, oral feeding and/or swallowing disorders, and/or hearing limitations. These problems affect how people participate in daily life with their families, friends and communities, how they learn in school and on the job, and their employment choices, options and advancement. To address these disorders, speech-language pathologists provide specialized professional services to children and adults.

  • Stimulating language and communication in children and adults may happen when someone has trouble understanding others or expressing their own ideas, thoughts and feelings to others. Language disorders are most often spoken or written, but also includes gesture and the way people use language in socially appropriate ways.
  • Intervening for speech disorders helps children and adults produce speech sounds correctly, produce speech fluently (without stuttering), or produce voice and resonance that is healthy and does not interfere with communication. 
  • Treating social-communication disorders supports people who have difficulty using communication socially, changing their own communication to be appropriate to the listeners and location, and adhering to conventions of conversation. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders and those with brain damage following head trauma are among those who may have social communication disorders. 
  • Intervening for cognitive-communication disorders address challenges people may have organizing their thinking, effectively using memory, and/or seeking solutions to daily life challenges. Individuals with brain damage from a stroke or trauma or those who have dementia may have cognitive-communication disorders.
  • Facilitating the acquisition of safe and effective feeding and swallowing disorders (dysphagia). Dysphagia may effect very young infants and anyone who has had surgery, a stroke, or physical injury.
  • Providing speech and language treatment for children and adults with hearing or auditory processing difficulties.

To practice the profession of speech-language pathology, a Master's degree is required. Professionals must also hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and in many states, must obtain a state license to practice. Nationwide, the gold standard for entry into professional practice in speech-language pathology is the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Graduates of the speech-language pathology program at Duquesne University meet all academic and clinical education requirements for the CCC. To practice in Pennsylvania, and many other states, state licensure is required. Graduates of the speech-language program at Duquesne University meet all academic and clinical education requirements and are eligible to apply for licensure to practice in Pennsylvania. Please check with individual states for their licensure requirements. Additionally, Pennsylvania requires specialized certification for speech-language pathologists working in public school settings. Graduates of the speech-language pathology program at Duquesne University meet all academic and clinical education requirements and are eligible to apply for school employment certification in Pennsylvania. Please check with individual states for their school certification requirements.

Speech-Language Pathology Program Outcomes

  • The graduate portion of the program (also known as the professional phase) is six semesters long over two calendar years.  100% of our graduates in the last three years completed the program within the expected six semesters.
  • To earn the ASHA Certification of Clinical Competence students must pass a national examination (often referred to as the Praxis Exam).  Duquesne's three-year average pass rate is 100%.

Upon completed of the Speech-Language Pathology program students will:

  1. Acquire professional practice competencies 
  2. Develop foundations of speech-language pathology practice 
  3. Identify and prevent speech, language, and swallowing disorders and differences
  4. Conduct and interpret evaluations of speech, language, and swallowing disorders and differences
  5. Provide intervention to minimize the effects of changes in speech, language, and swallowing mechanisms 
  6. Integrate and apply general knowledge and skills applicable to professional practice

Speech-Language Pathology Curriculum

A Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology degree requires at least 73 credit hours:

Course Requirements

 

Fall of Year 1- 16 Credits

  • Counseling (SLP 501) 2 cr.
  • Special Topics Seminar (SLP 502) 0 cr.
  • Speech Production Disorders (SLP 505) 3 cr.
  • Assessment (SLP 510) 3 cr.
  • Developmental Language Disorders & Autism I (SLP 526) 3 cr.
  • Acquired Language Disorders (SLP 530) 3 cr.
  • Clinic I (SLP 540W) 2 cr.

Spring of Year 1- 16 Credits

  • Stuttering (SLP 517) 3 cr.
  • Neurocognitive Disorders (SLP 535) 3 cr.
  • Developmental Language Disorders & Autism II (SLP 536) 3 cr.
  • Clinic II (SLP 541W) 2 cr.
  • Dysphagia (SLP 550) 3 cr.
  • Clinical Seminar in Professional Issues & Ethics (SLP 571) 2 cr.

Summer of Year 1- 10/11 Credits

  • Research in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP 515W) 3 cr.
  • Clinic III (SLP 542) 2 cr.
  • Augmentative & Alternative Communication with Lab (SLP 555) 3 cr.
  • Medical Speech-Language Pathology Seminar (SLP 573) 2 cr.
  • Thesis I (optional) (SLP 700) 1 cr. 

Fall of Year 2- 11 Credits

  • Motor Speech Disorders (SLP 525) 3 cr.
  • Clinic IV (SLP 543)  5 cr. (4 cr. if Thesis)
  • Voice Disorders (SLP 554) 3 cr.
  • Thesis II (optional) (SLP 710) 1 cr.

Spring of Year 2- 11 Credits

  • Aural Rehabilitation (SLP 520) 3 cr.
  • Clinic V (SLP 544) 5 cr. (4 cr. if Thesis)
  • Craniofacial Disorders & Pediatric Feeding Disorders (SLP 556) 3 cr.
  • Thesis II (optional) (SLP 710) 1 cr.

Summer of Year 2- 9 Credits

  • Clinic VI (SLP 545) 3 cr.
  • Intercultural and Global Issues in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP 558) 2 cr.
  • Business Practices in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP 559) 2 cr.
  • Capstone in Evidence Based Practice (SLP 575) 2 cr. (1cr. if Thesis)
  • Thesis III (optional) (SLP 720) 1 cr.

* Completing an optional Master's Thesis will increase the credit load by 1 credit

Speech-Language Pathology Graduation Requirements

Master's Degree Level

A student who has completed 73-74 credits and all requirements in the speech-language pathology program with a minimum 3.0 cumulative graduate QPA will receive a Master of Science degree.