Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with people across the lifespan to support communication, feeding, and swallowing. SLPs assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of speech, language, cognitive, voice, social communication, and swallowing disorders that may affect a person’s ability to participate fully in everyday life at home, in school, in the workplace, and in the community. SLPs also collaborate with families, caregivers, educators, and other health professionals to support meaningful, person-centered care. The scope of practice for speech-language pathology includes prevention, assessment, intervention, counseling, advocacy, education, and research across a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, clinics, private practices, and community programs. (Adapted from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology)

  • SLPs support individuals with speech disorders that affect the production of speech sounds, voice, resonance, or speech clarity.
  • SLPs also work with individuals who stutter with the aim to reduce the impact of stuttering on the lives of people who stutter.
  • SLPs assess and treat language disorders that affect understanding and expressing thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Language may be spoken, written, signed, or supported through gestures and alternative forms of communication. SLPs also support individuals who have difficulty using language effectively in social situations.
  • SLPs work with individuals who experience social communication challenges, including difficulty adjusting communication for different people, environments, and situations. These challenges may occur in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, or other developmental or acquired conditions.
  • SLPs also support individuals with cognitive-communication disorders, which may affect attention, memory, organization, problem solving, reasoning, and executive functioning. These challenges may occur following stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurological disease, or dementia.
  • SLPs facilitate the assessment and management of feeding and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) across the lifespan. Dysphagia may occur in medically complex infants, as well as in individuals with neurologic impairment, postoperative complications, cerebrovascular accidents, or traumatic injury.
  • Additionally, SLPs support individuals with hearing loss or auditory processing differences by helping maximize communication access and participation across listening environments.

To practice as a speech-language pathologist, a Master’s degree is required. Graduates of the speech-language pathology program at Duquesne University meet the academic and clinical education requirements for state licensure and are eligible to pursue the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). 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 74 credit hours:

Course Requirements

 

Fall of Year 1- 17 Credits

  • Counseling (SLP 501) 2 cr.
  • Special Topics Seminar (SLP 502) 1 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 74-75 credits and all requirements, including successfully completed all clinical education requirements, in the Speech-Language Pathology program with a minimum 3.0 cumulative graduate QPA will receive a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology degree.