Each graduate program has their own sets of prerequisites courses you need to take prior to starting their program, so you must check with program(s) of interest about their SLP coursework requirements. This process can be tedious, but it is essential, especially for out-of-field majors who plan to pursue a Master’s in SLP.
Many of the schools I applied to required Introduction to Communication Disorders, Phonetics, Speech Anatomy and Physiology, Audiology/Aural Rehabilitation, and Speech and Hearing Sciences. Graduate programs prerequisite courses that can range from 5 up to 15 courses.
With this being said, your options would be to complete a leveling program, a post-baccalaureate program, complete a second bachelor’s degree to meet the program’s requirement (you can read more about that here).
I explored these options to see which was the best for me, considering my options the summer prior to my finishing my undergraduate degree (I wish I knew about it sooner, because I would have been able to transfer them as electives to my university, but everything worked out).
I DID NOT have my prerequisites completed prior to applying to graduate school, and I was still accepted to 13 programs – this is attainable.
Key statements to look for are “prerequisites require prior to matriculation of program” VS. “prerequisites required prior to applying to program”.
You might be wondering, “Tammy, what does that even mean?”
Prerequisites require prior to matriculation of program: Your application will be considered, and your acceptance is contingent on the condition of completing your prerequisites before the program begins.
Prerequisites required prior to applying to program: Your application will not be considered if you do not have your prerequisites completed before applying to the program.
I was really excited to begin my journey in becoming an SLP, so I sought out finishing my undergraduate university early to solely focus on my SLP prerequisite courses. Most schools will require that you complete these courses prior to starting their graduate program, so thatโs a goal I set out to do.
I completed 3 courses from the University of St. Augustine & 3 courses from Eastern New Mexico University. I only took specific courses that I needed. I chose to do this as it was the most feasible option for me in all aspects (cost, time, teaching modality) and I spent around $3,200 for 6 scores, opposed to other options of taking prerequisite courses.
You may ask…
How do I know if I’m supposed to have my prerequisite courses completed before starting a program?
I used ASHA Edfind to look up every graduate program and viewed their requirements. ASHA Edfind is SO useful! I applied to schools that allowed me to take courses prior while in the program or the summer prior to entering the program.
How do I find out how many courses I need to take?
This will typically be listed on the graduate program’s website.
Prior to applying to graduate schools, I wanted to make sure the courses I would be taking from a leveling program met their requirements, so I sent a copy of the course descriptions & syllabi to the program director. They were more than willing to help & answer all of my questions!
What if some prerequisite courses qualify for some schools, but don’t meet the requirements for other schools?
This will happen! Some graduate programs I applied to required me to complete additional courses (it was mostly Speech & Hearing Sciences). One program stated that I would have to redo my prerequisite courses by completing their 3-year Master’s track because I wouldn’t have all the courses completed prior to starting. This wasn’t a negative thing, but after further consideration, it just wasn’t financially feasible for me.
Feel free to reach out with any questions/comments by sending me a message!
XOXO