The Master of Arts program in speech pathology and audiology provides training for individuals who wish to do clinical work in speech-language pathology. Graduates of the MA program meet all academic and practicum requirements for clinical certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and for licensure by the State of Iowa. Students preparing for clinical positions in public schools must meet school licensure or certification requirements of the states in which they plan to work.
Learning Outcomes
Graduating MA students in speech pathology and audiology will:
- demonstrate knowledge and skills specified in the Knowledge and Skills Acquisition (KASA) competencies for speech-language pathology professionals;
- behave professionally and ethically, and adhere to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics;
- use critical thinking skills to apply theory and knowledge to clinical decision-making; and
- use evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence to make clinical decisions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of persons with communication disorders.
The Master of Arts program in speech pathology and audiology requires a minimum of 44 s.h. of graduate credit, which may include approved graduate transfer credits. The program prepares clinicians to be able to function independently in a variety of clinical settings. The program is designed to ensure that upon graduation, a student will meet the requirements for immediate professional employment.
MA students usually have a background of undergraduate courses in speech and hearing science, psychology of language, and human behavior that is equivalent to an undergraduate major in speech and hearing science at the University of Iowa.
Before registering in the program, entering MA students receive descriptive materials about basic science core courses considered to be required preparation for the MA program, and required MA clinical core courses for which the department may accept comparable courses taken at the undergraduate level. Decisions about incorporating background coursework in these areas are made by the faculty advisor in consultation with the student and the instructors of the basic science or clinical core courses. Entering students must have completed the following courses or their equivalents.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSD:2110 | Phonetics: Theory and Applications | 3 |
| CSD:3112 | Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production | 4 |
| CSD:3113 | Introduction to Hearing Science | 4 |
| CSD:3116 | Basic Neuroscience for Speech and Hearing | 3 |
| CSD:3118 | Language Acquisition | 3 |
| CSD:3185 | Hearing Loss and Audiometry | 3 |
| CSD:4145 | Developmental Language Disorders | 3 |
| CSD:4148 | Developmental Speech Disorders | 3 |
| CSD:4244 | Rehabilitative Audiology | 3 |
| PSQF:1020/STAT:1020 | Elementary Statistics and Inference | 3 |
| A biological science course (human or animal biology) | 3 | |
| A physical science course (physics or chemistry) | 3 | |
| A social/behavioral science course | 3 | |
| 25 hours of observation documented by a practitioner with ASHA certification | ||
Candidates for an MA with a professional emphasis in speech-language pathology are not required to complete a thesis, although all students demonstrating research aptitude and interest are encouraged to do so.
A typical program takes two calendar years to complete.
Core Requirements
All students seeking an MA in speech pathology and audiology with a professional emphasis in speech-language pathology must take the following.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSD:5104 | Language Disorders in School-Aged Children | 3 |
| CSD:5135 | Foundations of Clinical Practice I | 2 |
| CSD:5136 | Foundations of Clinical Practice II | 1 |
| CSD:5137 | Foundations of Clinical Practice III | 1 |
| CSD:5146 | Neurogenic Disorders of Language | 3 |
| CSD:5203 | Counseling in Communication Disorders | 1 |
| CSD:5236 | Neurological and Structural Disorders of Swallowing | 3 |
| CSD:5238 | Motor Speech Disorders | 2 |
| CSD:6519 | Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
In addition, they must take the following courses unless they completed equivalent courses as undergraduates.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSD:4114 | Introduction to Voice Disorders | 2 |
| CSD:4115 | Structural Disorders | 2 |
| CSD:4140 | Manual Communication | 1 |
| CSD:4183 | Introduction to Stuttering | 2 |
Also required are additional semester hours (typically 16 s.h.) of practicum registration sufficient to meet supervised, direct clinical experience requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Iowa license, and to provide broad, supervised practicum experience.
In addition to the core requirements listed above, all nonthesis students preparing to be speech-language pathologists must earn a minimum of 10 s.h. from the following; thesis students must earn a minimum of 6 s.h. from the following. Thesis students also must enroll in 4 s.h. of research.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSD:4130 | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Communication Sciences and Disorders | 1 |
| CSD:5213 | Voice Habilitation | 2 |
| CSD:5223 | Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders | 1 |
| CSD:5233 | Aphasia | 2 |
| CSD:5234 | Acquired Cognitive-Communication Disorders | arr. |
| CSD:5237 | Cleft Palate and Related Disorders | 1-2 |
| CSD:5258 | Multilingualism and Culturally Responsive Practice in Communication Sciences and Disorders | 3 |
| CSD:5260 | Augmentative and Alternative Communication | 2 |
| CSD:5282 | Phonological Development and Disorders | 2 |
| CSD:5350 | Seminar in Supervision | 1 |
Professional Licensure
State Licensure
A number of states, including Iowa, require a state license in speech-language pathology or audiology. Students who meet the requirements listed above for the MA in speech pathology and audiology also meet the academic requirements for the license in Iowa as well as in most other states. For more information, visit Iowa Licensing Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website.
Public School Licensure
Students preparing for clinical positions in public schools typically must meet school licensure or certification requirements of the states in which they plan to work. The following criteria meet the requirements for endorsement as speech-language pathologists in Iowa and most other states:
- a master's degree with a professional emphasis in speech-language pathology or the equivalent; and
- completion of coursework as described in School Speech Language Pathologist Licensure Preparation/Added Endorsement Program K–12 on the College of Education website.
GE CLAS Core courses (e.g., introduction to psychology, sociology, history, literature, and humanities) do not meet the requirements of the professional education sequence.
Alternatively, speech-language pathologists practicing in Iowa can obtain a Statement of Professional Regulation (SPR). In order to obtain the SPR, they must have a temporary or regular license from the State Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners, a master's degree in speech-language pathology, and have completed a human relations course. The SPR is valid for five years and does not transfer to other states.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
Admission to the program is competitive; applicants' credentials are considered in relation to those of others in the applicant pool, and a limited number of individuals are admitted to each program. Applicants whose undergraduate grade-point average is below 3.30 rarely are admitted.
Admission is for fall; the application deadline is Jan. 15. All applications to the MA program must be submitted through the Central Application Service for Communication Science and Disorders (CSDCAS).
For detailed information regarding the evaluation of applicants, application materials and requirements, and other matters, see Graduate Programs on the department's website.
The speech pathology and audiology program provides excellent preparation for a career as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. There continues to be a strong demand for professionals in these fields, and both speech pathology and audiology are consistently ranked highly in “best job” surveys.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Speech Pathology and Audiology, MS
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 44 s.h. must be graduate level coursework; graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a, b, c | ||
| Graduate College program GPA of at least 3.00 is required. d | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Exam: Comprehensive Formative Exam e | ||
| CSD:4115 | Structural Disorders f | 2 |
| CSD:4140 | Manual Communication f | 1 |
| CSD:4183 | Introduction to Stuttering f | 2 |
| CSD:5135 | Foundations of Clinical Practice I | 2 |
| CSD:5146 | Neurogenic Disorders of Language | 3 |
| CSD:5301 | Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology | 1 |
| CSD:6519 | Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| Exam: Comprehensive Formative Exam e | ||
| CSD:4114 | Introduction to Voice Disorders f | 2 |
| CSD:5136 | Foundations of Clinical Practice II | 1 |
| CSD:5203 | Counseling in Communication Disorders | 1 |
| CSD:5236 | Neurological and Structural Disorders of Swallowing | 3 |
| CSD:5301 | Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology | 4 |
| Elective course g | 2 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| CSD:5301 | Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology | 5 |
| Elective course g | 2 | |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Exam: Comprehensive Summative Exam h | ||
| CSD:5104 | Language Disorders in School-Aged Children i | 3 |
| CSD:5137 | Foundations of Clinical Practice III | 1 |
| CSD:5238 | Motor Speech Disorders | 2 |
| CSD:5301 | Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology | 2 |
| Elective course g | 3 | |
| Elective course g | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| CSD:5304 | Speech Pathology Outplacement: School j, k | 2 |
| CSD:5305 | Speech Pathology Outplacement: Non-School k | 2 |
| Verify completion of all degree requirements | ||
| Hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 51 | |
- a
- Professional licensure may be earned to work in or outside the public school setting. Information about licensure requirements is included in the General Catalog.
- b
- Refer to the General Catalog for the list of prerequisite courses that students must complete before beginning the MA program.
- c
- Students must complete specific requirements in the University of Iowa Graduate College after program admission. Refer to the Graduate College website and the Manual of Rules and Regulations for more information.
- d
- Graduate College program GPA is comprised of all courses that are approved degree requirements. If a student takes more than the minimum required number of semester hours to complete the degree, but all courses taken are eligible to count toward the degree, those courses will be included in the Graduate College program GPA.
- e
- End of semester requirement to ensure adequate progress.
- f
- If approved equivalent course completed as an undergraduate, it may count as graduate transfer credit.
- g
- Students must earn a minimum of 10 s.h. of elective coursework; refer to the General Catalog for a list of approved courses. Work with faculty advisor to determine appropriate graduate coursework.
- h
- Comprehensive summative exam; end of semester requirement to assess whether knowledge is sufficient to proceed to outplacements.
- i
- May take during first year fall semester instead.
- j
- Required to work in Iowa public school system if not doing non-school placement.
- k
- Students may opt to complete either CSD:5304 or CSD:5305 for 4 s.h. instead of taking both courses.