M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology

• Applicants to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program should have an undergraduate degree in speech and hearing sciences or a related field.
• Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in speech and hearing sciences may be required to complete prerequisite courses. The following courses are considered prerequisites for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. These courses may be taken prior to applying for admission into Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology degree program. Some courses may be taken concurrently with graduate coursework. Determination of suitability for accelerated leveling will be made on an individual basis. 
• Prerequisite courses
  • SPHS 2372 Phonetics
  • SPHS 3310 Language Acquisition
  • SPHS 3318 Speech Anatomy & Physiology
  • SPHS 4334 Audiology 1
  • SPHS 4342 Audiologic Rehabilitation
  • SPHS 3314 Speech and Hearing Science
  • SPHS 4332 Neurology
• Students must have a physical (physics or chemistry), a biological science, a statistics and a behavioral science course.
• To apply as a post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science, fill out an application for admission on the Apply Texas website. Students should have 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate degree.
• If you have questions, please email slp@lamar.edu.

Application Requirements: 

Please use your name as it appears on your state-issued ID (or passport) on your application and on all other communication with Lamar University. Note: The following two steps have a finalized deadline of February 1st, however, in order for documents to be verified and processed we recommend submission no later than mid-December. 

Please complete your application to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.) by completing the following two steps: 

1. Go to applytexas  and complete an application. The Apply Texas application must be completed by all M.S. SLP applicants, even if you are a Lamar undergraduate student who completed an application for undergraduate admissions. This application includes your biographical, education, and residency information. M.S. SLP applicants will receive a waiver of the Apply Texas fee. Simply choose check or money order and the waiver will be applied by the Lamar University Graduate Admissions department. 
2. The following website: https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login will lead you through the application process that allows you to submit your transcript(s), letters of recommendation, personal essay, and writing prompt response.

• Transcripts:  Submit OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL universities you have attended to the CSDCAS portal. All applicants must have a minimum of a 3.0 overall GPA as calculated by CSDCAS. You will be prompted to download a form that requests official transcripts from each college or university you have attended. You will also be prompted to enter individual classes you have taken on the CSDCAS portal. Both steps need to be completed. Your transcripts must include grades from the Fall semester of your senior year. We recommend sending in transcripts for previously attended institutions as soon as possible, and sending in Fall transcripts for the currently attended institution as soon as Fall grades are posted (if you must submit for other deadlines prior to receiving fall grades, be sure to include Fall coursework as "In Progress" and Spring coursework as "Planned" and then complete Academic Update as soon as you have received fall grades). 
• NOTE: You must map your prerequisite coursework on the final tab of the application. Please notice that some courses may not be applicable to your undergraduate curriculum. Required courses may be taken prior to or concurrent with graduate coursework. Determination of suitability for accelerated leveling will be made on an individual basis.  Please enter all that are applicable.
• GRE: The GRE is currently waived.
• Personal Essay: All applicants should provide a 1-2 page written personal statement. This statement gives you an opportunity to present yourself to us and share information about who you are, why you are interested in speech language pathology as a profession, and why you are interested in our program specifically. To help us get to know you better, you may want to tell us about an experience or event that had a significant impact on you, or a specific commitment or goal that reflects who you are as a person. 
• Any unusual aspects of your academic history should be explained in this statement as well.
• The personal statement should be uploaded under “Documents.”

Begin uploading documentation to your CSDCAS application early! 

• All CSDCAS applications must be VERIFIED by CSDCAS by February 1. A verified application means that it has been e-submitted, payment has been received, and ALL documentation (ALL official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and your personal statement) has been received and verified.
• Although our deadline of receipt and verification of your application is February 1, we recommend that you e-submit your application at least four weeks in advance of the February 1st deadline to allow time for verification. CSDCAS cannot verify your application until all official transcripts have been received, so be sure to get those documents submitted as early as possible. (Please send transcripts in early Fall for all previously attended institutions and as early in December as possible for the currently attended institution. If you have e-submitted and been verified prior to the completion of Fall coursework, please utilize Academic Update.) 
• Regularly check your CSDCAS portal to monitor your application and the receipt of all supporting documents.
• It is YOUR responsibility to monitor the status of the CSDCAS application and ensure that all materials are received and verified by the deadline.

An incomplete application cannot be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. 

*INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS or students receiving their undergraduate degree outside of the United States:  

• Please note that we recommend the use of World Education Services, Inc. for transcript evaluations as this company's evaluations are accepted by both the CSDCAS portal and Lamar University. Application evaluations should be sent to CSDCAS directly.
• Please email audiology@lamar.edu to request the GPA calculator form and when completed upload a pdf under the Documents section and email the spreadsheet back. 
• TOEFL scores should be submitted through CSDCAS and to Lamar University directly. Use TOEFL Code C122 to send the official score to CSDCAS and 6360 to send the score to LU. 
• TOEFL Internet-Based Total=minimum of 79
• TOEFL Computer-Based Total=minimum of 213
• TOEFL Paper-Based Total=minimum of 550
• Once admitted, students are required to submit a health certificate from a U.S.-based physician or health service certifying that they are free from tuberculosis. Any subsequent travel outside of the US may require additional tuberculosis testing. Students must also have health insurance. In order to qualify for an F-1 visa, applicants have to submit an affidavit of support and a financial statement that demonstrates that no financial support, aside from an assistantship, will be required for the applicant and his/her dependents to reside in the U.S. 
• Once an international student is academically accepted, he or she must immediately contact the International Admissions office to complete a financial guarantee form and submit it with proof of funds for I-20 processing.  An applicant's first I-20 will be sent via express courier at no charge.  Any subsequent courier costs for I-20 documents will be the responsibility of the applicant. 
• Before attending on-campus classes, students who are under age 22 must either receive a vaccination against bacterial meningitis or meet specific criteria for declining a vaccination. Get more information on complying with this requirement pursuant to Texas Senate Bill 1107. 

Following LU receipt of verified application, applications will be reviewed and scored via a rubric-based procedure. Eligible applicants will be invited to continue the application process and will be provided with a timed writing prompt outside the CSDCAS portal. 

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

If admitted to the program, official transcript(s)/transcript evaluation(s) showing your receipt of degree must be submitted directly to Lamar University Graduate Admissions to complete the enrollment process. More information will be provided to you at that time should you be accepted to the program. 

Application portal will open July 15 and will close February 1st for the annual cohort. 

For further questions, please contact  slp@lamar.edu. 

In order to earn Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology, the student must complete the course sequence below.

https://www.lamar.edu/fine-arts-communication/speech-and-hearing-sciences/academic-programs/ms-in-speech-language-pathology.html 

FIRST YEAR:

Summer II Semester

SECOND YEAR:

Students are required to complete comprehensive exams in their final semester. A thesis option is available. If you are interested in writing a thesis, please contact Dr. Johanna Boult at slp@lamar.edu.

• 5390 Thesis (Prerequisite: Approval of Graduate Advisor)
• 5391 Thesis

Student must complete both 5390 and 5391 for required 6 credits. For more detailed description of program courses, please refer to the following website. https://www.lamar.edu/catalog/course-directory/index.html

*Student can take 2 courses including SPHS 5330: Communication Management with Severe Disabilities, SPHS 6352 Aural Rehabilitation. Other topics may include family-centered practice, cognitive-communication disorders, and counseling in communication disorders.

All students must demonstrate that they are competent in the knowledge and skills as defined by the 2020 ASHA Standards. Each course and clinical practicum in the sequence targets specific knowledge and skills related to the standards as well as formative and summative evaluation period.

Formative assessment
•   Daily feedback from clinical supervisors
•   Mid-term student review by all clinical supervisors and academic faculty
•   End of semester clinical assessment report
•   Evidence-based practice structured writing assignment

◦   In the first semester, the assignment is an introduction to information literacy as well as evidence-based practice. 
◦   In the second semester, the focus of this project is the evaluation of resources. 
◦   In the third semester, students are expected to design a well-structured therapy plan supported by evidence from current research. This includes (1) formulating a cohesive plan based on academic learning; (2) finding, evaluating, integrating, and citing new information from credible sources into treatment designs.  The successful completion of this project depends on the synthesis of skills gained in the first two semester information literacy projects, combined with coursework and clinical experiences that are developed across the first three semesters through lab projects and one-on-one feedback sessions with clinical supervisors. 

Summative assessment
•   Comprehensive examination during the second year of the graduate program. Feedback on areas of strength and weakness are given to help prepare for the PRAXIS exam.

•   Students may select a thesis option instead of completing comprehensive exams. Students who want to complete this option should contact Dr. Johanna Boult at slp@lamar.edu.

English Proficiency Requirements

* In addition to ASHA standards above, we also follow the guidelines of our University. Given the scope of practice in communication disorders, oral English proficiency is considered an essential tool. Lamar University's graduate catalog states that "International students whose first language is not English are required to pass an English proficiency test before they may be admitted to candidacy for a graduate degree." Information about the  Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) can be found on the following webpage: https://www.lamar.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/graduate/contact-us.html

Additionally, if a student whose native language is not English is accepted into Lamar University's Speech and Hearing Sciences graduate program, and if there is evidence that this student is having exceptional difficulty with one or more of the tasks required in clinical service delivery (e.g., speech perception, speech/language modeling, comprehending speech or language produced by individuals with communication disorders, writing clinical reports, counseling families, etc.) the student will be asked to address these differences through a remediation plan (e.g., therapy for accent reduction, perceptual training, etc. as needed).

Other Expenses

• Tony Houseman Memorial Scholarship
• Paula and John Lovoi Scholarship in Speech-Language Pathology
• Diane and Don Shaver Speech and Hearing Sciences Scholarship

Note: All students accepted and enrolled into the M.S. SLP program receive a $1000.00 scholarship per year of their graduate studies. All out-of-state students receive an out-of-state tuition waiver.

For more information visit our department's scholarships webpage. 

To learn more about financial aid/student loans, visit LU's student financial assistance website.

Program Completion Rate

Employment Rates

PRAXIS Pass Rate
NOTE: All master's students must take the PRAXIS examination prior to certification.

State Licensure Determination Table

We have determined that the LU Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology Program curriculum:

This information is based on ASHA’s State-by-State guide. (https://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/)            

For states that do require training with school-based populations, our program does provide each student with clinical practicum experience with school-aged children prior to graduation.