• 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
  • Biological Sciences
  • Physical Sciences "Physics or Chemistry"
  • Statistics 
  • Social or Behavioral Sciences
• To apply as a post-baccalaureate student in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science, fill out an application for admission on the CSDCAS website. Students should have 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate degree.
• If you have questions, please email slp@lamar.edu.

Application Requirements

Admissions and Prerequisites

Admission to the MS-SLP program is competitive and requires a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, completion of prerequisite coursework, and submission of all materials required by the Lamar Graduate Admissions Office and the department. Specific application requirements and deadlines are published on the program's website. General inquiries may be directed to slp@lamar.edu.

Application Process

Use your name as it appears on your state-issued ID or passport on your application and on all subsequent communication with Lamar University. The submission deadline is January 15; verification by CSDCAS is preferred by February 1. To allow processing time, applicants are encouraged to submit no later than mid-December.

Complete your application to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.) by completing ONLY the CSDCAS application at https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. The internal Lamar University application is used only by applicants who need to take prerequisite courses. The CSDCAS application allows you to submit your transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal essay, and writing prompt response in a single portal.

Submit OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL universities you have attended to the CSDCAS portal. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA as calculated by CSDCAS. CSDCAS requires two steps: (1) request official transcripts from each institution you have attended and (2) enter each individual course you have taken on the portal. Both steps are required.

Map your prerequisite coursework on the final tab of the application. Some courses may not be applicable to your undergraduate curriculum. Required prerequisite courses may be taken prior to or concurrent with graduate coursework. Determination of suitability for accelerated leveling is made on an individual basis.

All applicants provide a 1–2 page written personal statement. This statement is your opportunity to present yourself to the admissions committee and share information about who you are. Choose three of the following attributes that you can demonstrate through activities or events as strengths that you will bring to your graduate education, and one attribute that you feel is a weakness — detailing why it is a weakness and how you will leverage your strong attributes to compensate.

Deadlines and Portal Timing

The submission deadline is January 15. Verification by CSDCAS is preferred by February 1. A verified application is one that has been e-submitted, payment received, and ALL required documentation (official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the personal statement) has been received and verified by CSDCAS.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to e-submit at least four weeks in advance of the February 1 verification date. CSDCAS cannot verify an application until all official transcripts have been received, so submit those documents as early as possible. If you e-submit and are verified before Fall coursework is complete, use Academic Update after Fall grades post.

The application portal opens July 15 and closes January 15 for the annual cohort. Regularly monitor your CSDCAS portal to confirm your application status and the receipt of supporting documents. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that all materials are received and verified by the deadline. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

Admissions Review

Following Lamar University's receipt of a verified application, applications are reviewed and scored by the Admissions Committee using a rubric-based procedure. Applicants whose CSDCAS materials meet the threshold for further consideration are invited to complete a timed writing prompt, administered outside the CSDCAS portal. Completion of the timed writing prompt is required for continued review. Final admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee based on the combined evidence of the CSDCAS application and the timed writing prompt.

An incomplete application cannot be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. 

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

International applicants and students receiving their undergraduate degree outside of the United States must complete the application through CSDCAS. Lamar University does not perform internal transcript evaluations; the department recommends World Education Services, Inc. (https://www.wes.org) for transcript evaluations, as WES evaluations are accepted by both the CSDCAS portal and Lamar University. Evaluations should be sent directly to CSDCAS.

While CSDCAS does not require international applicants to complete transcript entry for verification, the Lamar University MS-SLP program requires you to complete a transcript entry spreadsheet in order to maintain equity and parity with domestic applicants in GPA calculations. Request the spreadsheet from slp@lamar.edu.

F-1 Visa Process

Following academic acceptance, international students seeking F-1 visa status must:

• Contact the Office of International Admissions immediately to complete a financial guarantee form and submit proof of funds for I-20 processing. 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. 
• Submit an affidavit of support and financial statement demonstrating that no financial support (aside from an assistantship, if applicable) will be required for the applicant and dependents to reside in the U.S.
• Note that the applicant's first I-20 is sent via express courier at no charge; subsequent courier costs for I-20 documents are the applicant's responsibility.

Post-Admission Requirements

Additional post-admission requirements for international students include:

• A health certificate from a U.S.-based physician or health service certifying that the student is free from tuberculosis. Any subsequent travel outside of the U.S. may require additional tuberculosis testing.
• Documented health insurance coverage.
• International students are responsible for completing all required steps with the Office of International Education and Services to finalize immigration documentation and enrollment eligibility.
• 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. 

Plan of Study — Overview

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is a full-time, residential program completed over six semesters, beginning in Summer II and concluding in the spring of the second year. The degree requires 54 total credit hours: 33 hours of academic coursework across eleven graduate courses, and 21 hours of clinical practicum earned through seven enrollments of SPHS 5309, Advanced Clinical Practicum.

Course numbers below match the 2026–2027 Lamar University Graduate Catalog. The catalog is the authoritative source; verify any conflict against the catalog at https://catalog.lamar.edu/nursing-health-professions/speech-hearing-sciences/speech-language-pathology-ms/ 

Plan of Study — Current Cohorts (Summer II Entry)

Fall-Entry Transition — Cohort 2029 (incoming Fall 2027)

Plan of Study — Fall Entry (Cohort 2029 and forward)

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. Abigail Dueppen 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://catalog.lamar.edu/course-descriptions/ 

Assessment of Student Knowledge and Skills

Student knowledge and skills are assessed continuously throughout the program through formative and summative methods. The MS-SLP program uses CALIPSO (Clinical Assessment of Learning, Inventory of Performance, and Streamlined Office Operations) to track academic learning outcomes (KASA), clinical hours, and clinical performance.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is ongoing and embedded throughout the program. It includes case-based activities in coursework that link didactic content to clinical decision-making; supervisor feedback during and after clinical sessions (verbal, written, and through formal mid-term conferences); and self-reflection activities. Each course syllabus identifies the formative assessments used.

End-of-Term Individual Student Review

At the end of each semester, a program leadership convene and meet each student individually to discuss the student's strengths, areas for improvement, and overall progress. These meetings provide a formal opportunity for two-way feedback: faculty share observations from the semester, and students share their own reflections, goals, and any concerns about their progress or the program. A written summary of each end-of-term review is completed by the program faculty, signed by both the student and a designated faculty representative, and placed in the student's file.

Summative Assessment

Each student must successfully complete one summative assessment as a graduation requirement: comprehensive examinations, a thesis, or a guided research project.

Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations cover four scope-of-practice areas, randomly assigned from the following eight: Aphasia, Swallowing Disorders, Motor Speech Disorders, Stuttering, Preschool or School-Age Language, Articulation and Phonology, Voice Disorders, and Cognitive-Communication Disorders.

Grand Rounds

Students attend four grand rounds seminars during the second year of the program and present one case themselves during one of the final two semesters.

English Proficiency Requirements

• International applicants whose first language is not English must submit English proficiency scores prior to admission. Send scores through CSDCAS and directly to Lamar University. Use TOEFL Code C122 to send the official score to CSDCAS and Code 6360 to send the score to Lamar University.

  Minimum and preferred scores follow the ASHA Committee on Language Proficiency (2019):

  • TOEFL Internet-Based (iBT): minimum total 83 with 26 on the spoken segment; preferred total 105 with 26 on both the Speaking and Listening segments.
  • IELTS: minimum total 6.5 with 7 on the spoken segment; preferred total 7.5 with 7.5 on both the Speaking and Listening sections.
  • Duolingo English Test is NOT accepted.

Please consult the table below to understand what our departmental success looks like:

SLP Program Completion Rate

PRAXIS Pass Rate

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

NOTE: Master’s or SLP graduates must take the PRAXIS examination before licensure and certification, but are not required to complete the PRAXIS prior to graduation from the program.

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.

Requirements in other states vary. Students who intend to practice outside Texas should consult the licensing authority in that state.