"I want to earn a masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology, but my undergraduate deree is in another area. What do I need to do?"
A student wishing to pursue graduate study in speech-language pathology who has an undergraduate degree in an area other than speech-language pathology is classified as a “lateral entry student.”Lateral entry students must complete undergraduate coursework specific to the speech-language pathology profession before they are eligible to apply to the graduate program. They can enroll at UNL as post-baccalaureate, non-degree-seeking students (http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/prospective/steps) to fulfill the undergraduate requirements, or they can take comparable courses at another institution. Other admission requirements include a passing score on the Pre-Professional Skills Test and Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores obtained within the past 10 years. Of note, the average undergraduate cumulative and within-major GPAs of students accepted into the master-level program consistently exceed 3.75.
Prerequisite courses for lateral entry students seeking admission to UNL’s graduate program fall into three categories: (a) courses required by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) for teacher certification, (b) general education courses required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and (c) courses specific to the speech-language pathology profession. Lateral entry students must have completed all prerequisite courses marked with an asterisk (*) with a grade of B or better by the end of the semester during which they apply for admission to the graduate program. Having the majority of the remaining prerequisite courses completed is highly recommended. Depending on the number of incomplete prerequisite courses and as a condition for admission into the graduate program, the Department may require some lateral entry students enroll in and pass with a B or better certain prerequisite courses during the summer before beginning the graduate program.
a. Courses required by NDE:
Foundations of Education
Developmental Psychology
Learning in the Classroom
Multicultural Education
b. General education courses required by ASHA:
At least one physics or chemistry course*
At least one biology, anatomy, or physiology course*
At least one sociology course (e.g., anthropology, psychology, sociology, etc.)
At least one college-level statistics course
c. Courses specific to the speech-language pathology profession:
SLPA 250 Phonetics*
SLPA 251 Normal Language Development – Preschool*
SLPA 271 Introduction to Audiology*
SLPA 455 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism*
SLPA 456 Speech and Hearing Science*
SLPA 461/861 Preschool Language Disorders*
SLPA 464 Phonological Disorders
SLPA 397A Clinical Observation*
SLPA 472 Aural Rehabilitation*
SLPA 421 Professional Issues*
SLPA 441 Methods for Communication Disability Specialists*
SLPA 454/854 Research Methods
Various options are available at UNL as well as at other postsecondary institutions to fulfill NDE, ASHA, and speech-language pathology course requirements. UNL options for the NDE required courses appear on the attachment labeled, “Required Education Courses for Graduate SLPA Students.” The semesters, days, and times speech-language pathology courses are offered at UNL can be found in the Schedule of Classes at www.unl.edu under the Current Student tab.
Lateral entry students wishing to complete their undergraduate prerequisite courses within one academic year should follow the schedule below:
Fall Semester
SLPA 271 and lab – Intro to Audiology (3)
SLPA 251 – Normal Language Development (3)
SLPA 455 – Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism (4)
SLPA 461 and lab – Preschool Language Disorders (4)
SLPA 472 – Aural Rehabilitation (3)
Spring Semester
SLPA 250 – Phonetics (3)
SLPA 397A – Clinical Observation (1)
SLPA 421 – Methods for Communication Disorder Specialists (3)
SLPA 441 – Professional Issues (3)
SLPA 456 and lab – Speech and Hearing Science (4)
Not adhering to this schedule will preclude completion of the necessary coursework within two semesters.
Lateral entry students wishing to devote 3 semesters to completion of the undergraduate prerequisites and begin in Spring rather than Fall semester, should follow the schedule below:
Spring Semester
SLPA 250 – Phonetics (3)
SLPA 251 – Normal Language Development (3)
SLPA 271 and lab – Intro to Audiology (3)
SLPA 421 – Methods for Communication Disorder Specialists (3)
Fall Semester
SLPA 455 – Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism (4)
SLPA 461 and lab – Preschool Language Disorders (4)
SLPA 464 and lab – Phonological Disorders (4)
SLPA 472 – Aural Rehabilitation (3)
Spring Semester
SLPA 397A – Clinical Observation (1)
SLPA 441 – Professional Issues (3)
SLPA 456 and lab – Speech and Hearing Science (4)
Again, not adhering to this schedule will preclude completion of the necessary coursework within three semesters.
Questions about the adequacy of specific courses to substitute for those offered at UNL should be directed to Cameya Ramirez-Rousseau in UNL’s Student Services Center (402-472-8643 or 402-472-8624).