Program Requirements
Clinical Practicum
Clinical practicum requirements are met through the SLP Network, Outplacements and Practicum in the Schools. These community-based sites consist of more than 100 facilities in Western Pennsylvania with which the program is affiliated. These include varied settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home based services, specialty clinics, not-for-profit clinics, early intervention, private practices, and schools.
SLP Summative Assessment Project for Master of Arts (MA) degree
All students in the Master of Arts program are required to successfully complete a Summative Assessment Project. This project assesses students’ ability to think critically, communicate their thoughts in written and oral form, and demonstrate their grasp of the major academic and clinical content provided in their graduate program.
Students pursuing the Master of Arts (MA) degree in communication disorders with a concentration in speech-language pathology must satisfactorily complete a one-credit course, typically taken in the fall or spring term of their last year in the graduate program. Requirements for passing the Summative Assessment Project are provided in the course syllabus.
Program Electives
Thesis Option for Master of Science (MS) degree
Students pursuing the Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology must successfully complete a thesis project. Students who complete a Master’s thesis are exempt from the Summative Assessment Project. Thesis students will have an examining committee of at least three University of Pittsburgh faculty members, including the research director, who serves as chair.
Additional requirements are outlined in the academic handbook, which is distributed to students at the beginning of their academic programs.
Optional Coursework
The master’s degree program with a concentration in speech-language pathology has a generally predefined curriculum with some options for additional coursework, such as CSD 2500 Medical Speech Pathology.
For students interested in obtaining school certification, students must complete the regular master’s degree requirements plus the following: a 3 credit child/human development course (typically taken as an undergraduate); a language development course (typically taken through the CSD undergraduate program); CSD 2514 School-Based Service Delivery; and CSD 2067 SLP School Practicum (4 days per/ week for a full semester). Additionally, the student must pass specific Praxis examinations as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
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