Post Baccalaureate Program - Undergraduate Degree Not in SPA

Contact Information

Sloane Burgess, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Post-Baccalaureate Student Advisor
330-672-2672
sburges8@kent.edu

Students wishing to enter the master's degree program in speech-language pathology who hold a baccalaureate degree in another major must first take a series of undergraduate basic courses in speech, language, and hearing.

Students begin by applying to the general admission office of the university to obtain post-baccalaureate (post-undergraduate, not seeking a degree) status in order to take these undergraduate courses.

Also, please contact Dr. Burgess to schedule an advising appointment.  Dr. Burgess will review your current transcript and establish a plan to complete the required courses.   It is important to note that enrolling for the post-baccalaureate courses does not guarantee acceptance into the master's program.

Students will apply to graduate school through the Communication Science and Disorders Centralized Application System. (CSDCAS). 

In order to apply to the graduate program in speech-language pathology, the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) requires students to have completed a series of core curriculum courses including:

  • biological science
  • physical science (either chemistry or physics)
  • statistics
  • behavioral or social sciences (2 courses)

ASHA also requires a minimum series of undergraduate courses directly related to speech language pathology.  

Dr. Burgess will review the required classes with you during your advising meeting. 

Clinical Preparation

Before students can begin accruing clinical clock hours in the master's program, they must have obtained and documented a minimum of 25 hours of clinical observation of services within the scope of practice for speech-language pathologists and by or under the supervision of a licensed and certified practitioner in the appropriate practice area. Although some of these hours may be required as part of undergraduate speech and hearing courses, students are responsible for obtaining the remaining hours on their own during the post-baccalaureate program. Procedures for obtaining these hours are posted on the website and in the clinic reception area.