Communication Disorders, M.S.: Speech-Language Pathology

NY State Program Code: 24577
HEGIS Code: 1220.00
CIP Code: 51.0204

(63 credits)

Elaine Sands, Graduate Program Director
Hy Weinberg Center - Room 118
p – (516) 877-4765
f – (516) 877-4783
e – sands@adelphi.edu

Florence L. Myers, Coordinator, Sunday Academic Program at Garden City
Robert Goldfarb, Coordinator, Sunday Academic Program at Adelphi Manhattan Center

Mission

The Master of Science program in speech-language pathology provides academic and practicum experiences basic to the development of clinical competence in the evaluation, diagnosis, and remediation of disorders of speech and language. The mission of the Master of Science program in speech-language pathology is to provide students with a strong understanding of the connections between the scientific bases of our discipline and its clinical practice. We strive to prepare the finest professional and ethical research-based clinicians who can assess and treat children and adults with communication disorders within our scope of practice and from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Strategic Plan

The strategic plan of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders includes the following 5 goals:
1. Continue to attract the most competent students.
2. Use technology to make learning in the classroom and the clinical setting more efficient and exciting for our students.
3. Continue to increase the program’s active research agenda by obtaining funding through grant submissions.
4. Increase the diversity of clients seen in our clinic and externship programs in order to provide a broader clinical experience for our students.
5. Continue to engage in interdisciplinary interaction and research with colleagues in related disciplines in order to identify common goals and initiatives.

Additional information about the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is available here.

Accreditation

The MS in SLP program at Adelphi University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) through April 30, 2016.  Any questions concerning accreditation may be addressed to the Graduate Program Director, Department Chair, or the CAA at:

Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard #310
Rockville, MD 20850
p - 800.498.2071 or 301.296.5700

Student outcome data for the last three years (i.e. Praxis pass rates, employment rates, and graduation rates) for the M.S. in speech-language pathology are available here.

Program Policies and General Information

All students are expected to acquaint themselves with department and University requirements and regulations, and to consult closely with their advisers in order to fulfill both academic and practicum requirements leading to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) awarded by ASHA, New York State licensure as a speech-language pathologist, and New York State certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech-Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Students are expected to meet with their academic advisers every semester and with the TSSLD coordinator upon entry into and exit from the program. Students are expected to adhere to University policies regarding academic integrity and professional behaviors, as outlined in course syllabi and on the University web site.

Consistent with ASHA’s 2014 Standards for Certification in Speech-Language Pathology, completion of which leads to the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), the master’s program in speech-language pathology is 63 credits and can be completed in full-time or part-time study. Effective with the fall 2016 entering class, only the full-time program will be available. In addition to the weekday program at the main campus in Garden City, the academic coursework for the Master’s program is also offered at Adelphi University’s Manhattan Center and in a Sunday program in Garden City. The weekday program at the Garden City Campus offers courses in a traditional 15-week semester. The Sunday program at the Manhattan and Garden City locations are held in 8-week cycles. All students must take academic course work at the program site (i.e., Garden City - weekday or Sunday, or Manhattan Center) to which they were admitted. Exceptions are granted only in extenuating circumstances with prior approval of the student’s academic adviser. All clinical seminars, teacher prep courses, and in-house practica are held on the Garden City campus.

Students must complete a series of supervised clinical practica, both at the Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders and in at least two of our outside clinical affiliated agencies. Students must earn a grade of B– or better in SPH 660 prior to enrolling in an outside practicum. All students should expect to do their outside placements during daytime hours. In addition, students will be required to provide full-time availability for at least one of their outside clinical placements during a regular academic semester (fall or spring). Effective with the fall 2016 entering class, all students must pursue studies full-time. Students who plan to complete an internship in a hospital or rehabilitation setting must do their residency at that time. For students whose undergraduate education did not include supervised clinical practice, it may be necessary to enroll in additional clinical practica in order to meet the clock-hour requirements mandated by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Students pursuing the optional Bilingual Extension to the TSSLD must consult with the coordinator of TSSLD to develop a program of study.

To be eligible for graduation, master’s level students must pass a departmental comprehensive examination, which is taken in the semester in which the student is graduating. The student’s academic adviser must approve applications for this examination during the semester prior to taking the examination. The comprehensive exam is offered three times in an academic year (fall, spring, and summer semesters). Motivated students can complete a research project in lieu of the written comps.

Requirements and Procedures for Admission

All applicants to the master’s degree program in speech-language pathology must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students applying to the M.S. degree program in Speech-Language Pathology who have not received undergraduate training in communication sciences and disorders are required first to complete a minimum of 18 credits in undergraduate prerequisite courses or their equivalent (see below), as approved by the department. The department requires a minimum of 4 graded pre-requisite courses before applying for graduate school. Students may not apply more than two times for admission to the master’s program in Speech-Language Pathology. All master’s degree students accepted provisionally pending completion of undergraduate prerequisite courses must complete their outstanding courses at Adelphi, and receive no more than one C grade (C+, C, C–) in order to matriculate. Prerequisite courses are typically offered at least twice a year on the Garden City campus. Students may take prerequisite courses at other institutions.