Speech Language Pathology

A communication sciences student working with a child
Master of Arts

About the Program

Small cohorts and class sizes guarantee individualized, ultra-collaborative learning experiences in Case Western Reserve University’s Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology program. With a projected 25% employment growth rate of speech-language pathologists over the next eight years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you’ll enter an in-demand field with a higher acceleration rate than most occupations. Get a head start in your career with your first semester clinical rotation at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center with subsequent rotations at health care organizations such as University Hospitals, MetroHealth and Louis Stokes VA Medical Center. As one of the oldest American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) accredited speech language pathology programs in the U.S., we continue our legacy of developing highly competent, ethical clinical practitioners who are innovators in the field.

What to Expect

At the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic, you’ll interact with medical, dental, nursing, social work, physician assistant and nutrition students—an approach we call interprofessional education. Working with a group of students across disciplines to complete service-learning projects, you’ll work in the same team-driven environment that you’ll find in the real world. Plus, our campus provides you with leading-edge technologies, such as augmented reality, to help you put lecture material into action. 

Your two advisors—an academic/clinical advisor and a research advisor—will help you determine the most effective individual plan of study based on your interests so you can make the most out of your five semesters at CWRU. Our unique course offerings in neurogenic communication disorders and in adult and pediatric dysphagia offer a foundation of knowledge for underlying and acquired disorders.

I am glad I chose [CWRU]. The smaller program makes it easy to contact professors, ask questions and learn much more during class and clinic. I also have enjoyed all of my placements that I’ve been assigned so far. It’s been a great experience, and the variety has shown me the different populations that I can work with as a future speech-language pathologist.

Request Information

Loading...

Beyond the Classroom

You’ll come away from the program with a conditional Ohio license to practice as a speech language pathologist. You’ll also be eligible for a certificate of clinical competence—from ASHA and the Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology—once you finish your post-graduate clinical fellowship and pass the Praxis exam.

Our graduates go on to PhD programs around the country or are hired locally by renowned hospital systems such as Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth and Akron Children's Hospital, as well as in other clinical settings at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, local schools and more.


By the Numbers

#44

speech language pathology program, U.S. News and World Report

100%

graduate employment rate

4:1

student-to-faculty ratio

100%

pass the national Praxis exam

3-4

different semester-long clinical externships 

Admissions Requirements

Our program thrives when we have students with diverse perspectives and a range of educational, professional and life experiences. We look forward to learning more about you!

  • The application process requires:
  • Online application, including a personal statement
  • CSDCAS application fee
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (either already complete, or will be complete before you enroll)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Current resume/CV
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • International applicants: Results of TOEFL or PTE

Please note: While you’re not required to have an undergraduate degree in communication disorders, you will need to complete prerequisite courses to meet ASHA requirements.

Contact Us

Kay McNeal
Kay McNeal
Clinical Program Director
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychological Sciences
Telephone

Request Information

Loading...