A Speech Pathology student works with a client

Ball State’s master in speech pathology program will prepare you to become a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist.

This fast-growing, well-compensated career field offers broad opportunities to apply your skills in a number of settings.

Our program equips you for Indiana state licensure as well as the certificate of clinical competence awarded by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

What You Will Learn

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent speech, language, cognitive (thinking), communication, voice, swallowing, fluency, and other related disorders.

Students who graduate from our master’s in speech pathology program will be prepared to provide care to people:

  • with the inability to make speech sounds or cannot make them clearly
  • with voice quality problems, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice
  • with swallowing difficulties
  • with problems understanding and producing language
  • with speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering
  • who seek to improve their communication skills by modifying an accent
  • with cognitive communication impairments, such as attention, memory, and problem-solving disorders
  • with hearing loss who use hearing aids or cochlear implants in order to develop auditory skills and improve communication

What’s It Like to Pursue a Master’s in Speech Pathology at Ball State?

You’ll gain experience working with real patients in our Speech Pathology Clinic on campus. Under the supervision of our licensed and certified practitioners, you’ll meet with adults and children in our community to help them with language delay or impairment, indistinct or unintelligible speech, voice problems, and other communication issues.

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At Ball State, you’ll be part of a student community that is as diverse as it is committed to excellence.

Students in both our undergraduate and graduate programs work alongside one another to achieve their academic and career goals.

Our program has teaching-focused faculty who are experienced professionals in the field of audiology and speech pathology.

Our student-to-teacher ratio is low, and all courses are taught by faculty, not graduate or teaching assistants.

Read Faculty Bios

Students in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology gain valuable real world, hands-on experience during their time at Ball State.

Our graduates go on to become teachers, clinicians, researchers, managers, and a variety of other critical occupations in the exciting field of health care.

We have four assistantships in the speech-language pathology program. These are awarded to students based on academic performance as well as letters of recommendations.

Also, many of our students have been awarded assistantships elsewhere on campus.

Be sure to mark on the graduate application that you are interested in an assistantship.

Once admitted, you will want to check with the Graduate School to find out about assistantships across campus.

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Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the program learning outcomes listed in the ASHA SLP Standards: Standard IV-A - IV-H (knowledge outcomes), Standard V-A - V-F (skills outcomes).

Program Requirements

For students with backgrounds in speech and hearing (usually bachelor’s degrees), the program consists of a minimum of 56 credits, including courses in which clinical practicum experience is acquired.

  • students with bachelor’s degrees in speech pathology – The program will take six semesters to complete
  • students with degrees in another discipline – The program typically takes eight to nine semesters to complete (this will vary based on the specific undergraduate background).

The program requires sufficient clinical practicum hours to meet the ASLHA clinical practicum requirements. A comprehensive examination is also required.

ribbon iconAccreditation

Our programs are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Learn more.

Credits

Total: 56 credits

Courses

  • SPAA 601 Introduction to Research in Speech Pathology and Audiology
  • SPAA 610 - Child Language: Birth to Five
  • SPAA 611 - Child Language: School Age to Adolescent
  • SPAA 620 - Diagnostic Clinical Practicum
  • SPAA 621 - Speech Sounds Disorders 2
  • SPAA 622 - Fluency
  • SPAA 624 - Diagnosis and Appraisal 2
  • SPAA 625 - Voice & Resonance Disorders
  • SPAA 628 - Advanced Clinical Practice
  • SPAA 629 - Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology
  • SPAA 631 - AAC and the Nonvocal Individual
  • SPAA 632 - Neurogenic Disorders 1
  • SPAA 633 - Neurogenic Disorders 2
  • SPAA 640 - Dysphagia
  • SPAA 642 - Audiology for the SLP
  • SPAA 690 - Seminar in SLP
  • SPAA 693 - Internship in Speech Language Pathology or Audiology
  • SPAA 695 - School Internship in SLP or Audiology

For course descriptions, please see our Graduate Catalog.

View Catalog

Licensing Requirements

To practice audiology in Indiana and most other states, you must obtain a license and meet certain requirements.

Indiana Professional Licensing Agency

A license from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency License (IPLA) (formerly the Health Professions Bureau) is required for all speech-language pathologists and audiologists wishing to work in any health care setting in this state.

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The Department of Education Division of Professional Standards (DPS) requires all professionals who work in a school setting to have a license from the Indiana Department of Education.

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A Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) is awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

This certification is a nationally recognized symbol of competency for speech-language pathology and audiology professionals.

This credential provides public assurance that the professional has met rigorous, peer-developed, and reviewed standards endorsed by a national professional body.

Although this certification is not required to practice, professionals are strongly encouraged to hold this certification.

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Some licenses and requirements are state-specific. Be sure to find out the requirements for the state in which you plan to practice.

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What Can You Do with an MA in Speech Pathology?

Most speech-language pathologists provide direct clinical services (care) to people with communication or swallowing disorders. In speech and language clinics, they may independently develop and carry out treatment programs. They may work with physicians, social workers, psychologists, and other therapists. In schools, they develop individual or group programs, counsel parents, and may assist teachers with classroom activities.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that demand for speech-language pathologists is much higher than the national average, and 25,900 new jobs are expected to be added between 2016 and 2026.

Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent disorders in:

  • speech
  • language
  • cognitive (thinking)
  • voice
  • swallowing
  • fluency
  • other related disorders

Paying for Your Education

Department Graduate Assistantships

A graduate assistantship is an excellent opportunity for students to gain meaningful professional experience while helping cover the cost of your degree. Learn more.

Ready to Apply?

Review our admission requirements, dates and deadlines, and instructions. Then complete our online application.

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More Information

If you would like to learn more about this program or about Ball State Graduate School in general, please complete our online form to request more information. Or, if you’d like to speak with someone in our department directly by phone or email, please contact us.

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