Yes. The M.A. in speech-language pathology program uses the Communication Science and Disorders Centralized Application Service to manage admission. However, you must also apply to the NIU graduate school. Only applicants who submit to CSDCAS and the NIU Graduate School will be considered for admission.
You can apply up to 12 combined semester hours of student-at-large credit and/or transfer credit toward your degree.
We can accept up to nine hours of transfer credit contingent on review of the course content and syllabi.
If you don't have an undergraduate degree in the discipline, you must complete or be enrolled in the following prerequisite courses before applying to the M.A. speech-language pathology program at NIU.
You’ll be required to complete 65 hours of graduate work: 47 academic and 18 clinical. Students typically take 12 hours of academic courses and two hours of clinic per semester.
No. If you’re interested in research, we strongly encourage a master’s thesis because you’ll work closely with a faculty member to pursue a research interest.
Yes.
The program is six semesters long and begins in the summer semester each year. The program follows a specific sequence and students enroll full-time.
Our graduate courses have an average class size of 23 students.
The three-year average rate for graduation is 96%. More information is available on our student outcomes page.
In our most recent cohort, 100 percent of the students from our program have passed the Praxis exam after graduating.
The three-year average employment rate in the profession is 100%. More information is available on our student outcomes page.
We currently have 11 faculty members in speech-language pathology and six in audiology.
There are a few half-time (10 hours per week) graduate assistantships available in the department. Some SLP graduate students also apply for and receive graduate assistantships in other departments across campus.
You may also have the opportunity to work on research projects for faculty members with externally-funded grants.
The Office of the Bursar at NIU provides a planning and cost estimator.
We do not encourage you to specialize because we believe that a well-rounded clinician has the skills to work in all settings with diverse individuals.
You are always encouraged to follow your interests. Both our academic and clinical faculty are always available to provide expertise and provide further opportunity for clinical experience and research projects.
There are active programs of research in several areas. Students are encouraged to talk with faculty and can participate in research projects in a variety of topics:
Most students begin their first fall semester working with one to three clients.
Clinical opportunities can be on campus at the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic or at off-campus sites.
You’ll be placed at off-campus sites all over the northern Illinois area for full-time clinical experiences. This includes hospitals, rehab centers and school districts. We have affiliation agreements with over 300 sites.
Students participate in a variety of clinical programs supervised by faculty with expertise in that area:
Looking for the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic?
Call 815-753-1481