Will I become licensed during this program?

Our program, like many others, prepares you to meet all the requirements of a licensed counselor - it sets you up for success when you take your professional counselor exam afterward. Our graduates have a 95 percent pass rate on the exam, and we credit this outstanding result to a focused curriculum, internship placement assistance, and dedicated support from faculty and advisors.

Can you help me organize my practicum and internship sites?

We offer clinical placement services as part of your degree. We have a dedicated coordinator on staff that will work with you to identify internship sites in your local area. You will gain valuable experience via a 100-hour practicum and two internships, each one being 300 hours.

How can I balance my study and life commitments successfully during the program?

Time is precious - use it wisely. By doing your master’s online, you are not just eliminating the time it takes to commute to and from campus. You also have the option to choose what day and time you study because courses are delivered asynchronously. Successful students display grit, are well organized (for example, develop week-by-week plans) and lean on support from friends and family when needed. You will have a Student Success Advisor to lean on for support during your program. Faculty are also contactable by phone and email via MySBU.

What are the methods of instruction?

Our courses are delivered asynchorounously online which means you drive when and where you study from (i.e. you only require a reliable internet connection). Some professors have weekly lectures and while these are recorded you have the option to dial in live to interact with your professor and ask questions. Your practicum and internship hours will require in-person attendance but can be completed at a site close to your home. You do not need to travel to our campus in New York.

Am I eligible for financial aid?

We will work with you to identify the different financial aid options available to you as an online student. To learn more about financial aid click here.

Online Master's in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)

Admission Requirements
Curriculum
FAQs
Placement Support

Achieve Your SLP Career Goals

Practice Whole-Person Care

Foster Positive Change

Bridge Gaps in Care with an Online M.S. SLP

The online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at St. Bonaventure University (SBU) aims to address barriers in education and the growing need for SLP professionals nationwide.

With a framework that emphasizes care for the whole person and engaged learning, the online M.S. SLP prepares students to take an active role in making client-centered SLP care accessible, especially in underserved communities. Students will empower their education and careers as they prepare for rewarding roles as SLPs.

Through flexible education, engaged learning experiences, and an educational framework rooted in Franciscan values, graduates are equipped to become culturally responsive clinicians who make a positive difference.

Program Features

Graduate in under 3 years with our flexible plan of study
Tailored for adult learners managing responsibilities
100% online academic coursework (synchronous & asynchronous modalities)
Clinical practicum near your home location
56 credit hours
Personalized guidance from a dedicated Student Success Coach
Focus on your studies—no travel required to campus
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission
Two annual intakes: Fall and Spring

The online speech-pathology program is designed to meet the academic and clinical education requirements for national certification through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (CCC-SLP) and New York state licensure in speech-language pathology. Please see licensure information here for details related to individual state requirements.

Please be aware that some states require a separate credential to practice in the school system which may have additional requirements. If a state Department of Education requires a separate credential to practice in the school system, you must obtain that credential to practice in schools. It is the student's responsibility to determine what is required to obtain the credential to work in the school system. It is the student’s responsibility to remain up to date on all state licensure requirements.

View Curriculum Highlights

Get Your Program Guide

Complete the form to receive more information about our programs, and to download our free job guide.

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rankings & recognition

2024 #14 Most Innovative Schools, U.S. News & World Report
2024 Top 20 Regional University (North), U.S. News & World Report
2024 #6 Best Value School, U.S. News & World Report

masters in counseling

admission requirements

To be considered for enrollment in our Master's in Speech-Pathology, you must meet the following requirements:

Bachelor's degree in either:
- A communication sciences and disorders (CSD) or a related field, or
- A different field, along with successful completion (grade C or higher) of prerequisite coursework from an accredited university.
Major GPA of 3.0 or higher
Complete the application process, including the submission of 3 letters of reference (2 academic, 1 professional), a personal statement, and transcript(s)

Prerequisites for Admission

For those without a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders (or a related field), you must complete prerequisite coursework in the following areas*:

Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology
Foundations of Audiology
Language Development
Speech Development
Anatomy and Physiology of Speech, Hearing, & Swallowing
Phonetics
Speech Science
Hearing Science

For all prospects: you must complete four basic science courses outside the field of communication sciences and disorders to meet the requirements for ASHA certification. You need to provide transcript evidence of at least one course (minimum 3 credits) in each of the following areas with a grade of C or higher:

Biological Science
Physical Science (must be physics or chemistry)
Behavioral Science
Statistics

Failure to complete these prerequisites will make you ineligible to begin the Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY), which is a requirement for ASHA certification. Additional information can be found from ASHA.

Get More Information

*Note that course names may vary, and some courses may cover multiple content areas

Placement Support for Clinical Practicums

Experiential learning near your community is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of earning your degree.

The clinical practicum experience is guided and directed by St. Bonaventure University, in collaboration with your clinical educator at the site where you complete your hours. The M.S. SLP faculty and staff at St. Bonaventure University determine practicum site eligibility based on requirements for certification and licensure.

How do placement services help me?

Placement services help to facilitate and secure agreements with clinical practicum sites near your home location. The M.S. SLP faculty and staff at St. Bonaventure University determine practicum site eligibility based on requirements for certification and licensure.

How far will I need to travel for clinical placements?

Our placement team works closely with students to navigate the clinical placement process and collaborates with students to identify placement opportunities in their preferred locations. In geographic regions with limited placement options, students may need to travel 125 miles each way to meet clinical training requirements across the breadth and depth of clinical practice.

What is involved with clinical experiences?

The clinical experiences are designed to provide you with real-world, hands-on experience across the breadth and depth of speech-language pathology clinical practice. These experiences are arranged in a variety of practice settings near your home.

curriculum highlights

Expand Access to SLP Care

The mission of the online M.S. SLP program is to improve educational access to the profession of speech-language pathology through high-quality, online education focused on developing evidence-based, culturally responsive clinicians who competently serve the diverse needs of their communities.

Academic and clinical experiences aligned with today's work settings and career opportunities: Grounded in theory and evidence-based practices, our curriculum also cultivates essential skills in collaboration, adaptability, resilience, innovation, and professional communication.

Below are examples of the types of courses you’ll take during the online Masters of Speech-Language Pathology program. To view a complete list, please complete the form and download a program guide.

SLP 600 - Speech Sound Disorders in Children

A detailed review of etiologies and characteristics of speech sound disorders including phonological process analysis, formal and informal assessment strategies, differential diagnosis, treatment planning, and selection of targets. The use of culturally responsive practices for a diverse society will be emphasized.

SLP 610 - Diagnostics in Speech-Language Pathology

Principles and practices of diagnostic evaluations in speech-language pathology for individuals with suspected speech and/or language impairments. Students will practice taking case history information, development assessment plans, conducting evaluations, writing diagnostic reports, and developing treatment goals.

SLP 630 - Dysphagia I: Physiology and Etiologies Across the Lifespan

The first of a two-part course sequence of dysphagia study designed to meet the breadth and depth of knowledge and skill required by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association for clinical practice in dysphagia. This course includes the study of normal swallow physiology, characteristics and etiologies of swallowing disorders. Students will be introduced to clinical and instrumental evaluation procedures for children and adults. 

SLP 640 - Language Disorders in Children

Assessment, intervention, and service models for children with language disorders from preschool through adolescence. Federal laws and regulatory issues across practice settings will be discussed. Providing culturally sensitive, client and family-centered care within an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment will be emphasized.

SLP 690 - Vocal Function and Voice Disorders

The study of normal and abnormal processes of voice and resonance. Application of instrumental and perceptual evaluation strategies to assess vocal function. The functional, organic, neurogenic, and psychogenic etiologies will be explored in children and adults. Client-centered practices in treatment will be emphasized and counseling of individuals with laryngectomy and other pathologies will be addressed.

SLP 750 - Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Applied clinical and practical issues related to assessment and treatment of individuals with complex communication needs who require augmentative or alternative communication strategies. Emphasis on culturally appropriate, client-family centered care across the lifespan.

This course focuses on assessment and intervention of the mutually exclusive disorders of autism spectrum disorder and social communication disorder. Differential diagnosis and evidence-based assessment and treatment strategies will be discussed in relation to the role of the speech-language pathologist as part of an interprofessional team. Culturally appropriate, client/family-centered strategies that value diverse perspectives will be emphasized.

SLP 780 - Motor Speech Disorders

This course will explore the neurological bases, assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment of motor speech disorders in adults and children. The course will introduce students to the principles of neuroplasticity and principles of motor learning. Contemporary issues and approaches to the rehabilitation and management of motor speech disorders will be emphasized.

SLP 760 - Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology

This course focuses on current issues that affect speech-language pathology. Instruction will include information about certification, specialty recognition, licensure, and other credentialing requirements across practice settings. Regulatory affairs and legal issues in educational, healthcare, and private practice settings will be included. Professional association memberships such as ASHA and state level associations will be discussed along with opportunities for advocacy to support continual improvement of the profession.

View Full Curriculum

Accreditation

St. Bonaventure University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Approved by NYSED Office of the Professions.

St. Bonaventure University's Master of Social Work program is currently in pre-candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

Pre-candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the BOA indicates that it submitted an application to be reviewed for candidacy and received approval of its Benchmark 1 from CSWE accreditation staff to move forward for a candidacy review within 1-year. A program that has attained pre-candidacy status has not yet been reviewed by the BOA nor verified to be compliant with the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).

Students that are admitted to pre-candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining pre-candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain candidacy and initial accreditation.

Pre-candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods.

Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Review our program’s pre-candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.

Reporting Period	# Completed within Expected Time Frame	# Completing Later than on Time	# Not Completing	% Completed within Expected Time Frame
Recent Year 2023-2024
1 Year Prior 2022-2023
2 Years Prior 2021-2022

Reporting Period	#Taking Exam	# Passed Exam	% Passed Exam Rate
Recent Year 2023-2024
1 Year Prior 2022-2023
2 Years Prior 2021-2022

Online M.S. Speech-Language Pathology

Program Features

Prerequisites for Admission

Common Work Settings:

SLP Career Outlook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)