Admissions

Admissions: Master of Speech-Language Pathology

Applicants must complete the APSU College of Graduate Studies Application online.

To be eligible for consideration for admission to the APSU MSLP Program, all applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university OR are in the process of completing foundational coursework in communication sciences and disorders leading to a bachelor’s degree that will be awarded prior to matriculation.  If an applicant does not have an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders preparatory courses must be completed prior to matriculation.

Admission to the MSLP Program occurs once per year. Students progress through the program with a cohort. The cohort model emphasizes collaboration and community as a basis for professional development. Each cohort is comprised of 20 students.

Admission is competitive; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission decisions are not subject to appeal. Applications from one year are not held over to another year. Students accepted into the APSU MSLP program may not defer their start date.

It Starts With Us:

Meet the faculty and learn more about our graduate program, and ask your questions about our admissions process.

Informational Meetings

Date 1: November 1, 2022, at 1:00 and at 2:00 CST

Date 2: December 1, 2022, at 10:00 am and 11:00 am CST

To sign up for one of these meetings email mslp-info@apsu.edu

Include: Full Name, cell phone number, and date/time of your choice

It is our desire to support students as they navigate the application process. The admissions committee seek to admit students who are prepared to meet the rigors of the academic and clinical elements of the program. Applicants are encouraged to consider that each encounter with program faculty is an opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism and critical thinking skills.

WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2023. THE LAST DAY TO SUBMIT MATERIALS IS FEBRUARY 15, 2023.  APPLICATION MATERIALS RECEIVED AFTER FEBRUARY 15, 2023 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE ADMISSION REVIEW.

YOU WILL HEAR FROM US BEFORE THE END OF MARCH.

**Please note: The GRE is NOT required or considered in admission decisions.**

Admission Requirements for the Master of Speech-Language Pathology Program

Admission to the Master of Speech-Language Pathology (MSLP) program is highly competitive. Meeting the minimum thresholds below does not guarantee admission. Admission decisions are based on a composite of information about the applicant, not merely one factor.

• Application for admission
• Application Fee: $45 domestic or $55 international
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended
  • APSU College of Graduate Studies requires official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended for both undergraduate and graduate coursework be submitted directly to APSU by the institution. Transcripts should be sent to gradadmissions@apsu.edu.
• Verification of lawful presence in the United States (i.e. submit a license or other approved document)
• Bachelor’s degree, conferred in any field, from a regionally accredited institution showing a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0; coursework in communication sciences and disorders of a 3.2. All students applying for admission to the MSLP program must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to enrollment. *
  • Cumulative GPA will be recalculated to include transfer hours (if necessary).
• Submit two signed letters of recommendation to gradadmissions@apsu.edu. Personal references are not considered and will not count toward the two required letters. Letters written by academic and clinical faculty are preferred. Do not send more than two letters. Letter writers are free to provide whatever information they wish but must also address the following points:
  • The applicant’s ability to complete an academically rigorous graduate degree program in speech-language pathology;
  • The applicant’s style and degree of responsiveness to feedback and/or supervision;
  • The applicant’s dispositions and ability to meet professional standards of conduct;
  • The applicant’s oral and written communication skills, and
  • A statement of confidence based on the letter writer’s professional evaluation of the applicant (e.g., strongly recommend, recommend, recommend with reservation).
• Submit a personal statement
  • The Personal Statement must be the applicants original independent work.
  • Applicants should compose a 1-page single spaced essay that address the following two prompts:
    • The APSU MSLP program will require a huge commitment in time and energy. How have you prepared for this commitment?
    • What unique contributions will you bring to the APSU MSLP program consistent with the program mission?
  • Personal statements must be sent to gradadmissions@apsu.edu.
• Military documents (if applicable)
• Admission decision by department

*Applicants whose undergraduate degree is not in Communication Sciences and Disorders will be reviewed to determine which prerequisite coursework has been completed (content associated with CFCC Standards IV-A and IV-B). Courses in which the student earned a C or better will fulfill this requirement.

Additional Information to Consider:

• The student must provide all transcripts prior to entering the program to document completion of all prerequisite courses with acceptable grades (C or better).
• In order for students to meet current certification standards set by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC), applicants to APSU’s MSLP program should have completed coursework in statistics, biology, physical sciences and social/behavioral sciences with a grade of “C” or better prior to admission (CFCC STD IV-A). Each course must be a minimum of 3 credits and must have been completed in the last six years. If a student has completed a prerequisite course as part of the undergraduate degree, or as a post-baccalaureate student and received a final grade of below “C”, the student must re-take the course or an equivalent course and attain a grade of “C” or better. 
• Applicants whose undergraduate degree is not in Communication Sciences and Disorders will be reviewed to determine which prerequisite coursework has been completed (Prerequisite Foundational Coursework). Courses completed in the last six years in which the student earned a “C” or better will fulfill this requirement.  
• Applicants who have not completed the typical undergraduate foundational coursework in communication sciences and disorders may contact the program for more information about completing the preparatory coursework to become eligible for admission.  Please note the curriculum is a fall-spring sequence. Contact mslp-info@apsu.edu
• Applicants should have completed a minimum of 25 hours of guided clinical observation to comply with the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) certification standard V-C. The applicant is responsible for providing appropriate documentation, prior to the start of the MSLP program.
• The APSU MSLP program is aligned with the position of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association that students who are non-native English speakers or use different dialects can effectively provide speech and language services to individuals with communication disorders. Students who are not native speakers of English will be required to demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. This can be done by submitting a satisfactory score on the GRE as well as the TOEFL or IELTS, taken within one year of the date of application to the APSU MSLP program. The proposed MSLP will require a minimum score of 114 on the internet-based TOEFL (ibT) with no band less than 22 on Reading and Listening, 26 on Speaking, and 24 on Writing. An overall score of 8 will be required on the IELTS with no band less than 7.0. The TOEFL or IELTS scores must be submitted with the application to be considered for review.

Professional communication skills and dispositions during the admissions process, and any and all communications and interactions with the faculty before and during admission, are considered part of the admission process and may be taken into account during admission deliberations. Admission may be denied to applicants who communicate or act in a manner that may be considered inappropriate or unprofessional regardless of academic standing.