Do you have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than communication disorders but want to transition into a rapidly growing career as a Speech-Language Pathologist?

The Saint Elizabeth University Speech-Language Pathology Minor/Pre-Professional Track (Pre-SLP) program is designed for students who:

• Desire a career in the field of speech-language pathology and/or audiology but did not major in a communication sciences and disorders.
• Do not have the prerequisite coursework necessary for admission to SEU’s MS in Speech-Language Pathology program. 

This one-year online Pre-SLP track offers prerequisite coursework required by Saint Elizabeth University’s M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology as well as for other speech-language pathology and audiology graduate programs with similar requirements. 

Interested in taking prerequisite coursework? Find out more at our Request for Information Link or contact the Program Director directly at ksabourin@steu.edu

Ready to start taking courses online?  You can apply to SEU as an undergraduate non-degree seeking student using the SEU Application and check “visiting student” on the dropdown menu.

Current SEU undergraduate students in any major are eligible to take Pre-SLP courses and earn a Minor in Speech-Language Pathology. 

The pre-requisite courses are required for the SLP Minor and should be completed prior to enrollment in the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program. 

The following provides a detailed description of courses offered in the Speech-Language Pathology Minor/Pre-Professional Track (Pre-SLP) program. All courses are taught online in a mixed synchronous & asynchronous format. Total: 18 credits

SLP 220 Speech and Hearing Science (4 credits)

Course Description: This course provides students with an introductory knowledge of acoustic principles of hearing and speech, characteristics of speech and physiological correlates, and speech perception. Acoustics and speech analysis, focusing on typical speakers, with an introduction to those with delays and disorders. 

SLP 304 Phonetics (3 credits)

Course Description: This course will provide students with an introduction to phonetic transcription of speech sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) emphasizing articulatory phonetics of American English, its dialects, as well as the phonological patterns observed in typical and disordered speech.  Students will be expected to read and transcribe broad and narrow phonetic symbols and become familiar with sociolinguistic factors and organic speech disorders that affect pronunciation. 

SLP 306 Speech and Language Development (3 credits)

Course Description: This is an introductory course on typical speech, language, and communication development from birth through adolescence. Theories of language acquisition and cognitive and social foundations for language and communication will be explored. Biological, neurological, sensory, psychological, developmental, and cultural influences on language development will be discussed. We will also consider other topics in less detail: the nature and extent of individual and cross-linguistic differences during language acquisition (including bilingual/second language acquisition), the nature of deficits and delays in language acquisition, the development of reading, and changes in linguistic competence and performance at times of life following the primary acquisition period for language. This course also includes guided clinical observation hours relevant to course content. 

SLP 320 Anatomy and Physiology the Speech and Hearing Mechanism (4 credits)

Course Description: This course provides students with the information needed to understand how speech is produced and perceived and provides the bases of the anatomy (structure) and understanding of the physiology (function) of the speech and hearing mechanisms including respiration, phonation, articulation, perception, and neurology. 
Lecture: 3 hours; Laboratory: 3 hours 
No pre-requisites, although high-school general biology and chemistry courses are recommended.

SLP 401 Introduction to Audiology and Aural Rehabilitation (4 credits)

Course Description: This course provides a basic introduction to the profession of audiology and provide students with the basic understanding of hearing measurement procedures, including screening and basic assessment for hearing loss, acoustic measurements, testing environment, and testing protocol. It also covers an introduction to aural rehabilitation including identification, evaluation, and rehabilitation of auditory pathologies. This course will explore the educational, social, and vocational challenges of hearing-impaired individuals across the lifespan. 

Students who complete the Pre-SLP track must earn a B- or better in all pre-requisite courses (2.7 GPA minimum) to meet ASHA Certification Requirements and to be eligible for admission to the MS-SLP graduate program.

The chart below shows the recommended 1-year Pre-SLP course sequence.