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College students study speech pathology

How to Become a Speech Pathologist

Speech pathology is challenging work, but it provides opportunities to genuinely help people experiencing problems communicating in their day-to-day life. These problems can arise from a range of issues, from a stroke to a cleft palate, and helping someone overcome them can be rewarding. But how does a person become a speech pathologist?

Pick a school.

There are a lot of things to consider when looking at schools. Proximity to or distance from home, reputation, academic rigor, and more come into play. Obviously, you'll want to look for schools with strong speech pathology programs, and/or schools in areas of need for speech pathologists. (For some help on this step, check out this article.)

Obtain a bachelor's degree.

Technically, there is no specific bachelor's degree required to start a master's program in speech pathology. However, many schools with strong speech pathology grad programs have an undergraduate equivalent that will prepare you to enter the field. These programs will usually have names like "speech and language pathology" or "communication sciences and disorders."  These degrees will equip you with the information you need to succeed in the graduate program, and make sure you won't need to take any extra prerequisites.

It's also a great way to discern early-on if this is the right field for you. If you decide to stay at the same school for your graduate degree, you will have built relationships with the faculty and you'll have a strong understanding of how the department operates.

Earn a master's degree.

Requirements vary from state to state, but a master's degree in speech pathology is required pretty universally. It's best to find a program that is accredited by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. A master's program usually takes two to three years, and in addition to learning in the classroom, you can expect clinical practice - opportunities to work hands-on in a supervised environment. This provides you with an important chance to develop real-life skills, experience, and confidence.

Get credentialed.

You'll want to get a Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology from the ASHA at this point. The work you've done to this point is part of getting this certificate.

  • You need a master's degree - but if you're this far along, you've already gotten that out of the way.
  • You need 400 hours of supervised study under your belt. The good news here is that many schools incorporate that into their master's program, or can help set you up with a clinic or hospital where you can complete it.
  • You need to take a Praxis test from ETS in speech-language pathology. The passing score for certification right now is a 162, but don't let the test intimidate you. Your degree should set you up for success there - you've got at least two years of expertise under your built at this point.

Get licensed.

Every state has its own licensure, but the three most common requirements are a master's degree, a set period of supervised study, and the completion of an exam - in other words, the same three things you did to get your credentials from ASHA. You'll want to check with your state to make sure that there aren't any extra requirements, but at this point, you should be ready to begin practicing!

Continue your education.

Again, different states require different things, but the ASHA requires 30 hours of continuing education to be completed every three years, and they provide lots of opportunities for workshops and seminars to help you meet that goal. But not only is it important for keeping your license, it's important for being a responsible clinician - you wouldn't want your doctor to be behind on the latest diagnoses and treatments, and you don't want to do that to your clients, either. Continuing education is important to make sure that you're on top of the latest research and trends.