The Master of Arts program in Speech-Language Pathology is designed to provide the academic and clinical education that graduates need to meet the profession’s existing and emerging demands.
Earn a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from St. John's University in New York City!
To apply to St. John's University’s Speech-Language Pathology program you must fill out an application with CSDCAS (Central Application Service for Communication Science and Disorders Programs). Apply here.
“Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Service”
The Master of Arts program in Speech-Language Pathology is designed to provide the academic and clinical education that graduates need to meet the profession’s existing and emerging demands. Our program offers graduate students the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skill areas to meet the requirements for ASHA Certification and New York State licensure for professional practice.
Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. St. John’s University has not determined requirements for individual states beyond New York. If you reside or plan to reside outside New York, you are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate state licensing agency in that state to seek information and guidance before beginning the program.
The M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology is a New York State registered licensure-qualifying program approved by the New York State Board of Professional Licensing of the New York State Education Department.
Contact
Rebecca Wiseheart, Ph.D.
Coordinator, M.A. Speech-Language Pathology Program
718-990-2709
[email protected]
Our academic program is grounded in research and evidence-based practice and motivated by Vincentian principles of social justice that extend our concern for individuals with communication disorders beyond the clinic and classroom.
In addition to developing the knowledge and skill areas required for ASHA Certification and New York State licensure for professional practice clinical practice, our students are trained to utilize critical thinking skills and facilitate problem-solving in clinical situations. All students engage in two semesters of research coursework and can participate in faculty-mentored research projects, yielding frequent presentations at local and national conferences. Moreover, upon completion of our program, students are sufficiently prepared to enter doctoral programs, should they desire to do so.
Our clinical educators model and hold students to the highest clinical and ethical standards. St. John’s Speech and Hearing Center is a state-of-the-art facility for the diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, and hearing disorders in children and adults. In addition to providing hands-on experience to students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the center provides screening and other services to the community. Students also gain experience through externships in a wide range of settings and serving diverse populations. These settings include rehabilitation centers, hospitals, schools, day care centers, and nursing homes.
Our location in Queens offers a diverse and multicultural education both in and outside the classroom. We offer a Bilingual Extension Certificate (BEC) as part of the master’s program to distinguish you as a professional and prepare you to meet a growing need in the profession.
Academic service-learning experiences enable students to serve marginalized persons locally and globally. As part of SJU’s Mission and commitment to global study and academic service-learning, students also have a unique global study opportunity to gain real-world experience with management of pediatric dysphagia in Antigua, Guatemala.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and its Speech and Hearing Center adhere to St. John’s University’s nondiscrimination policy which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, age, gender, national origin, alien status, citizenship, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or disability.
Our Vincentian values also align with St. John's "dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion and commitment to institutionalizing practices of inclusive excellence to ensure that we welcome and celebrate the intrinsic worth of all members of our community."
It is the mission of St. John’s University’s MA program in Speech-Language Pathology to cultivate excellent, well-rounded and culturally competent speech-language/ hearing professionals who are lifelong learners; who employ evidence-based practices; who are responsible practitioners; and who illustrate Vincentian principles of global and social justice.
Research: Students develop information literacy and apply critical thinking skills to allow for the careful evaluation of research as it relates to clinical practices. Students will have opportunities to collaborate with faculty and serve as co-presenters or co-authors on research projects. Students will be encouraged to attend research conferences locally and nationally, and to pursue individual research interests with faculty mentoring.
Scholarship: The depth and scope of the curriculum has been revised to reflect evolving clinical and research trends in the profession. Courses are provided both in-person and online which maximizes time management to allow for a comprehensive education to support the SLP in various professional environments. CSD faculty will remain actively engaged in research and publish in top-tier journals. Our graduates are prepared for entry into Ph.D. programs.
Global: The MA program in Speech-Language Pathology provides students with an opportunity to engage in study and service learning at a medical orphanage in Guatemala. The faculty are actively exploring additional partnerships in South Africa and China.
Service: The SJU Speech and Hearing Center continues to provide outreach services to the diverse population of Queens through programs that target literacy, child development, and hearing health. Adherence to Vincentian Principles of Social Justice requires that services be offered to those individuals most marginalized through economic poverty or having restricted access to health care for other reasons. The MA Program utilizes an alumni advisory board for guidance on student preparation for service in the profession.
The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Speech-Language Pathology uses the CSDCAS application. Click here to apply through the CSDCAS system. The due date for applications is February 1.
The Speech-Language Pathology program takes a holistic approach to reviewing applicants.
Applicants to the M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology program must:
Note that GRE scores are optional.
Please see the Undergraduate Bulletin (St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Speech-Language Pathology major) for a description of the content of these pre-requisite courses.
You may complete these pre-requisites here at St. John’s or elsewhere. To take them at St John’s, you need to make an appointment with the Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and bring official copies of your transcripts indicating prior coursework.
Pre-requisite coursework (18 credits) should be completed before matriculating. In some cases, students may apply while enrolled in their final courses.
In addition, students must have:
Students may complete these courses after being admitted to the program if they have not been taken on the undergraduate level. Students needing to complete missing coursework in Statistics, Biology, Physics or Chemistry, and Social science may submit documentation of having passed CLEP exams in these areas in lieu of completing additional coursework.
Prior to matriculation in the program, students will be required to undergo and successfully pass a Criminal Background Check, at a cost of approximately $100. For more information, please consult the current Graduate Bulletin.
Graduate Admission Information
Office of Graduate Admission
718-990-1601
[email protected]
The M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology requires the successful completion of 54 credits.
The 54-credit lock-step plan for full-time study over two years (five consecutive semesters) is as follows. Please note that optional Bilingual Extension courses are listed. Those seeking the Bilingual Extension will require 63 credits, including an additional Winter Intersession course. Bilingual Extension courses are indicated with an asterisk.
The 54-credit lock-step plan for three years of study (eight consecutive semesters) is outlined below. Those seeking the Bilingual Extension will require 63 credits, including an additional Winter Intersession course. Bilingual Extension courses are indicated with an asterisk.
The following courses are needed for ASHA Certification*. Although most students complete these courses at the undergraduate level, they may be taken after admission to the graduate program.
The graduate program offers a New York State certification program for Teachers of Students with Speech-Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Endorsement to the State is available upon completion of the necessary requirements. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with New York State Department of Education Requirements* for the TSSLD and can visit the website.
Students enrolled in the M.A. program for Speech-Language Pathology and pursuing the TSSLD may also apply for the Bilingual Extension. In addition to the requirements for the TSSLD, candidates for the Bilingual Extension will pass an examination in a language other than English, complete 9 additional credits in CSD and EDU, and have at least 50 hours of clinical practicum experience with English language learners distributed across preschool, elementary school, middle school, and adolescence.
The Bilingual Extension consists of 15 credits, and includes the following requirements:
CSD 203 Models of Language Behavior | 3 credits |
CSD 325 Theories of Bilingualism | 3 credits |
CSD 381 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Speech-Language Pathology | 3 credits |
| EDU 9001 Foundations of Bilingual and Second Language Education | 3 credits |
| Choose one of the following courses: | |
EDU 9003 Literacy Development for First and Second Language Learners | 3 credits |
EDU 9005 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Dual Language Instruction | 3 credits |
Interested students in good academic standing may apply to the Program Director to be placed into this concentration after the completion of 18 credits of graduate-level coursework.
Important Links
Praxis Exam Results: Method for reporting praxis exam rate data (ETS)
Period | No. of students taking exam | No. of students passed | Pass Rate |
| 2021-2022 | 23 | 20 | 87.0% |
| 2020-2021 | 54 | 50 | 92.5% |
| 2019-2020* | 8 | 7 | 87.5% |
*Low number of examinees due to COVID-19 | Three-Year Average | 89.0% | |
Period | No. completed program w/in time frame | No. completed later than time frame | No. not completing | Percent Completing |
| 2021-2022 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 90.7% |
| 2020-2021 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| 2019-2020 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 97.5% |
|
|
| Three-Year Average | 95.61% |
In the profession after graduation from the program.
Period | No. of Graduates Employed | No. of Graduates Not Employed | % Employed |
2021-2022 | 35 | 8 | 81.4% |
| 2020-2021 | 30 | 0 | 100% |
| 2019-2020 | 41 | 0 | 100% |
| Three-Year Average | 93.8% | |
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