FAQ

What prerequisites must be completed prior to entering this program?

There are 5 prerequisite courses that apply to this program. (These courses must be completed prior to enrollment, but not prior to applying to the program.) They are:

• Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing Mechanisms
• Introduction to Communication Disorders 
• Phonetic Transcription and Introduction to Acoustic Phonetics 
• Speech-Language Acquisition 
• Audiology
• All 5 courses are offered at MGH Institute during an abbreviated, intensive summer session that begins in June and ends in August, prior to beginning the master’s program. Students with an undergraduate degree in communication disorders typically meet our prerequisite requirements.

Is this program accredited?

Yes, this program is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) and by the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE).

All of our graduates meet the coursework and practicum knowledge and skills requirements for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). (This certification requires the successful completion of an ASHA accredited program of course work and practicum, a supervised Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY), and passing a national examination.) Depending on your choice of electives you may also meet eligibility requirements for certification as an Early Intervention Specialist by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health or for acquiring a Reading Specialist license from the Massachusetts DOE. You will likely be eligible for certification in other states as well depending on their reciprocity agreements with Massachusetts. (Check with your state regulators for specific details and requirements.)

Do I have to choose a coursework “track” of study?

No. Students are not required to select tracks that lock them into any one area of study. Students receive extensive classroom and practicum experience in both medical and educational speech-language pathology. Our graduates are well qualified to work with the full range of congenital, developmental and acquired disorders.

Are there any specialties and/or certifications offered?

Many specialties and two certification programs are available. Students have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as reading/writing, voice, neurogenic language and cognitive disorders, augmentative communication, phonology, and early intervention.

In addition, our integration of written with spoken language disorders study allows students to become eligible for a Reading Specialist License through the Massachusetts Department of Education. Students of this program can also become eligible for certification as an Early Intervention Specialist through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

How are the clinical practica structured?

Two initial in-house practica, involving work with developmental speech and language problems, take place onsite under close supervision in our Speech, Language and Literacy Center. During these two semesters, students pair-up in dyads sharing primary and secondary roles in planning and conducting evaluations and therapy with clients who have spoken and written language disorders. These peer-pairings allow students to ease into their first clinical experiences with a greater sense of security, while also enabling them to have more experiences with a wider array of clients. Client casework is reviewed weekly at clinical case discussion groups where students present their cases for the week. Weekly seminars, also held in the center, offer hands-on learning of clinical procedures and techniques.

A minimum of three offsite practica (some students elect to take a fourth) follow the in-house practica. Each student’s offsite practica include one school setting, one setting in which they work with adults, and one setting of their choosing. Practicum placements are individually determined through consultation with clinical coordinators to best ensure the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Our students enjoy priority placements at prestigious health care facilities (including Massachusetts General Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Boston VA Healthcare System) and schools (including Boston Public Schools and Winthrop Public Schools) in the greater Boston area and throughout New England.

What teaching methodology is used in the program?

We use a research-driven, scientist-practitioner model, meaning that our instruction is evidence-based and backed by research and that most of our faculty are actively engaged in research, clinical practice, and professional activities and use their own real-world cases as teaching examples. Faculty only teach and supervise practica in their specialty areas. As a result, our graduates are not only instructed in the field’s most current and relevant evidence-based theories and practices, they are also privy to the innovative thinking and professional and ethical standards that will define tomorrow’s practices as well.

Are research opportunities available in this program?

Research opportunities and thesis options are readily available to students who wish to pursue them. Faculty research projects are on-going in the areas of autism, voice, reading/literacy, aphasia, cognitive impairment, and phonology. Students can participate in faculty research or take advantage of our centralized location within the hub of New England’s top teaching and research institutions and our affiliation with the world-class Partners HealthCare System and our more than 189 active affiliates.

Are there opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction with other academic programs?

One of the unique features of an MGH Institute education is the opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. There are a number of ways in which students academically interact with students of other programs. They include the Interdisciplinary Clinical Case Seminar and coursework in ethical issues. Students can also enroll in electives offered through other programs such as:

• Literature and Arts as Pathways to Understanding Illness and Disabilities
• Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pain Management 
• Health Care Policy and Politics 
• Clinical Neuroantatomy and Neurophysiology 
• Clinical Neurology

Who typically enrolls this program?

Although many are from New England, our students come from all across the United States and the world. In previous classes we have had international students from such places as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Japan, Taiwan, and Brazil.

Historically, about half of our average class of students have an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology, while the rest have a diversity of undergraduate degrees including linguistics, education, biology, psychology, English, business, engineering, drama, music, family/child studies, and world languages.