MS in Speech-Language Pathology

Why Studying at the MGH Institute is Your Best Choice

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the MGH Institute prepares you to work in both school-based and health care settings. In our comprehensive program you will learn the breadth and depth of speech-language pathology, and have the opportunity to specialize in one of several areas of concentration. Register for one of our Info Sessions or Webinars.

Ranked 10th

in the country out of 260 programs and a top 10 best health care job according to U.S. News & World Report

98%

Of graduates passed the PRAXIS national examination on their first try in each of the last ten years

200+

Schools, hospitals, rehabilitation and other clinical sites available as clinical practicum sites

The IHP Advantage

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A Commitment to Literacy

One of the first programs to incorporate literacy education into the speech-language pathology curriculum. During clinical practica in your first two semesters, you will focus on understanding how written and spoken language are related, and you’ll develop key portable skills useful for all disorder types. Learn more.

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Rich Research Opportunities

Work with faculty on projects in autism, voice, reading/literacy, dysphagia, cognitive impairment, motor speech disorders, aphasia, feeding disorders, and phonology. Options include working in clinical research labs, as graduate research assistants, and completing a master’s thesis. Learn more.

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A Team-Based IMPACT

You will learn and collaborate with students and practitioners from across the health professions. Interprofessional team-based experiences will strengthen your ability to provide patient-centered care in an increasingly complex health care environment. Learn more.

Learn from Speech-Language Pathology Experts

Jordan Green, PhD, CCC-SLP,
Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Director, Speech and Feeding Disorders Lab

What is the most exciting part of being a Speech-Language Pathologist?

“You get to help someone relearn to communicate and access their world. I can't think of a more important and meaningful job.”

Meet our CSD faculty.

Read about their scholarship.

Extensive Core Curriculum and Specialty Electives

The program’s extensive core curriculum and specialty electives span both the educational and medical courses of study. Our rigorous six-semester program helps you develop deep knowledge and skills through our balanced curriculum requiring 69 credits.

You may enroll in an area of interest that includes specialized electives, a dedicated practicum, and participation in a mentored learning project. The concentrations we offer are:

Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders * Autism Spectrum Disorders * Early Intervention * Literacy *

Literacy with Preparation for Reading Specialist Licensure * Medical Speech-Language Pathology * Voice Disorders

View All Curriculum Plans

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree education program in speech-language pathology at MGH Institute of Health Professions is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD. 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

Outstanding Clinical Experiences

As a first-year student, you will begin your education with clinical rotations in our state-of-the-art, on-campus Speech, Language and Literacy Center. With our unique “clinical excellence curriculum” you will develop critical thinking, clinical problem solving, and professional skills. Our approach provides a seamless bridge between the classroom and the clinic.

During your second year, you also will receive opportunities for clinical placements over three to four semesters at more than 200 public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other clinical sites. As the only degree-granting affiliate of Mass General Brigham (MGB), the Institute gives you access to MGB's top hospitals and clinical sites.

See Clinical Affiliations for a partial listing of these practicum locations.

Additional on-site learning opportunities include: working with adults in our on-campus Aphasia Center and participating in simulations using high-tech manikins in our Simulation Lab.

MS-SLP students in a clinical setting in a school

IMPACT Practice Center Enhances the Clinical Experience

The Dr. Charles A. and Ann Sanders IMPACT Practice Center houses the Speech, Language and Literacy Center (SLLC). The SLLC provides comprehensive assessment, therapy and specialty services to children and adults with communication and reading difficulties.

The IMPACT Practice Center brings together students from nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, speech-language pathology/language and literacy, and genetic counseling to learn and practice in teams and to deliver essential free care to the community.

Students provide care to a variety of clients, under the direct supervision of Institute faculty. They tackle complex client problems, supported by the latest technology and state-of-the-art facilities. Client populations include those with chronic conditions across the lifespan. Learn more about the IMPACT Practice Center.

Institute Pledges to Combat Racial Injustice Head On

In late June 2020, the IHP announced the diversity office would become the Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, or JEDI. Its agenda includes a new anti-oppression statement; the expansion of the JEDI Fellowship program; programs to improve the diversity, retention, and support of faculty, staff, and students of color, especially Black faculty, staff, and students; and a review and streamlining of procedures for reporting bias. View an update on the progress in this January 2021 email from IHP President Paula Milone-Nuzzo and JEDI Executive Director Kim Truong.

Costs & Funding: MS-SLP

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

We offer scholarships to approximately one-third of each entering class, based on the strength of your application. The scholarships cover varying amounts of the total cost of tuition and fees for the two-year program, ranging from 25% to 100%. Most students receive financial aid of some kind, including loans. The program has several Graduate Assistantship (GA) positions available. These are part-time jobs on campus (about 6-10 hours/week) where students generally have the flexibility to schedule their own work hours in between classes. Information about how to apply for these opportunities is given to students the summer before matriculation.

Alumni Spotlight

When Rachel (Miller) Sakofs earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2007, little did she know how important a role her MGH Institute education would play in her family’s life. It all began when she noticed her son, Amit, was not developing as a typical 18-month-old should.

READ MORE

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For Program Starting: Fall 2022
The CSDCAS Application Cycle is open.

The Application Deadline is: February 1, 2022

More Information: MS-SLP

Accreditation

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Speech-Language Pathology at the MGH Institute of Health Professions is accredited by
the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association,
2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

And by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review information on 2018 Re-Accreditation.

Student Outcomes Data

Student employment, Praxis pass, MTEL pass, and Program completion rates outcome data: 2017–2020

Essential Functions

The Essential Functions document is provided as a reference for current and prospective students. It outlines the technical standards that students are required
to meet for the Communication Sciences and Disorders masters degree in speech-language pathology program.

Essential Functions Document

You will need an Adobe Reader to open this PDF file. You may download the software for free from the Adobe website.

MS-SLP Policies & Procedures Manuals

2019-2020 MS-SLP Policies and Procedures Manual

2019-2020 MS-SLP Master's Thesis Manual

2019-2021 Clinical Handbook

Mission and Goals

Review the Mission and Goals for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology.

Campus and Community Life

View our virtual campus tour and learn more about the IHP's campus and facilities

Learn more about campus life, housing, and transportation around Boston

Search for housing on our off-campus housing site.

Read about our partnership with Harvard-Kent Elementary School in Charlestown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the typical undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of successful applicants?
Most of our accepted students have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5.

What is your acceptance rate?
We typically receive between 400 and 500 applications each year. We accept about one-third of applicants to achieve a class size of about 60 students.

Does your program cover both Educational and Medical Speech-Language Pathology?
YES. Our program is very comprehensive and includes a wide range of courses and clinical experiences in medical as well as developmental/educational speech pathology topics and disorders. Optional specialty concentrations allow our students to more deeply focus on medical or educational topics beyond our balanced curriculum.

How important is it to have a background in speech-language pathology?
Each year about half of the entering class does not have an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology. We have found that whether or not our students have a background in speech-language pathology is not necessarily an important factor.

Does the CSD program offer scholarships?
YES. We offer scholarships to approximately one-third of each entering class based on the strength of your application. Amounts range between 25% to 100%.

What prerequisite courses are required?
Courses we require are: (1) Introduction to Communication Disorders, (2) Speech and Language Acquisition, (3) Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism, (4) Phonetics and Phonetic Transcription and (5) Audiology (covering hearing disorders and audiometry, not just hearing science).

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) also requires that students have taken: (1) a biological science course (no lab), (2) a statistics course, (3) a social science course, and (4) a physical science course (chemistry or physics) (no lab).

Can I take the CSD prerequisites courses online?
YES. You may take them through our online prereqs program or at other fully credited institutions that offer them online.

CSD Online Prerequisites Offered at the IHP

The IHP offers all of our prerequisites for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program online. These prerequisites are:

(1) Introduction to Communication Disorders, (2) Speech and Language Acquisition, (3) Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism,
(4) Phonetics and Phonetic Transcription, (5) Audiology (covering hearing disorders and audiometry, not just hearing science).

We also offer online the courses the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) requires students to have taken:
(1) a biological science course (no lab), (2) a statistics course, (3) a social science course, and (4) a physical science course (chemistry or physics) (no lab).

Learn more.

National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter

For graduate and undergraduate students interested in the study of human communication and related disabilities.
Graduate students in the IHP Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program have an active NSSLHA chapter.

Learn More about NSSLHA

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