Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology
Lead with Confidence. Advance with Knowledge.
Our Speech-Language Pathology doctorate program develops highly effective leaders and practitioners who draw on cutting-edge clinical expertise and critical thinking abilities to improve patient outcomes and advance educational systems. The program prepares certified speech-language pathologists with a strong desire to advance their clinical practice and leadership skills to assume advanced professional roles both within the field and within interprofessional teams. The program provides rich intellectual resources through our affiliation with Mass General Brigham.
Designed for the Working Professional
• Two points of entry (fall and summer)
• Flexible schedule with primarily self-directed learning & optional live discussions
• Personalized learning model with assignments focused on your area of clinical practice
Primarily Online Format
6 semesters for Master's prepared SLPs
+ 2 On-site Intensives
Complete coursework online; come to Boston twice with your cohort
The Only
Clinical doctorate of Speech-Language Pathology in New England
The IHP Advantage for SLPD
Learn and collaborate with students and practitioners from across the health professions, empowering you to provide patient-centered care in an increasingly complex health care environment.
Customize your coursework and take a deep dive into a specific area of interest. You will be matched with capstone mentors that help you meet your specific learning objectives. Mentors can be from within or outside the Institute depending on your selected topic.
Topics, projects, and action plans throughout the curriculum focus on influencing and promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in service delivery for clients.
Meet our Program Director: Bridget Perry
"As a speech language pathologist myself, I know firsthand many of the challenges SLP’s face in clinical practice today. The Post-Professional SLPD program at the IHP aims to provide practicing SLPs with the skills they need to become highly skilled, advanced clinical practitioners and field leaders within interprofessional health care and educational settings. Additionally, the SLPD will provide speech language pathologists with the opportunity to obtain an advanced degree similar to those now required by our colleagues in other rehabilitation disciplines."
-Bridget Perry, PhD, CCC-SLP [4]
Meet other Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty [5]

SLPD Curriculum
The SLPD curriculum consists of:
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Eight 3-credit core courses
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Two 3-credit electives
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Four 1-credit Capstone Project courses
The core courses are six weeks long and are taken one at a time. The Capstone Project courses span the entire 14-week semester and run concurrent with core classes. The Capstone Project sequence provides an opportunity to individualize your learning experience by allowing you to target a specific skill set and immediately apply it to your clinical practice.
Course content is delivered via our online learning platform and available in written, video, and auditory modes to meet all learning styles. In addition to self-directed learning, an optional weekly live session allows you to collaborate with peers and further expand opportunities to apply new knowledge.
A Unique and Innovative Approach to SLP
Achieving your clinical doctorate in speech language pathology supports "advanced clinical practice and opportunities for specialization" (ASHA, 2020). The SLPD is beneficial to individuals who wish to take on roles as master clinicians, clinical educators, clinical administrators, or wish to conduct their own independent research.
Over the course of the two-year online program, you will:
- Develop a deeper understanding of knowledge gaps within their area of clinical practice or interest
- Define a focused question and targeted approach to address a specific knowledge gap
- Advance interpersonal, interprofessional, and interdisciplinary knowledge through the execution of a capstone project
- Disseminate newly discovered knowledge to wide audience of peers and interdisciplinary teams.
Throughout the program, students will tackle their studies with careful examination of issues surrounding justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in their area of clinical practice and in health care service delivery in general.

Institute Pledges to Combat Racial Injustice Head On
The IHP Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) [8] helps guide the IHP in an agenda that includes this anti-oppression statement [9]; an expansion of the JEDI Fellowship program [10]; 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.
Costs and Funding Options
Take the Next Step
Application Deadline for Fall 2022 Cohort: September 6, 2022
