Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS)

Students complete four semesters of clinical experience. In their first semester of Clinic (Clinic 1), students engage in rich clinical experiences under the guidance of highly skilled clinic supervisors in the Speech-Language and Hearing Center, housed in the state-of-the art Behrakis Health Sciences Building. Individuals of all ages from surrounding communities come to the Center for diagnostic and therapeutic services. Generally, in Clinics 2-4, students work multiple days a week, off-campus, with speech-language pathologists as student clinicians in community-based hospitals, outpatient clinics, educational institutions, and other settings. Consistent with ASHA guidelines, both on-campus and off-campus clinical assignments provide students with hands-on experience evaluating and/or treating children and adults with a variety of diagnoses, disorders, and impairments such as language, cognitive-linguistic, and swallowing disorders. While many of our external clinical sites are accessible by public transportation, not all are. Consequently, it is necessary for students to have access to a car during the semesters that they are enrolled in Clinics 2-4.

The heart of the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program is our on-campus Speech-Language and Hearing Center, housed in the state-of-the-art Behrakis Health Sciences Center. Here, under the guidance of highly skilled clinic supervisors, students work with individuals in other professions and provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and clinical services to members of the local community who present with a broad range of cognitive-communication needs. Students develop competence using assistive technology and computer soft- ware for academic and clinical purposes as preparation for joining the ranks of practicing speech-language pathologists.

Our Clinic is equipped with sophisticated audio-visual media technology that:

In addition to our Speech-Language and Hearing Center students are also exposed to state-of-the-art faculty laboratories such as the Computational Vision Laboratory of Dr. Ennio Mingolla, the  Communication Analysis and Design Laboratory of Dr. Rupal Patel, and the Speech and Neurodevelopment Lab of Dr. Emily Zimmerman.

Strong faculty links with world-recognized educational and medical institutions provide our students with the opportunity to apply classroom theory to evidence-based SLP interventions in the field.

Northeastern’s Graduate SLP Program is highly regarded, and off-site supervisors find our students well-prepared for clinical practice. Following graduation, many of our students are offered employment at sites where they interned.

Our faculty consists of internationally recognized researchers who are active in their fields and involve students in their research. The development and applied use of technology play integral roles in the research of many of the faculty. For example, one professor’s research focus is on evidence-based practice using augmentative and alternative communication. Another’s is on software to develop unintelligible speakers’ ability to learn to use inflection to communicate. Other research focuses include speech-motor control and language and health literacy in at-risk populations.

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program typically has about 50-60 incoming graduate students per year. As a result, students and faculty get to know each other well, and students become friends for life. At Northeastern, you have all of the advantages of a large university campus, including inter-professional opportunities and facilities you would expect to find at a major urban university, along with all of the advantages of a small, intimate program.

No. The GRE is not required.

We offer a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Most Programs in Speech-Language Pathology have similarities in their curricula since our scope of practice is determined by our national accrediting agency, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Differences among programs include settings of the programs (college, university or hospital), research interests of the faculty, and facilities. Here are some of the features that we believe make Northeastern unique and beneficial to graduate students:

1. We have a strong inter-professional focus.

Being part of Bouvé College, we are members of an inter-professional team that includes such professions as Counseling Psychology, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy. To read more about our inter-professional emphasis, go to https://bouve.northeastern.edu/.

Our students have diverse undergraduate backgrounds, with some having an undergraduate degree in SLP and/or Audiology and others having an undergraduate degree in another discipline. This diversity is beneficial to both our students and our faculty.

2. Our faculty are internationally recognized researchers who are all active in their fields and involve students in their research.
We emphasize evidence-based practice. This approach requires clinical practice to be motivated by the most pertinent findings in the literature, as they relate to individual clients.

Our faculty combines interests in theory with a focus on practice-oriented research. Please visit our web-site at https://bouve.northeastern.edu/csd/staff-directory/ to see each faculty member’s bio and research interests.

Our faculty have links with world-recognized hospitals such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

3. We have student-centered and friendly faculty.
With a student-faculty ratio of 3-4 students per faculty, students have ready and ongoing access to faculty and are strongly supported throughout their Program.

Students comment on the close relationships they develop with faculty and the support they receive to reach their maximum potential. We also help students develop extracurricular activities through professional clubs and associations (e.g., the NU Student Speech Language and Hearing Association, called NUSSLHA)

4. Our facilities are state of the art and well situated.
We have faculty offices and newly renovated research space in the Forsyth Building. Behrakis Health Sciences Center, where our on-campus clinic is located, is one of the College’s newest editions.

5. Our Speech-Language and Hearing Center, our on-site Clinic, located in Behrakis, is the heart of the Department.
Our goal is to provide our students with an unparalleled interprofessional clinical experience both on and off campus. The Center provides services in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to members of the Boston Community. These services are provided by the students under the supervision of our clinical faculty, five days and two evenings a week. Our Center houses $800,000 of new equipment.

6. We have many quality educational and medical external placement sites in Greater Boston and beyond.
Students complete multiple semesters of external placement work across ages, diagnoses, and settings with our practicing community-based colleagues. Students are required to have access to a car and travel to and from their external sites by car, commuter rail, and/or public transportation.

Placement site opportunities include nearby, national, and international opportunities.

Faculty work with students to explore new placement options, for example, out-of-state.

7. The university campus is a green and pleasant place for students and faculty to spend their time.
Students describe Northeastern as having a “campus feel.” The landscaping and design give Northeastern University a small-town feeling.

Northeastern University’s location in the heart of the city allows rapid access to sports venues, shopping, museums, concert halls and, most importantly, many clinical sites.

We are conveniently close to public transportation. To get a feel for our campus, take a virtual tour here.

8. Northeastern is a large urban university nationally recognized for its focus on practice-oriented education.
Students have endless opportunities to combine theory and practice through academics, clinical experiences, research, and community service.

Students frequently choose to enroll in elective courses in areas of personal interest as part of their graduate program. For example, some of our students take electives in American Sign Language, Multicultural Service Delivery, and Neuroscience.

Students complete Comprehensive Exams or may elect to complete a thesis.

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology students may supplement their program of studies with the Early Intervention Certificate curriculum.

Students are given numerous opportunities to contribute their developing skills to various groups or causes within the local, national and international communities.

9. Our Programs are full-time programs.
Students complete their clinical experiences during the day.

Students matriculate in September.