Speech Language Pathology Prerequisites
Pre-SLP Course Program

Pre-Speech Language Pathology
Online Coursework

Speech Language Pathology Prerequisites
Undergraduate Level 32-Credit Program Online

Prepare for a Master's Program in
Speech Language Pathology

The online Pre-Speech Language Pathology (Pre-SLP) courses are designed to allow rural and non-traditional students the opportunity to complete prerequisite undergraduate deficiencies necessary to pursue a graduate degree in Communication Disorders. Specifically, the series of courses are intended for students from another discipline to prepare for entry into a Masters degree program in Speech-language Pathology or a Doctoral degree program in Audiology. There is no degree associated with the Pre-SLP program but rather 10 courses or 32 credit hours. To begin, students should have completed all General Studies requirements or hold an undergraduate degree in a major other than Communication Disorders. For eventual SLP certification, a student must complete a Masters Degree and coursework addressing foundation knowledge outside the discipline of communication sciences and disorders that is generally obtained during undergraduate education, including coursework in the Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Social/Behavioral Sciences.

Students can be confident in receiving a quality education that counts. UNK is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for its mater's program in speech language pathology.

• Introduction to Phonetics
• Preschool Language Disorders
• Introduction to Audiology
• Speech and Hearing Science
• Clinical Methods & Procedures in Communication Disorders
• Articulation Disorders
• Aural Rehabilitation
• Survey of Communication Disorders
• Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
• Normal Language Development

Reasons to Choose University of Nebraska Kearney:

• Affordable – UNK has one of the lowest tuition rates in the country. For a non-Nebraska resident, graduate tuition ranges from $375 to $444 per credit hour, while undergraduate tuition is $319. For a Nebraska resident, graduate tuition is $245 per credit hour, and undergraduate tuition is $207.
• Accredited Programs – UNK is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
• A Top 10 University – For the second consecutive year, UNK has been ranked a Top 10 Public Midwest Regional University by "U.S. News & World Report."
• Quality Education – UNK offers the same quality distance degree programs and courses that are offered on the campus. The majority of the instruction is taught by credentialed full-time faculty with doctoral degrees who are committed to quality teaching.
• Quality Student Support Services – Quality student support services are a hallmark of education at UNK. To help students get started with their online courses, a set of online video tutorials are available, as well as the Online Student Orientation. Other services include 24/7 library services, discounted software and hardware, 24/7 technology help desk, online bookstore, and more.

Speech Language Pathology Career Overview

Speech Language Pathology (SLP) FAQs

1. What do Speech-Language Pathologists do?

Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, help individuals of all ages to develop communication skills by treating disorders of speech, language, voice, and swallowing. Speech-language pathologists provide services that include prevention, identification, assessment, and treatment of disorders, such as:

• Language Disorders - difficulty comprehending and/or expressing language, which may be developmental or may result from a stroke or other brain injury


• Stuttering - difficulty producing speech smoothly; affects individuals of all ages


• Articulation Disorders - difficulty producing speech sounds correctly


• Voice Disorders - difficulty with vocal quality, which can result from illness, injury or vocal behaviors such as yelling


• Swallowing Disorders - difficulty swallowing, which can result from stroke, brain injury, illness, or surgery 

In addition to the traditionally expected services, Speech-Language Pathologists can also provide these additional services:

• Teaching individuals who cannot speak to use augmentative communication systems


• Providing accent reduction therapy to professionals in a variety of corporate and entertainment occupations
• Developing new
  treatment strategies


• Engaging in research to expand the knowledge base in the discipline


• Preparing future professionals

2. Where do speech pathologists work?

About half of the speech therapists work in educational settings, such as public schools. Others were employed in hospitals; offices of other health practitioners, including speech-language pathologists; nursing care facilities; home healthcare services; individual and family services; outpatient care centers; and child day care centers.

• Public Schools: The greatest number of speech-language pathologists work in public schools. A significant shortage of speech-language pathologists has existed in Virginia public schools for a number of years, with rural school divisions facing the greatest difficulty in securing licensed professionals to fill these positions. School speech-language pathologists collaborate with teachers and parents to provide services to toddlers, children, and adolescents. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in facilitating children's communication and literacy skills.


• Health Care facilities: Health care facilities include the following:  general medical hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, pediatric hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home-health agencies.  Speech-language pathologists provide in-patient acute care and out-patient rehabilitation services to a wide range of patients, such as individuals who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury, individuals with swallowing difficulties, and many others.


• Clinics and Private Practice: Once a speech-language pathologist has earned the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), he or she may open a private practice to provide services to individuals with all types of communication and/or swallowing disorders or can specialize in a particular population or type of disorder. Clinics offering these services often hire new graduates and provide the necessary supervision to get started in the profession.


• Corporate Speech-Language Pathology: Corporate Speech-Language Pathology involves providing services to a company, or its customers, as a consultant. In that position, you offer assessment and training in many aspects of communication, such as articulation, fluency, voice, language and hearing education, as well as other services uniquely needed by the business world. These include presentation skills, foreign and regional accent modification, professional diction and grammar, interviewing skills, business writing and business communication etiquette. You may even help customers communicate more effectively with their customers by training customer representatives to work with their clients with hearing loss.

3. What is the career outlook for Speech-Language Pathologists?

Speech-Language Pathology is a rapidly growing field.  The increased recognition of communication problems in preschool and school-aged children, medical advances in saving the lives of those individuals with congenital and acquired disabilities, and the increasing population of older citizens has created a growing need for speech-language pathologists and audiologists.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ranks speech-language pathology among the top 30 (of 700) fastest growing occupations over the next decade.  The BLS also reports that the national employment rate of SLPs is expected to demonstrate average growth (i.e., reflecting an increase of 7% to 13% through the year 2016.  It is predicted that 12,000 additional SLPs will be needed to fill the demand between 2006 and 2016 - and 11% increase in job openings.  Furthermore, according to the BLS, occupational projection estimates for 2004 to 2014 ranked speech-language pathology 17th out of the 20 large-growth occupations that usually require a master's, doctoral, or first-professional degree.

In ASHA's 2008 Schools Survey, the majority of respondents(72%) reported that job openings for SLPs in their type of employment facility and geographic area were more numerous that job seekers.  Likewise, in ASHA's 2009 Health Care Survey, 47% of respondents reported that job openings were more numerous than job seekers and 26% reported they had funded, unfilled positions. 

4. How do I prepare for a career in Speech Pathology?

Most speech-language pathologist jobs require a master's degree. The Council on Academic Accreditation is an entity of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; it accredits postsecondary academic programs in speech-language pathology. While graduation from an accredited program is not always required, it is required by some States for licensure and is mandatory for professional credentialing from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

If you already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, you can earn the required pre-SLP courses and pursue a master's degree in Speech Language Pathology.

Speech-language pathology courses cover anatomy, physiology, and the development of the areas of the body involved in speech, language, and swallowing; the nature of disorders; principles of acoustics; and psychological aspects of communication. Graduate students may also learn to evaluate and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders as part of curriculum in supervised clinical practicum.

After earning your degree, you should pursue certification.

5. What certification or licensure do I need?

In 2009, 47 States regulated speech-language pathologists. Typical licensing requirements are a master’s degree from an accredited college or university; a passing score on the national examination on speech-language pathology, offered through the Praxis Series of the Educational Testing Service; 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience; and 9 months of postgraduate professional clinical experience. Most States have continuing education requirements for licensure renewal.

State regulation of speech-language pathologists may differ for pathologists practicing in schools. For information on State regulation of speech-language pathologists in public schools contact your State’s Department of Education. The Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) credential offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is a voluntary credential; however, the CCC-SLP meets some or all of the requirements for licensure in some States.

6. What is the potential salary for a Speech Language Pathologist?

ASHA reported in their 2009 Health Care Survey that the median annual salary for SLPs working in health care facilities was $70,000.  In ASHA's 2008 Schools Survey, the median salary for SLPs working 11-12 months was $65,000 while the salaries for those working 9-10 months averaged $57,000.
>> download full report (pdf) 

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual wages of speech-language pathologists were $62,930 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $50,330 and $79,620. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,240, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $99,220. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of speech-language pathologists were:

Nursing care facilities	$79,120
Home health care services	77,030
General medical and surgical hospitals	68,430
Offices of other health practitioners	67,910
Elementary and secondary schools	58,140