Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Beginning Fall 2025

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved a new Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology program on November 8, 2022. The application window will open August 1, 2024 for a Fall 2025 start date. This program is full-time, lock-step model.

Our mission: To prepare students with the clinical acumen necessary for professional employment as an entry-level speech-language pathology clinician demonstrated by a collaborative therapeutic skillset to improve the quality of life of individuals with speech-language-communication and swallowing therapy needs.

Our vision: The vision of the new Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at Augusta University is to be a leader of innovation and transformational learning by providing high impact experiential training within a diverse, interprofessional, academic, and clinical learning environment.

Our values: We honor our values of compassion, excellence, inclusivity, integrity, and leadership. We uphold these values—and their foundational principles like respect and social responsibility—by living them in the small actions we take in our day-to-day lives.

The College of Allied Health Sciences is championing voices and crafting smiles | In the Wild Podcast

SLP Admissions Information Session In Person

Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Health Sciences Building (EC) Room 2238 12:00pm

Join us to learn about the profession of Speech-Language Pathology, the admissions requirements, and how to apply to AU's SLP program.

SLP Admissions Information Session Virtual

Thursday, March 21, 2024 12:00pm

The Zoom link will be provided after you register.

Website

Contact Us

Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Joann Denemark, MS, CCC-SLP
Program Director

706-721-6673

jdenemark@augusta.edu

By the Numbers

Graduate Student Cohort

New Courses

95%

Face-to-Face Instruction

Credit Hours

Semesters

Accreditation

The Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology {residential} at Augusta University is an applicant for accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071.

Our Team

Joann Denemark, MS, CCC-SLP

Program Director

jdenemark@augusta.edu

Tiffany Prescott, PhD, CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor

tprescott@augusta.edu

Pil-Woo Kim, DC

Human Anatomy
Director and Associate Professor

pikim@augusta.edu

Fang Hua, MB, PhD

Human Anatomy
Professor

fhua@augusta.edu

Program Overview

Only USG program affiliated with an academic health center, Wellstar MCG Health.
Intended to provide experiential learning opportunities to keep pace with the increase of medical SLP service delivery needs.
One-of-a-kind curriculum to include SLPP 6600 Head and Neck Cancer and SLPP 6000 Anatomy of the Head and Neck, a lecture/cadaver lab course for reflective hands-on learning.
Lab training opportunities using professional grade Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) and Voice Lab equipment.
Experiential learning to practice clinical skills at the state-of-the-art 40,000 square foot Interdisciplinary Simulation Center (ISC).
Interprofessional Education (IPE) opportunities with occupational therapy, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, physician assistant, dietician, and medical students.
Study Abroad opportunity in Jamaica providing therapeutic services to the residents of Mustard Seed Communities.
One-of-a-kind opportunities to experience clinical rotations at inpatient and outpatient AUMC, Georgia Cancer Center, Children’s Hospital of Georgia, Charlie Norwood VA Hospital, and Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home, local school districts, outpatient pediatric and adult therapy facilities, etc.
One-of-a-kind opportunities to participate in on-campus specialty clinics - head and neck cancer, trach and vent, high risk developmental, cleft palate, aerodigestive with otolaryngology, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Interdisciplinary Equality Clinic, Clinica Latina, Costa Layman, Healthy Grandparents and Parkinson's Support Group.
White coat ceremony to officially mark a student’s transition into the world of healthcare.

View Course Sequence

Program Goals

Prepare graduates with the required knowledge and clinical skillset needed for entry level professional practice and employment in a range of education and health-related work settings and be recognized for their competence, leadership, ethics, and commitment to service and life-long learning.
Transform graduates to become independent clinicians to deliver effective, culturally sensitive, and evidenced-based clinical services to individuals with differences or disorders in communication and swallowing.
Provide graduates with a well-rounded, high-quality academic and clinical experience that is directed by certified SLP faculty and clinical supervisors promoting transformational learning, mentorship, and service-learning through critical thinking and evidence-based clinical practices.
Offer an innovative and well-rounded curriculum of study to promote the development of interprofessional educational practice to guide clinical decision-making via interdisciplinary collaboration with on-campus academic programs to include occupational therapy, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, physician assistant, dietician, nursing and medical students.

View student Outcomes

Applicant Information

An undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech Language Pathology or Speech and Hearing Science is preferred, but not required for application to the program.

Requirements

Applicants will submit an official transcript verifying an earned undergraduate degree from an accredited institution AND official transcripts from an accredited institution(s) of the following FIVE prerequisite courses with an earned grade of B or better within the past FIVE years prior to applying to the program. All FIVE prerequisites MUST be approved by program admissions as equivalent/accepted prerequisite courses from an accredited institution.
Prerequisites

- Introduction to Audiology OR Aural Rehabilitation - 3
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism with Neuroanatomy - 3
- Phonetics - 3
- Speech and Language Development - 3
- Audiology OR Aural Rehabilitation - 3
- *According to ASHA CFCC Standard IV-A, the following TWO courses are required prior to applying to the program with an earned grade of C or better:

- - Statistics - 3
  - Physics OR Chemistry - 3

*Effective January 1, 2020: According to the ASHA Knowledge Outcomes (Standard IV-A) from the 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology

Documentation of a minimum 25 hours of guided clinical observation hours of professionals who hold the CCC-SLP. In-person observations are encouraged across a variety of settings and disorders. Documentation must include CCC-SLP signature AND ASHA # of each observed CCC-SLP.
Minimum 3.0 GPA average of last 60 credit hours
Resume
CASPer (online, open response situational judgement test)
Writing sample
Pre-interview (online)
In-person interview
GRE is not required
English proficiency exam scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English and who do not qualify for an English proficiency exam waiver per the criteria listed below. Augusta University will accept official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Test (IELTS) exam scores. TOEFL Minimum Overall Score is 79 internet based or 213 computer based. The IELTS Minimum Overall Band Score: 6.5. Official exam scores must be taken within 2 years of the date of application. The Augusta University institution code for submission of TOEFL or IELTS scores is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
The program will utilize the Communication Sciences & Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS), a centralized application service for graduate level academic programs provided by the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences & Disorders (CAPCSD). The application window will open August 1, 2024. The application cycle is once per year in the fall. We will admit 22 students for the Fall 2025 cohort.

Graduate Information

Graduates will obtain a minimum of 400 clinical clock hours required for graduation supervised by American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA) certified clinical supervisors, a requirement for full eligibility to complete the Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY).
Graduates will be well prepared for the Praxis Exam in Speech-Language Pathology required for state licensure.
Graduates will demonstrate professional practice competencies leading to the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), a nationally recognized certification required for employment.
Graduates will be eligible for professional state licensure by the Georgia Board of Speech-Language Pathology and the Georgia Educator Certificate in the field of speech-language pathology by the Georgia Board of Education.
SLP graduates will improve community health by increasing the provision of highly qualified SLP graduates to fill the state and nationwide critical shortage.

*Diversity and Inclusion is an important part of our university's values, learn more about the Office of Institutional Access, Success & Belonging.

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