Masters of Sciences - Speech-Language Pathology
View a video about the USF Speech-Language Pathology program.
Residential Track
The residential track is a 6 semester program that draws on the rich and diverse clinical opportunities in the Tampa Bay area. SLP students will have opportunities to gain clinical experiences within the University's Speech-Language-Hearing Center, as well as clinical sites outside of the University. Off Campus sites include Veterans affair's hospitals, children's hospitals, private speech and hearing clinics, and rehabilitation clinics.
Students will complete four in-house practical courses prior to selecting 2 separate externship sites. These experiences are designed to provide the breadth and depth of clinical experiences necessary for clinical certification and state licensure.
Coursework is divided into two areas; core (required) courses and concentration area courses. The core courses are designed to help the student meet the academic and clinical compliances listed by ASHA in their knowledge and skills acquisition (KASA) standards. In addition, the student will choose electives based on a concentration area, which allows the students to focus more on communication impairments in adults and children.
How to Apply
View a complete list of Speech-Language Pathology admissions requirements, course of study, and course descriptions (PDF).
Technical Standards
Suncoast Consortium Track
The Suncoast Master's Consortium Track is specifically designed to assist professionals working full time in one of the Suncoast Consortium school districts to complete their Master's degree. The Suncoast Consortium track is a 9 semester program that uses a combination of distance and on-site teaching to offer the same curriculum as taught on the Tampa campus, and the requirements for entry are the same. Students should be aware that there is an additional technology fee for distance courses. Once accepted into the program of study, students are required to continue working full time in a collaborating school district while enrolled in the program.
This program requires students to have access to computers with high speed internet connections and peripheral hardware (e.g., combined microphone/headsets, video recording equipment etc). The students will complete practicum experiences in the collaborating school district in which they are employed. It also requires students to complete at least one clinical practicum at the University of South Florida's Speech Language Hearing Center in Tampa, Florida, and one externship experience during two of the summers of their three year program.
A limited number of students will be admitted each year, and these students will progress through the program as a cohort. For further information contact Dr. Ruth Bahr or Dr. Carolyn Ford.
How to Apply
Visiting our program
The Speech Language Pathology program will be holding an open house Friday, October 23, 2009. View a tentative agenda, directions, and hotel information. If you plan to attend the open house, please register online. Visits may also be scheduled on selected Fridays between August and February. If you are interested in visiting our program and meeting some of the faculty, please email Dr. Bahr so that a time can be arranged.
Online pre-requisite courses
An OnlineCourse Sequence is available through USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus for post-baccalaureate students seeking to apply to the speech-language pathology program who have yet to complete the required pre-requisites.
Current Students:
Click here to log into the my.usf.edu website. Handbooks for both the Residential and the Suncoast Consortium programs can be found under the Communication Sciences & Disorders Organization.