Career Overview: Roles and Responsibilities of a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)
Speech-language pathologists are licensed healthcare professionals who evaluate, diagnose, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders across the lifespan and in various settings. Their clinical responsibilities include assessing communication and swallowing function, developing and implementing individualized treatment plans, and using therapeutic techniques and specialized tools to improve speech, language, cognitive-communication, and feeding or swallowing abilities. Speech-language pathologists may also contribute to the advancement of the field by conducting research on human communication processes, developing new evaluation methods and treatment approaches, and investigating behavioral patterns associated with communication disorders. In addition, they may manage clinics or programs and apply their expertise in professional settings, such as helping organizations improve employee communication with clients or customers.
- Hospitals
- Outpatient Clinics
- Home Health
- Schools, Early Intervention, Community Education
- Mental and Behavioral Health
- Municipal settings
- Nursing Homes or Long-Term Care Facilities
(After earning a OTD or MOT)
- Intraoperative Monitoring
- Language and Language Disorders
- Fluency and Fluency Disorders
- Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
- Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)
Potential Pathways
- Graduate with Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) related degree and apply to graduate programs
- Graduate with a non-CSD degree and take pre-requisite coursework to apply to graduate
Some programs may offer preliminary acceptance for applicants without CSD pre-requisites. These applicants are typically required to enroll 1-2 semesters early to register for and satisfy the pre-requisites. Official acceptance into the program is contingent upon a passing grade in the necessary pre-requisite courses. - Graduate with a non-CSD degree and apply to graduate programs that do have no prerequisite coursework
General Pre-Requisites
- Biological Sciences
General bio, cellular bio, microbiology, physiology, etc. - Social Science
Anthropology, political science, ethnic/cultural studies, etc. - Behavioral Science
Psychology, psychobiology, criminology, etc. - Physical Science
Physics, chemistry - Statistics: Any stand-alone statistics course
CSD Pre-Requisites
- Anatomy & Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanisms
- Introduction to Audiology
- Speech and Language Development
- Phonetics
- Speech and Hearing Science
- Introduction to Communication Disorders
Please visit USC’s Future COMD Students to learn more about taking 500-700 level CSD level courses as an undergraduate student.
Coursework varies by school. Always verify specific requirements on each program’s website.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) is a standardized test designed to test your critical thinking skills in general categories rather than on specific “pre-requisite” content: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.
After taking the GRE, you will receive a few different scores: a sub-score for your verbal and quantitative reasoning sections (scored between 130-170) as well as a combined score for your quantitative and qualitative reasoning sections (scored between 260-340). Additionally, you will receive a score for your analytical writing on a 6-point scale. Schools that require the GRE will likely report a minimum score needed to apply, or an average score of the previously admitted class/es. As you evaluate your scores, ensure that you are either at/above the minimum, or within a close range of the average.
Always check each school’s website to confirm testing requirements.
Application: Communication Science and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS)
- Personal information
- Academic History
Transcript Entry
Standardized Tests - Supporting Information
Evaluations
Guided Clinical Experience
Licenses and Certifications
Conferences Attended
Experiences
Achievements - Program Materials
Learn more about the CSDCAS application
Research Programs: Create a list of programs and review their individual requirements for prerequisite courses, observation hours, testing (GRE), and letters of recommendation.
Obtain Guided Observation Hours and/or Shadowing Hours:
Guided observation hours are those that are supervised by a licensed and ASHA certified SLP and include a
reflection or debrief with the clinician during or after each session. Students have
the option of completing up to 25 hours at the undergraduate level to count towards
their certification requirements to be a CCC-SLP. Some programs may have a requirement
to do so, but others may not. Shadowing hours are completely passive experiences that do not require reflection or continuous conversation
with the SLP, but may still allow a student to learn more about the field, understand
roles and responsibilities, gain exposure to unique patient cases, etc. Be sure to
research the programs to which you are interested in applying to understand which,
if any, hours are required for application and the criteria needed to satisfy their
requirements.
Typical Expectations
- 0-25 guided observation hours with a CCC-SLP
and/or - 0-25 shadowing hours with a CCC-SLP
Letters of Recommendation: This application requirement can be found in the “evaluations” section of the application. Applicants must submit a minimum of three, but no more than 5 letters of recommendation. Make sure to research each program’s specific requirements on who is an approved letter writer.
To obtain meaningful letters, build relationships early by actively participating in class or clinical experiences, seeking feedback, and demonstrating reliability and initiative. When requesting a letter, ask well in advance, provide your resume, your personal statement, and clearly share deadlines and submission instructions. Thoughtful, detailed recommendations from individuals who know you well can significantly strengthen your application by offering credible, personalized perspectives on your strengths and potential.