Admission to the speech-language pathology program is limited to the summer term with an application deadline of January 1. To be assured consideration for admission, prospective students must submit all required application materials through the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) and the Graduate School portals. After a review of the applications, qualified candidates may be invited to an interview. NIU university honors students admitted via the freshman guaranteed admission program or the speech-language pathology assistant transfer student admission program should check with the SLP program regarding entry requirements.
Admission to the master’s degree program is typically for full-time study. An applicant for admission to the program is generally expected to meet or exceed the following requirements.
A minimum 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) in all undergraduate work.
Three letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or supervisors who can attest to your abilities to succeed in a graduate program and your qualifications.
A statement describing the applicant’s qualifications, goals, and career aspirations as they relate to the speech-language pathology program at NIU.
Final decisions regarding admissions are made by the program’s admission committee on the basis of a total profile of an applicant’s qualifications.
A maximum of 12 semester hours of student-at-large credit may be applied to degree requirements. In addition, the maximum combined total student-at-large hours plus transfer credit may not exceed 12 semester hours.
Special Clinical/Practicum Requirements
To be engaged in any clinical practicum experience, students will be required to meet program requirements. See Clinical Requirements HERE.
Grading Policies
Students must make satisfactory progress in speech-language pathology graduate courses, pass comprehensive exams, and meet Professional Dispositions and Essential Functions necessary for clinical practice. Students who earn two grades of C or lower in speech-language pathology courses, do not pass comprehensive exams, or fail to meet the Professional Dispositions and Essential Functions specified in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Handbook will be dismissed from the speech-language pathology graduate program.
The master’s degree requires a minimum of 65 semester hours. Additional semester hours may be required in course work and/or clinical practicum to fulfill the requirements of the appropriate clinical or educator licensures.
After the first semester in the program, students are required to enroll in 2 semester hours of SLP 687 for four consecutive terms.
Other courses can be used to fulfill elective course requirements with consent of academic advisor.
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