The Department of Language, Reading and Exceptionalities offers the Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology (leads to NCDPI Advanced Licensure) (Major Code: 707A/51.0203) [T]
In addition, the Department of Language, Reading and Exceptionalities houses programs in Reading Education and Special Education; these programs are detailed in separate sections in this bulletin. The Department also cooperates with the Departments of Family and Consumer Sciences and Curriculum and Instruction to offer the M.A. degree in Child Development: Birth-Kindergarten. The degree is coordinated by the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. See the Child Development program for information.
The Department includes professionals in Speech-Language Pathology, Reading/Language Arts, and Special Education. This enables the department to provide innovative programs focusing, in a transdisciplinary fashion, on all facets of language, reading, and specific areas of exceptionality. All students pursuing programs in the Department must satisfy the Reich College of Education’s and the Graduate School’s requirements pertaining to admission, proficiencies, and licensure.
The Speech-Language Pathology program is offered for persons who are interested in working with children and adults who have communication disorders. The program is designed to provide students with the academic and clinical practicum experiences necessary for certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the North Carolina state licensure in Speech-Language Pathology. Students planning to obtain the Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology must complete State Department of Public Instruction requirements for the “S and G” Advanced (Graduate) level license in Speech-Language Impaired. All students must complete an individualized program of study and admission to candidacy, have these forms approved by their advisors, and file the forms with the Graduate Records staff by the close of their first semester of registration.
Admission to the Speech-Language Pathology Program will be on a competitive basis. Students who wish to be admitted to this program must submit evidence of satisfactory performance in all undergraduate course work and on the general GRE test. The Program does not permit deferred admissions. Students who are offered admission for a given term, and who cannot accept admission for that term, must reapply and be considered at a later time. To be given consideration, applications for Fall admission must be submitted and complete by February 1; and applications for Spring admission must be submitted and complete by October 1.
In-Field: The Master’s program typically requires five semesters to complete for students with bachelor’s degrees in speech-language pathology and audiology. Applicants who have bachelor’s degrees in other fields, and who also have at least 21 semester hours of applicable courses in speech-language pathology and audiology are considered to be in-field (as though they have bachelor’s degrees in the field). In-field students normally complete the degree in the typical five semester time frame.
Pre-Field: Applicants with bachelor’s degrees in other fields, and who also have 15 to 20 semester hours of applicable coursework in speech-language pathology and audiology are considered to be pre-field. They may be offered admission as an in-field student with the condition that they complete sufficient applicable undergraduate courses in speech-language pathology and audiology prior to their first semester of graduate study.
Out-of-Field: Applicants who have bachelor’s degrees in other fields, and who have fewer than 15 semester hours of applicable courses in speech-language pathology and audiology, are considered out-of-field. If admitted they will be required to complete an additional one to two semesters in order to fulfill the necessary undergraduate prerequisites before enrolling in graduate level coursework.