Program Availability
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana State University is a traditional, on-campus program offered on the Indiana State University campus in Terre Haute, Indiana. The program is open to U.S. and international applicants who satisfy admission requirements.
Why Earn a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana State?
The Speech-Language Pathology MS program at Indiana State prepares students through teaching, research, readings, clinical practices, and other professional development. You will be taught by experienced faculty and practitioners both in the classroom and the clinic.
Our cohort model ensures you will develop professional relationships with your peers that will carry on into your career. It meets the knowledge and skill requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Certificate of Clinical Competence and state licensure. The program’s Student Outcome Data show that students complete the program on time and are prepared to pass the national examination for certification.
Prepare to Help Others
Speech-language pathologists help individuals of all ages improve their quality of life by assessing, diagnosing, and treating speech, language, communication, fluency, voice, and swallowing disorders. The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology prepares you for a successful career as a skilled, compassionate practitioner.
In this full-time, six-semester master’s program, you will apply foundational knowledge of the anatomical, neurological, acoustic, and physiological bases of speech, language, voice production, hearing, and swallowing, as they relate to the diagnosis and remediation of communication disorders. You will interpret the results of evaluative instruments and procedures; implement treatment programs; solve clinical and instructional problems; and communicate with clients, caregivers, spouses, and professionals.
Learn from Our Excellent Faculty
Faculty in the Communication Disorders programs have extensive experience in the wide variety of disorders you may encounter as a speech-language pathologist. With small classes and one-on-one mentorship, faculty will guide you on projects and through clinical experiences in the program’s on-site clinic.
Work with Clients in the Rowe Center for Communicative Disorders
Indiana State’s Speech-Language Pathology MS emphasizes early clinical experiences and mentorship for hands-on clinical learning. You will observe, learn from, and engage with clients in our on-campus clinic.
The Norma and William Grosjean Clinic includes three clinical areas: The Counseling Clinic; the Porter School Psychology Center; and the Rowe Center for Communicative Disorders [RCCD]. Students in the master’s program will provide evaluation and treatment to disorders such as articulation, language, fluency, voice, cognition, and social skills. Services are provided to community members of all ages. The three clinical areas within the Grosjean clinic allow opportunities for collaboration.
What You’ll Learn in the Speech-Language Pathology MS Program
The Speech-Language Pathology MS enhances your understanding of communicative and swallowing disorders. The program features 69 credit hours of coursework (12 to 15 credits per semester) and requires you to complete research projects, seminars, comprehensive case studies, and practicums. It includes a research seminar in which you may design and implement a research proposal under an instructor’s direction.
Financial Assistance and Scholarships
Most students accepted into the Speech-Language Pathology MS program have the opportunity to receive graduate assistantships within the department or elsewhere on campus. Scholarship awards that waive tuition and fees for nine credits, exclusive of building and student service fees, are also available.
Career Possibilities for Speech-Language Pathology MS Graduates
Speech-language pathology graduate students at Indiana State University obtain the academic preparation and clinical experiences needed for careers as speech-language pathologists in many settings. These include schools, hospitals, public health departments, clinics, early intervention agencies, rehabilitation facilities, extended care facilities, private practices, government offices, research agencies, and related organizations.
Demand for speech-language pathologists is growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment in speech-language pathology to grow 18% from 2023 to 2033, faster than average.
Working with Persons Across the Lifespan
Speech-Language Pathology MS student Elisabeth Kerby (’23 BS, ’25 MS) has a passion for working with school-aged children. She advocates for youths and prioritizes their language needs.
Learn Elizabeth Kerby’s story
Making a Difference in Clients’ Lives
Hands-on clinical and research experiences have allowed Speech-Language Pathology MS student Ashley Matthews to work with Parkinson's patients, stroke patients, patients with traumatic brain injuries, individuals who have difficulty swallowing, veterans, children with autism, and transgender individuals, among others. “As speech-language pathologists, we get to make a difference and impact our clients’ current lives and their quality of life for the future,” she says.
Learn about Ashley’s experience in the program.
The Master of Science (MS) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Indiana State University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
2200 Research Boulevard,
#310, Rockville, MD 20850,
800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700
The program is accredited through May 31, 2025.
Admission Requirements and Application Instructions
The Speech-Language Pathology MS program accepts applications for fall enrollment through May 1. Applicants are considered on a competitive basis using a holistic approach.
Basis for Consideration
Admission decisions are based on several factors, including: the applicant’s written responses to several prompts/questions; a video 'interview'; success in undergraduate coursework in communication disorders; overall undergraduate GPA; any post-graduate coursework grades; and letters of recommendation that indicate an appropriate potential to succeed academically and clinically in a graduate program in speech-language pathology.
For regular admission, we expect an overall GPA or GPA in the major of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
GRE scores are no longer required; however, you can submit your scores if you took the exam. If you choose to submit GRE results with your application, scores near or above 150 on the verbal, 141 on the quantitative, and 3.5 on the analytical writing sections typically receive a more favorable review.
Note: It should not be assumed that meeting minimal standards guarantees admission to the program. Occasionally, an applicant with a GPA of less than 3.0 may receive an offer of conditional admission. However, this occurs rarely.
All students need to demonstrate proficiency in English. International applicants can learn about accepted testing formats, required scores to demonstrate English proficiency, and other details.
International Graduate Admissions
Prerequisite Courses for the Speech-Language Pathology MS Program
Individuals without an undergraduate degree in communication disorders must complete a set of prerequisite courses prior to beginning the MS program.
The following courses or their equivalents are required for students who have an undergraduate degree in another discipline and who will need to complete the necessary foundation courses for graduate school and, eventually, ASHA certification in Speech-Language Pathology. These courses can be taken in person at Indiana State University or at other regionally accredited institutions. Many universities offer online options for these or equivalent courses.
Contact Program Director Vicki Hammen, PhD at vicki.hammen@indstate.edu to discuss applying to complete the prerequisite courses at Indiana State. You can also search EdFind for online undergraduate courses at other universities.
Note: Prospective graduate students may need to take coursework in Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Linguistics, and Statistics to fulfill ASHA accreditation requirements.
Required Undergraduate Coursework
- CD 211 Phonetics
- CD 212 Anatomy & Physiology Basic to Communication
- CD 213 Speech & Language Development
- CD 224 Speech & Hearing Science
- CD 312 Assessment of Auditory Pathologies
- CD 324 Speech and Language for the Hearing Impaired
Optional Undergraduate Coursework
Note: These courses are beneficial for success in our graduate program but are NOT required.
- CD 225 Articulation Disorders & Management
- CD 226 Language Disorders
- CD 311 Evaluation of Communication Disorders
- CD 323 Intro to Rhythm, Voice & Neurogenic Communication Disorders
One-Year Prerequisite Residential Program of Study
Indiana State University offers a one-year, post-baccalaureate, residential program of study to prepare you for the Speech-Pathology MS program. The one-year program’s sequence of courses and credits is as follows:
Fall [12 credits]
- CD 211 Phonetics - 3 credits
- CD 213 Speech & Language Development – 3 credits
- CD 226 Language Disorders - 3 credits
- CD 312 Assessment of Auditory Pathologies - 3 credits
Spring [15 credits]
- CD 212 Anatomy & Physiology Basic to Communication - 3 credits
- CD 224 Speech & Hearing Science - 3 credits
- CD 225 Articulation Disorders & Management – 3 credits
- CD 311 Evaluation of Communication Disorders - 3 credits
- CD 324 Speech and Language for the Hearing Impaired - 3 credits
Application Instructions
The Communication Disorders program at Indiana State University utilizes the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) .
Note: IMPORTANT!!! You do not have to apply to Indiana State University. You ONLY apply through CSDCAS.
Please consult CSDCAS for more information regarding specific CSDCAS application requirements, other procedures, and fees. Indiana State's CSDCAS application site opens in July or August each year.
Review of complete applications will begin no earlier than October 15. All applicants should have submitted their applications to CSDCAS, including their official transcripts, no later than May 1 (11:59 PM EST) to be considered for admission. Incomplete files WILL NOT be reviewed.
The CSDCAS Online Application
You will find additional instructions for the online application on the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service website.
Briefly, the application will include the following:
Required Application Materials
Official transcripts from ALL institutions attended post-high school (this includes vocational/technical school transcripts) must be submitted to CSDCAS as part of the application; DO NOT send transcripts to the university at this time. CSDCAS must receive your transcripts by the May 1 deadline for your application to be considered complete.
As part of the application, you will be asked to write responses to several questions. For one of these, you will need to read the journal article below, briefly summarize the article, and talk about how you would use the evidence from the article in clinical practice. Your response must be no more than 300 words in length.
Another question will ask you to reflect on meaningful or impactful experiences and to discuss a situation in which you experienced a challenge or adversity. How did you overcome the challenge or adversity? How might those experiences prepare you for graduate studies or for your career as a speech-language pathologist?
The third question presents a scenario you might encounter in class. We are interested in your response to the situation.
You must submit a YouTube video recording of yourself that will serve as our introduction to you. Think of this video as an opportunity to 'sell' yourself and your ability to succeed in our graduate program. Do not read a statement from your computer screen or cards. Talk to us as you would in a face-to-face conversation. The maximum length of the video is four (4) minutes, with approximately one minute for each prompt. Please address the following prompts in your video.
• Tell us a little about yourself. What interests or hobbies do you have? What makes you unique? Think of this as a 'speed dating' type of introduction.
• Describe your academic, work, and/or personal experiences that have developed your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. What do the terms ‘equality’ and ‘equity’ mean to you?
• As compared to undergraduate education, graduate studies will present you with challenges and an increased workload. What are some of the challenges or adversity you might face in graduate school? What strategies or approaches do you anticipate using when you experience these challenges or adversity?
• What unique qualities or abilities would you contribute to Indiana State's speech-language pathology graduate program?
Once you have completed your video, please upload it to YouTube. Please be sure your video is not set to "private" or we will be unable to view it; instead, please select "unlisted”.
Submit your YouTube link/URL in the "Questions" section of the CSDCAS application.
NOTE: We do not require you to upload a resume or vita. We will review the information you enter under Supporting Information within the CSDCAS application. Therefore, we recommend you take the time to provide thorough responses to those sections.
At least one letter of reference should come from a university faculty member. Ideally, your letters of reference should be received as soon as possible after you submit your application; however, they will be needed no later than the final deadline of May 1. If your letters are not available, it could delay the review process.
Some applicants may be invited to an on-campus or online interview day. Interviews would be conducted in the spring, likely on a Friday or Saturday. In addition to an interview with members of the program faculty, you may have an opportunity to meet with current graduate students and take a tour of the clinic and campus.
Admission Number and Timetable/Rolling Admissions
To ensure an effective student-to-faculty ratio in classes and clinical education, the number of students in a new cohort is limited to approximately 20 to 22.
With rolling admissions, decisions about offers of admission will be made to highly qualified applicants as soon as they have been identified by the committee. We review complete applications as soon as they are made available in CSDCAS, beginning around October 15. Typically, a response to your application will be provided within a few weeks after it is received. Individuals whom we think might be a good fit for our program, but who are not as highly qualified, will be placed on a wait list.
Notification of acceptance, placement on the waitlist, or denial will be sent via email from WebAdmit/CSDCAS, so be sure it is listed in your email as a safe sender; otherwise, emails could be delivered to your junk mail folder. Applicants who are offered admission will need to respond to the offer within a few weeks by indicating whether they 1) accept the offer, 2) remain interested in the admission offer, or 3) are declining our admission offer.
Final responses to offers need to be provided no later than the national deadline of April 15. The rolling admissions process will continue until the program has reached its maximum enrollment limit. Typically, the entire admission decision process is completed around mid- to late-May.
Note: Returning Indiana State University students must apply for re-admission if they have not attended Indiana State University for more than two calendar years.
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Communication Sciences and Disorders (BS)
Bachelor's
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Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)
Master's
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School Counseling (MEd)
Master's