Transform Lives as a Speech-Language Pathologist
Great speech-language pathologists change their patients’ lives. You’ll learn to be a clinical problem solver and critical thinker in IUP’s highly regarded Speech-Language Pathology BS program. Get the training you need to become a leader in this vital field—you’ll support others to be healthier and happier.
Why Major in Speech-Language Pathology?
As a trained speech-language pathologist, you’ll work to assess and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Whether you’re aiding a child in learning to speak or helping an adult re-learn how to eat their favorite food post-injury, you’ll make a massive difference in the lives of those you treat.
Speech-language pathologists work in a wide range of settings to support patients from infancy all the way through adulthood:
- Hospitals
- Private clinics
- Rehabilitation centers
- Schools
- Skilled nursing facilities
Graduates of the speech-language pathology program are competitive candidates for graduate school admission and leaders in their future careers. As a speech-language pathologist, you’ll enjoy:
- Work-life balance.
- A rewarding career helping others.
- Opportunities for career advancement and leadership.
- Collaboration with fellow health care and education professionals.
- Financial stability.
What You’ll Learn
There’s an art and a science to speech-language pathology. IUP’s expert faculty will show you how to combine evidence-based services with your creative talents right from the start. You'll participate in a student-centered experience, with clinical skill development embedded into your coursework.
- Build a solid foundational knowledge in areas that include human communication development and swallowing.
- Learn to identify and treat a variety of speech, language, and swallowing disorders using immersive simulations and collaborative case-based investigations.
- Get hands-on experience in our on-site undergraduate campus clinic.
Imagine Your Future
Your drive and passion to pursue a career in speech-language pathology will pay off in many substantial ways. The field is highly rated by those employed in it. Speech-language pathology is ranked:
- No. 31 among U.S. News & World Report’s 100 Best Jobs.
- No. 11 among the best health care jobs (2023)
There’s a high demand for speech-language pathologists across the country.
- More than 90 percent of IUP students who graduate from our Speech-Language Pathology BS program gain admission to graduate school to continue their studies.
- Many students complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at IUP. This makes for a smooth transition into graduate education and clinical training.
Career Opportunities in Speech-Language Pathology
Job opportunities in speech-language pathology are projected to grow 29 percent by 2030, across all work settings—a faster rate than the average for all occupations.
About half of IUP’s speech-language pathology graduates enter jobs in adult health care settings and half enter jobs in pediatric education or clinical settings.
Speech-language pathologists are in high demand in:
- Early intervention programs
- For-profit and nonprofit agencies that offer speech-language services
- Hospital inpatient and outpatient facilities, including neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care units
- National and international businesses and corporations (often to address accent modification)
- Private clinics and private practices
- Public and private school systems, including preschool education
- Rehabilitation centers, both pediatric and adult
- Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies
Classes and Requirements
In the speech-language pathology program, you’ll take classes in the basic sciences, including:
- Speech and Hearing Science
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Neuroscience
You’ll start to lay a clinical foundation in classes that include:
- Intro to Communication Disorders
- Language Development
- Professional Practice
- Phonetics and Language
You’ll study clinical disorders in advanced courses on:
- Audiology and aural rehabilitation
- Autism
- Articulation and language disorders
- Swallowing, voice, and fluency (organic) disorders
And you will select from a range of optional courses such as Sign Language, Intro to Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Behavior Management, Adult Development and Aging, Food and Nutrition, and The Performance of Caring.
You'll find your own clinical style through hands-on experiences, including guided clinical observations, participation in the Undergraduate Clinic, and completing the Passport to Cultural Competence.
You can decide to take a few additional courses in order to stack credentials and graduate with a certificate in Big Ideas with Transformative Texts and a certificate in Cultural Competencies. All of this means you obtain multiple skill sets and build your résumé.
Full Academic Catalog Listing
The course catalog is the official reference for all our degree and course offerings. Check it out for a full listing of the classes available and requirements for this degree.
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Minors and certificates that are a good fit with this program:
- Special Education
- Deaf Studies
- Big Ideas: Transformative Culture and Professions
- Child and Adult Advocacy
- Community Health
- Cultural Anthropology
- Educational Psychology
- English
- Human Development and Family Sciences
- Intercultural Education Certificate
- Teamwork and Leadership
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Any language or cultural minor
Watch: “Speech-Language Pathology at IUP”
Hear directly from alumni and faculty about what sets our program apart.
Watch: “Cutting-Edge Training Facilities”
You’ll gain hands-on experience right from the start in IUP’s innovative hospital simulation lab. You’ll treat mannequins and actors with increasingly complex cases as you build your knowledge—and your confidence—before entering a clinical setting.
Traditional Bachelor’s Degree
You’ll graduate in four years and experience all that college has to offer.
Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree: An Accelerated Track
You can complete your BS degree in three years with transfer credits or summer classes. Then you’ll continue on and apply for admission to our two-year (five-semester) graduate program.
Apply for Early Graduate Admission
During junior year, students can apply for Early Graduate Admission to start graduate coursework and clinics during their senior year. Students save time and money with courses that count toward both degrees. Here are the most frequently asked questions about the program.
When do I apply?
During your Junior year by January 1
When are admissions decisions made?
By January 15
What courses would I take during my senior year?
Fall Semester
- SPLP 408 Organic Disorders (3cr)
- SPLP 420 Undergraduate Clinic (3cr)
- Any remaining undergraduate requirements (6cr)
- SPLP 610 Graduate Pediatric Speech and Language 1 (3cr)
Spring Semester
- SPLP 611 Graduate Pediatric Speech and Language 2 (3cr)
- SPLP 614 Graduate Swallowing Disorders (3cr)
- SPLP 615 Graduate Evidence-Based Practices in CSD (3cr)
- SPLP 661 Graduate Treatment Clinic (2cr) and Staffing
- SPLP 663 Graduate Hearing Clinic (1cr) and Staffing
Graduate courses taken during the senior year will count as both undergraduate and graduate credits on your transcript. You will pay the undergraduate tuition rate for those courses.
What courses would I take in graduate school?
Semester 1 - Fall Semester
- SPLP 618 Voice Disorders (3cr)
- SPLP 632 Neurogenic Disorders (3cr)
- SPLP 662 Diagnostic Clinic (2cr) and Staffing
- SPLP 661 Treatment Clinic (3cr) and Staffing
Semester 2 - Spring Semester
- SPLP 644 Professional Issues (2cr) online (with DE fees)
- SPLP 798 Pediatric Internship (6cr)
Semester 3 - Summer Semester
- SPLP 616 Fluency and Motor Speech Disorders (3cr)
- SPLP 635 Graduate Literacy (1cr)
- SPLP 641 Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing (1cr)
- SPLP 642 Cancer and Craniofacial Disorders (2cr)
- SPLP 643 Counseling in SLP (1cr)
- SPLP 664 Simulation Clinic (1cr)
Semester 4 - Fall Semester
- SPLP 635 AAC (3cr) online (with DE fees)
- SPLP 796 Adult Healthcare Internship (6cr)
When would I graduate with my master's degree?
The early admission program allows you to graduate in December after four semesters of graduate school. Our graduate program usually takes five semesters to complete, but you complete 15 credits while you are an undergraduate student.
What are the advantages of the Early Graduate Admission program?
Students save money: You begin graduate coursework during your senior year, paying undergraduate tuition. Because you graduate earlier, you start your start earning a salary earlier.
Students save time: You graduate a semester earlier than your peers on the traditional graduate school path.
Students participate in specialized experiences: You become part of a small cohort (typically eight students) with a specialized school internship and increased collaboration opportunities. You get to know a few cohorts of traditional graduate students, increasing your professional connections for the future.
Apply for Guaranteed Graduate Admission
Who is eligible?
Any freshman applicant
What criteria are considered?
SAT scores - most competitive with a combined score of >1100
High School GPA - most competitive with >3.70
Interview - most competitive if demonstrate strong interpersonal skills
When are the interviews?
During in-person or virtual open houses OR by appointment in the fall prior to December 1
Contact the Department Chair to schedule an appointment (llombard@iup.edu).
Rolling admission interviews during spring will be scheduled as needed if spaces are available
When are decisions made?
By December 15, then rolling admissions if spaces are available
Applicants with the highest ratings on the criteria receive guaranteed admission to our graduate program
Recipients must deposit no later than May 1 to accept the offer
What are the requirements to maintain guaranteed admission?
GPA of 3.75 or greater at the end of the junior year
Ability to secure state and federal clearances
No academic integrity violations
Students enrolled in each cohort.
Most incoming students qualify for scholarships that are renewable each year.
of students who earn a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology gain admission to an SLP or audiology graduate program.
Meet Our Faculty
IUP’s speech-language pathology faculty has a diverse range of experience working in various settings with many different populations. We all share a commitment to student-centered education and teaching in new, innovative ways.
Courses to Prepare You for the Graduate Application
IUP’s Speech-Language Pathology BS gives you the foundation to continue your studies. But if you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you can still pursue speech-language pathology. You’ll need the following prerequisite courses to be admitted into IUP’s graduate program in speech-language pathology:
- 25 guided observation hours in the field, signed by a certified speech-language pathologist
- Federal and state clearances
- Undergraduate transcripts and course syllabi that represent:
- Biology
- Physics or chemistry
- Statistics
- Social and behavioral sciences, such as psychology, sociology, or anthropology
- Speech and hearing science
- Anatomy and physiology for speech and hearing
- Language development
- Phonetics
- Audiology or aural rehabilitation
If you have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than speech-language pathology or communication disorders, but you need the prerequisite coursework to prepare for admission to graduate school, you have options at IUP as a visiting/nondegree student. Learn more by calling 724-357-2573, or send us an email at visiting-student@iup.edu.
Student Organizations
Learning happens inside and outside the classroom. When you join IUP’s active chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, you’ll have many chances to
- Meet other speech-language pathology majors.
- Deepen your professional knowledge.
- Volunteer, fund-raise, and increase awareness for speech-language and swallowing disorders.
A Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
The IUP speech-language pathology program affirms our commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all students. Students obtain a range of experiences so that they can enter the profession with increased awareness of cultural and linguistic diversity—and the understanding that cultural competency is a lifelong pursuit.
We do this by infusing a Passport to Culture into our courses, where you’ll acquire a range of knowledge and cultural experiences to adapt patient care for factors such as socioeconomic status, age, culture, and languages spoken.