FAQ’s

YES! The USC Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology education program has received Candidacy Accreditation from the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). This is an initial accreditation granted to new programs. The official statement on our program website says this:
CAA ACCREDITATION STATUS: The University of Southern California Master of Science (M.S.) Education Program in Speech-Language Pathology is Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This is a “pre-accreditation” status granted by the CAA awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of five years.

Applications are being accepted now for Fall 2025!

No, we admit once for the Fall semester.

The program is 2 years, 6 semesters.

USC’s MS-SLP program is a residential program, approved by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.  We are NOT a distance education program and cannot make modifications or adjustments to the approved curriculum for delivery of the curriculum.

We operate in a Cohort model, with 25 students in a cohort.

No. Our program is in-person and full-time. We do not accept transfers.

Students are strongly advised not to work during the graduate program because of the intensity of the program which includes both academic and clinical requirements and is operated in a cohort model for continuity of learning.

None.

Applicants are required to complete the required ASHA prerequisites for coursework in the following: Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences (either physics or chemistry) and a stand-alone course in Statistics. Specifics can be found on the MS-SLP program website.

Individuals whose baccalaureate degree is in an area other than CSD must obtain a Certificate in CSD from a leveling program (also known as a post-baccalaureate program), to ensure that they have the necessary background to be successful in the graduate program.

No. To receive credit for any course, it must be a letter grade.

The program will prepare graduate students to work with communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan and across a variety of settings, both medical and educational.

ASHA requires 400 clinical hours to be earned across the lifespan and across settings. All clinical experiences will occur in the community in each semester of the program. Our program has a dedication to serving a diverse population within the urban community. The Clinical Education Director is responsible for arranging the clinical placements to ensure an expanse of experiences for students in their clinical education. Students are not expected to arrange for their own placements.

We do not count outside hours. All students start at zero and earn the 25 observation required hours during the program. This is to ensure that everyone is trained on what we expect for observation protocols.  Additionally, we have specific and specialized observation opportunities for our students.

Admission requirements can be found on the program website https://keck.usc.edu/speech-language-pathology-ms-program/admissions/. Applicants are encouraged to consider the program’s mission, vision and values to ascertain if this program is a good fit for them.

Tuition is set by the university. An estimate of the cost of attendance, which includes tuition and other expenses can be found on the program website at https://keck.usc.edu/speech-language-pathology-ms-program/?page_id=5563 or on the university website section on financial aid.

We are a new program, and there are no program scholarships at this point. Applicants are encouraged to search for scholarships through their own personal connections and resources.

At the end of the program, students will earn their Master of Science degree from the university and will be prepared to apply for a variety of professional certifications. Students must pass the Praxis examination in order to be eligible to apply for their Clinical Fellowship leading to the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), state licensure in Speech-Language Pathology in the state of California and for the Speech-Language Pathology Credential.

The MS-SLP program does not have control over job opportunities that will exist within or outside of the USC system at the time of graduation. However, we are confident that many job opportunities will exist for our graduates throughout the medical and educational communities, as Speech-Language Pathologists are a high-demand profession.