Pursue a meaningful career with your master’s in speech-language pathology
Communication is vital to our shared social experience. It’s the basis of our relationships, entertainment, commerce, and information sharing. But for some — such as children with autism, trauma survivors, stroke patients, and the aging population — communication may come as a challenge. For others, it may not come at all.
You can make a powerful difference in people’s lives. With your online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Maryville, you can prepare for a rewarding career in speech-language pathology and help people overcome communication barriers. We designed our program based on the Big 9 areas of expected competencies established by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Council on Academic Accreditation for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), so your online graduate degree can prepare you to thrive in this field — and help others participate more fully in society.
Speech-language pathology can be a rewarding career. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranked it the No. 11 best job in America for 2023. This is your chance to help patients find their voice and make meaningful connections — and we can help you do it. Let’s be brave together.
Start your journey
Next Start Date: 01-15-24
Call: 1-888-266-0574
The Master’s of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology {residential, distance education} at Maryville 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
Learn from a curriculum based on ASHA and CAA competencies.
Get personalized support and counseling from application through graduation.
Learn from a faculty of experienced speech-language pathology practitioners.
Choose from fall or spring start dates, and complete in only 5 semesters.
Access 100% online coursework.
Build advanced speech-language pathology competencies via simulated patient interactions.
Why earn your master’s in speech-language pathology online?
The baby boomer population is aging, and advances in medical technology are increasingly effective at helping at-risk populations and trauma survivors thrive. With these positive developments in health and wellness often come challenges in the form of speech, communication, swallowing, and/or hearing disorders.
The National Institute of Health estimates disorders related to speech, language, hearing, or swallowing have affected about one in 12 children between 3 and 17 years old in the past 12 months. In all, these disorders may affect as many as 10% of Americans, contributing to an annual economic impact of up to $186 billion.*
With your online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Maryville, you can help address a vital social need and bring your patients an improved quality of life. Our program is designed to help people with a bachelor’s degree or professional certificate in a relevant field like communication sciences and disorders complete their education and maximize their career potential. With proven technology and resources and industry-standard techniques, we can prepare you to evaluate speech, language, and swallowing disorders, as well as related physiological and cognitive capabilities of patients of all ages, then develop treatment and rehabilitative solutions in consultation with clinicians and educators.
We know our students have busy lives. Our online master’s program is designed to work around your schedule with start dates in the fall or spring, and you can finish your degree in as few as five semesters. Plus, you can complete clinicals locally where it’s convenient to you. You can also bring up to 50 clinical hours with you from your undergraduate experience. That means you can pursue your education without compromising on your personal or professional obligations.
*Robert J. Ruben, “Redefining the Survival of the Fittest: Communication Disorders in the 21st Century”
Dynamic, affordable, and highly streamlined.
Learn on your schedule. Benefit from 100% online coursework and study when it’s convenient for you.
Apply with ease via the Centralized Application Service for Communication Science & Disorders Programs (CSDCAS).
Get the support you need. Whether you need advising, tutoring, counseling, financial aid, or tech support, we’re with you the whole way — from application through graduation.
Enjoy a dynamic, project-based curriculum. Complete practical experiences and build real-world skills through simulation using innovative programs such as Simucase and MBSImP.
Learn from industry leaders. Work with our dedicated faculty of experienced, practicing clinicians who help you connect the curriculum to real-world outcomes.
Prepare for a rewarding career. Get ready to become a state-licensed, ASHA-certified SLP-CCC, and qualify for MBSImP certification.
What can you do with an online master’s in speech-language pathology degree?
One benefit of the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is the streamlined career outcomes. This credential is primarily intended to help you build the skills, knowledge, and understanding to pursue a career as a certified speech-language pathologist. This is a growing field that allows for a career that is both rewarding and stable.
As a speech-language pathologist, you’ll have the opportunity to work with individuals of all ages to diagnose and treat existing communication or swallowing disorders, or to help enact preventive measures.
Speech, communication, and swallowing disorders can arise from a number of circumstances. When they do, you can be the one to help patients find their voices.
With your speech-language pathology master’s degree, you can work in a variety of settings, including:
- Hospitals and health clinics
- Schools and childcare settings
- Early intervention centers
- Rehabilitation centers
- Skilled nursing centers
- Nursing homes
- Research centers
- Private practices
- Communications-based corporations
- Home health
How do I pursue a career in speech-language pathology after I graduate?
Once you’ve completed your online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, your next step is to follow the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) guidelines on postgraduate requirements including the clinical fellowship year (CFY).
You’ll need to take the Praxis exam to establish your Certificate of Clinical Competence-Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) status. You can take the exam at any point throughout your graduate program or before you apply for your CCC. While this certification may fully qualify candidates in some areas, you should consult your state’s guidelines to make sure you have completed all requirements to practice as a speech-language pathologist. Also note that work in some settings may require conditional experience or further training.
What’s the market outlook for speech-language pathology professionals?
Rewarding career outcomes
Speech-language pathologists enjoy a high level of satisfaction with the work they do. According to ASHA, that’s because they work across a variety of settings and interact directly with individuals in the community to make a real, tangible difference in their lives. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranked speech-language pathologist as the No. 7 best job in America in 2021.
This career can also be financially rewarding. Salaries may vary depending on factors like experience, setting, and location, but the median salary nationally for speech-language pathologists is $80,480. In nursing and residential care facilities, the median salary jumps to about $95,000.*
*Median salaries based on data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rising industry demand
Demand for professionals with expertise in language disorders is on the rise. One reason is the country’s aging population. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the number of people 65 and older will reach 94.7 million by 2060, and increased age can mean more speech, language, cognitive, and hearing difficulties and impairments. Additionally, advancements in technology and patient care have improved early detection of speech, language, and hearing disorders — especially in infants and children.
For speech-language pathologists, the career outlook is strong. Projections show the field growing by about 25% between 2019 and 2029, resulting in some 40,000 new job openings during that period. That’s significantly more growth than the average projected for healthcare fields (15%) and more than six times the projected growth across all careers (4%).*
*Growth projections based on data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Diverse career paths
The field of speech-language pathology is extremely interprofessional in nature. It demands that you have a broad-based understanding of anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, biomechanics of swallowing and vocal articulation, communications disorders, psychology of auditory function and cognitive communication, language assessment and diagnostic techniques, and rehabilitative and management therapies.
It’s this expanse of knowledge that can give you the flexibility to move between multiple areas of focus — and even across workplace settings. Combine that level of freedom with specialized education, and your job opportunities can expand significantly. This is your chance to build a career you can be passionate about — and to make a lasting impact in the lives of others.
Why choose Maryville University’s online master’s in speech-language pathology?
We’re here to help you prepare for ASHA certification and establish yourself as a speech-language pathology professional — and bring your career goals within reach. It’s the reason we put the focus on clinical experience, case-based learning, and real-world application.
Go beyond the books. Learn by doing.
As one of our online speech-language pathology students, you’ll complete practical, project-based coursework. You’ll also have the chance to test your clinical abilities using an innovative technology called Simucase (simulated case study), an online program that allows you to assess speech and language disorders with virtual patients presented through avatars or videos.
In our program, you can also get experience with the Modified Barium Swallow Impaired Profile (MBSImP) approach, which can help you standardize your methodology in recognizing and interpreting swallowing disorders. Fewer than half of programs in the nation utilize MBSImP, but knowledge and experience with the associated practices and techniques are in demand among speech-language pathology employers.
Put our reputation to work.
Maryville University has been empowering brave students like you since 1872. We’re proud of our reputation for quality academics and affordability, because it demonstrates our commitment to excellence and accessibility. The last four cohorts of our on-campus program boasted a 100% Praxis pass rate and 100% career placement. Now, we’re replicating that program, taught by the same expert faculty, for our online master’s program. Choose Maryville and know you’ll receive an education held to the highest possible standards — especially when it comes to speech-language pathology.
Faculty Spotlight
Meaghan Goodman, PhD, CCC-SLP
Program Director and Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathology and Communication Sciences and Disorders
Communication disorders require the knowledge of an expert. Learn from one.
When you earn your online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Maryville, you’ll work with award-winning educators and seasoned speech-language pathologists such as Dr. Meaghan Goodman, program director of our speech-language pathology and communication sciences and disorders programs.
Dr. Goodman’s expertise spans a variety of specializations such as evaluation, pediatric dysphagia, language development and disorders of children, augmentative and alternative communication, voice, and fluency disorders.
Additionally, Dr. Goodman has extensively studied special populations in speech-language pathology including cleft lip/palate and craniofacial anomalies, autism spectrum disorders, and chromosomal syndromes, as well as professional issues and evidence-based practice.
With more than 10 years of clinical experience in speech-language pathology, Dr. Goodman understands how to make an impact as a language and communications professional. And this is your opportunity to learn from her experience as you build your own.
With her instruction, you can gain the knowledge and confidence to move forward in the field of speech-language pathology. And we’ll be with you every step of the way. Let’s be brave together.
Online master’s in speech-language pathology curriculum
Your online speech-language pathology master’s degree can prepare you for the challenges and opportunities in the field. The program comprises 57 credit hours across 19 courses designed to help you build knowledge, master key skills, and broaden your understanding of ASHA’s Big 9 Areas: articulation, fluency, voice and resonance, receptive and expressive language, hearing, swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of communication, and communication modalities.
Please note that the master’s in speech-language pathology program is intended for students who have earned a relevant bachelor’s degree or certificate or completed the prerequisite coursework.
Broaden your understanding of communication disorders and treatments
Prepare to help individuals of all ages develop or regain the ability to communicate as you take courses such as Speech Sound Disorders, Language Disorders in Children, Acquired Disorders of Language and Communication, Motor Speech Disorders, Voice and Fluency Disorders, and Special Populations in SLP.
Learn ethical and compassionate treatment methods
Working with people who have communication disorders requires emotional maturity, advocacy, and sensitivity. Our program is designed to help you prepare to approach challenges through these lenses and practice ethical treatment and rehabilitation with courses that cover subject matter like ethics, standards, practices, and multicultural issues.
Advance your clinical evaluation and treatment skills
Benefit from a highly specialized program that delivers the case-based learning opportunities and clinical exposure you need to prepare for a career in speech-language pathology. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to use innovative tools such as Simucase — an online simulation program that allows you to practice the assessment and intervention process with virtual patients using patented technology.
To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry trends. Please speak to your advisor for more details.
Not yet ready for your master’s degree? Explore a bachelor’s degree or certificate in communication sciences and disorders.
Maryville’s online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is a highly specialized program designed for students aiming for a career practicing speech-language pathology at the highest level. It’s intended for students who have already completed bachelor’s-level prerequisites.
If you’re just starting your journey toward a speech-language pathology career, Maryville offers two paths toward qualifying for your master’s degree.
- Don’t have a bachelor’s degree yet? Start here. Earn your online Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Maryville, and build the foundation to set yourself up for graduate-level studies.
- Have a bachelor’s degree in a different subject? We have a program for you. Our online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders is designed to help you supplement your bachelor’s degree with the prerequisite coursework to qualify for your master’s degree.
Both options are designed to help ensure you’re prepared with the skills and competencies you need to get the most out of your master’s in speech-language pathology. Want to learn more? Schedule a call with an academic advisor and see how Maryville Online can prepare you for your next step.
Ready to take the next step in your speech-language pathology education?