Core Speech-Language Pathology Program
Overview

The Core Speech-Language Pathology (CoreSLP) Master’s of Science program at the University of Washington Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences ranks third nationally in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of graduate schools. The UW Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and its clinical degree programs are also accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). When you complete the Core Speech-Language Pathology (CoreSLP) program, you will earn a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington and be eligible to apply for ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).

The Core Speech-Language Pathology master's degree program is a full-time, two-year program which will provide you with the depth and breadth of foundational knowledge and skills pertinent to the practice of speech-language pathology. The Core Speech-Language Pathology program enables you to enter a variety of clinical practice areas and settings including early childhood programs, schools, outpatient clinics, private practices and hospitals. The Core Speech-Language Pathology program also provides opportunities for you to focus your program of study through elective coursework reflecting their career and/or research interests, as well as complete independent studies with department faculty. Clinical practica are primarily completed at University of Washington clinical facilities, including the department’s UW Speech and Hearing Clinic (UWSHC) and the Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD). The exception is the full-time internship experience that you will complete at an outside community-based facility toward the end of your graduate program.

First Year

The first year of the Core Speech-Language Pathology program is focused on providing you with a foundation of knowledge and skills in the diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders across the lifespan. During this year you will be asked to refine and focus your area of interest and select either a pediatric or adult emphasis path to guide your second-year program. You will participate in multiple practica in the UW Speech & Hearing Clinic and a practicum in a Washington public school district. These practica focus on establishing and developing your clinical skills through evaluation and treatment of both adult and pediatric clients. If you are interested in completing a thesis, you will also interview with faculty during your first year to identify and plan a potential research project.

Second Year

The second year of the Core Speech-Language Pathology program includes elective coursework you will choose to match your clinical interests and a series of clinical practica in the UW Speech & Hearing Outpatient Clinic. Toward the end of the second year, you will complete a culminating, full-time clinical internship experience in the community in your area of interest. If you are completing a thesis, you will write your thesis paper and complete an oral defense of your research.