General Information

For details on:

• Mission Statement
• Learning Outcomes
• Admission Criteria
• Accreditation
• Waivers
• Essential Functions
• Academic Standards
• Grades, Probation, and Dismissal
• Withdrawals
• Assistantships

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The Master of Science (MS) in Speech-Language Pathology provides an accredited path of study within the Jesuit tradition defined by challenging coursework and faculty mentors who assist students in acquiring the tools necessary to be discerning and knowledgeable speech-language pathologists who will lead and serve in a diverse and changing world. Through academic coursework, mentorship by dedicated faculty members, and clinical experiences across a variety of settings, students will master the professional skills they need to become effective and compassionate advocates for persons with communication disorders.

The primary purpose of this two-year, five semester, full-time cohort program is the education and development of superior professionals for careers as speech-language pathologists. The curriculum challenges preprofessionals academically, clinically, and personally. The program consists of academic coursework integrated with clinical training in the assessment and treatment of infants, children, and adults who have communication disorders. Students are provided a myriad of opportunities to acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences, as well as prevention, assessment, and intervention for people with communication and swallowing disorders across the life span. The program also allows students to acquire and demonstrate knowledge in standards of ethical conduct, research principles in evidence-based clinical practice, and contemporary professional issues.

Students are provided with supervised clinical experiences matched to their level of clinical expertise, and student progress is reviewed every semester. As students advance, they are placed in a variety of settings to provide a carefully controlled progression of difficulty. Throughout the program, students work directly with clinical faculty and externship supervisors who are state licensed and certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

During the first year of study, students begin their clinical internship in one of the Loyola Clinical Centers under the supervision of expert faculty and practicing clinicians. The Loyola Clinical Centers consist of the Margaret A. McManus Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic located at Belvedere Square in Baltimore, Maryland and the Speech and Language Center located in Columbia, Maryland. Each center offers an array of speech-language and/or audiological services for individuals experiencing difficulty with their communication and/or hearing skills. The clinics provide services in individual and group settings to clients of all ages, infant-toddler through adult, with varying diagnoses in communication disorders. The Loyola Clinical Centers also provide students with the opportunity to work and learn in an interdisciplinary setting, which includes speech-language pathology, audiology, psychology, and literacy. Students may also have additional internship experiences off-site with private and public community partners.

In the second year, students who have successfully completed the first-year internships are placed in an off-campus setting with an experienced, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Students will experience at least two different types of settings or client populations over the course of the year. The department's externship director provides the overall supervision of the experience, which includes monitoring student progress and final assessment of student performance. The goal of the externship program is to provide a variety of real world experiences where students integrate academic and clinical teaching and achieve mastery of clinical skills necessary for postgraduate work experience as a clinical fellow.