College of Education

Undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders or Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences*

* If a student does not have an undergraduate degree in SLP, they must complete the pre-requisite coursework in SLP or communicative disorders in an accredited program. The courses may be a part of an undergraduate program or a master’s preparatory program and include the following areas of knowledge as defined by ASHA.

• Grade point average (GPA) of undergraduate units: Minimum 3.0
• GPA of speech pathology coursework: Minimum 3.0 

Prerequisite courses for the MS-SLP program are required for those applicants that do not have an undergraduate degree in SLP or Communication Sciences and Disorders. Applicants are required to have a C or better in the prerequisite courses.

• Introduction to Communicative Disorders
• Phonetics
• Speech & Language Development
• Anatomy & Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanism
• Introduction to Audiology / Hearing Science
• Child and/or Adolescent Development
• Neuroscience

AHSA requires:

• Biological Science
• Social / Behavioral Science
• Physical Science
• Statistics

The admissions essay is an opportunity for you to convey what you want the admissions committee to know about you. Keep in mind, we will not be able to interview all applicants; thus, the essay is an important step in the admissions process. Please answer the following questions in no more than two pages.

Three letters of recommendation are required as a part of the application process. We suggest the letters be from people who can speak to your academic abilities and potential to succeed in a rigorous graduate program.

The interview will be an opportunity for the program faculty and staff to get to know you and for you to get to know us as well. Generally, you will be asked a series of questions about your experiences. In addition, candidates will be asked to complete a timed write.

You must have a Certificate of Clearance, issued by the State of California, or one of several California credentials. To apply for the Certificate of Clearance, download the checklist online. It contains directions for the Certificate of Clearance application and fingerprint form and a list of agencies that perform the livescan service. Note that the required FBI and DOJ review usually incurs additional fees. If you have been convicted of any violation other than a minor traffic offense, clearance may take two months. A criminal record may preclude you from getting clearance.

Applicants must demonstrate Basic Education Skills. This requirement may be met by any one of the following options:

• passage of the CBEST exam

• qualifying scores on SAT, ACT, ELM and EPT or EAP CSU placement exams (If you have taken any of these exams, please review the CTC’s Basic Skills Requirement flier to see if your scores qualify.)

• passage of CSET Elementary Education (Multiple Subjects) and CSET Writing Skills examinations.

• qualifying coursework in the following areas:
• For reading proficiency: a course in critical thinking, literature, philosophy, reading, rhetoric, or textual analysis.
• For writing proficiency: a course in composition, English, rhetoric, written communication, or writing.
• For mathematics proficiency: a course in algebra, geometry, mathematics, quantitative reasoning, or statistics.

• for details on qualifying coursework, see Basic Skills Requirement (CL-667)
• A combination of applicable courses and qualifying exams