4 answers
Sophia
Student
Newton, North Carolina
1
Question
Updated
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What are some of the most valuable undergraduate courses to take in order to prepare for graduate program in speech language pathology?
I am a senior in high school. I am hoping to go to college to become a pediatric speech language pathologist.
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4 answers
Don Holland
Member Service Representative/Food Runner
244
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Don’s Answer
Hello Sophia,
It is good that you are thinking about a career in speech language pathology. There are many different classes that will be needed to prepare for future classes in your graduate program and for preparation in your career. Some of these classes include Biological Science, Social Behavior Science, Statistics, Physical Science, Speech and Hearing Science, Language Development and much more. These are classes that can help you out and I would suggest you speak with your career advisor to make sure these fit into your degree plan. Hope this helps and best of luck to you in your future!
It is good that you are thinking about a career in speech language pathology. There are many different classes that will be needed to prepare for future classes in your graduate program and for preparation in your career. Some of these classes include Biological Science, Social Behavior Science, Statistics, Physical Science, Speech and Hearing Science, Language Development and much more. These are classes that can help you out and I would suggest you speak with your career advisor to make sure these fit into your degree plan. Hope this helps and best of luck to you in your future!
Thank you so much. This is good advice. I have been looking at prerequisites for grad school programs and I will talk to an advisor.
Sophia
Kathy Hushen
Speech Language Pathologist
1
Answer
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Updated
Kathy’s Answer
I would suggest taking classes that will relate to an area of communication disorders where you may want to concentrate professionally. Do you see yourself working in a school or clinic, with children or adults, with individuals with disabilities, etc. etc. and it's okay to not have the answers right now, but definitely something to think about. Many communication disorder majors fall under the School of Education, while others fall under the School of Health Sciences. I agree with the other response that noted you should look at "the big picture." The focus of academia will look different for both of those schools of study. In any event, any classes that you can take in childhood language development, anatomy and physiology, speech and hearing sciences, or Intro to Special Education would provide a high level overview of the field. Best of luck to you.
Thank you so much. I am hoping to work with children in a clinic. I am interning at a local clinic now and shadowing pediatric speech language pathologists and I am really enjoying it.
Sophia
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Sophia. You should focus on communication sciences and disorders courses if your college offers them. These classes introduce you to speech, language, and hearing development. You will learn about how people communicate, how speech and language problems develop, and basic therapy techniques. Even an introductory course can help you understand the field and decide if it's the right career for you.
You can also take psychology courses. Understanding how people think, learn, and behave is essential for working with children who have communication challenges. Classes like child development and abnormal psychology are especially helpful.
Biology and anatomy are also very important. Speech-language pathologists need to understand how the body and brain control speech and language. It is also a good idea to take linguistics or language courses. Linguistics teaches you how language works, how sounds are made, and how meaning is formed.
Special education or education courses can be helpful, too. Since many speech-language pathologists work with children in schools, learning about teaching methods, learning disabilities, and classroom strategies will prepare you for real-life situations.
Wishing you all the best.
You can also take psychology courses. Understanding how people think, learn, and behave is essential for working with children who have communication challenges. Classes like child development and abnormal psychology are especially helpful.
Biology and anatomy are also very important. Speech-language pathologists need to understand how the body and brain control speech and language. It is also a good idea to take linguistics or language courses. Linguistics teaches you how language works, how sounds are made, and how meaning is formed.
Special education or education courses can be helpful, too. Since many speech-language pathologists work with children in schools, learning about teaching methods, learning disabilities, and classroom strategies will prepare you for real-life situations.
Wishing you all the best.
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Sophia !
The best path for this career is to first select the Major and that will tell you of the valuable courses that you'd be taking. I highly advise that you go for your Bachelors Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech Language Pathology, or Speech Language Hearing Science. So first choose the Major and in general, you can expect to have courses required during undergraduate school in biological and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and specific foundational topics like anatomy and physiology, phonetics, speech and language development, and scientific bases of speech. This sounds awesome !
So, the Major will have the courses you need for your Bachelors Degree and it will prepare you for your Speech Pathology Master Degree. Just be sure to obtain a 3.0 GPA or higher in undergrad school for admissions to the Masters Program. You'll need multiple academic references, too.
In the Masters Program, your state requires 400 clinical hours which I think are spread out. Your clinical practicums are required for Licensure and you'd need to do these clinicals in diverse settings such as pediatric, adult, and telepractice. Your state also requires that students complete a full-time, on-campus or distance education program that integrates research, evidence-based clinical experiences, and training in serving diverse populations. Once you've completed your Masters, you'd take and pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language.
More than just thinking about the classes for this career, it's helpful to see the full picture and become familiar with the academic path. You will find great satisfaction with this career and I wish you all the best !
The best path for this career is to first select the Major and that will tell you of the valuable courses that you'd be taking. I highly advise that you go for your Bachelors Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech Language Pathology, or Speech Language Hearing Science. So first choose the Major and in general, you can expect to have courses required during undergraduate school in biological and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and specific foundational topics like anatomy and physiology, phonetics, speech and language development, and scientific bases of speech. This sounds awesome !
So, the Major will have the courses you need for your Bachelors Degree and it will prepare you for your Speech Pathology Master Degree. Just be sure to obtain a 3.0 GPA or higher in undergrad school for admissions to the Masters Program. You'll need multiple academic references, too.
In the Masters Program, your state requires 400 clinical hours which I think are spread out. Your clinical practicums are required for Licensure and you'd need to do these clinicals in diverse settings such as pediatric, adult, and telepractice. Your state also requires that students complete a full-time, on-campus or distance education program that integrates research, evidence-based clinical experiences, and training in serving diverse populations. Once you've completed your Masters, you'd take and pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language.
More than just thinking about the classes for this career, it's helpful to see the full picture and become familiar with the academic path. You will find great satisfaction with this career and I wish you all the best !