15 Best Online Master’s in Speech Pathology Programs with No GRE [2024 SLP Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Tania Staley
Updated on September 17, 2024
We’ve compiled information about some of the best online speech pathology master’s programs for 2024.
Communication skills help people make connections. When speech is hindered, communication becomes more difficult.
As a speech-language pathologist, you’ll have opportunities to help people improve their communication skills and, as a result, their ability to connect with others. You could also assist people with other daily challenges, such as swallowing disorders.
Whether you focus your career on communication skills or swallowing therapy, you’ll be joining a rewarding, growing field. Speech-language pathology jobs are expected to increase by 18% over the next 10 years.
To prepare for this important profession, compare online SLP master’s programs to see which is best for you!
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The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
Established in 1845, Baylor University is a privately run university affiliated with the Baptist Church.
They are located in Waco, Texas, and were originally founded by the last Congress of the Texas Republic. This makes them the oldest tertiary-level institution in the state. Their main urban campus is 1,000 acres and serves over 17,000 students.
Baylor University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
California State University at Northridge dates back to 1972 after the old San Fernando State Valley School was restructured and integrated into the state’s public university system.
The school serves over 38,000 students on its main campus, located in a residential suburb of Los Angeles, and is one of the most diverse public universities in the country.
California State University – Northridge is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
East Carolina University is one of the leading public research institutions in North Carolina. ECU dates back to 1907, although it was originally founded as a teacher training school.
The school’s three main campuses are located in the city of Greenville. This includes a 530-acre main campus, the West Research Center, and a health sciences complex.
East Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Florida State University is a public, research-focused university with sea and space grants. FSU is located in Tallahassee, where it was founded in 1851.
It currently serves over 40,000 students and employs almost 6,000 faculty members. U.S. News & World Report has named FSU one of the country’s best public universities.
Florida State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Located in the small college town of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a public institution that dates back to 1901. It is now one of the leading universities in the state, serving over 12,000 students.
Its 1,000-acre campus offers a superb 17:1 student-teacher ratio and 56 student clubs.
Idaho State University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
James Madison University is a public university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school dates back to 1908, although it was originally established as an industrial school for women.
JMU’s main campus encompasses 721 acres of developed land, two certified historical landmark buildings, and a recreation center. It currently serves over 22,000 students.
James Madison University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
New York University is one of the largest and most prestigious private universities on the East Coast. NYU dates back to 1831 and currently serves over 50,000 students. Most students are enrolled in the main Manhattan campus, but NYU has extension centers in all five continents.
NYU is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best universities in the world.
New York University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Nova Southeastern University is located in the small city of Davie, Florida. It is a small and private institution, originally established in 1964.
Its suburban campus encompasses 480 acres and offers classrooms and housing for over 20,000 students. It also maintains regional campuses in North Miami and Tampa.
Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Despite its name, the Texas Woman’s University is a public, coeducational institution serving over 12,000 students with a strong presence across Texas. It was founded in 1901 in Denton, Texas, but has satellite campuses in Dallas and Houston.
TWU began accepting men in 1994 but remains the largest primarily female state university in the US.
Texas Woman’s University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Located in Akron, Ohio, the University of Akron was originally established in 1870 as Buchtel College and affiliated with the Universalist Church. It is now state-run and integrated with the state’s university system.
The University of Akron has a 218-acre campus and a highly renowned basketball team and serves over 16,000 students.
The University of Akron is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Montana is a public university in Missoula that dates back to 1893. It’s the largest and most prestigious university of the Montana University System and currently serves over 10,000 students.
It’s one of the highest producers of Rhodes scholars.
The University of Montana is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Originally founded in 1889, the University of Northern Colorado is a relatively small public university in Greeley. Its suburban campus is divided into six colleges and serves over 12,000 students. The school has nearly 500 full-time lecturers and 595 doctoral candidates.
The University of Northern Colorado is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1801, the University of South Carolina is the well-renowned flagship institution of its state’s public university system.
USC serves over 35,000 students and employs 1,600 faculty members. It also has a well-developed network of adjacent feeder colleges and a top-of-the-line varsity football team.
The University of South Carolina was most recently accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in 2011.
The University of St. Augustine is a private university exclusively devoted to training graduate students. Its main campus is in San Marcos, California, and dates back to 1979. It also has satellite programs in Miami and St. Augustine, Florida, and Dallas and Austin, Texas.
The University of St. Augustine is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Western Kentucky University is a public university located in Bowling Green. It was founded in 1906 by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
WKU currently has over 20,000 students, over 770 full-time lecturers, and a sprawling suburban campus. It also has satellite campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown, and Owensboro.
Western Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Speech-language pathologists are practitioners who use their scientific knowledge about communication and oral functions to help people overcome obstacles in their daily lives. Often, these professionals help people learn to form words and speak clearly, but that’s not all they do.
Speech-language pathologists help with five primary areas of concern:
With expert knowledge in speech pathology, you can help others find success in their interpersonal relationships and daily activities.
To earn an online master’s in speech pathology, you’ll take classes related to speech and swallowing processes. Common topics studied include human anatomy, developmental disorders, and communication science. This coursework can help you build familiarity with speech disorders and learn ways to help people overcome these physical or cognitive challenges.
These are some common courses in speech-pathology master’s programs:
Most speech-pathology programs include clinical practicums. These clinical experiences are typically spread throughout the curriculum.
There are nonclinical programs available if you don’t intend to become a certified speech pathologist, but keep in mind that a nonclinical track can limit your future career options, so consider carefully whether that’s the right approach for you.
Some programs include an optional or required thesis. This research project provides an opportunity to apply what you’ve learned and dive deep into a subject that interests you. On the other hand, a thesis will likely make the program take longer to complete.
To enroll in a master’s program, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree. It is ideal if your bachelor’s degree is in a field related to speech-language pathology. If not, you will likely need to take some prerequisite classes before starting your master’s studies.
Taking anatomy, statistics, language, and audiology classes can provide foundational knowledge essential to your graduate-level study of speech-language pathology.
Additional admissions requirements typically include:
Not all schools require prospective students to take the GRE. These scores are not necessarily indicative of success in grad school, so some universities opt not to consider them.
Others factor GRE scores into their admissions decisions but grant waivers for qualified students with professional experience, high undergraduate GPAs, or previous graduate work.
Most speech-language pathologists are certified clinical practitioners who work with patients in a variety of settings. Hospitals, medical clinics, schools, early childhood programs, and residential facilities are common worksites for these professionals.
As a speech therapist, you may work with kids, people with developmental disabilities, patients with injuries and illnesses, or senior citizens. Many therapists focus on a specialty, such as feeding skills, audiology, or speech fluency.
A clinical practitioner’s responsibilities typically include:
Many professionals find that entering a career in speech pathology is worth it.
Most speech-language pathologists earn between $57,910 and $129,930 each year. The number of jobs in this field is expected to grow significantly more quickly than the national average over the next decade.
Some people with training in speech therapy choose not to become certified clinical practitioners. Instead, they may work in various industrial settings. For example, your expertise could be useful in a company that manufactures hearing devices or feeding instruments.
Other speech-language pathologists work in academia. You could become a professor or researcher. On average, postsecondary educators earn $84,380 annually, and the field is expected to experience an 8% growth rate.
For any course of study, you should choose an accredited college, particularly one with regional accreditation from a CHEA-recognized regional accrediting agency.
These include:
To earn regional accreditation, schools must meet general standards of educational excellence. This is important so you know that your tuition fees are going toward quality academics. Regional accreditation is also necessary to qualify for federal financial aid and can make transferring your credits to other schools easier.
In the field of speech-language pathology, there’s another type of degree accreditation that you should consider. To become a certified professional, you must attend a speech-language pathology program approved by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
This accreditation, often called “CAA accreditation,” is awarded by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
Many schools offer online paths to earning a master’s degree in speech pathology. Both MA and MS programs are available.
Accredited online programs offer comparable content, instruction, and assignments to their on-campus counterparts.
Most full-time students complete speech pathology master’s programs in about 2 years.
This can vary based on the structure of your university’s academic calendar, but you can expect an online SLP program to be at least this long since you’ll need time to complete your clinical practicums.
Becoming a practicing speech pathologist requires earning a speech-pathologist graduate degree and licensure.
Here’s what a typical path to a career in speech-language pathology entails:
Of course, your path may take a different course or have additional steps.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is a professional organization that oversees people and practices in this field.
ASHA bestows the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) on qualified professionals. In some states, this certification is optional for working as a speech-language pathologist, but other states require it for licensure.
Many people use “speech pathologist” and “speech therapist” interchangeably.
The term “speech pathologist” is more common among professionals, but there’s not a formal distinction between the two titles.
Although speech-language pathology and audiology are related fields, there are distinctions between the two.
Speech-language pathologists:
Audiologists:
If you’re interested in both fields, you could look for a speech-language pathology master’s program with a concentration in audiology.
A master’s degree or doctorate is required to become a speech-language pathologist.
A bachelor’s alone is insufficient for pursuing licensure in this field. There are online SLP master’s programs if you need more flexibility.
The field of speech-language pathology needs an increasing number of trained professionals.
To reduce obstacles that might keep talented people from entering this line of work, many schools have online speech-pathology master’s programs with no GRE required for admission.
Instead, colleges may consider other qualifications, such as work experience, bachelor’s GPA, or professional recommendations.
For example, Nova Southeastern University does not require GRE scores for its online master’s in speech pathology program.
For schools that require GRE scores, try to achieve a combined score of at least 295 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the test and a 3.5 on the analytical writing part.
If your scores are lower, look for universities with GRE waivers or no GRE requirements.
After earning your master’s in speech-language pathology, you could work with children, the elderly, or people with disabilities or injuries.
Your skills could help people become more fluent communicators or learn to swallow food and drink safely. You might work for a school, medical facility, or home health organization.
Imagine if you couldn’t speak or swallow well. Your struggles would likely affect your relationships and quality of life, and you’d want a caring, knowledgeable person to help you overcome those problems.
As a speech-language pathologist, you could fill that role for many people. As the population ages, the demand for trained professionals is growing. Whether you want to work with children or adults, your training in communication science can prepare you for a career in which you can make a real difference in others’ lives.
To get started, pursue your master’s in speech pathology online from an accredited online school. Discover the program built for your success—click “Find My Program.”
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