Curriculum

The MS-SLP program at Indiana University South Bend is dedicated to educating and training future leaders in the field of speech-language pathology through collaborative and community engaged classroom and clinical experiences. Students will develop clinical practices that embrace human dignity, preparing them for the evolving needs of the population.

Graduates of the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) master’s program at IU South Bend will be fully qualified to work as speech-language pathologists. The program takes about 5 semesters (a little over 2 years) to finish and includes 67 credit hours of classes. Students learn about working with people from different cultures, teaming up with other healthcare professionals, and helping with challenges like language delays, voice problems, stuttering, swallowing issues, memory and thinking skills, social communication, and hearing loss.

All students in the master’s program will do five semesters of hands-on training, where they work directly with clients for at least 375 hours. Training starts on campus with small diagnostic teams, then moves into the community at schools, hospitals, and other sites. During these placements, students practice real-world skills, problem-solving, and teamwork with professional speechlanguage pathologists. Two of these experiences are full-time internships, one in the summer and one in the final spring semester.

Students will take part in hands-on activities built into their classes. These might include practicing with life-like manikins, working with trained actors who act as patients, or trying out the tests and treatments they learned about in class.

Students will have opportunities to collaborate with students enrolled in majors that crossover to the field of speech-language pathology. In addition to the embedded interprofessional education anchors, students will work with faculty and peers in education, nursing, radiography, medicine and dental hygiene.

Students are required to complete a Capstone project or a thesis option to graduate. More details can be found within the Student Program Handbook.

Students will be required to pass a comprehensive written examination. Details regarding the content, format, and preparation of this examination are available in the Program Handbook.

Upon completion of the clinical fellowship year, you are eligible for the Certificate of Clinical Competency and can obtain licensure in all 50 states in the U.S., including Washington D.C.