5 Steps to Become a Speech Therapist
Screenshot for later!
Bachelor’s degree or post-baccalaureate certificate in a related field
Often, students study communication disorders where they will learn foundations for speech pathology. Other related undergraduate degrees may include linguistics, language development, and education.
I did a post-baccalaureate route to become an SLP since I originally graduated with my bachelors degree in business administration and Biblical studies.
Before taking a post-baccalaureate option I recommend checking with your potential grad schools to see the grade minimums and transferability of classes. Some of my post-bac classes did not transfer and it ended up costing me over $20,000 more and a lot more time!
Remember that grad schools often require three (or more) letters of reference- keep this in mind as you form relationships with your professors!
2. Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology
A Masters degree from an accredited graduate school is required. Graduate school can be attended online or in person. Depending on your school you will get a Masters of Arts or a Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology.
CSDCAS is a central site where students applying to graduate school can upload one application, then distribute the application to multiple schools.
I attended grad school online and did the 400 required clinical hours in person. My clinical experiences were in early intervention (treatment for birth-3 year within homes or daycare settings), inpatient rehab in a hospital, elementary school, and pediatric outpatient.
The Masters degree will include classes on topics including fluency, language development, speech sound disorders, dysphagia (swallowing disorders), phonetics, and voice.
The coursework can be intense- I suggest partnering with your classmates for regular study sessions and sharing study guides and resources when possible. I was so grateful when others in my cohort had study materials I had missed or forgot to make.
As one of my professors liked to remind my class, the others in your cohort and your professors are your future colleagues.
3. Pass the Praxis Exam
To study for the Praxis exam, I read Advanced Review of Speech-Language Pathology book nearly from cover to cover and took notes. I would suggest this book for Praxis prep- it’s also a great reference for SLPs working in the field!
In addition to reading the Advanced Review of Speech-Language Pathology I also took two practice tests on ETS, the testing site that provides and proctors the exam.
I would encourage students studying for the Praxis to review ETS tests and study guides to become familiar with how questions are phrased and what areas to study.
My school did comprehensive exams at then end of the 4th semester of 5. Many students in my cohort, including myself, took the Praxis with days or weeks of our comprehensive exams since the studying applied to both exams.
I benefited from the extra studying, however I know people who passed the Praxis easily on the first try and didn’t do extra studying!
The typical passing grade for the Praxis is 162, however it may vary test to test as it is based on a scaled score. In an almost monthly cycle the Praxis topics change to prevent students retaking the same exam or sharing testing information.
4. Complete a Clinical Fellowship
Once you graduate, your first job will be considered your clinical fellowship. The work you do as a CF is completed under the supervision of a mentor.
Following graduation but prior to beginning any treatment you must apply for a state license in the state you are practicing. If you are doing teletherapy you will likely be required to be licensed in your home state as well as the state you are practicing in.
Per ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) “As a Clinical Fellow, you must work at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours to meet the ASHA CF experience requirement. In addition, you must work at least 5 hours per week to be able to count the hours/week toward the minimum requirement.”
As you apply to jobs some may be listed as “accepting CFs”, which means they likely have a supervisor/mentor available for a CF.
I encourage new CFs to apply to multiple places for their first job to compare mentor styles, salary, and job expectations. Don’t be afraid to share the potential salary with a more seasoned SLP to see if the rate is reasonable before you accept the job.
Do not be afraid to negotiate your rates! SLPs are in high demand- schools and medical settings alike are often required to have SLPs on staff. Please remember you are needed by the employer, not the other way around.
Instead of haphazardly Googling “slp salary in CA” check out https://slp.careers/ where you can sort real SLP salaries and hourly rates by state and area of practice.
Some SLPs have a dream job that may not be available immediately upon graduation. Remember that there are often options to work PRN (as needed) in a more desired field until a spot opens.
5. Become certified and/or obtain a permanent license upon completion of the CF
Once you have completed your CF you can convert your temporary state license to a permanent license and apply for your Certificate of Clinical Competence (C’s) through ASHA.
Once you have your C’s you can sign your name- ex. Sally Hansen, CCC-SLP.
Some states do not require your C’s to practice in school settings, however to supervise a student or CF or work in medical settings C’s are required.
Once you are licensed there are continuing education requirements for maintaining licensure.
Things to know if you are considering a Speech Therapy career
Most jobs require SLPs to have C’s which are maintained through ASHA membership.
You can work in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, outpatient, and home health.
SLPs work with both communication (speech and language), cognition and swallowing disorders.
If taking on debt for undergraduate and graduate school, look into the debt to income ratios for SLP graduates.
