24 Online Speech Pathology Programs

Looking for online speech pathology undergraduate and graduate programs? When I was shopping around for programs way back in 2003, I didn’t have as many online options as there are these days. I was a non-traditional student: I had a B.A. in Spanish & a minor in Business and I’d had four years of work experience with Kraft Foods. But I was so ready for a change. I wanted to work with kids and make a difference — two things that were not happening in my corporate job. However, I was cautious. I didn’t want to commit to a potentially costly masters program within being sure that speech-language pathology was right for me. So I took a full year of undergraduate speech therapy courses at Northern Illinois University. I was considered a “student-at-large” taking my deficiencies — I drove an hour each way every day to attend class. After that year at NIU, I was totally convinced that speech was a fit for me and I went to Northwestern University to get my masters degree.

If you are a non-traditional student, I highly recommend the path I took. I was lucky that I could have an on-campus experience at Northern Illinois University because there is value to meeting faculty and peers face-to-face. I still am friends with many of those folks and that’s really fun personally as well as it’s great for networking.

However, online would have been incredibly convenient, especially if you are getting your feet wet in the profession as a non-traditional student like I was. And if you are a non-traditional student who also has family obligations, too.

I did quite a bit of internet research to compile a list of online programs including online BA/BS options, “deficiency” or “leveling” coursework in speech online, and finally online MA/MS graduate programs in speech-language pathology. I did not research online SLPA programs because many states including my home state of Illinois, is slowly fading out those positions as they move toward an emphasis on masters-level clinicians.

As you can see below, there aren’t very many online BA/BS programs, but there are quite a few online “deficiency” programs and MA/MS programs. These options are fantastic and convenient for individuals interested in completing degrees in our profession that may have family commitments that make attending in a traditional campus a challenge. With the personnel shortages in our field, this is a wonderful way to get more people certified and helping people.

Online Bachelor’s Programs:

• Nova Southeastern University  http://healthsciences.nova.edu/slp/speech-language-communication-disorders.html
• University of Florida http://slhs.phhp.ufl.edu/academics/dl/undergraduate/ug/
• University of South Florida http://usfsm.edu/programs/communication-sciences-disorders-new/
• Northern Arizona University https://nau.edu/chhs/health-sciences/degree-programs/speech-language-sciences/
• Utah State University: https://comd.usu.edu/htm/online-programs/communicative-disorders-2nd

Online Prerequisite Programs (if you already have a bachelor’s in something other than speech – which was me back in the day!): So there are several schools that offer the undergraduate speech prerequisites online. So these courses are the undergrad speech courses if you have a bachelors in something other than speech. Many graduate programs provide those courses for you as a graduate student. It depends:

• Florida State University https://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu/academic-programs-admissions/graduate-prerequisites-bridge-program/
• Northwestern University http://sps.northwestern.edu/program-areas/post-baccalaureate/prespeech-pathology/
• University of Vermont https://learn.uvm.edu/program/speech-language-pathology-pre-masters-certificate/
• Sacred Heart University http://www.sacredheart.edu/academics/collegeofhealthprofessions/academicprograms/speech-languagepathology/speech-languagepathologyonlineprerequisiteseries/
• California State University – Northridge  http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/CDSP
• Colorado University – Boulder http://www.colorado.edu/slhs/online/speech-language-pathology-prerequisites-slpp-program
• Longwood University  http://www.longwood.edu/continuingeducation/for-credit-courses/speech-language-pathology-prerequisites-online/

Online Graduate School Programs:

• Nova Southeastern University http://healthsciences.nova.edu/slp/index.html
• California State University – Northridge http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/CDS
• University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire http://www.uwec.edu/CSD/grad/online-graduate-program-in-speech-language-pathology.htm
• Idaho State http://www2.isu.edu/csed/speech/
• Western Kentucky University https://www.wku.edu/communicationdisorders/slpgraduateprogram.php
• University of Northern Colorado http://www.unco.edu/NHS/asls/OnlineMASLPOverview.htm
• University of Wyoming http://www.uwyo.edu/comdis/distance-study/
• East Carolina University https://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/csd/de.cfm
• New York University https://speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu/

MA/MS Graduate Programs with Unique Requirements:

• James Madison http://www.csd.jmu.edu/dlve-slp/ (Masters program admits every other year)
• Eastern Illinois University http://www.eiu.edu/commdisgrad/GraduateDistanceProgram.php (Online except for three six-week summer sessions in person)
• Texas Woman’s University http://www.twu.edu/communication-sciences/MS-slp-online.asp (Online option available to Texas residents only)

Feel free to email me if you know of another program and I will update this list. Good luck to you wherever you are in your search/career!