Speech Pathology and Audiology, BS

Chairperson: Emily Patterson, Au.D., CCC-A
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology website

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Marquette University offers a bachelor of science degree in speech pathology and audiology and a master of science degree in speech-language pathology. The undergraduate program is considered pre-professional, meaning that a graduate degree is necessary before a person is qualified for professional employment.

The primary purpose of the undergraduate program is to provide introductory level knowledge in the field of Speech Pathology and Audiology, within the context of a traditional liberal Arts and Sciences education, which prepares an individual for study in a professional graduate degree program. This liberal education is based on the philosophy that the individual with an educational foundation in the Arts and Sciences has a broad appreciation for society and its values. Such a traditional undergraduate emphasis provides the needed foundation for the more narrowly focused professional education at the graduate level and is suitable for careers in other communication, education and health-related professions besides speech-language pathology and audiology.

The undergraduate major in speech pathology and audiology includes courses in the areas of normal speech production and development, disorders of speech, language and hearing and methods of evaluation and therapy. Clinical practicum involves actual work with children and adults having speech/language/hearing problems under the direct supervision of certified speech-language pathologists and audiologists. This work is accomplished at the Marquette University Speech and Hearing Clinic. Professional preparation occurs at the graduate level and is a prerequisite for certification/licensure as a professional speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

Degree Offered

The undergraduate curriculum in Speech Pathology and Audiology is a four-year program leading to a bachelor of science degree.

Admission Requirements

Students may enter the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology as a freshman, or may transfer into the program from another university division or another institution later in their academic program. Marquette students interested in transferring to the major are required to have a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA and are accepted on a competitive basis. Transfer applicants should understand that admission into most graduate programs is very competitive and requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 to apply, and higher to be competitive. Admission into the undergraduate major in speech pathology and audiology qualifies students for the bachelor of science program; it does not extend to the graduate (master’s degree) level. Students may apply for conditional admission to the graduate program as an incoming freshman through the direct admit program or in their junior year of the program as outlined below. For students planning to apply to graduate programs at other institutions, admission requirements vary from one university to another and applicants are responsible for meeting the requirements of the institution they desire to enter.

Direct Admit Speech-Language Pathology Program (DRSP)

The Direct Admit Speech-Language Pathology Program (DRSP) allows incoming freshmen to apply for conditional acceptance to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology with the undergraduate application to Marquette University. Applicants to this program must meet the admission requirements listed in the university section of this bulletin and complete an additional essay. Applications are reviewed on a competitive basis. Students accepted to the DRSP program must meet the following requirements to maintain the conditional admission to the master's program after the senior year:

  1. Minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.000 at time of application to the graduation program in junior year.
  2. SPPA major course requirements:
    1. Cumulative SPPA major GPA of 3.500 or higher at the end of each academic year. One probationary period is allowed if the SPPA major GPA does not meet this requirement.  
    2. All SPPA major courses must be completed at MU with grades of B- or higher.
  3. SPPA foundational course requirements (biological science, physical science, general psychology, development psychology/education, statistics and medical ethics):
    1. No more than two SPPA foundational courses may be transferred from another institution or though AP/IB/dual enrollment credits completed in high school. SPPA foundational courses completed through Marquette-approved study abroad do not count towards this course limit.  
    2. SPPA foundational courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher, with no more than two courses with C grades. Grades of C- or lower do not fulfill foundational course requirements for the DRSP program.
    3. A maximum of one SPPA foundational course may be repeated for a higher grade.
  4. All SPPA foundational courses and all but one SPPA major course must be completed by the end of the Fall term in the senior year. Any exception requires preapproval of the department chair.
  5. Earn a grade of 'S' in SPPA 3964 Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology 1: Campus Clinic with no areas of remediation.

DRSP students who meet the above requirements formally apply to the master's program via the Graduate School's application process by early January of the junior year (defined as the year prior to B.S. degree completion). In lieu of recommendation letters, students need endorsement from three faculty supporting advancement into the graduate program. Students are notified of admission to the graduate program in late February of the junior year. The deadline to formally accept the offer of admission to the graduate program is December 31 of the senior year.

Junior Year Transfer ApplicaNTs

This transfer window allows current juniors in the SPPA major, who are not in the DRSP program, to be admitted to the DRSP program and gain early acceptance to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, based on space availability. Students who meet the DRSP program requirements listed are eligible to submit an application to the master's program via the Graduate School's application system via the timeline outlined for the DRSP program.  

Professional Standards

All papers produced by students in all classes under department jurisdiction are expected to conform to professional standards of lucidity, coherence, grammar, spelling and punctuation. All oral presentations produced by students in all classes under department jurisdiction are expected to conform to professional standards of lucidity, coherence and grammar. All instructors in all classes under department jurisdiction consider the factors listed above, as well as substance, in grading written and oral presentations.

Undergraduate CLINICAL Practicum in Speech Pathology and Audiology

Students majoring in Speech Pathology and Audiology may complete up to 50 clock hours of direct work with individuals with speech/language/hearing problems. This practicum experience is closely supervised by university personnel who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This practicum typically begins second term of the junior year and is generally completed in two terms.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN SPECIALIZED FACILITIES

The Marquette University Speech and Hearing Clinic serves as a working laboratory for students in the speech pathology and audiology program to gain clinical practicum experience. The clinic has individual therapy rooms for adults and children, three diagnostic suites, a hearing testing suite and rooms designed for specialized speech/language therapy: developmental treatment room, adult language room, augmentative/alternate communication room and sensory integration room. Speech pathology and audiology research laboratories include communication, movement and learning lab; child language and literacy lab; speech and swallowing lab; neurodevelopmental feeding and swallowing lab; and neurogenic communication lab.