Interested in becoming a speech pathologist? Does the thought of helping those with physical or cognitive speech disorders learn to talk appeal to you?
If so, keep reading. In this article, we'll talk about the many training and educational requirements necessary to pursue a career in speech pathology and the steps you can take to pursue this career.
What Does a Speech-Language Pathologist Do?
Speech-language pathologists, also called speech therapists, are healthcare professionals who help individuals improve their speaking and communication skills.
They commonly work with those suffering from developmental disabilities, diseases, injuries, and other health problems that affect their ability to speak and communicate.
Speech-language pathologists have various job duties, including:
- Providing patient evaluation and assessment
- Creating an individualized treatment plan to address specific needs
- Teaching patients effective speaking techniques
- Addressing underlying issues causing speech problems, such as difficulty swallowing
- Providing emotional support to patients and their families
Speech-language pathologists often work with children in educational settings, but they may also work with teenagers, adults, and elderly citizens.
They commonly work in schools, outpatient facilities, hospitals, long-term care facilities, private practices, and specialist clinics.
What Qualities and Skills Do You Need to Be a Speech-Language Pathologist?
Speech-language pathologists undergo years of training to identify and diagnose a wide variety of speech issues and develop techniques to address them.
They must have excellent communication and speaking skills to communicate with various patients and their families, as well as other health professionals.
They must be kind, empathetic, and patient. They must have strong problem-solving skills and a willingness to try various techniques.
Speech-language pathologists must enjoy social interaction with a wide variety of people and enjoy the challenge of conducting therapy sessions. Otherwise, they may quickly burn out.
Steps to Be A Speech Pathologist
Do you think you have what it takes to become a speech-language pathologist? Let's take a look at the intensive education and certification requirements.
1. Obtain a Bachelor's Degree
Aspiring speech-language pathologists must obtain a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite to pursuing this career.
You can major in any subject, but pursuing a degree related to communication or health will give you the best foundation. Some good options include:
- Psychology
- Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Communication Studies
- Language Development
- Education
It will take you about four years to finish your degree if you study full-time. You may be able to complete your degree online.
2. Obtain a Master's Degree
Next, you will need to obtain a master's degree. Unlike your bachelor's degree, which can be in any field, your master's degree should be highly specific.
You'll want to pursue a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. Make sure the program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation.
As part of the program, you will need to complete 400 hours of clinical work, 25 of which are observational while the rest are direct contact between student and patient.
These clinical hours are necessary to obtain certification later on in your career path. Most master's degree programs take two to three years to complete.
You can also complete a master's degree in speech pathology online if that works better for you.
3. Work a Fellowship
After graduating with your graduate degree, you'll need to meet strict hands-on training requirements that can best be attained by working a fellowship.
The fellowship must involve 1,260 clinical hours and 36 weeks of full-time work experience. You must be supervised by a certified speech-language pathologist.
Fellowships typically last for about a year and can be highly competitive. Begin applying for them before graduating, and apply for more than one to give yourself the best chance of acceptance into a program.
4. Complete the Praxis II Exam
During or immediately following your fellowship, you will need to pass the Praxis II Subject Assessment: Speech-Language Pathology exam.
The exam consists of multiple-choice and written questions. To pass, you will need to score at least 162 out of a possible 200 points.
Taking and passing this test is a crucial step in becoming a speech-language pathologist, as it is one of the requirements for certification.
The test is administered by the Education Testing Service.
5. Get Certified and Licensed
To begin practicing as a speech-language pathologist, you will need to obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) credential.
This certification comes from the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association. Requirements include graduate school transcripts, Praxis score, and documentation of fellowship and clinical experience.
You will also need to obtain a license to practice as a speech-language pathologist in your state. Each state has slightly different requirements, so be sure to familiarize yourself with your state's guidelines.
Finally, you may need to complete continuing education throughout your career to maintain state licensure. Again, the requirements will vary from state to state.
Pursue a Career in Speech Pathology Today
Becoming a speech-language pathologist is a long and challenging career path, but the payoff can be extremely rewarding. Follow the steps above to begin pursuing this career today.