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Master's Program

The University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) offers a Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology which is typically completed in 2 years (6 semesters of full-time enrollment, including the summer semesters).

 

Master of Science in CSD

A bachelor’s degree is required for admission to graduate school. The undergraduate degree can be in any discipline, but is most often in CSD. Students with undergraduate degrees from other disciplines are required to complete and pass a minimum of 36 credit hours of undergraduate prerequisite CSD-related coursework (minimum GPA of 3.0) in accordance with academic requirements to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Prerequisite courses include social, behavioral, biological, and physical sciences; statistics; historical and philosophical tenets of the profession of SLP; normal communication across the lifespan; overview of hearing and balance disorders; overview of speech, language, and swallowing disorders; and overview of the clinical process, continuum of service delivery, and evidence-based practices in SLP. In addition, 25 hours of guided clinical observation in the practice of speech-language pathology is required. UH CSD offers prerequisite CSD-content courses online through the Speech Pathology and Audiology Prerequisite Program (SPAPP).

 

Types of Admission

Regular Admission Status: For admission as a REGULAR CLASSIFIED GRADUATE STUDENT, applicants must present:

  • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning,
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 in the chosen major and/or in all courses taken during the final four semesters or six quarters of undergraduate preparation,
  • A minimum GPA of 3.5 in the CSD prerequisite coursework taken during undergraduate and/or postbaccalaureate preparation,
  • Adequate, appropriate undergraduate preparation, and
  • Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Desirable GRE minima are 146 on the verbal and quantitative subtests and 3.5 on the written examination. For scores below these minima, there should be evidence of compensatory strengths elsewhere in the applicant’s packet.
  • The following are the department’s admission policy for minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for non-native speakers of English: a score of 600 or better on the paper-based TOEFL, a score of 250 or better on the computer-based TOEFL, or a score of 100 or better on the internet-based TOEFL.  For other requirements specific to international students please check the website for international graduate applicants  http://www.hawaii.edu/admissions/international.html

Admission by Exception Status: Students who have not fulfilled pre-requisite coursework but have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 may be considered for Admission by Exception. Exception status will be changed to Regular status when all prerequisite courses are completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students with superior academic records who have fulfilled all prerequisite coursework will be given priority consideration for admission.

 

Academic Plans of Study

Both Plan A (thesis) and Plan B (non-thesis) are available for graduate study. The plan of study is selected by the student and his or her advisor. The decision is based upon the specific interests of the individual student and future educational and occupational objectives.

Students who have an undergraduate degree in CSD and are admitted into the program during the Fall semester will follow a Speech Language Pathology plan of study. Students granted Post-Baccalaureate/Unclassified Status to the program will require modifications to this plan.

Our program offers Fall admissions only. The Plan B Program of Study (non-thesis option) is designed to be completed in 2 years of full-time enrollment across 6 semesters (including summer sessions). The Plan A Program of Study (thesis option) requires more than 2 years, depending upon the thesis scope. In order to meet these timelines, students are highly encouraged to complete all coursework prerequisites prior to beginning the program. Incomplete prerequisites prior to beginning the program,  may result in even longer enrollment.