Admission Criteria

The online Master of Science (M.S.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders program, is designed for aspiring speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who want to serve children and adults affected by communication and swallowing disorders. Our world-class program is accredited and features a strong community of ethical leaders with a wealth of experience educating CSD scholars.

Our admissions committee takes a holistic approach to the admissions process and carefully reviews all items associated with an individual’s application. Below are a handful of characteristics our admissions committee looks for in a successful candidate: 

Students can complete the 45-credit online graduate degree in seven to 11 part-time trimesters or five full-time trimesters.

The curriculum includes clinical placements and fieldwork, providing ongoing, real-world experience, and valuable networking opportunities.

Students complete at least 400 field hours across one internship and three practica for nine credit hours in total. Each practica counts as one credit hour and involves a weekly commitment of 16-20 hours. The internship counts as five credits and involves a weekly commitment of 35-40 hours.

There are two tracks for this program: the Graduate (Standard Track) and the Prerequisites & Graduate Program (Leveling Track).

For more information on the two tracks and how to apply, see more information below.

Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences upholds the same admissions standards for both our online and on-campus master’s programs.

Applicants to the speech-language pathology program must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university.

If you do not have a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD), you may have to take leveling courses before beginning the graduate-level courses.

Your ability to maintain registration on the first day of classes and participate in Clinical experiences is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screening.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) standards for speech-language pathology certification require demonstrated undergraduate-level knowledge of the basic sciences. All students, including those with undergraduate CSD degrees, must have completed all basic science requirements before their graduate coursework can begin. All courses must be a minimum of three credits, and you must have earned a passing grade (D or Better).

These requirements include:

Baylor will accept courses taken through high school for dual credit, such as Advanced Placement (AP) courses if they are listed on your transcript.

Before you can begin graduate-level coursework at Baylor, you must complete undergraduate-level CSD courses. These courses must have been taken at an accredited college or university within the last five years. All courses must be a minimum of three credits, and you must have earned a passing grade (B or better).

If your bachelor’s degree is not in the CSD field, you may be required to complete the following six leveling courses (18 credits) before beginning our online program:

These leveling courses are available online from Baylor. Contact an admissions counselor to discuss your background and leveling course options.

Our admissions committee reviews transcripts after applications have been submitted. After reviewing applications, the admissions committee will inform all applicants which course requirements have been satisfied and which still need to be met.

To apply to the program, you must submit the following:

Our admissions team is available to answer any questions regarding application requirements, however, they cannot accept submissions of application materials. All application materials must be submitted to our application services team (CSDappsvcs@onlinegrad.baylor.edu). Application materials that are not submitted through application services will not be accepted.

• Resume/CV

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  You must upload your resume or CV into the online application. You are encouraged to include relevant speech-language therapy related experiences on your resume, as this may speak to your potential in the CSD graduate program, including medical work experience, research, teaching, UG courses and clinical experiences, and volunteer work.

• Transcripts

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  You must submit transcripts from all degree-bearing institutions you have attended. Unofficial transcripts can be used to complete an online application for review, but before you can begin the program, you will need to have official transcripts sent to the Baylor admissions team.

  You will also need to submit unofficial transcripts for each basic science and leveling course if these courses were not part of a degree-bearing transcript. Before you begin the program, you will need to have official transcripts for all basic science and leveling courses sent to the Baylor admissions team.

  Please note that unofficial transcripts must include the following:

  • Full name of the institution (no abbreviations)
  • Student name
  • Student ID
  • Semesters
  • Course title and grade received
  • Grading scale (if different than 4.0 scale)
  • Level of study
  • Degree conferral date (if degree granted)

  All students are required to submit official transcripts to prove leveling and ASHA science requirements have been met. If admitted to the program, students are required to provide official degree bearing transcripts prior to registering for their first term of classes.

  International applicants who have transcripts in a language other than English must submit an original copy of the transcript as well as a translation. The translation should come directly from the school or from a professional, certified translator. It must contain all information shown on the original-language documents and mirror them as precisely as possible. Dual-language transcripts are acceptable. If the primary language of the institution was not English, then an evaluation is required.

  Transcripts can be submitted electronically to CSDappsvcs@onlinegrad.baylor.edu or by mail to the following address:

  Baylor University
  Application Processing Center
  CSD@Baylor
  PO Box 30096 003-003
  College Station, TX 77842

  Please note: To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university.

• Documented Observation Hours

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  ASHA requires students to complete 25 clinical observation hours. If you have already completed these hours, you will need to upload your Observation Hours Record form to the application. This form must be signed by an ASHA-licensed SLP and must include their SLP credentials and ASHA number.

  For observation hours to be accepted they must be completed under the auspice and/or arranged by a university program. The observation log, form, or letter must (1) be on university letterhead, (2) state that at least 25 hours of “Guided Observation” were completed and (3) include the supervising SLP’s signature and ASHA number. Master Clinician Network (MCN) logs also will be accepted if they include each of the three required items.

• Letters of Recommendation

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  Three letters of recommendation are required from academic references such as professors or advisors. If you submit professional references, Baylor will only accept recommendations from a supervisor level or above. Recommendations from coworkers and friends will not be accepted.

  A link to Baylor’s online recommendation form will be sent to the email addresses you provide in the online application.

• Personal Statement

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  You are required to submit a personal statement that highlights your reasons for applying to Baylor University as well as your goals for graduate studies and your career.

  The personal statement should be approximately two pages and will be used to evaluate your writing skills. Baylor will not accept additional writing samples.

  Throughout your statement, be sure to:

  • Describe your personal journey with speech-language pathology and detail your passion and ambition for entering the field.
  • Explain your goals and aspirations as you look forward to becoming a speech-language pathologist.
  • Show an understanding of our online CSD graduate program and how your values align with the mission and core principles of the program.
  • Display clear and concise writing ability within a scholarly format that utilizes a strong breadth of vocabulary to communicate your intentions. 

  The personal statement should be approximately two pages. Formatting should be size-12 font, Times New Roman, double spaced. Your personal statement will be used to evaluate your writing skills. Baylor will not accept additional writing samples.

• TOEFL/IELTS Scores

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  International applicants are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if English is not their first language or their degree was not conferred by a U.S.-accredited higher education institution.

Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences offers virtual tours of the online classroom experience. To schedule one or to learn more about other virtual engagement opportunities, please contact the admissions team at csdadmissions@onlinegrad.baylor.edu or 844-388-2866.