Speech Language Pathology - Master of Science

Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (MS)

This program is designed for people with a college degree who want to become Speech-Language Pathologists.

Historically, about half of our students have an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology, while the rest have a diversity of undergraduate degrees including linguistics, education, biology, psychology, English, business, engineering, drama, music, family/child studies and world languages.

This comprehensive, innovative program:

  • Is a two-year, full-time program that starts each September
  • Integrates intensive study of written language disorders with the traditional study of spoken language disorders
  • Emphasizes both educational and medical speech-language pathology training, enabling you to work with the full range of congenital, developmental and acquired disorders

See the program's application process for prerequisites and other admission requirements.

Optional Concentrations for Specialty Training

The program's extensive core curriculum and specialty electives eliminate the need for tracking into either a medical or educational course of study. Instead, you may specialize in an area of interest through concentrations, including:

  • Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Reading Disorders
  • Voice Disorders

Our integration of written with spoken language disorders studies also allows you to become eligible for:

Many of our students graduate with extra credit hours simply because they want to take full advantage of the powerful, scholarly opportunities afforded them through our elective offerings.

Research and Thesis Options

Research opportunities and thesis options are available if you wish to pursue them. Faculty research projects are ongoing in the areas of autism, voice, reading/literacy, aphasia, cognitive impairment, and phonology.

You can participate in faculty research or take advantage of our centralized location within the hub of New England’s top teaching and research institutions and our affiliation with the world-class Partners HealthCare and our more than 200 active affiliates.

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, you will be prepared to serve in both educational and health care settings as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Clinical Experience

To integrate classroom and clinical learning, our program offers intensive but supportive clinical experiences. Two initial in-house practica, involving work with developmental speech-language and reading problems, take place onsite under close faculty supervision in the MGH Institute Speech, Language and Literacy Center. During these two semesters, students pair up in dyads sharing primary and secondary roles in planning and conducting evaluations and therapy with clients who have spoken and written language disorders.

These peer-pairings allow students to ease into their first clinical experiences with a greater sense of security, while also enabling them to have more experiences with a wider array of clients. Client casework is reviewed weekly at clinical case discussion groups where students present their cases for the week. Weekly seminars offer hands-on learning of clinical procedures and techniques.

A minimum of three offsite practica (some students elect to take a fourth) follow the in-house practica. Each student’s offsite practica include one school setting, one setting in which they work with adults, and one setting of their choosing. Practicum placements are individually determined through consultation with clinical coordinators to best ensure the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

MGH Institute students enjoy priority placements at prestigious health care facilities (including Massachusetts General Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Boston VA Healthcare System) and schools (including Boston Public Schools and Winthrop Public Schools) in the greater Boston area and throughout New England.

The MGH Institute Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders currently has more than 200 clinical education affiliations with prominent hospitals and schools in the Greater Boston area and throughout New England, including:

Partners HealthCare

Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital

MGH Chelsea and Revere Healthcare Centers

Newton-Wellesley Hospital

North Shore Medical Center

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network

Educational Clinical Placement Sites

Billerica Public Schools

Boston Metro Early Intervention Program

Boston Public Schools

Brookline Public Schools

Dearborn Academy, Arlington

Hanover Public Schools

New England Center for Children

Newton Public Schools

Perkins School for the Blind

Anne Sullivan Early Intervention Program

Wakefield Public Schools

Wellesley Public Schools

Whitman-Hanson Regional School District

Winthrop Public Schools

Medical Clinical Placement Sites

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Cambridge Hospital

Children's Hospital, Boston

Franciscan Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Center

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

New England Medical Center

Barry L. Price Rehabilitation Center

South Shore Visiting Nurses Association

Veterans Administration, Boston Healthcare System