Master of Science
in Speech-Language Pathology
medical emphasis
The Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (MS SLP) with a medical emphasis program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a 24-month, full-time residential program that includes a mixture of traditional lecture/lab and blended/online courses. The program includes six semesters of classroom and clinical experiences as preparation for practice in medical settings.
MS SLP master’s students experience at least 25 hours of clinical observation and 375 hours of direct and simulated patient contact in a broad array of clinical settings. Clinical settings include, but are not limited to, hospitals, clinics, rehab facilities, acute care rehab facilities, long-term acute care facilities, public and private schools, outpatient facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. Students acquire these hours under the supervision of a qualified professional who holds ASHA certification in Speech-Language Pathology. Upon graduating from the MS SLP master’s program, graduates are prepared to certify for ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).
Academic Model
Program Information
Start Date
August 31, 2020
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Degree
This program prepares graduates as Medical Speech-Language Pathologists to work in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and acute care rehab facilities.
Students who complete this degree are eligible to sit for national certification as a speech-language pathologist (i.e., the CCC-SLP) and, upon passage, may practice as a licensed speech-language pathologist.
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Program Highlights
Location
As our name implies, our campus is in the Rocky Mountains! RMUoHP is nestled in Utah Valley, almost at the foot of a mountain; nature Is our backyard. There are many outdoor recreational opportunities close by, whether within a few minutes’ or a few hours’ drive, such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, river rafting, camping, and star gazing. Utah is home to seven national parks, over 120 lakes, including six reservoirs within one hour’s drive. Red Rock country is just a few hours drive away: Arches, Zions, Goblin Valley, Bryce Canyon, etc. Utah is famous for its world-class skiing and winter sports. Our campus is only 20 minutes away from Sundance, and an hour away from Park City, host to the 2002 Winter Olympics. With 14 ski resorts, 12 of which are located in Northern Utah, you can enjoy outdoor activities year-round.
Onsite Pro Bono Clinic
Our onsite pro-bono clinic (Center for Communication Disorders) is designed to serve those who cannot afford speech-language or communication disorders treatment or those who have exceeded the limits of their
insurance allotment. We know there are people in our community that are in need of care, and we help
provide Utah County with the treatment and specialized care that they need. Our students, working alongside and learning from faculty, have opportunities early in their program to be involved in the clinic and to meet with patients.
Medical Emphasis
This program prepares graduates as Medical Speech-Language Pathologists to work in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and acute care rehab facilities. Our students are prepared to work in medical settings and to assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent oral motor, swallowing, cognitive-linguistic, speech, and language disorders.
Nationwide Externship Opportunities
Students will have the opportunity to complete their externship in various locations nationwide. These settings
will include, but are not limited to, clinics, hospitals, schools, nursing facilities, rehab centers, etc.
Opportunity for international service in Africa
Each year, during the summer semester break, students can opt to travel to Africa with faculty,
and students of other programs as part of a voluntary service-learning course focusing on humanitarian
efforts. In addition to building and supplying village schools with learning tools, students will be introduced to
third-world clinical experiences and will spend time both in the clinics/hospitals as well as the local village.
Easy transition into RMUoHP’s Doctor of Speech Language Pathology program
Our Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology degree is for SLPs who want to advance their clinical knowledge,
skills, and marketability so they can further their career opportunities in the field and better serve their
patients with communication and swallowing disorders. The SLPD program is mostly online, so students can continue their full-time work with patients in their communities without relocating.
Graduation Rate – 88%
NSSLHA Student Leadership (Class of 2019)
Stacy Mathew-Treasurer
Jerica Balousek-Service Chair
Desiree Gilman-Historian
Bridget DiStefano-Vice President
Mary Jackson-President
Colby Powell-Secretary
Lamija Okic-Graduate Student Council Representative
Erika Buenaflor-Social Event Chair
NSSLHA’s student leadership opportunities enable students to volunteer at a national level, and to serve their fellow classmates.
Center for Communication Disorders Community Clinic
Our students have the opportunity to volunteer in our Center for Communication Disorders community clinic. Some of the highlights of the clinic are:
• Students making a difference in client’s lives
• Real people, real issues, real clinicians
• Learning by doing
• Student-supervisor collaboration
Program FAQ
PROGRAM ACCREDITATION
The MS SLP program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This is a “pre-accreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of five years beginning February 1, 2017 – January 31, 2022. The CAA determined that the program demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards for Accreditation, as outlined in the Standards Compliance Continuum. The program has been awarded a candidacy cycle of five years, will be listed as achieving accreditation candidate status, and will be included in all lists of candidate programs by the CAA. Award of candidacy allows the program to matriculate students into the program as it continues to document compliance with accreditation standards for the duration of the candidacy accreditation cycle.
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
American Speech-Language Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard #310
Rockville, MD 20850
800-498-2071
caa.asha.org
UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (8060 165th Avenue NE Ste 100, Redmond, WA 98052-3981), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the US Department of Education.
Take the first step toward earning your masters in speech-language pathology
Do you dream of becoming a speech-language pathologist who can influence healthcare systems in your local community and across the industry? If so, applying to earn your masters in speech-language pathology at RMUoHP is the first step toward achieving your professional and educational goals.
We invite you to explore the program information on our website, talk with MS SLP alumni, attend a virtual information session, and meet with a program advisor to help you decide whether Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions’ speech-language pathology program is right for you. We are here to help as you make this decision and hope to see you in our classroom soon.
Learn more about our Masters of Speech-Language Pathology program
We encourage you to learn more about what makes Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions’ MS SLP program different from other masters of speech-language pathology programs. Our MS SLP students receive instruction and hands-on experiences performing Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) assessments and provide skilled intervention. Students will have the opportunity to work with AAC users and their families during clinical experiences, in schools, and in medical settings.
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions’ Speech-Language Pathology master’s program focuses on advanced coursework that will prepare graduates as Speech-Language Pathologists to work in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and acute care rehab facilities. Our students are prepared to work in medical settings and to assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent oral motor, swallowing, cognitive-linguistic, speech, and language disorders. Graduates of our medical MS SLP program are eligible to sit for national certification as a speech-language pathologist (i.e., the CCC-SLP).
We are committed to the development
of speech-language pathologists who can:
Obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence
Earn voluntary CCC certification by ASHA, which requires the completion of a graduate degree, a supervised clinical fellowship, and a passing score on the national examination.
Demonstrate Professional Leadership
Exhibit competency in medical speech-language pathology, health policy, diversity and professional practice issues.
Diagnose and Treat Patients in Clinical Settings
Confidently assess and treat speech sound disorders, motor speech disorders, cranio-facial anomalies, traumatic brain injury, neurogenic language disorders, aphasia, and fluency disorders.
Utilize Evidence-Based Research
Consume and apply current research and best practices to improve patient care and advance the field of medical speech-language pathology.
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty
“The MS SLP program has been both challenging and transformative. It quickly became an unexpected home away from home for me.”
“The RMU MS SLP program really went out of its way to show interest in me as an individual, that personal connection is why I picked RMU.”
“I believe that you become the people you surround yourself with. Attending the MS SLP Program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals is giving me a great opportunity to surround myself with top in the nation educators who are highly experienced, competent and passionate in our field.”
MS-SLP News
Understanding Dementia to Provide Better Caregiver Support
November is National Alzheimer’s Month and Caregivers Month, and Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is highlighting our programs that serve both individuals who have [...]
RMUoHP Student Diversity Committee Recognizes November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance
The Student Diversity Committee at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) recognizes November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). Since 1999, TDOR has been [...]
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with MS SLP Recent Grad Eliana Rivera
Eliana Rivera, a recent graduate from our Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS SLP) program here at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP), always [...]
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program Receives Parkinson Voice Project Grant
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS SLP) program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) was honored to be a recipient of the [...]
First Year Class Averages
- GPA range: 3.0 – 4.0
- GRE Verbal average: 149
- GRE Quantitative average: 148
- GRE Analytic average: 3.59
Student Achievement Data
(As of January 25th, 2020)
(As of January 25th, 2020)
(As of January 25th, 2020)
Helpful Links
- The American Speech–Language–Hearing Association
- Council on Academic Accreditation
- Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders–Student Page
- Utah Department of Professional Licensing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
- Utah Licensing