Certificates may be earned by regularly matriculated or extended learning students and denote successful completion of a prescribed program of study designed to:

1. impart specified professional/vocational/career competencies; or
2. produce mastery of the content of a sub-field of an academic major (discipline); or
3. provide exposure to the range of materials in a traditional or emerging interdisciplinary field.

Certain certificate programs contain 6000-level courses as requirements and/or electives. These 6000-level courses may not be taken by undergraduate students. Candidates must receive two-thirds of their certificate-applicable credit from the university. The transferring of credit or the substitution of courses may occur only after application to the appropriate campus authority.

The Speech-Language Pathology Master's Preparatory Certificate provides students with the prerequisite coursework needed to apply to most master’s programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Communication Sciences & Disorders. The certificate is designed for college graduates who majored in other areas but are now interested in the fast-growing field of speech-language pathology.  The courses in the certificate are taught by faculty from several departments with expertise in communication sciences and disorders and related fields. 

Admission to the Certificate

The minimum requirements for admission to the certificate are as follows:

Evidence of success potential in the program, including transcript showing strong academic performance in undergraduate coursework; personal statement; writing sample; contact information for two references; and typically a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 .  Please note that the program takes a holistic approach to the admissions process, considering various candidate qualities, including a student’s personal attributes, past experiences, and future goals, and how those might contribute to a good fit with the program.  Admission to the certificate is also contingent on spaces available in the program.

For more information about applying to the certificate and application deadlines, please see the program website. 

Please note that if you are planning to apply for a master’s degree program in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders, you must also have completed General Education (GE) coursework in several areas.  Please see the program website for more information.

Certificate Requirements (36 units)

ENG 3310	Child Language and Literacy Development	3
ENG 5210	Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	3
ENG 5220	Language and Speech Science	3
ENG 5250	Child Language Disorders	3
ENG 5260	Phonetics and Phonology	3
ENG 5290	Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism	3
ENG 5520	Methods and Procedures in Speech-Language Pathology	3
ENG 5530	Fluency and Speech Sound Disorders	3
ENG 5540	Neurology and Neurogenic Communication Disorders	3
ENG 5550	Introduction to Voice Disorders	3
ENG 5560	Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Speech-Language Pathology	3
ENG 5570	Audiology & Audiometry	3
Total Units		36