I’ve been accepted into Utah State University’s 2nd degree program! Step 1 on my plan to get into grad school is officially in motion!
1. Complete Prerequisites:
2. Boost GPA:
3. Get an awesome GRE score
4. Get into a bilingual masters program
What is the USU program?
There is a critical need in the field for masters and doctoral level professionals. Apart from all the normal barriers like the GRE, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, all graduate programs in SLP or Audiology require quite a bit of undergraduate coursework that many qualified applicants might not have or that a school might not offer as part of the advanced degree.
The USU program is designed to help student complete the required prerequisites online.
Why did I choose USU?
Several schools offer online SLP prerequisites. Some offer them as certificates but must of them only offer the classes as a just that – a collection of classes. So why did I pick USU?
- The program can be completed entirely online. For me that’s a must because I live and work in Mexico.
- Based only off the website the program looks super well organized. All the syllabi are available online along with the whole program sequence. On top of that, the staff I talked with was responsive and friendly. It might be a bit harsh, but several other programs I looked at had websites that were difficult to understand and so many of the staff were aloof and even a tad rude.
- The program offers a degree as opposed to a certificate or collection of classes. A degree is a much more versatile qualification. If you don’t get into a masters program (which hopefully isn’t the case) or decide to change fields, a degree in communication disorders is a pretty valuable thing.
- At $299 per credit hour the tuition is among the most affordable I found.
What are the courses?
There are 12 required courses usually spread into 3 semesters.
Semester 1:
- Language, Speech, and Hearing Development
- Fundamentals of Anatomy for Speech & Language
- Phonetics/Developmental Phonology
- Language Science
Semester 2:
- Disorders of Articulation & Phonology
- Acoustics & Anatomy of the Ear
- Assessment and Treatment of Children with Communicative Disorders
- Observation / Grad Prep
Semester 3:
- Basic Audiology
- Speech Science
- Language Assessment and Intervention for Preschool Children
- Aural Rehabilitation
My Course Plan
Since I’m working full-time, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle four courses in a semester (which is full time). It’s ok for me though, because I’m hoping I don’t need to finish the program. By September, I’m going to start my grad school applications and submit them by December 2015. If all goes well, I’ll get into a 3-year masters program that includes leveling coursework and start full-time in August 2016.
If I don’t get in, I’ll finish the 2nd degree program and reapply to more programs for the next cycle.
I’m going to start with Language, Speech, and Hearing Development Phonetics/Developmental Phonology in the first semester. I took several similar courses during undergrad, so I figure this will be a nice way to ease back into academia after being out of school for almost 4 years. Plus they’re the prerequisite courses for almost all other classes in the program.
Wish me luck!