Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
This question is about what a speech therapist does.
What degree do you need to be a speech therapist?
You need at least a master's degree to be a speech therapist. You must first need to complete your undergraduate degree, preferably in speech-language pathology and audiology or communication sciences and disorders. These programs are the most closely aligned with the speech therapy field.
Other degrees in education, psychology, or linguistics can also help to prepare you for graduate education in speech therapy, especially if paired with a relevant concentration. Once you have completed your undergraduate degree, your next step will be to enroll in an accredited graduate program.
The exact curriculum will vary from program to program, but most graduate programs will consist of 60 credit hours of material in both academic and clinical work. You will learn about key concepts such as:
Speech-language disorders
Articulation
Phonology
Dysphagia
Most states will require you to pass the Praxis 2 Examination in Speech-Language Pathology administered by the Educational Testing Service. To pass, you must earn a score of at least 162.
The test includes material about the foundations of speech-language pathology, screening and assessment of patients, etiology, and planning and implementation of treatment.
Speech therapists will also need to complete a post-graduate clinical fellowship, which is a requirement for state licensing. Most states have modeled their clinical fellowship requirements to match the requirements needed to earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP):
Be overseen and mentored by an ASHA-certified SLP for the duration of the fellowship
Be at least 1,260 hours in length (typically accrued over at least 36 weeks)
Have at least 80% of your clinical experience involving direct clinical contact with patients
Upon completing your fellowship and passing the Praxis Exam, you should be eligible to apply for state licensure. This is a requirement to practice as a speech therapist. You will need to apply for licensure in any state you wish to practice.
Choose from 10+ customizable resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
