What should I study to become a speech therapist?

Next, you will need to get a master's degree in speech and language pathology. Every state requires a master's degree to become licensed in this profession. For speech and language pathology you will likely study:

• Literacy

• Phonology

• Voice Articulation

• Neurological Substrates

This degree program will include supervised clinical practicums and you will have the opportunity to diagnose and treat patients with different linguistic backgrounds, so being bilingual would be a major asset.

Many speech therapists enter into clinical fellowships, which last about 36 weeks.

You will then need to become certified by the ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association).

Getting the ASHA's CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology) qualifies you for your state license in most states and is required by most employers. It takes 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, and your master's degree, to earn the CCC-SLP.

To work in your private practice or to go into research or college-level teaching, you will need to complete a doctoral program.

Common duties of a speech therapist include:

• Teaching patients speech augmentations and alternatives

• Helping patients use exercises to strengthen their throat, lips, and tongue

• Creating comprehensive treatment plans for patients with speech disorders

As a speech therapist, you may work with both adults and children, helping them to work through their speech problems. Speech therapists also work with patients that have suffered from a brain injury or stroke. They might also work with other patients struggling with speech issues.

A speech therapist can expect to make around $87,000 per year while those working in private clinics tend to make an average salary closer to $93,000 per year.