BS/MS in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

The combined BS/MS-SLP program is designed for highly motivated and academically talented students who are ready to commit to a career in speech-language pathology and to complete an undergraduate degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology in less time than the customary six years of study.

The program includes 166 credits overall with 128 for the baccalaureate (BS) degree and 38 for the MS-SLP. In the first semester of their junior year, students who have achieved an overall GPA of 3.6 (or better) at the end of their sophomore year with a GPA of 3.75 (or better) in SLHS courses and have completed all of their natural science (biology and physical science) requirements, at least four SLHS courses, and both of the required psychology courses with a minimum of 54 credits earned at Boston University will be invited to apply to the BS/MS program. At least one biology course must be taken at BU; if the student receives AP, IB, or other external credits for BI 107/108 then BI 106 or BI 211 must be completed. A sample course plan is included below:

Freshman Year

First Semester

• CAS BI 105 Human Biology
• CAS WR 100 Expository Writing
• CAS PS 101 General Psychology
• SAR SH 531 Introduction to Communication Disorders
• SAR HP 150 Freshman Experience

Second Semester

• CAS BI 106 Human Anatomy
• CAS WR 150 Research and Writing Seminar
• SAR HP 151 Introduction to Health Professions (2 cr)
• Social science elective (non-Psychology)
• Optional general elective

Sophomore Year

First Semester

• CAS MA 118 College Algebra and Trigonometry or CAS MA 121 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences
• SAR SH 522 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
• SAR HP 252 Health and Disability Across the Lifespan
• CAS philosophy, logic, or ethics elective

Second Semester

• SAR SH 221 Phonetics
• CAS Physical science elective (Physics, CAS PY or Chemistry, CAS CH)
• Cognition/neuroscience elective
• SAR SH 524 Normal Language Acquisition
• General elective

Junior Year

First Semester

• SAR SH 535 Introduction to Audiology
• SAR SH 523 Introduction to Speech Science
• SAR HP 353 Organization and Delivery of Health Care in the U.S. or
  SAR elective
• CAS LX 250 Introduction to Linguistics

Second Semester

• SAR SH 547 Introduction to Clinical Process
• General elective
• CAS MA 113, 115, or CAS PS 211 Statistics
• General elective

Senior Year

First Semester

• SAR SH 542 Aural Rehabilitation
• SAR SH 605 Speech Sound Disorders (3 cr)
• SAR SH 700 Research Methods (1 cr)
• SAR SH 708 Models of Language (3 cr)
• SAR SH 709 Language Sampling Analysis (2 cr)
• SAR SH 737 Evaluation and Diagnosis in Speech Pathology (2 cr)
• SAR SH 748 Hearing Practicum I (1 cr)
• SAR SH 756 Cognition and Neural Bases (3 cr)

Second Semester

• SAR SH 704 Clinical Reasoning: IPE (1 cr)
• SAR SH 729 School-Age Language Disorders (3 cr)
• SAR SH 735 Preschool Language Disorders (3 cr)
• SAR SH 736 Aphasia (3 cr)
• SAR SH 738 Dysphagia (3 cr)
• SAR SH 740 Clinical Practicum (2 cr)

Graduate Program

Year 1—First Semester

• SAR SH 691 Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative (3 cr)
• SAR SH 702 Public School Seminar (1 cr)
• SAR SH 705 Clinical Reasoning: Case Studies (1 cr)
• SAR SH 721 Motor Speech Disorders (2 cr)
• SAR SH 727 Autism Spectrum Disorders (2 cr)
• SAR SH 733 Voice and Resonance Disorders (3 cr)
• SAR SH 741 Clinical Practicum (3 cr)
• SAR SH 744 Clinical Practicum: Diagnostics (1 cr)
• SAR SH 752 Hearing Practicum II (1 cr)

Second Semester

• SAR SH 650 Medical Seminar (1 cr)
• SAR SH 703 Counseling (1 cr)
• SAR SH 706 Clinical Reasoning: Advanced Case Studies (1 cr)
• SAR SH 715 Professional Issues (0 cr)
• SAR SH 732 Fluency Disorders (2 cr)
• SAR SH 734 Acquired Cognitive Disorders (2 cr)
• SAR SH 757 Aging and Dementia (2 cr)
• SAR SH 790 Comprehensive Exam (0 cr)
• SAR SH 743 Clinical Practicum (5 cr)
• Elective (2 cr)

Summer

• SAR SH 742 Clinical Practicum (4 cr)