Application FAQs
Does BU require an essay?
Yes, we require 3 short-answer essays.
BU Prompts:
- Discuss your personal, academic, and/or work experiences and how they have led you to pursue a career in the field of speech-language pathology (1500-character limit).
- The BU MS-SLP program prepares students to be leaders in speech-language pathology. Leadership can take many forms. Please describe a time when you demonstrated effective or ineffective leadership skills in a group, community, or family (1500-character limit).
- Describe how you accomplished a goal that was important to you and what motivated you to set and achieve your goal. What did you learn about yourself from this experience (1500-character limit)?
Does BU require letters of recommendation?
Boston University requires 3 letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to CSDCAS and are accepted electronically ONLY. The applicant must provide a valid email address when filling out the references section.
Does BU require GRE scores?
GRE scores are not required for admission to the MS-SLP program. Any GRE scores received by the MS-SLP program will not be considered by the admissions committee.
Do you accept applications on a rolling basis?
No.
Is there an additional fee for applying to Boston University?
No, the only application fees are those charged by CSDCAS.
What is the minimum and typical GPA for accepted students?
Boston University does not have a minimum undergraduate GPA requirement. The mean undergraduate GPA over the last 3 years for enrolled students was 3.75.
Does Boston University require an interview?
Highly qualified candidates are invited to participate in a Zoom interview in February. Candidates will meet individually with two members of the faculty.
If I have taken courses at more than one university, do I need to send CSDCAS all my transcripts?
Yes, an official transcript for EVERY institution you attended must be sent to CSDCAS. This does NOT include transcripts for study abroad classes that are itemized on a U.S. college or university transcript.
Can students apply to the program if they have not completed all the prerequisite courses?
Yes, students may apply without having completed any of the prerequisite courses.
How do students without Speech and Hearing backgrounds complete the prerequisite courses?
Students may complete all prerequisite courses prior to matriculation. Students also have the option of completing the four prerequisite courses that are required to be completed prior to matriculation (Phonetics, Language Acquisition, Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism, and Diagnostic Audiology/Introduction to Audiology) and taking the remaining prerequisite courses during their graduate studies on a non-graduate credit basis. All MS-SLP students who have not completed the prerequisite course, Introduction to the Clinical Process, take this course together in the fall semester of their first year. Planning for the remaining prerequisite course(es) is individualized based on student needs.
How long does it take to complete the program?
The program requires the equivalent of four semesters of full-time study plus a minimum of 4 credits during the summer, the exact number depending on the specific prerequisites that have been completed prior to entering the graduate program. All programs are individualized to meet each student’s needs.
Does BU require TOEFL scores?
English proficiency, both written and verbal, is necessary for success in BU’s MS-SLP program. If you are an international student who is not a native English speaker, we require a standardized test of English language proficiency unless you have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree at an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction. Official TOEFL scores are required (minimum total score 90; minimum scores of 20 in each section.) and scores should be submitted electronically through ETS directly to CSDCAS (not Boston University), using the institutional code C122.