How Does the Pepperdine Online Speech Pathology Program Prepare Students for Licensure?
At this stage of your journey to qualify as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), you might be considering the final steps you need to take to secure licensure after earning your master’s degree.
The Pepperdine online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program is accredited through its candidacy status with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA). This means that students are eligible to pursue a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from ASHA upon graduation. During the final two trimesters of the program, you’ll complete a Praxis preparation sequence to equip you to sit for the Praxis Exam in Speech-Language Pathology as well.
After earning your master’s in speech-language pathology, there are three steps you need to take to become a fully licensed SLP.
Three Steps to Licensure as a Speech Language Pathologist
1. Pass the National Speech Pathology Exam
Once you’ve graduated with your MS in Speech-Language Pathology, you’ll need to pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology (code 5531). Passing the Praxis is a prerequisite for ASHA certification (CCC-SLP) and/or state licensure. Some additional notes about the Praxis:
- The exam is commissioned by ASHA and facilitated by Educational Testing Service (ETS)
- The exam is comprehensive and requires you to synthesize content you have learned from a variety of sources; your understanding of the subject as a whole will be tested
- The current passing score for purposes of ASHA certification is 162 (on a 100–200 scale)
- The passing score for purposes of state licensure is determined by the state in which you are attempting to qualify; most states adopt the same score as required for ASHA certification, but some states have a higher or lower minimum score requirement
2. Complete Postgraduate Supervised Practice Hours
After completing your academic course work and clinical practicum, you will need to complete a Clinical Fellowship (CF) to apply for your CCC-SLP.
- The SLP Clinical Fellowship is a mentored professional experience designed to advance you, the Clinical Fellow, from needing constant supervision to operating as an independent practitioner
- You must work for at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours at a minimum of five hours a week to meet the ASHA CF experience requirement; working more than 35 hours a week will not shorten the length of the CF experience
- The goal of the CF experience is to allow you to transition from enrollment as a student in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program to being an independent provider of speech-language pathology clinical services
- As the Clinical Fellow, you are responsible for many aspects your experience—including vetting and selecting your mentor, tracking your weekly work hours, and ensuring that the settings of your CF experience meet requirements
The online Pepperdine MS in Speech-Language Pathology program includes 400 supervised clinical practicum hours, ensuring that you are thoroughly prepared for the demands of your Clinical Fellowship experience.
3. Obtain Professional Credentials
ASHA Certification (CCC-SLP)
You are eligible to submit an online application for the CCC-SLP once you have met the following requirements:
- You have graduated from a program accredited by the CAA in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, or from a program with CAA-candidacy status
- You have completed the necessary academic coursework and graduate clinical practicum
- You have received confirmation from your program director that the requirements in Standards I-V have been met
You must submit the following application materials:
- Passing Praxis exam scores; these must be sent directly to ASHA from ETS
- Your official graduate transcript which verifies the date and degree awarded; this may be sent directly from your institution to certification@asha.org
- Disclosure documents: If you checked “yes” to a disclosure question on the application, please review the requirements for certified copies or court or other legal documents
- Your dues and fees
International applicants should consult the ASHA Certification Information for International Applicants for specific application requirements.
Additional Speech Language Pathologist Certifications
In addition to your master’s in speech-language pathology, you may wish to pursue speciality certifications. If you are interested in research, teaching, or advanced clinical leadership, you may want to consider pursuing a doctorate in speech-language pathology.
ASHA State by State Requirements
There is no single, nationally accepted license for SLPs. Instead, each state has its own legislation in place to govern the licensing and practice of SLPs independently. The state will often designate a board or another agency to administer the application process, issue licenses, and enforce state laws. In addition to performing the initial evaluation of each candidate, these boards require professionals to engage in regular continuing education as a condition for license renewal.
Although there isn’t a singular license for SLPs, the CCC-SLP from ASHA serves as a nationally recognized board certification that denotes competence in the field, as well as a preparedness for licensing in all states. In most states, the credential is considered optional rather than a legal requirement. Nevertheless, with licensing requirements in virtually all states generally aligned with CCC-SLP standards, it makes practical sense for most SLPs to earn the credential anyway.
When it comes to establishing a candidate’s qualifications for receiving a license, states fall into one of three categories:
- States that require the CCC-SLP for licensure
- States that accept the CCC-SLP as one possible path to licensure
- States that have requirements equivalent to the CCC-SLP, but do not strictly require the latter as a condition for licensure
ASHA was established long before most states implemented independent licensing requirements for SLPs. As a result, the organization has had a profound impact on these requirements, and maintains a state-by-state guide to licensing requirements that can help you determine the best path to licensure in your state.
| Criteria | American Hearing-Speech Association (ASHA) Certification | State Licensure |
|---|---|---|
Requires a master’s in speech-language pathology | Yes | Yes |
Requires you to pass the Praxis exam | Yes, with a minimum score of 162 | Yes, with a score that varies from state to state |
Requires a completed Clinical Fellowship | Yes | Yes |
Requires the CCC-SLP | Yes; this is the outcome of certification with ASHA | Not necessarily |
Requires maintenance through continuing education | Yes | Yes |
6 Steps to a Career in Speech-Language Pathology
1. Get a Bachelor’s Degree
Most aspiring SLPs major in Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD).
2. Earn Your Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Complete at least 400 hours of your clinical practicum.
3. Pass the Praxis Exam
The minimum passing score for ASHA certification is 162 out of 200 points total; the passing score for state licensure varies from state to state.
4. Complete Your Clinical Fellowship
You must work at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours under the supervision of a certified mentor.
5. Get Certified by ASHA and the State
Get ASHA-certified with a CCC-SLP and check individual requirements for state licensure.
6. Maintain Certification and Licensure
Regular continuing education is a condition for certification maintenance and license renewal by ASHA and the state, respectively.