Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Program

Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Program

Since Fall 2022, Fort Hays State University offers a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) program! You will have the option to choose learning on campus or online! To have a better understanding of our SLPA program, please read the following Frequently Asked Questions. You may also choose your own pathway to explore the requirements for you to complete this SLPA program at the bottom of this page.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

• Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA) work under a licensed Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and are actively involved in providing treatment for patients with various communication disorders. SLPAs play a support role and can be used to increase the availability, frequency, and efficiency of services. To learn more about SLPAs and their scope of practice, feel free to follow this link to ASHA’s website for more information.

• Our SLPA program is designed to align with national standards and provides the necessary coursework (i.e., Phonetics, Speech sound disorders, Language development, Language disorders) to apply for national certification. If you have already acquired a bachelor's degree in the field of communication sciences and disorders, or if you have taken some related courses in the past, you don’t need four years to complete it. This certification can also be added to another degree that is unrelated to communication sciences and disorders. 
• In addition to a regular bachelor's degree of communication sciences and disorders, the SLPA program will include mandatory training in ethics, universal safety precautions, and patient/client/student confidentiality (i.e., HIPAA, FERPA). Students will also have the opportunity to earn the necessary clock hours via structured clinical experiences.

3. Can this program be taken completely online?

• Yes!

4. Can I complete this program if I am not in the United States?

• No, not at this time due to clinical requirements.

5. How can I get my clinical experiences and clock hours for certification?

• Clinical experiences and clock hours can be obtained for both in-person and online students. For on-campus students, clinical experiences will be provided in the local community with FHSU faculty or community-based Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) providing appropriate supervision.  For online students, FHSU will work with the students to build relationships with the school (and other appropriate settings) and community SLPs, so that students can complete their clinical experience within their home community. This flexible approach will provide an opportunity for students who want to further their education and careers, but are not able to leave their current jobs or places of residence.
• The certificate itself consists of a minimum of 12 credit hours focused on providing you with clinical observation hours, information about the roles and responsibilities of SLPAs, and practicum opportunities designed to help you earn the 100 hours required for national certification as an SLPA. The certificate can be embedded into your bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) or added on through a leveling/certificate, or 2nd-degree program.

• 120 credit hours for a bachelor's degree, among which 60 credit hours must come from 4-year institution and 45 credit hours must be upper division (numbered 300 or above). Additionally, each student will need to complete a minimum of 100 direct service delivery hours during their SLPA program.

• Overall, 100 practicum hours will be needed for the national SLPA certification. Up to 20 hours can be clinic prep and 80 hours in direct services delivery. However, you don’t need to complete 100 practicum hours in order to graduate from the SLPA program. You will only need to complete a minimum of 25 direct service delivery hours during your study in this SLPA program.

• If you have already obtained a bachelor's degree in CSD major, you only need to complete the required 12 credit hours of clinical preparation. These courses will cover key content about the roles and responsibilities for SLPAs and provide opportunities to gain the required clinical hours needed for the national SLPA certification. Please refer to the SLPA Certification with previous CSD B.S./B.A. degree course list. 

9. I have already obtained my bachelor's degree in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders. What do I need to do if I want to get national SLPA Certification from ASHA?

• Check out the following pathways here. If you already have your bachelor's degree in CSD, chances are you just need the modules and 100 hours of clinical experience. FHSU's SLPA certification can help you earn both, or you can work on these requirements independently. 

• It is never too late to choose a SLPA certificate path. Junior year is a good starting point to choose the SLPA path. The courses for clinic preparation usually start from junior year.

• It depends on what courses you have taken. In addition to the CSD program requirements, you will need to take no less than 12 credit hours of clinical preparation. Please refer to the page CSD B.S. Degree + SLPA Certification.

• No, you don’t need to complete all required courses for a bachelor's degree. If you just want to take the courses necessary for our SLPA certificate and to be eligible to apply for national certification, you just need 12 hours of core CSD courses as required by ASHA and 12 hours of clinical preparation courses to meet the clinical experience criteria for the SLPA certificate. Please see details here SLPA Certification with previous Non-CSD B.S./B.A. degree only SLPA certificate
• If you are interested in a 2^nd degree plus SLPA certification, you would need to complete the 21 core credit hours, the 12 clinical preparation hours, and any required cognates not previously earned such as Statistics or Biology. Second degree can typically be earned with approximately 30 hours; individual plans may vary depending on what hours are already obtained. Please see details here SLPA Certification with previous Non-CSD B.S./B.A. degree.

13. I have an associate's degree. Do I have to earn a bachelor's degree in CSD in order to obtain an SLPA certificate?

• No, you don’t need to complete all required courses for a bachelor's degree. If you just want to take the courses necessary for our SLPA certificate and to be eligible to apply for national certification, you just need 12 hours of core CSD courses as required by ASHA and 12 hours of clinical preparation courses to meet the clinical experience criteria for the SLPA certificate. Please see details here SLPA Certification with previous Non-CSD B.S./B.A. degree only SLPA certificate

14. I am swinging between an SLPA and CCC-SLP certificate. If I have chosen the SLPA path but change my mind later on to pursue a CCC-SLP certificate, will those clinic hours I obtained for the SLPA certificate be transferred as required clinic hours for CCC-SLP certificate?

• Unfortunately, the clinic hours you obtained for the SLPA certificate cannot be transferred as the required clinic hours for CCC-SLP certificate because the two clinic practices have different orientations. However, the observation hours you have obtained can be transferred to your SLP graduate program.

• The coursework and clinical opportunities included will provide you with everything you need to meet the criteria (e.g. disorders coursework, ethics training, clinical clock hours) for national SLPA certification as well as prepare you for the national exam. Furthermore, you will have the training and experience to apply for higher level positions (SLPA designated positions) that require experience and provide better compensation than entry level para positions. Finally, you will be preparing for a rewarding career that makes a difference in your local community.  

• Once all certification standards and requirements are met, individuals must submit an application with supporting documents to ASHA and pay the appropriate certification fee. Cost for initial certification is $249, which includes test fees and 1st year of membership, and $125 annually to renew certification. Once your application has been approved, you will be notified and provided an Exam Eligibility ID to register for the national Assistants Certification Exam. To learn more about SLPA certification, follow this link to ASHA’s website for more information.

• SLPAs obtain 3-year certification maintenance intervals that are continuous. After each maintenance interval, SLPAs must complete a Maintenance of Certification Assessment (MOCA) to show continued competency. SLPAs must continue to follow the ASHA Code of Conduct and pay annual fees in order to maintain their certification. SLPAs are encouraged to complete professional development to enhance their knowledge and skills, but it is not required. For more information about maintaining your SLPA certification, follow this link to ASHA’s website for more information.

FHSU's CSD program provides various pathways for you. Please choose your desired pathway to see the requirements.

CSD B.S. Degree  

CSD B.S. Degree + SLPA Certification 

CSD B.S. as 2nd Degree (30 hours minimum)

SLPA Certification with previous CSD B.S./B.A. degree 

SLPA Certification with previous Non-CSD B.S./B.A. degree

For further information or to set up an appointment, please schedule a meeting with one of the following faculty members:

Kaylan Evans, EdD. CCC-SLP
Instructor, SLPA Program Coordinator
kwevans2@fhsu.edu