MS SLP Admission Requirements

Admission into the CSUSM M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology program requires meeting the general admission requirements for graduate studies at CSUSM and these additional components.
For required forms, more details or to start your application, see our How To Apply page.

• Bachelor's degree in Speech & Hearing Sciences and/or Disorders, as well as ASHA basic science requirements OR
• Bachelor's degree in another field AND ASHA basic science requirements AND CSUSM SLP prerequisite courses (see sections below)
• A minimum last 60 units grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 better.
• Supplemental Application
• Video Response
• All applicants, regardless of citizenship, who do not possess a bachelor's degree from a post-secondary institution where English is the principal language must satisfy the English language proficiency requirement. Typically, applicants demonstrate the English Proficiency requirement by submitting results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, or Cambridge English score report. Submission of these test scores should be sent to the following address: 

California State University San Marcos
ATTN: Extended Learning, MS SLP
333 South Twin Oaks Valley Road
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001

*NOTE: We encourage applicants to submit the documents listed above in one packet; however, we understand this may not be possible. Please review your Student Center at myCSUSM to ensure we have received your documents in a timely manner.

Provided below are the CSU required minimum scores for each option: 

• TOEFL score of 80iBT
• IELTS overall band score of 6.0, writing score no lower than 6.0 and no section score below 5.5
• Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficiency (CPE)-certificate awarded with a Cambridge English score of 180 or higher

Notice to students regarding professional licensure and certification:

California State University programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student to meet California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the California State University and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The California State University has not determined whether its programs meet other states' educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students enrolled in a California State University program who are planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether they will meet their state's requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).

Prerequisite Courses

View online prerequisite courses available at CSUSM this semester!

• SLP 150 - Introduction to Communicative Sciences and Disorders
• SLP 201 - Hearing Disorders and Measurement
• SLP 251 - Language Development and Assessment for Practitioners
• SLP 320 - Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism (ASHA Biological Sciences)
• SLP 357 or PHYS 357 - The Science of Speech and Hearing (ASHA Physical Sciences)
• SLP 364 - Cultural Diversity in Schooling (ASHA Social/Behavioral Sciences)
• SLP 391 - Clinical Phonetics and Analysis of Disordered Speech
• SLP 450 - Diagnostics for Speech Language Pathologists
• SLP 491 - Neural Correlates in Speech-Language and Swallowing Functions
• SLP 452 - Introduction to Clinical Practice
• MATH 142 - Basic Statistics (OR PSYC 220) (ASHA Statistics)

ASHA Basic Science Requirements

In accordance with the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) 2020 certification standards (standard IV-A), applicants must have demonstrated knowledge in the following areas through academic coursework. The CSUSM prerequisite courses identified above in BOLD satisfy each of the ASHA coursework requirements.

1. Biological Sciences: Human or animal biology
2. Physical sciences: Physics or Chemistry
3. Social/behavioral sciences, and
4. Statistics: stand alone, NOT research methods

Essential Functions for Admissions

Candidates are expected to meet Essential Requirements for Admissions. These inherent qualities should be present at the point of application and when a student begins the program and starts their clinical rotations.

Interview Day

Candidates may be invited to an on campus interview day as part of the application process. This mandatory interview is an opportunity to ensure this program is a good match for the student and vice versa.

Admissions Requirements For Accepted MS SLP Applicants Only

Applicants accepted to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology will also be required to submit:

1. Official Certificate of Clearance
2. Successful completion of the Basic Skills Requirement (for example, the CBEST).  

Conditional submission details and deadlines will be provided if offered admissions. This takes a significant amount of time. Please plan to start this early. No exceptions will be made on these deadlines.

How to Obtain a Certificate of Clearance

For information on how to receive your Certificate of Clearance, please select one of the following links:

• Applying for your Certificate of Clearance online (preferred method)
• Applying for your Certificate of Clearance by mail (ONLY for applicants who responded “yes” to any of the professional fitness questions
• Obtaining a Certificate of Clearance (Out-of-State applicants; see page 2)

How to Satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement

The Basic Skills Requirement may be satisfied in a number of ways.  The CBEST is most commonly submitted to meet this requirement. For a list of acceptable options to meet the basic skills requirement, please view Basic Skills Requirement.