Speech-Language Pathology

Learn more about this rewarding career opportunity

Assisting people to speak, understand language, socialize, or even swallow, is what speech-language pathologists do. Expertly preparing you for this rewarding career is what we do in Northern Illinois University’s Speech-Language Pathology program.

Here’s how you become a certified speech-language pathologist through our program:

• As an undergrad, major in Communicative Disorders with an emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology. You’ll gain a solid foundation in math, science and psychology, as well as an understanding of normal speech, language and hearing development.
• After graduation, pursue your Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders, specializing in speech-language pathology.  Conduct research, observe and treat clients in our state-of-the-art Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, and receive excellent preparation for the SLP Praxis exam for professional certification.
• Ace the SLP Praxis exam. For the last three years, our student pass rate on this exam has been 100 percent.
• Get a job as a Speech-Language Pathologist. This shouldn’t be a problem: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for this career is expected to increase by 23 percent through 2020. 

Our faculty is at the forefront of speech-language pathology and many work on exciting research projects in the field. You’ll learn from their research, and even get to assist.

Faculty research interests include language and autism treatment, word learning, communication after stroke/brain injuries, gesture use, and toddler speech assessment. 

Opportunities to connect with other students are plentiful as well. We have chapters of national organizations for you to join. There are also organized study sessions, volunteering and internship opportunities, student associations and networking groups. You can study abroad too – recently students traveled to Belize and Australia to provide services to people in those countries.

To further develop personal, professional and academic relationships, consider living in the Health Professions House – seven floors in a residence hall occupied by students in health and service-related majors. Living here offers you extra opportunities to learn in an informal setting with activities such as Dine & Discuss, TV/Movie “Fact or Fiction,” field trips, and service projects.

Visit NIU’s School of Allied Health & Communicative Disorders, or follow us on social media for more information.