About the Program

Program Vision

To be the preeminent leaders of the field of speech-language pathology.

Program Mission 

The MUSC SLP program will engage in curious and innovative discovery that:

1. advances clinical care,
2. provides students with a research-based education that fosters clinical excellence, lifelong learning, and unwavering professionalism, and
3. advocates for accessibility and inclusivity to empower society.

Program Guiding Principles:

The SLP program values the following principles and includes them in all aspects of decision-making and implementation.

1. Humanism (community, collegiality, collaboration, & dignity)
2. Commitment to learning (critical inquiry & personal responsibility)
3. Social responsibility (advocacy, equity, & diversity)
4. Leadership
5. Excellence in clinical practice
6. Innovation & creativity

Program Goals 

The mission, guiding principles, and goals serve as the guide for all program decisions. All decisions are made in the best interest of the program to advance the mission, include the guiding principles, and address the goals.

The SLP Program will:  

1. Provide students a high-quality education emphasizing clinical preparedness and excellence through its innovative educational design,
2. Prepare students to enter the SLP profession with a commitment to lifelong learning, leadership, unwavering professionalism, and advocacy,
3. Integrate evidence-based practice and research knowledge across the curriculum and professional experiences to equip students to be critical thinkers.

Student Learning Objectives

By the end of the program, students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to:

1. Provide high-quality services within the scope of practice of speech-language pathology, 
2. Embed culturally responsive practices to individuals from all backgrounds, family members, caregivers, and members involved in care, by demonstrating a deep understanding of and respect for cultural, linguistic, and individual diversity, 
3. Foster the well-being of those we serve with humility and dignity 
4. Apply sound problem-solving, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning skills to patient/client diagnosis, treatment, and management, 
5. Work in a collegial and collaborative manner with professionals when supporting clinical practice, research, and learning opportunities in speech, language, swallowing, and cognitive-communication disorders across the lifespan, 
6. Develop and implement quality control measures and individualized data-based methods to ensure that SLP services are evidence-based,  
7. Adhere to ASHA’s Code of Ethics,
8. Adhere to legal principles and institutional practices applicable to clinical and research practice.  

The Learning Experience

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at MUSC prepares students to work as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) upon graduation. While students will be prepared to work across the entire scope of practice, including schools, our program has an emphasis in medical speech-language pathology. The curriculum is designed to focus on clinical training. Students are taught foundational knowledge early on and allowed to hone their clinical skills via interactive classrooms and clinical rotations.

As an academic medical center, MUSC gives students access to top-notch facilities and faculty. Students will have access to a wide range of clinical experiences. At MUSC, SLPs provide care in both hospital and outpatient clinic settings to a diverse patient population including pre-term babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), inpatients after stroke or traumatic brain injury, and patients with head and neck cancer. Students will have the opportunity to learn from and work alongside practicing clinicians in a variety of patient cases throughout the program, including during their didactic course work. Learn more about the curriculum.

Innovative Classes & Real-World Experience

The curriculum is designed to complement the natural progression of student learning throughout the program. The programming has been specified to focus on disorders most commonly treated in medical speech-language pathology, like dysphagia and aphasia, while providing high-quality content and experiences across the scope of practice. By the end of the first year, students will have had coursework in all major disorders they are responsible for understanding and the remainder of the program focuses on specialized areas, research, and further development of clinical skills.

Our program incorporates best practices in clinician training common in other medical and allied health fields that are not commonly part of speech-language pathology training programs. In each course with clinical content, students are tested on both knowledge, as well as, clinical skills. To help students further develop their clinical skills, there are clinical rotations each semester. Each clinical rotation is paired with a didactic course to help students focus on specific skills and knowledge to ensure a thorough education and maximize their clinical experiences.  

Program Length

Students will complete a total of 82 credit hours over a two-year period. The program is year-round and begins in the fall semester. The first four semesters require on-campus coursework while the last two semesters offer flexibility to pursue clinical experiences outside of the Charleston area. 

Degree

The Speech-Language Pathology curriculum leads to a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Speech-Language Pathology. The program curriculum adheres to CAA standards for program accreditation and is in accordance with CFCC standards for professional certification. It is organized around specific competencies: diagnosis, management and treatment of communication, and swallowing disorders; anatomy and physiology; research methods (including quantitative, qualitative, and single-subject methodologies, as well as evidence-based practice); interdisciplinary practice; professional issues and ethics, the legal foundations of health care delivery and practice, and cultural awareness. The program is designed to ensure that graduates possess the knowledge and abilities to perform competently and proficiently.