Prerequisite Courses

For Entry Into the Speech Pathology MS Program

Required Courses

The following courses are required for entry into the Speech Pathology Program and must be completed with a letter grade of C or higher before beginning the MS SLP program at Tennessee State University.

Fifteen (15) hours of prerequisite courses in speech-language pathology:

• Offered in Fall Semesters:
  • SPTH 2600: Phonetics
• Offered in Spring Semesters:
  • SPTH 2800: Introduction to Speech, Hearing, and Language Disorders
  • SPTH 3300: Clinical Methods in Articulation Disorders
• Offered in Summer Semesters:
  • SPTH 2500: Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism
  • SPTH 3500: Language and Speech Development in Children

*SPTH2600 is a prerequisite course for SPTH 3300

*Comparable prerequisite courses can be obtained from any accredited university

NOTE: Four out of the five (12 hours) prerequisite courses must be completed before submitting your application to MS Program.
*Comparable prerequisite courses can be obtained from any accredited university.

How long does it take to complete the prerequisite courses at TSU?
The length of time that it takes to complete our five prerequisite courses depends on when you begin. Each class is a three-hour class. Our prerequisite classes are offered online. For a schedule of course offerings, perform a course search below.

To find when a TSU course is offered, click here .

Apply to Non-Degree (SPTH Prerequisite Program)

Additional Requirements

In addition to the Speech Pathology prerequisite courses listed above, completion of the  ASHA-required basic science courses is strongly recommended before beginning the MS program. This includes:

• BIOLOGY: Acceptable courses in biological sciences should emphasize a content area related to human or animal sciences (e.g., biology, human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, human genetics, veterinary science).
• PHYSICS OR CHEMISTRY: Courses that meet the physical science requirement must be in physics or chemistry.
• SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES: Acceptable courses in social/behavioral sciences should include psychology, sociology, anthropology, or public health.
• STATISTICS: A stand-alone course in statistics is required. Coursework in research methodology in the absence of basic statistics cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

All of the ASHA-required courses are offered online at TSU.

It is strongly encouraged to complete the ASHA-required basic science courses prior to completion of the graduate degree.

How to Apply for the Speech Pathology Graduate Program>>