• Assist with developing proper control of the vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production
• Assist individuals who stutter to increase the amount of fluent speech and to cope with their disorder
• Assist children and adolescents with language problems, such as understanding and giving directions, answering and asking questions, understanding and using English grammar, using appropriate social language and conveying ideas to others
• Assist individuals who have had strokes, or suffered other brain trauma, relearn language and speech skills
• Help individuals to use augmentative and assistive systems of communication
• Counsel individuals with speech and language disorders and their families or caregivers to understand their disorder and to communicate more effectively in educational, social, and vocational settings
• Advise individuals and the community on how to prevent speech and language disorders

Some speech-language pathologists may also be involved in the following: train future professionals in colleges and universities; administer or manage agencies, clinics, organizations, or private practices; engage in academic, laboratory or medically related research to enhance knowledge about human communication processes; develop new methods and equipment to test and evaluate problems; establish more effective treatment programs; and investigate behavioral patterns associated with communication problems.

Speech-Language pathologists are employed in many settings such as: public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing care facilities, community clinics, private practice, state and local health departments, home health agencies, long term care facilities, centers for persons with developmental disabilities, research laboratories, and college and universities.  Median salaries range from $45,000 per academic year to $52,600 per calendar year.

Degree Options

For the official university undergraduate bulletin information and 4- and 3- year Program Completion Plans, refer to the undergraduate bulletin web page.

The University of Central Arkansas offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.  The degree is obtained by completing the traditional 4-year track or the 3-year track.

All students declaring a Pre-Speech-Language Pathology major are accepted as tentative candidates to the undergraduate program. Students apply for departmental Junior Class admission during the spring or summer of their sophomore year (4-year track), or during the spring or summer of their freshman year (3-year track).  To view the steps necessary for admission, refer to the Undergraduate Program web page.

Transfer Students

Students who are transferring from other institutions need to contact a departmental advisor immediately to insure that they have the necessary, prerequisite coursework completed for admission into the departmental program. To view the steps necessary for admission, Registrar's Office web page on transfer students policies and procedures.

Post Baccalaureate Students

Students with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than speech-language pathology may apply for the Post-Baccalaureate track. Post-Baccalaureate students must complete a minimum of 15 hours of undergraduate coursework in speech pathology and take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) before making application to the Master’s Program in Speech-Language Pathology at UCA.  To apply to the Master’s program, a student must have earned an overall minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 (A=4) or at least a 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours and take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE).  Admission to the Master’s program is competitive and selective. Selection is based on academic and personal qualifications of the applicant and is granted without regard to race, color, creed or national origin. The application deadline for the Master's Program is January 15.   Post-Bac students who have been accepted into the graduate program must complete a minimum of 30 hours of undergraduate courses in speech pathology before enrolling in graduate school.  For more information about the Post-Baccalaureate track please see the Post Baccalaureate web page. 

Master of Science

A master's degree in speech-language pathology is required to practice in Arkansas. A Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology can also be obtained at the University of Central Arkansas. .This requires completion of 47-48 hours of graduate study. Included in this coursework is practicum placement in which the student is required to perform clinically while being supervised.  The department operates a speech-language-hearing clinic on the University of Central Arkansas campus. In addition, the program maintains affiliation with a number of agencies for graduate practicum including Baptist Medical Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Veteran's Administration Hospital, Baptist Rehabilitation Institute, Central Arkansas Rehabilitation Hospital, St. Vincent's Infirmary, Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock; Timber Ridge Ranch in Benton, and Faulkner County Day School in Conway and numerous public schools in central Arkansas. Externships can be arranged in virtually any part of the United States in settings where students desire to gain clinical experience. Students receiving the MS degree in Speech-Language Pathology at UCA are well prepared for positions in medical facilities as well as public schools.

For the official university graduate bulletin information, refer to the UCA Graduate Bulletin web page.

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