Preparatory Program of Study Required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Leading to Speech-Language Pathology Certification (Based on ASHA 2014 SLP Certification Standards)

Standard IV-A: The applicant must have demonstrated knowledge of the biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics, and the social/behavioral sciences.

Implementation: 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). Acceptable courses in physical sciences should include physics or chemistry. Acceptable courses in social/behavioral sciences should include psychology, sociology, anthropology, or public health. A stand-alone course in statistics is required. Research methodology courses in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) may not be used to satisfy the statistics requirement. A course in biological and physical sciences specifically related to CSD may not be applied for certification purposes to this category unless the course fullfills a university requirement in one of these areas.

Courses specifically related to communication sciences and disorders (CSD) may not be applied for certification purposes in this category. 

I. Biological Sciences (a minimum of two credit hours required)
Possible Courses: biology, human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy, human genetics, veterinary science

II. Physical Sciences (a minimum of two credit hours required)
Required Courses: physics or chemistry

III. Social/Behavioral Sciences (a minimum of two credit hours required)
Possible Courses: psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health

IV. Statistics
Possible Courses: introduction to statistics, statistical principles of psychological research

AP credit will not be accepted for the statistics requirement only. All other AP credit will be acceptable for the above
listed categories.

______________________________________________________________________________

Standard IV-B:The applicant must have demonstrated knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes, including the appropriate biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases. The applicant must have demonstrated the ability to integrate the information pertaining to normal and abnormal human development across the lifespan.

Students who have not completed all of the below requirements may apply to the Master's program. However, admitted students are required to complete all prerequisite coursework prior to beginning graduate coursework.

I. Biological and Neurological Bases:
Possible Courses: Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism

II. Acoustic Bases:
Speech science and audiology are both required by UNC-CH
Possible Courses: Speech Science; Intro to Audiology

III. Psychological/Developmental Bases:
A course in Language Acquisition is strongly recommended.
Possible Courses: Normal Language Acquisition, Child Development

IV. Linguistic/Cultural Bases:
Possible Courses: Introduction to Phonetics (required); Introduction to Linguistics (recommended)

_______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

A full listing of courses offered at UNC-Chapel Hill may be found at
http://registrar.unc.edu/courses/

The following courses are offered during the fall semester:
-Introduction to Phonetics
-Introduction to Audiology

The following courses are offered during the spring semester:
-Speech Science
-Introduction to Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
-Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing

UNC does not offer prerequisite courses during the Summer terms.