Post-Baccalaureate Prerequisites Program Advising

Program advising for students completing post-baccalaureate pre-clinical program.

The prerequisite program is designed for students who are interested in preparing to apply for an AuD or speech-language pathology graduate degree, whether with UMass Amherst or another university. It is perfect for those whose undergraduate degree was not in communication disorders but whose interests now lie in audiology or speech-language pathology.

Students who need to complete prerequisite coursework prior to applying to a graduate program in speech-language pathology or audiology can learn more about the field by consulting the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Different programs might have different prerequisite requirements. Please consult with the programs where you intend to apply before enrolling in courses.

For UMass Amherst, in order to be considered for either the AuD or MA/SLP programs students must show that they have completed the program prerequisites. Please note that completion of prerequisite courses does not guarantee admission to a graduate program, either at UMass Amherst or any other school.

Because graduate admissions are highly competitive, it is recommended that all students plan to apply to multiple programs. We recommend that interested students consult EdFind, a service of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, to explore graduate programs.

Local students who intend to apply to UMass Amherst for graduate school are urged to take at least one course in person. This allows you to become familiarized with the program and to take at least one course with faculty who also teach in the graduate program. Online courses are not always taught by on-site faculty.

Prerequisite courses offered (see in-person or online pages for the courses offered in those formats):

  • SLHS 100: Introduction to Communication Disorders
  • SLHS 211: Anatomy & Physiology I: The Speech and Hearing Mechanisms
  • SLHS 212: Anatomy & Physiology II: Neurological Bases of Speech, Language, and Hearing
  • SLHS 213: Phonetic Processing
  • SLHS 214: Introduction to Hearing Science (offered in the onsite program only)
  • SLHS 301: Speech and Language Development
  • SLHS 312: Introduction to Speech Science
  • SLHS 313: Introduction to Audiology
  • SLHS 316: Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation
  • SLHS 415: Speech and Language Disorders

All courses are 3 credits. Students are encouraged to read course descriptions carefully to ensure that they have prior background knowledge for coursework.

It is strongly recommended that students interested in the SLP program also complete SLHS 420: Clinical Observations. SLHS 420 provides students with 25 hours of guided observation as outlined by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association's 2020 standards for speech-language pathology certification. This sequence provides required coursework in the field of communication disorders only. Most graduate programs will also require that students complete general education undergraduate coursework in biological science, physical science, social sciences, and statistics.