FAQs

Our Tips for Applying to Graduate School page includes guide videos and resource links to assist you in your application preparation process.

The Admissions Committee reviews applications holistically; simply, we look at the whole picture, not just a single metric. We encourage you to use every part of your application to demonstrate your readiness for the program. The Committee closely considers:

• Academic Performance: Your prior coursework and GPA trends.
• Relevant Experience: Professional work, internships, research, volunteer, and leadership experience(s).
• Letters of Recommendation: Insightful perspectives from academic or professional writers.

Please see this helpful webpage from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

We accept students with both speech-language pathology (SLP) and non-SLP backgrounds. The Admissions Committee does not consider one background more beneficial than the other.

We offer at least one virtual information session for each application cycle. Other virtual opportunities may be available for admitted students and will be communicated.

Yes! Please email csdadmissionsambassadors@nyu.edu to be connected to a current graduate student. In your email, please note the modality you are interested in. 

Please take a look at the Plan of Study section of the FAQ. 

Information can be found in the Prerequisite/Foundation Courses section of the FAQ.

A selection of sample Plans of Study can be viewed in our Speech@NYU Prospective Student Materials folder, including:

• Full-Time and Part-Time examples for students waiving all foundation courses (taking 0 foundations at NYU), and
•  Full-Time and Part-Time examples for students requiring all foundation courses (taking 7 foundations at NYU).

Plans of Study will vary based on individual preferences, program track, and/or outstanding foundation coursework. Please see additional information in the Plan of Study FAQ section below.  

Monitor your email! You can expect to hear from the Department about your next steps -- including review of your previously taken foundation/ASHA coursework, creation of your Plan of Study, and registration.

Our MS in CSD program is 48 credits. Students who do not have a bachelor's degree in CSD or a related field may be required to take additional foundational courses (up to 14 credits) to acquire the necessary base knowledge prior to beginning graduate-level study.

Yes! Our program is designed to provide academic and clinical training across the lifespan to train students to become generalist practitioners. Determination of a student’s field placement sites depends on many factors, including but not limited to: knowledge, skills, performance in certain courses, performance in the department’s clinic, academic schedule, and field placement availability.

Up to two graduate-level courses totaling no more than 8 credits may be transferred from another university to be substituted for graduate-level coursework at the discretion of the department. Eligible transfer credits must: 1) be graduate-level work from a regionally accredited college or university; 2) not have been applied toward another degree (graduate or undergraduate); 3) be completed within three years of the date of admission to your program; 4) meet a minimum grade "B" requirement; and 5) meet the program's content and unit standards as per the discretion of the department. 

Changes to a student’s graduate program requirements due to transfer credits are made in consultation with an Academic Advisor and are subject to the approval of departmental faculty, Graduate Admissions and/or Graduate Studies. Once approved, a Transfer Credit Statement Form must be submitted to begin the process of transferring your credits.

Once students are enrolled in the program, they cannot take any additional courses at other schools to meet the requirements for graduation, with the exception of completing ASHA courses.

You can apply to the program with all, some, or none of the prerequisite/foundation courses. Your Plan of Study (POS) will be created based on the number of foundation courses you need when you enter the program. Refer to the NYU Foundational Courses webpage to learn more.

We are not able to review foundation courses before students’ acceptance; however, following admission, you can expect to hear from the Department about your next steps -- including review of your previously taken foundation/ASHA coursework, creation of your Plan of Study, and registration. Refer to the NYU Foundational Courses webpage to learn more about foundation course requirements.

Students are encouraged to utilize the Foundation Course Equivalent to help anticipate how many foundation courses they may need.

NOTE: This sheet is intended to serve as a guide for courses that are typically equivalent to CSD foundation courses; however, courses are subject to further faculty review, and waivers are not guaranteed.

Students who have completed a CSD undergraduate major or earned a CSD post-baccalaureate degree/certificate awarded within 10 years of the NYU program start date are not required to take or retake any foundation courses. The final transcript must state that an advanced certificate or bachelor's degree was awarded in CSD/SLP prior to starting the program at NYU in order to waive all foundation course requirements. 

The length of the program is dependent on a variety of factors, including how many foundation courses you enter the program with, your selected program track, study abroad participation, and other program preferences. The curriculum is designed to be completed across the required fall, spring, and summer terms. 

You must have all of the foundation courses completed before you can enter the Clinical Practicum and Field Placement Sequence.

The following table includes program length estimates based on the track pursued and the number of outstanding foundation courses:

These program lengths are estimates; additional time may be needed depending on the specific foundation courses outstanding. Program length cannot be guaranteed until after your Plan of Study has been created.

Our program offers two available tracks, including:

Standard Track

The Standard Track is the most common program track selected, in which students complete the graduate program in 6-8 terms, depending on the number of outstanding foundation courses a student must complete. For students with all foundation courses complete, the standard track is typically 6 terms. Students can opt into the track following the deposit deadline. No action is needed to indicate interest in this track during the application process.

Bilingual Extension Track

The Bilingual Extension Track (BET) includes coursework and clinical experiences required for NYS Education Department’s Teacher for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities-Bilingual Extension (TSSLD-BE) certification. Similar to the standard track, students in this track will complete the graduate program in 6-8 terms, depending on the number of outstanding foundation courses a student must complete. The NYSED TSSLD-BE is designed for bilingual or multilingual students admitted to the MS in CSD program, who intend to work in NYS with linguistically minoritized populations between the ages of 3-21 years. This program has limitations in size, with caps imposed every term. Acceptances are determined on a lottery basis if interest exceeds capacity limitations. Completion of the questions in the application confirms potential interest in the BET and entry into the lottery. You will learn about your status in the BET following the deposit deadline.

If you have any questions about the Bilingual Extension Track, please contact csdbet@nyu.edu.

Full-Time Option

Students attending full-time complete the graduate program in 6-8 terms depending on the number of outstanding foundation courses a student must complete. Students attending full-time with all foundations met typically complete the program in 6 terms. Students can opt to pursue full-time study following the deposit deadline.

Note: Students taking several foundation courses (CSCD-GE 2002-2009) take 6-8 credits in their foundation terms even with a full-time Plan of Study due to the intensive nature of these courses. Despite this being standard for the department's curriculum, students in this situation are considered part-time in these semesters for financial aid purposes. Students will resume a full-time courseload after foundation terms are completed. As a standard practice, students take a maximum of two foundation courses in the same session. A maximum of three courses may be permitted in a session to maintain academic continuity and must be discussed directly with your academic advisor.

Part-Time Option

Students attending part-time typically complete the graduate program in 8-10 terms depending on the number of outstanding foundation courses they must complete. Part-Time students carry a reduced course load of 5-8 credits per term before entering the Practicum sequence. Despite the reduced courseload, part-time students are still expected to prioritize program requirements and meet all course and field placement obligations. The program does not provide scheduling accommodations for employment or other outside commitments. Students may attend the program part-time until they enter the last year (final three terms) of the Clinical Practicum and Field Placement Sequence, which requires full-time availability for field placement experiences. 

Students can opt to pursue part-time study following the deposit deadline.

Once accepted, you can email the professor you are interested in working with for various research opportunities, including open lab meetings and/or journal clubs. Paid positions are typically set up on an individual basis and posted to NYU Handshake. Eligibility for these paid positions is most commonly available after a student has spent some time in the faculty member’s lab.

Students are expected to progress through the program in a continuous sequence once enrolled. In limited circumstances, a leave of absence may be approved for reasons such as medical, personal, or family needs. Students considering time away from the program should consult with their academic advisor as early as possible to discuss available options, the impact on degree progression, and any requirements for returning to active enrollment. Approval of a leave of absence is not automatic and is subject to university and program policies. Students should be aware that taking time off may affect their anticipated graduation timeline, course sequencing, and clinical placement schedule.

The American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) requires students to complete a minimum of 25 hours of guided clinical observation, supervised by licensed and certified speech-language pathologists (SLP) who work with individuals across the life span in a variety of settings. 

In order for the observation hours to be considered guided, the hours cannot be passive in nature.  There needs to be communication between the clinical educator and observer.  

Examples of “guidance” include but are not limited to the following activities:

• Debriefing
  • video recording with a clinical educator
  • observations that meet course requirements
• Discussion of therapy or evaluation procedures that have been observed
• Written records of observation
• Note: Time spent debriefing/reflecting on observations does not count towards the 25 hours observed

No, although prospective students are strongly encouraged to complete all 25 hours of guided observations prior to entering the Graduate Program. If these hours are not completed prior to entry, students must complete them before they start Practicum I. For students with a CSD background who need no foundations courses and are interested in the intensive track, observation hours must be completed before their first term begins, as they will immediately enroll in Practicum I.

A minimum of 13 out of the 25 guided observation hours must be completed outside of our department. Students can only apply a maximum of 12 hours via recorded observations* (e.g., Master Clinician Network or SimuCase observation hours) to their total 25 required observation hours. Licensed and certified speech-language pathologists  (CCC-SLP) must supervise all guided observation hours. The hours can be earned with individuals across the life span in any setting. Completed observation hours from a required course at the undergraduate or post-baccalaureate level may be submitted. All observation hours earned on or after January 1, 2021, must be completed under a CCC-SLP meeting the 2020 ASHA standards; specifically, the supervisory requirement.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the SLP they are observing has met the 2020 ASHA standard. 

Prospective students may utilize the  ASHA Certification and Ethics Verification tool to determine that the supervisor is ASHA certified and has met the ASHA supervisory requirements.

*In instances where observation hours were accrued as a required component of an undergraduate course incorporating significant feedback and reflection, the department may approve the full 25 hours to be completed via MCN, Simucase, or other approved pre-recorded sessions.

A memo on official letterhead from your undergraduate institution that is signed by a representative/instructor/supervisor, includes their ASHA certification number, verifies completion of the required hours OR an itemized observation hours log (please see our NYU CSD Observation Hours Log Template as an example).

For Graduate Tuition and Fees, please visit the Steinhardt Admissions Graduate Study Tuition and Fees page. 

In addition, students are responsible for additional program fees, including but not limited to: background checks and medical clearances through Castlebranch, books and supplemental software, and transportation costs. 

For information surrounding scholarships and financial aid, please visit Steinhardt's Paying for Your Education or contact the NYU Office of Financial Aid.