Drawing from linguistics, psychology, physiology, and physical science, the field of communicative sciences and disorders is dedicated to understanding and minimizing the impact of disordered speech, language, hearing, and swallowing processes in children and adults. In this master's degree program, you'll learn from and collaborate with leaders in the field and gain hands-on clinical experience. This degree leads to eligibility for professional licensure as a speech-language pathologist.
Our program is offered in two modalities: on-campus and online. The application materials and adjudication are equivalent across the two modalities, however, the application process differs for each. This application is for the online option only. If you would like to apply to the on-campus modality, please visit the on-campus How to Apply page. Candidates can only have one active application to NYU Steinhardt during each admission cycle. In other words, candidates can either have an on-campus application open or an online application open, but not both.
Official Degree Title
Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Degree
MS
Plan Code
YCSD
Credits
48
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Contact
Plan of Study Creation
See the curriculum and degree requirements for the MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD). Our MS in CSD program is 48 credits. Students who do not have a bachelor's degree in CSD or a related field must take additional foundational courses (up to 14 credits) to acquire the necessary base knowledge prior to beginning graduate-level study. Click here for more information related to our foundation courses. All foundation courses are necessary for New York State (NYS) licensure and ASHA certification. Students who have previously completed coursework in the field but do not have a bachelor’s degree in CSD or a related field may be eligible to waive some of the foundation courses, though eligibility is not guaranteed. Prior coursework will be reviewed by faculty as part of the waiver consideration process. The department is unable to review course syllabi or transcripts prior to students depositing. The full Plan of Study creation process is outlined here. In the meantime, we offer this Foundation Course Equivalent Tool as a resource to determine some of the alternative course titles that we have accepted from outside universities.
Our program offers both full-time and part-time options within two available tracks:
Standard Track
In this track, students complete the program’s core course sequence and curricular requirements as outlined on the Curriculum page linked here.
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 standard track, in 6 terms. Students can opt to pursue full-time study following the deposit deadline.
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, and the number of credits they carry while attending the program part-time. To be considered a part-time student, a 5-8 credit load is carried each term. Students may attend the program part-time until they enter the last year 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.
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. Students in this track typically will complete the graduate program along the same timeline as the full-time or part-time option that they select, 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. 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. Please review the BET webpage to learn more about the requirements of this track.
Program Length
| Track | Number of Foundations Needed | Clinical Practicum Sequence Begins In | Estimated Time to Graduation* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive | 0 | First Fall | 5 terms |
| Standard or Bilingual Extension | 0-1 | First Spring | 6 terms |
| Standard or Bilingual Extension | 2-4 | First Summer | 7 terms |
| Standard or Bilingual Extension | 5-7 | Second Fall | 8 terms |
*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. Students are required to attend 3 terms per year during their enrollment: fall, spring, and summer.
**Students in the Bilingual Extension Track who attend part-time and need to take exactly 2 foundation courses at NYU can expect to begin the Clinical Practicum Sequence in Term 5 and that their estimated time to graduation will be 9 terms.
Admissions Requirements
Each year, NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders welcomes cohorts of graduates from science and other liberal arts backgrounds from across the country to join its MS program in the fall and spring terms. Applicants must have been conferred a bachelor’s degree prior to their first terms of enrollment in order to apply to the MS program.
New York University’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD) does not have a minimum undergraduate GPA requirement, though it is recommended that applicants have at least a 3.0, based on a 4.0 scale. In recent application cycles, the average undergraduate GPA for admitted students was 3.6.
In evaluating applications, we examine prospective students holistically taking all application components into account.
1. Prepare Your Application Materials
Preparing your Application
Prior to applying, prospective students are encouraged to view our Tips for Applying to Graduate School. These resources and videos contain a wealth of helpful information, including how to start your application, identifying letter of recommendation writers, and how to create the best application.
Document Preparation
All documents should be double-spaced, in 12 point font, with 1-inch margins, including your last name and document title on the top right-hand corner (e.g., Doe, Personal Statement). Page length is detailed under each application requirement. As you upload each document, please make sure each document is labeled accordingly. The accepted file formats are MSWord (.doc, .docx), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Portable Document Format (.pdf), and ASCII Text file (.txt).
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the New York University’s Department of Communicative Science and Disorders Admissions Committee at New York University. Your statement should describe your motivation for pursuing a career in Speech-Language Pathology, as well as your goals, interests, and career plans including how you plan to be a culturally responsive practitioner. We are also interested to learn which prior personal and professional life experiences you believe will make you a successful graduate student at New York University. When applicable, the Personal Statement is also an opportunity to provide or include context to further explain aspects of your application.
(2-page maximum)
Résumé/CV
Please upload a copy of your most recent résumé or curriculum vitae.
(2-page maximum, does not need to be double-spaced or have 1-inch margins)
Letters of Recommendation
You are required to submit a minimum of two, and a maximum of three letters of recommendation. Two letters must come from academic sources. An academic letter of recommendation is from a professor, clinical instructor, and/or academic advisor from your undergraduate or post-secondary institution, or post-baccalaureate coursework. A third academic or professional letter of recommendation can also be submitted. The recommender should provide insight into your academic preparation and performance. Only three letters of recommendation will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee encourages you to waive your right to view your letter of recommendation.
A professional letter of recommendation may be accepted in place of an academic source for those who have been out of school for five or more years.
Transcripts
Upload copies of official transcripts from every postsecondary school you have attended, including study abroad programs and community college, directly into the application. Please note the copy of an official transcripts must include the following:
- Name of institution and show institutional log
- Student name
- Student ID
- Semesters
- Course title and grade received
- Grading scale (if different than 4.0 scale)
- Level of study
- Degree conferral date (if degree granted)
If the transcripts submitted do not meet the above requirements, you will be required to submit official transcripts.
If admitted to the program, you will need to provide official transcripts. Transcripts can be sent via email to applicationservices@speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu or by mail to the following address:
New York University (NYU)
Application Processing Center
Speech@NYU
PO Box 30096 010-003
College Station, TX 77842
To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor (parchment or National Student Clearinghouse) retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university.
If you have completed or are completing a degree at an institution outside of the United States or Canada, you are required to provide either a WES course-by-course, ECE course-by-course or The Evaluation Company (TEC/SpanTran) evaluation.
Re-Application Guidelines & Essay
Candidates who have previously applied to NYU's MS in CSD program (on-campus and/or online) are required to submit a supplemental essay in addition to the standard application materials. Additionally, candidates must disclose prior applications and decisions from NYU on any future applications to NYU regardless of the modality of their prior application.
Re-Application Essay: If you are reapplying to NYU Steinhardt's CSD Program, please briefly describe the steps you have taken to strengthen your application since your last submission. Please include when you applied and what modality (on-campus or online).
(one-page maximum)
Enrollment Verification
If you are currently enrolled in non-matriculating classes, you will be required to submit an enrollment verification form that includes the start and end dates of the term. You can obtain this form from your registrar’s office.
Degree Conferral
If you are currently pursuing a degree, we will require a document that states the date your degree will be conferred. You can obtain this form from your registrar’s office.
GRE
NOT required.
English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
These scores are only required if your native language is not English and you did not receive the equivalent of a four-year US undergraduate degree in which the main level of instruction was English.
All applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents living in the United States throughout the duration of the program. Speech@NYU’s ETS code for TOEFL scores is B498. Students living outside of the United States are not eligible for the program at this time.
2. Apply
Application
After you fill in and upload the required information, you can submit your completed application.
Non-Refundable Application Fee
A $75 non-refundable application fee is required upon submission of your application and can be paid using any major credit card.
Applicants who apply by the early deadline will have their non-refundable application fee reduced from $75 to $45.
3. Receive Your Admission Decision
Decision
You will be notified about your decision by email.
Admissions Policy
It is the Department of CSD's policy that admitted students cannot switch between modalities. Students who wish to switch from one academic modality (online to on-campus or vice-versa) must withdraw their applications and re-apply to the other modality.
Candidates can only have one active application to NYU Steinhardt during each admission cycle. In other words, candidates can either have an on-campus application open or an online application open, but not both. If interested in attending in-person, you may apply to the on-campus MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders.
Transfer Credit Policy
Up to two graduate-level courses totaling no more than 8 credits may be transferred from an accredited college or university to be substituted for graduate-level coursework at the discretion of the department. Transfer credits must be taken prior to enrollment in the NYU CSD program in order to be considered. These units must not have been used to fulfill previous degree requirements and must meet a minimum “B” grade requirement. Coursework taken more than three years prior will not be accepted for transfer credit.
Observation Hours Guidelines
Prospective students are strongly encouraged to complete all 25 hours of guided observations prior to entering the Graduate Program. Although not a requirement for acceptance into the program, students must complete these hours before they start Practicum I (Fall 2025 for students who choose the intensive track). 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.
Financial Aid
Contact an Admissions Counselor at 888-698-0462 or admissions@speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu to learn about scholarship opportunities.