Drawing from linguistics, psychology, physiology, and physical science, the field of communicative sciences and disorders is dedicated to understanding speech, language, hearing, and swallowing processes in children and adults and supporting those with developmental differences or acquired disorders to achieve their functional communicative and/or swallowing goals. In this master's degree program, you'll learn from and collaborate with leaders in the field while gaining vital, hands-on clinical experience. Our comprehensive generalist curriculum prepares you for professional licensure as a speech-language pathologist equipped to serve clients across the lifespan. Additionally, the course and clinical work fulfill the requirements to apply for the Teacher of Students with Speech-Language Disabilities (TSSLD) certificate, a credential required by New York State to practice with school-aged children in a variety of settings.
Our program is offered in two modalities: on-campus and online. While the application materials and adjudication standards are equivalent across the two modalities, the application systems differ for each. This application is for the online option only for the Fall 2027. If you wish to apply to the on-campus modality, please visit the on-campus program application.
Students are strongly encouraged to review our FAQs page as it contains lots of helpful information regarding our program.
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
Admissions Requirements
Each year, NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders welcomes a cohort of college graduates from a wide variety of academic backgrounds from across the country to join its MS program. Applicants must have a conferred bachelor’s degree prior to their first term 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.
Application Policies
It is your responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted by the appropriate deadline, and we reserve the right to return any application that arrives after the deadline.
Due to the volume of applications and related materials received, the Office of Graduate Admissions will only contact you if your application was successfully submitted but is deemed incomplete because of missing required materials. Otherwise, you will hear from us when the Admissions Committee has made its decision.
Deferral Policy
NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals for the on-campus modality of the MS program. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future term must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.
Admissions Policy
During the application process, 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.
Admitted and/or enrolled students cannot switch between modalities. Students who wish to switch from one academic modality (online to on-campus or vice versa) must withdraw their application and/or reapply to the other modality. Re-admission is not guaranteed.
1. Prepare Your Application Materials
Preparing your Application
Before 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, how to identify 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. Please include your last name and document title on the top right-hand corner (e.g., Doe, Personal Statement).
Length: Page length is detailed under each application requirement.
Naming: Ensure each file is labeled clearly before uploading.
Accepted Formats: MS Word (.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. 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 must submit a minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation.
Standard Requirements: At least two letters must come from academic sources (professor, clinical instructor, and/or academic advisor from your undergraduate or post-secondary institution, or post-baccalaureate coursework). The recommender should provide insight into your academic preparation and performance.
Five-Year Exception: If you have been out of school for five or more years, professional letters may be accepted in place of academic ones.
Optional Third Letter: You may submit a third letter from either an academic or professional source. Only three letters of recommendation will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Submission Process: You will provide contact information for your recommenders directly through the application system. They will then be notified to upload their letters to the platform.
Confidentiality: The Admissions Committee strongly encourages you to waive your right to view your letters of recommendation.
Transcripts
List and upload a copy of an official transcript from every postsecondary institution (college/university) you have attended or are attending. Please note: This includes community college transcripts and transcripts from institutions where you received transfer credits or did not complete a degree. Make sure to request an official transcript(s) in advance of the deadline.
- Transfer Credits: We understand accepted transfer credits may be clearly listed on your degree awarding institution’s transcript. The Office of Graduate Admissions still requires a transcript from the initial credit-granting institution where you took the course(s). Failure to list and upload these transcripts can significantly delay the application review process.
Please note the copy of an official transcript must include the following:
- Name of institution and show institutional logo
- 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 transcript(s) submitted do not meet the above requirements, you will be required to submit an official transcript.
Institutions Outside the US or Canada
If you completed or are completing a degree at an institution outside of the US or Canada, you are required to provide a WES, ECE or TEC/SpanTran international credentials evaluation. Please review our requirements for translation and a course-by-course evaluation of your transcripts.
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 an additional 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. Please see the Documents tab in CSDCAS for detailed instructions.
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)
GRE
NOT required.
Proficiency in English
See testing requirements.
2. Apply
Application
The Fall 2027 application will open at the end of August.
Application Fee
You will be prompted to pay a $75 application fee, payable by major credit card only. After submitting your payment, you will see your application status change from “saved” to “submitted.” Please print this screen for your records, as it confirms that your application has been successfully sent to our school. If you have problems submitting your payment, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions. Learn more about our fee waiver policy.
Sending Materials
Most application materials can be successfully submitted via the online application.
If you plan to send application materials, transcript(s) or international credentials evaluation(s) to NYU Steinhardt Office of Graduate Admissions, please review these instructions. Materials sent to other divisions of NYU may not be obtainable by our office and will significantly delay processing.
3. Receive Your Admission Decision
Decision
You will be notified about your decision by email.