Speech therapists (also known as speech-language pathologists) work with a variety of different age groups, from the very young to the very old, to treat speech and language disorders. To get started with this career, you need to have a way with people and a way with textbooks. Most speech therapy positions require a professional master's degree and challenging prerequisite courses at the undergraduate level.
While in High School
During your high school years, select courses designed to hone your communication skills and deepen your knowledge of science. In its "Fact Sheet for Speech-Language Pathology," the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends that high school students take biology, physics, psychology, social sciences and math. Because communication with others is so important in professional practice, take English classes to improve your writing skills and public speaking courses to work on oral presentation.
During Your Undergraduate Years
You don't need to major in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) as an undergraduate to get into a speech-language pathology master's program. According to ASHA's graduate school planning document, many schools accept students with different educational backgrounds. Some schools require that students complete certain prerequisite courses prior to admission, while others place students in modified master's programs that include missing prerequisites and take longer to finish. If you're considering other career directions and want to major in something else, investigate the master's programs that interest you and have a look at their prerequisites. Consider whether you can get the prerequisites you might need in your chosen undergraduate program and college. Most master's programs look for solid foundations in anatomy, physiology, physical sciences, psychology and mathematics. Admissions committees also look for language-related courses, including linguistics, phonetics and semantics. Many want to see speech and hearing sciences coursework on your transcript. Attending a university that has a speech and hearing sciences department is strongly recommended, since universities without these programs usually don't offer these specialized courses.
As a Master's Student
The focus of your studies narrows with admission to a professional program. Anatomy and physiology courses consider body parts important for language and swallowing. Psychology classes look at the nature of communication disorders. A math and physical science background will be necessary when studying acoustics and sound waves. Master's programs also offer courses focused on clinical practice, such as patient counseling and disorder evaluation techniques.
Consider Taking a Foreign Language
For the best future career opportunities, gain fluency in a second language. If you're not sure which language to learn, consider what's commonly spoken in the area where you want to work. A considerable number of Americans speak Spanish, for example, so learning Spanish in high school and working on your skills throughout university is a wise career move.
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