Master of Speech-Language Pathology



Looking for an Open House Date? We would love to host you for a visit, but we prefer to meet prospective students one-on-one, so we can give you our undivided attention! Call 563-333- 3920 to schedule a meeting, either in-person or via video chat.

Whether you are drawn to working with children or adults, we have a program that gives you the skills to enrich the lives of others, by improving their ability to communicate. If you aren’t sure which client population you want to work with, you will gain hands-on experience with both!

The structure of our two-year program requires students to be on campus in Davenport, IA, for year one. Year two, students complete a fall and spring internship nearly anywhere they choose!

Our graduates work in a wide variety of settings treating adult and child clients, such as Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Sweet Pea's Therapy, Jordon Ross Communications, Color Along Pediatric Therapy, and many more.


Ambrose Advantages

  • Start Clinical Experience Your First Semester
  • Only Private University in Iowa Offering Graduate SLP & Free Services to Clients
  • See the Sound/Visual Phonics Incorporated into Your Education
  • Accredited Program with Quality & Caring Faculty
  • Option to Study Abroad in Cuenca, Ecuador

Darci Becker and Student with Brain Model

MSLP with child

MSLP Student and Adult Patient

Our MSLP students collaborate with other health care professionals, work closely with experienced faculty during clinic and research projects, and focus on improving lives. At SAU, you gain the confidence and freedom to grow as a practitioner in a high-demand field.

READ OUR MSLP fact SHEET (PDF)


Speech-Language Pathology
Master's Degree at SAU

Our MSLP students graduate from a robust program and receive extensive training from professors respected in their field.


More Information about the MSLP Program

What will I learn?

Courses include diagnostics, research methods, early intervention, dysphagia, critical thinking, fluency disorders, voice and resonance disorders, clinical reasoning, and more.

You get clinical experience starting your first semester. Most of our first-year off-campus clinical placements are in child-client settings. However, there is a strong focus on adult clients and medical settings built into the program. During the second year, you complete two, 10-12 week internships which can be completed outside the Quad Cities area. 

You will complete a research project and participate in service learning. In recent years, the majority of service learning sites included adult clients. 

Graduates of our program will be eligible for American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification and other relevant state credentials.

What makes the SAU program unique?
What are alums of this program doing?
  • Bryan Bustos Camona '17 MSLP works as a Bilingual SLP at the Mississippi Bend Area Education Center in Bettendorf, Iowa.
  • Claire Motto '14, '16 MSLP, is helping patients with brain injuries have purposeful lives. She partnered with two SAU alumnae to launch Empower House. Read this story about the important work they are doing.
  • Mallory Stegmuller '18, '21 MSLP, serves child clients at Rush Kids Pediatric Therapy
  • Hayley Levenhagen '21 MSLP, enjoys working at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
  • Elizaebeth Morales '18, 21 MSLP, is a Bilingual SLP at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
  • Kailyn Wasielewski, '22 MSLP, is passionate about providing SLP services to students at Grant Wood AEA, saying, "Still cannot believe that this is what I get to do for the rest of my life!"
What will my degree cost?

At St. Ambrose, we realize a graduate education is a personal, professional, and financial commitment. That is one reason we "freeze" the tuition rate when you enter the MSLP program. The One Price Tuition Plan ensures your tuition costs are consistent across semesters, making financial planning easier.

For the cohort of students entering the MSLP Program in Fall 2023, the total tuition cost of the two year program is $68,825. It includes tuition, course fees, liability insurance, technology fees, matriculation fee, and graduation application fees. You may encounter additional costs, which we've outlined below.

While the cost may seem daunting, graduate financial aid, assistantships, and scholarships are available to make your degree more affordable.

Give us a call or send an email and we'll answer anything else you might want to know.

Additional MSLP Costs

  • All housing and living-related expenses
  • Books and optional course supplies
  • Parking fees (approximately $60)
  • CPR certification (approximately $47)
  • Background checks required for clinical education (approximately $76)
  • Immunizations for clinical education
  • Travel and housing during clinical education
  • Graduation regalia (cap and gown)
  • National Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) membership fee (approximately $50)
  • National exam registration fee (approximately $120)
  • Additional cost if student chooses to enroll in Clinic Study Abroad in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Degree Requirements

Curriculum Year 1

Fall

MSLP 700 Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Practice, 2 credits
MSLP 711 Research Methods I, 1 credit
MSLP 720 Foundations of Assessment, 3 credits
MSLP 750 Clinic Experience I, 2 credits
MSLP 751 Professional Issues I, 1 credit
MSLP 780 Acquired Disorders of Language and Cognition, 4 credits

Winter Intersession

MSLP 755 Early Intervention, 3 credits OR MSLP 825 Multicultural Clinic Abroad, 3 credits

Spring

MSLP 712 Research Methods II, 2 credits
MSLP 752 Professional Issues II, 1 credit
MSLP 756 Developmental Disorders of Language and Cognition, 3 credits
MSLP 758 Multicultural Assessment and Intervention, 1 credit
MSLP 820 Clinical Experience II, 2 credits
MSLP 790 Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 2 credits
MSLP 850 Dysphagia, 3 credits

Summer (May) Intersession

MSLP 840 Fluency Disorders, 2 credits

Year 2

Summer (continued)

MSLP 730 Motor Speech Disorders, 3 credits
MSLP 753 Professional Issues III, 1 credit
MSLP 760 Voice and Resonance Disorders, 3 credits
MSLP 835 Clinical Experience III, 1 credit
MSLP 865 Graduate Research Project I, 1 credit

Fall

MSLP 870 Child Internship or MSLP 880 Adult Internship, 10-12 weeks, 8 credits each
MSLP 866 Graduate Research Project II, 1 credit
MSLP 875 Clinical Reasoning I, online, 1 credit

Spring

MSLP 870 Child Internship or MSLP 880 Adult Internship, 10-12 weeks, 8 credits each
MSLP 876 Clinical Reasoning II, 1 credit

Read course descriptions for MSLP online

Faculty and Staff

Elisa Huff, Professor and Program Director
Cory Kroeger, Office Administrator

Darci Becker, Professor
Brian Foy, Clinical Instructor
Elisa Green, Clinical Director
Lori Jager, Clinical Instructor
Jeffrey Knox, Adjunct Instructor
David Krupke, Clinical Asst. Professor
Rachael Suddarth, Professor
Bridgette Vale, Clinical Instructor

Clinical Affiliate Faculty
Heather Malli
Bridget Real
Rebecca Rall

Ready to Apply?

Take the next step toward earning your Master of Speech-Language Pathology degree and apply today!


Apply Visit Info

Contact


Elisa Huff, PhD, Program Director

Master of Speech-Language Pathology
Center for Communication and Social Development
1310 W. Pleasant St.
Davenport, IA 52804
563-333-3920
huffelisag@sau.edu

So, what's next?

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