Admissions

 
The Department accepts new graduate students only in the Fall semester; the deadline for receipt of applications is January 15th (or the following Monday if the first falls on a weekend).  Spring admission is offered only by departmental invitation.  Upon acceptance, your ASHA Prerequisite Courses Form should be returned to our department no later than May 31st. Refer to the ASHA Prerequisite Courses Form that states the requirements for certification in speech-language pathology. Please send questions about the application process to admissionscomd@lsu.edu.


A complete application must be submitted to the Graduate School through an online system at applygrad.lsu.edu. This should include: 

  1. Completed online graduate application form
  2. Official transcript(s).  Unofficial transcript(s) will suffice during review, but official transcripts must be received and grades confirmed upon acceptance. In general, a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or better. LSU students do not need to send transcripts to the department. Students who transferred to LSU before graduating do not need to send transcripts from previous schools. 
  3. A purpose statement is required as part of the online application.  Statements of purpose will be scored on three criteria: (1) knowledge of the field, (2) professional goals, and (3) overall writing abilities. An additional writing sample that demonstrates relevant research experiences, clinical experiences, critical thinking, and/or writing abilities is optional but encouraged.  Both are loaded through the online application system.  A 1-1.5 page statement with standard formatting (single-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman font) is recommended. 
  4. Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the student's potential for success in academic coursework and clinical practice, as well as the student's character and motivation. Letters from previous clinical supervisors, instructors of communication disorders courses, directors of labs in which the student volunteered, or supervisors from sites where the candidate conducted volunteer activities in a related area are rated higher than recommendations that cannot directly speak to the potential for success in the field. The online system has IT support that should be used if letter writers have difficulty with the online system. 
  5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required at this time.

Students without a BA/BS in COMD 

LSU Leveling Program 
The LSU Leveling program in Communication Disorders is designed for students who have not completed an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders but who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in speech-language pathology. The courses are prerequisite to more advanced coursework and required to be successful in a master’s program. 
 
Completion of the Leveling coursework does not result in a degree, does not include clinical practicum, does not guarantee acceptance to the LSU graduate program, and will not qualify those who complete this program to apply for an SLP-Assistant License in Louisiana. The background courses taken during the Leveling Year do not count towards the hours needed for the master’s degree. 
 
The Leveling program consists of 10 COMD courses, all but one that can be completed prior to entering the master’s program. These are COMD 3150 (Phonetics) 4153 (Acoustics), 4190 (Introduction to Audiology), 4250 (Anatomy), 4380 (Language Development), 4381 (Speech Sound Disorders), 4382 (Language Disorders) 4383 (Fluency), 4590 (Aural Rehabilitation – often taken in the MA program), and 4681 (Observation). 
 
In addition, the following courses are undergraduate prerequisites required by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association for Certification as a Speech-Language pathologist. If these courses were not taken in the student’s UG program, they must be taken before completing the MA. Early completion is highly recommended. 
 
Biological Science (an animal-based basic science course – no lab required (i.e., Biology, Zoology, Genetics, Neurophysiology, Human Anatomy and Physiology) 
Physical Science (Physics, Chemistry) 
Social Science (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology) 
Statistics (not part of research design or other course; not Business Statistics) 
Individuals interested in the COMD Leveling program should apply to the Undergraduate Transfer program. Choose the “Visiting Student” option once the drop-down menu in the Common Application Transfer program appears. 
 
Upon successful completion of the required background work, individuals may apply to admission to the regular graduate program to start during a fall semester. Successful completion of the Leveling program does not guarantee to the regular graduate program. A minimum GPA of 3.5 in the COMD courses is required for consideration. 
 
See the Undergraduate Admissions page for in-depth admission instructions. 
 
See the ASHA certification standards for the Program of Studies requirements. 
 
English Language Proficiency 


The 2020 Certification Standards for Speech-Language Pathology issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association indicate: "For oral communication, the applicant must have demonstrated speech and language skills in English, which, at a minimum, are consistent with ASHA's current position statement on students and professionals who speak English with accents and nonstandard dialects. In addition, the applicant must have demonstrated the ability to write and comprehend technical reports, diagnostic and treatment reports, treatment plans, and professional correspondence in English." 
 

 

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