Note: In addition to the general prerequisites for admission to the Fox Graduate School, the following is required by this degree program:

RequirementsMore Information
GPA3.0 GPA or higher
2.5 GPA or higher on foundational coursework in physical sciences (BIO/CHEM/PHYS)
EducationBachelor's degree in SLP or CSD from an accredited university
Supporting Materials
  • GRE scores are not required. Any applicants who wish to share their GRE scores should use the code 2660.
  • Well-written personal essay (form and content).
  • 3 strong letters of recommendation with at least 2 of the letters provided by SLP/CSD university instructors.
  • All undergraduate prerequisite courses are completed or applicant provides a projected timeline for completion prior to the start of the program (August).
  • An admissions interview (online) is required. Competitive applicants will be invited to interview in February. Interviewees will be rated on professionalism, interpersonal skills, and communication skills.

Students without a degree in SLP/CSD must complete coursework in the following areas prior to admission: 

  • Introduction to Audiology
  • Aural Rehabilitation
  • Language Development
  • Anatomy and Physiology for SLP/CSD
  • Phonetics
  • Guided Clinical Observation (25 hours)
  • Articulation and Phonology (Speech Sound Disorders)  

Additional courses as required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) includes dedicated courses in: 

  • Statistics
  • Biological sciences
  • Physical sciences (chemistry or physics)
  • Social sciences or behavioral sciences

See the ASHA website for additional information on prerequisite coursework.

Application Deadline

Application materials must be received by 11:59 PM ET on January 15th. To ensure items arrive on time, try to send all documents several weeks before the deadline.

An offer of admission will be made to applicants selected by an admissions committee following review of all materials and a successful interview (online) with the Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Committee. All components of the application are carefully reviewed and considered before an offer of admission is made. Students who apply by the deadline and participate in an admissions interview will receive a decision by the first week of March or earlier, and, if offered admission, will have until April 15 to accept the offer.

Application Instructions

To apply to the Penn State Harrisburg MS SLP program, please complete the following:

  • Complete the CSDCAS application
  • Request that official transcripts from all US institutions attended be sent to CSDCAS
  • Upload a personal statement in the Documents section of CSDCAS. Your personal statement will consist of a written response that addresses 2 questions. (see Documents section for details)
  • Request 3 letters of recommendation be sent through the CSDCAS recommender portal. At least two of these letters should be from college/university instructors with whom you took a college/university course; preferably a CSD/SLP course instructor. The 3rd letter may be from a college instructor or a professional reference such as a work or internship supervisor. Family members or personal associates (friends) may not provide recommendation letters.

International Applicants

Request that official evaluations of transcripts from all foreign institutions be sent to CSDCAS as follows:

  • Use the World Education Services (WES) link in the Academic History section of the application to order your official WES evaluation or
  • Use the “Download Evaluation Request Form” in the Academic History section of the application to request an evaluation from an evaluation service other than WES.

Please note:  In addition to completing the CSDCAS application, all admitted students will be required to complete the Penn State Fox Graduate School application. Information will be provided to each admitted student with additional information.