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• undergraduate degree in speech pathology and audiology or 30 credits of undergraduate course work in speech pathology and audiology
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• three letters of recommendation
• official GRE General Test scores — 900 or above for verbal and quantitative composite score, 400 or above for either subtest, and 4.5 or above for the writing sample.
• official TOEFL scores — 580/237/92 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

Speech pathology and audiology (SPA) are interrelated disciplines that deal with disorders of speech-language and/or hearing. Audiology is the study of human hearing and the diagnosis and treatment of hearing-related disorders. Speech-language pathology is the study of human communication and related disorders.

The Division of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) offers a graduate program leading to the MS in speech pathology and audiology. A particular strength of the program is clinical education/training. The program prides itself in offering students close, individualized instruction. It is one of the few programs in the United States featuring preparation in a multilingual/multicultural environment. Given Hawai'i's status as the health care center for the Pacific Basin, internship and externship facilities in Honolulu and elsewhere are extensive and varied. Students have the opportunity to gain rich clinical and cultural experience.

The program is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and provides professional preparation for certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (the national certifying authority). The practice of speech-language pathology and/or audiology presently requires a minimum of a master’s degree obtained from a CAA-accredited program in a regionally accredited university. In addition, the practitioner must obtain clinical certification and, in most states, licensure. Standards for practice (and, therefore, educational content) are evolving. The prospective student is advised that the standards for graduation will change during the course of his/her study. Students in the program will be required to meet the national standards in force at the time of graduation.

Speech pathologists and audiologists treat children and adults in public and private practice in a wide variety of settings. A recent report by the federal government projected the combined fields of audiology and speech pathology as one of the fastest growing of the next decade.

Students may select Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis).

• Plan A requires 44 credits (including six credits of thesis research), a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
• Plan B requires 44 credits (including a research study), a seminar appearance and a final exam.

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/spa.htm.