The Post-baccalaureate Program in Speech-Language Pathology was designed to prepare students to excel academically and professionally by establishing a foundation necessary for their success in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP).
According to Kimberly Cafarella, MS, CCC-SLP, coordinator of the Post-Baccalaureate Program, SLP Track, this program is geared towards prospective students who may be interested in making a career change to SLP.
“We see students from a variety of backgrounds - psychology backgrounds, education backgrounds, more general health science backgrounds, but I've even spoken with students that have some less common undergraduate backgrounds too,” Cafarella said. “For example, I've spoken with students that have a background in criminal justice or in business.”
There are several advantages of being a part of the Post-bacc SLP program at Salus:
Specialized Opportunities: This program is specifically designed to accommodate students from a wide range of backgrounds, in order to help them make the switch to the SLP profession. This includes labs and observations for valuable hands-on learning opportunities to enhance their readiness for graduate education.
Post-bacc Counseling and Admission: Students meet with the director prior to completing the application to review professional goals and transcripts. This not only affords faculty the chance to get to know applicants on a holistic level, but also provides a great opportunity for students who are lacking the prerequisite academic background, yet still bring other important qualities that would be an asset to the program.
Guaranteed Interview: Students who complete coursework in the certificate program are guaranteed an admissions interview. Additionally, highly qualified undergraduate students have a pathway to guaranteed admissions into the Salus graduate SLP program.
Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair and program director of the SLP department, encourages any students who are interested — regardless of background — to look into the program.
“We do really appreciate students that come in with a variety of backgrounds,” he said. “Certainly, there's a perspective of what I'll call the more traditional student, who's gone through a communication sciences and disorders undergraduate degree and moved right into graduate school, but we see great successes in our students who have other undergraduate degrees or work history. They bring their unique perspectives which significantly enhances their experience in graduate school.”
For more information about the Post-baccalaureate Speech-Language Pathology Track or how to apply, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@salus.edu.
