School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP)

ACCELERATED OPTION: You can earn your bachelor's and master's in less time and at a significant savings. Learn more about the: Accelerated degree option.

The Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP) program is a 5-year bridge program between our speech-language pathology (SLP) undergraduate and graduate degrees. Selected students can complete 9-credits of graduate coursework during their third undergraduate year at the University of Akron. Students will then transition into our campus-based SLP graduate program, pending satisfactory fulfillment of their undergraduate degree and graduate program admission requirements. Selected SLP students have the potential to earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Akron in 5 years.

The advantages to the accelerated program include:

  • Flexibility during graduate school
    Students can complete graduate classes while fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements. This allows for flexibility at the graduate level for enrollment in additional clinical experiences or for acceptance in one of our offered SLP graduate level specialization training programs.

  • Reduce time
    Students start fulfilling graduate school requirements sooner. The ADP Program engages students in graduate level courses before their peers and provides the opportunity to make connections with graduate instructors and other students in the program.

  • Save tuition costs
    Students can save tuition costs by completing up to 9 graduate credit hours at the undergraduate price. These same graduate credits will be applied to their SLP graduate degree at The University of Akron

Curriculum:

The 5-Year Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP) Program curriculum includes the same coursework offered in the SLP undergraduate and graduate programs. The 5-year program requires 176 total credit hours of undergraduate and graduate courses.

See drop down items below for listing of required courses for the 5-Year ADP Program in Speech-Language Pathology

Course Credits
BIOL:200/201 Human Anatomy & Physiology I + Lab* 4
BIOL:111 English Composition I 3
PSYC:100 Introduction to Psychology* 3
COMM:106 Effective Oral Communication
                         -OR-
COMM:105 Introduction to Public Speaking

3
SLPA:110 Introduction to Disorders of Communication* 3
STAT:250 Statistics for Everyday Life* 4
ENGL:222 Technical Writing 3
BIOL202/203 Human Anatomy & Physiology II + Lab* 4
SOCIO:100 Introduction to Sociology
(Domestic Diversity/Social Science requirement)
3
SLPA:101 American Sign Language I 3
SLPA:210 Introduction to Clinical Phonetics** 4
SLPA:230 Language Science and Acquisition** 4
SLPA:215 Intro: Hearing & Speech Science 4
SLPA:365/366 Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism+ Lab 4
PHIL:150 Critical Thinking 3
SLPA:321 Articulation and Phonologic Disorders 4
SLPA:330 Language Disorders  
PHYS:133 Music, Sound, and Physics + Lab
                         -OR-
CHEM101 Chemistry for Everyone + Lab

4
SLPA:446 Observation and Clinical Techniques** 4
SLPA:335 Principles of Audiology  4
SLPA: 623 Support Systems for Individuals & Families with Communicative Disorders 2
SLPA: 631 Cognitive Communicative Issues in Special Language 3
SLPA: 630 Clinical Issues in Child Language 4
SLPA:345  Audiologic Treatment      4
SLPA: 445 Multicultural Considerations in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology 3
SLPA:422 Organic Disorders      4
Fine Arts Requirement 3
Humanities Requirement 3
Complex Issues Facing Society Requirement 3
Global Diversity Requirement 3
Electives 16

*Courses are required as part of pre-admission sequence into SLPA major.

**Courses must be completed during summer semester to complete 176 credits in 5-year timeline.

Courses listed in italics are graduate leveled courses completed at the undergraduate level and cost.

Course Credits
SLPA:540 Augmentative Communication 3
SLPA:628 Topics in Differential Diagnosis of Speech & Language Disorders 2
SLPA:620 Articulation/Phonology 3
SLPA:624 Neurogenic Speech & Language Disorders    3
SLPA:626 Voice & Cleft Palate 3
SLPA:632 Dysphagia           3
SLPA:561 Organization & Administration: Public School Speech-Language & Hearing Programs 2
SLPA:590 Workshop: Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 1
SLPA:627 Stuttering: Theories & Therapies      2
SLPA:633 Professional Issues 2
SLPA:611 Research Methods in Communicative Disorders I 3
SLPA:585 Developmental Disabilities 2
SLPA:639 Audiology for the Speech-Language Pathologist     3
SLPA:650 Advanced Clinical Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology 9
SLPA:695 Externship: Speech Language Pathology 6
SLPA:696 Externship Seminar 1
SLPA:693 School-based Externship: Speech Language Pathology 6
SLPA:691 School-based Externship Seminar     1

Course Credits
SLPA:613 Advanced Topics in Augmentative- Alternative Communication          3

How to join

Interested students should contact Dr. Scott Palasik at spalasik@uakron.edu.

Once enrolled at UA, SLP students should discuss interest in our 5-Year SLP Accelerated Degree option with an academic advisor. Students are encouraged to apply to the ADP Program after being admitted into the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (SLPA) undergraduate program. Information about admission into the SLPA program can be found on our Undergraduate Website.

Currently enrolled junior level students can also find application and admission information on the SSLPA Undergraduate Brightspace site.