How many students are admitted to the program and how many apply? Each year the number of applicants to our Masters program increases. Each year we admit 18-20 students. In 2018, 183 applicants applied to our program, and for the incoming Fall 2018 cohort, the average GRE was 295 and the average cumulative GPA was 3.81 on a 4.0 scale.
What are the pre-requisite classes for a student with a Bachelor’s in a different field in order to apply for admission? Post baccalaureate students are required to enroll in 30 hours of coursework before applying to our graduate program. These courses include:
Phonetics
Language and Speech Acquisition
Speech Anatomy and Physiology
Speech and/or Hearing Science
Speech Sound Disorders
Clinical Methods
Language Disorders
Neurology or Cognition
Audiology
Speech and Language Diagnostics
How is the application weighted in terms of GRE, GPA, letter of intent, letters of recommendation, clinical experience etc.? GRE and GPA are equally weighted. Letter of intent, letters of recommendation and clinical experience are all considered when making decisions regarding admissions.
Is the program clinical or researched based? We implement evidence-based practices for all clinical experiences. Students have the opportunity and are encouraged to participate in research activities in the department.
Is the program more focused in one area over the other? (e.g. more focus on school- based than medical SLP) No. Our program offers a variety of clinical experiences and provides students with a well-rounded education.
Does the program offer a medical and educational externship? Yes.
Do students have a say in selecting clinical practicum experiences or are they placed randomly? Students are assigned to clinical practica based on their needs, their previous experiences and coursework, and scheduling.
Does the program offer Graduate Assistantships or scholarships? Student Worker positions are offered each academic year. Students must apply for assistantships, and a limited number of scholarships will be available.
Approximately how many clients are assigned to graduate students each semester? Clinicians are assigned 1-3 clients for their on campus practicum. However the number of clients a clinician is assigned depends on their experience, coursework, and whether or not they also have an off-campus practicum assignment.
What makes your program stand out from other programs? The research resources of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Additional support for this program comes through other cooperating clinics and agencies within the Little Rock urban area. The program is accredited through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Council for Academic Accreditation in speech-language pathology and is also accredited by ASHA as a continuing education sponsor.
Our M.S. program is unique in Arkansas in the following ways:
The faculty provides both clinical and classroom teaching;
All M.S. students may choose between an independent research project or a traditional thesis
