A young woman sits next to a small child at a table. They both hold their hands up to their face while shaping a sound with their mouths.

Speech-Language Pathology, M.S.

McDaniel College's developing Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program will begin accepting applications in July 2026 for our first cohort to begin in May 2027.

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Degree Types

Master's

Institution

Complementary Programs

Health Sciences

Occupational Therapy, Master of Science

Elementary Education

Key

Format

In Person

Document

Choose Your Pathway

Traditional Post-Bachelor, Undergraduate 4+2, or Career-Changer Through Bridge Program

You are invited!

Public Meeting with the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)

February 10, 2026 | 5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

McDaniel College Hoover Library, Wahrhaftig Room

For full details on the meeting and written comment submission click HERE.

McDaniel’s developing Master of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program offers a unique Holistic Immersive Learning Model that integrates four key components: hybrid learning, face-to-face instruction, community-based clinical engagement (on and off campus), and interdisciplinary collaboration to provide a comprehensive, student- and client-centered educational experience.

As a hybrid program, it offers an accelerated two-year model that includes summers and only requires students to be on campus for one year.

Year one combines online and face-to-face instruction, delivered in our newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility.
The final two semesters — fall and spring — are dedicated to full-time externships completed in community-based settings.

Career Connections Start Here

The program’s cohort model offers a supportive and engaging learning environment where students progress together, building strong connections and a shared sense of purpose.

Through a balanced application of innovative pedagogy, scholarly, experiential learning, and immersive instructional methods, McDaniel SLP graduates will acquire skills necessary for evidence-based inquiry, professional reasoning, and collaborative engagement, while learning to be part of an interdisciplinary team to work, serve, advocate, and lead through the profession.

The professional course of study immerses students in the study of speech-language pathology practice through academic coursework, integrated labs, research, and a wide variety of clinical practicum experiences, both on and off campus.

100,560

Average speech-language pathologist salary in Maryland.

Percent growth rate for speech-language pathology jobs between 2023-33, faster than the national average.

Out of 100 Best Jobs by U.S. News & World Report.

Program Director

D'Jaris Coles-White

djaris.coles-white@mcdaniel.edu

Admissions Information

Learn about Speech-Language Pathology admissions pathways, prerequisites, and application requirements.

SLP Admission Requirements

Projected Timeline

Post-Bachelor's Program:

July 2026: CSDCAS Application Opens

Nov. 15, 2026: Traditional Entry Priority Application Deadline

August - November 2026: Interviews

May 2027: Classes Begin for Traditional Entry

Bridge Program:

Spring 2026: Bridge Classes Offered

4+2 Undergraduate Pathway:

March 1, 2026: Priority Application Deadline

September - April 2026: Interviews

Summer 2030: First Master's Cohort for the 4+2 Program

Traditional Entry

CSDCAS Application Opens July 2026

For students who have completed a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology, or a related degree, and have fulfilled or are currently enrolled in all required prerequisites.

Bridge Program Entry

Graduate Bridge Courses Option Begins Summer 2026

For students who have completed a bachelor's degree but still need to complete required SLP content prerequisite coursework before the first semester of the M.S. program.

4+2 BA in Health Science/MS in SLP Pathway for McDaniel Undergraduates

For students considering McDaniel as a first-year undergraduate student. Students will major in Health Sciences with a specialization in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences to prepare for a smooth transition into the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology after completing their bachelor's degree.

A woman in a white doctor's coat sits across a table from a patient.

Admissions, Application, and Deadlines

View prerequisite courses, application requirements, and when to apply for the traditional, bridge, and 4+2 pathways.

Seated at a table, a senior Asian woman in a wheelchair holds up a notebook while an Asian woman in scrubs points to the page in front of them.

Goals, Mission, Strategic Plan, and Outcomes

Learn more about McDaniel's developing Speech-Language Pathology program.

A man sits across from a little boy, holding his own tongue to his top lip, while the boy practices the same mouth shape.

About Our Curriculum

McDaniel's two-year, hybrid program is structured to support your learning and experiences in the field of speech-language pathology.

McDaniel College moves to develop new master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology

D’Jaris Coles-White, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is the inaugural program director for the developing Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. The program has received approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and is expected to launch in spring 2027, pending approval by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Read "McDaniel College moves to develop new master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology"

Accreditation Status Statement (Candidacy Phase)

The Master of Science (M.S.) program in Speech-Language Pathology (residential) at McDaniel College is an Applicant for Candidacy by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

Complaints Related to Accreditation

Students may contact the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) if they have concerns about the program’s compliance with accreditation standards.

The complaint must be signed and submitted with any relevant appendices by U.S. mail, overnight courier, hand delivery, or email to:

Chair, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2200 Research Boulevard, #310
Rockville, MD 20850

OR accreditation@asha.org.

Copies of the CAA’s complaint procedures, relevant Standards for Accreditation, and the Complaint Form are available in paper form by contacting the Accreditation Office at accreditation@asha.org or 800-498-2071.

Before filing a complaint, it is strongly recommended that you read the CAA’s Complaint chapter in the Accreditation Handbook, which can be found online at https://caa.asha.org/siteassets/files/accreditation-handbook.pdf.

Additional Resources

Health Sciences Occupational Therapy, Master of Science

Program Director

D'Jaris Coles-White

djaris.coles-white@mcdaniel.edu

Admissions Information

Learn about Speech-Language Pathology admissions pathways, prerequisites, and application requirements.

SLP Admission Requirements

Projected Timeline

Post-Bachelor's Program:

July 2026: CSDCAS Application Opens

Nov. 15, 2026: Traditional Entry Priority Application Deadline

August - November 2026: Interviews

May 2027: Classes Begin for Traditional Entry

Bridge Program:

Spring 2026: Bridge Classes Offered

4+2 Undergraduate Pathway:

March 1, 2026: Priority Application Deadline

September - April 2026: Interviews

Summer 2030: First Master's Cohort for the 4+2 Program

Speech-Language Pathology, M.S.

Career Connections Start Here

Speech-Language Pathology Job Outlook

Program Director

Admissions Information

Projected Timeline