Online Speech Therapy Schools and Classes
The field of speech therapy helps people communicate, such as by working with people with autism or deafness. Find out about what online speech therapy classes are like, what's included, whether you will receive hands-on learning, what prerequisites must be met to enter an online program and how to tell if a program is accredited.
What You Need to Know
Speech therapists are also referred to as speech-language pathologists, so you'll most likely see online programs offered under the nomenclature of speech-language pathology, rather than that of speech therapy. Becoming a speech therapist requires a bachelor's degree first, and then you can enroll in online training for additional levels.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Online</b></td><td> Available, usually referred to as speech-language pathology</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Programs</b></td><td> Master's degree level</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Courses</b></td><td> Swallowing, phonological and communication disorders, neuropathology, early language development, phonology, alternative communication</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---WhatAreThePreparatoryCoursesInAnOnlineSpeechTherapyProgram">What Are the Preparatory Courses in an Online Speech Therapy Program?</h3><p>Many schools offer some online coursework you can take in preparation for a graduate-level speech therapy program. These courses might deal with anatomy, syntax and human communication. You'll likely take courses in the following areas:
</p><ul><li>Physiology
</li><li>Speech production
</li><li>Language development
</li><li>Phonetics
</li><li>Morphology
</li></ul><p>Certain undergraduate courses are required for professional certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. These include courses in mathematics and in the biological, physical and social sciences.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatIsAnOnlineSpeechTherapyDegreeProgramLike">What Is an Online Speech Therapy Degree Program Like?</h3><p>Some schools do offer complete online degree programs in speech therapy. These are generally available at the master's degree level. Course topics for these programs include swallowing and alternative communication. You may also be required to complete a thesis, depending on the program you select and its requirements. Fully online programs may be restricted to residents of the state where the school is located. These course topics might also be covered:
</p><ul><li>Phonology
</li><li>Voice disorders
</li><li>Communication disorders
</li><li>Diagnostic procedures
</li><li>Childhood language disorders
</li><li>Neurophysiology
</li><li>Dysphagia
</li><li>Aural rehabilitation
</li><li>Communication in the aging population
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatElseShouldIKnowAboutTheseSchools">What Else Should I Know About These Schools?</h3><p>You might complete and submit assignments through an online course management system, such as Blackboard. Another delivery method used by some schools is Adobe Connect, which utilizes streaming audio, video and other interactive content. You can find online speech therapy classes at the following schools:
</p><ul><li>Longwood University
</li><li>James Madison University
</li><li>Western Kentucky University
</li><li>University of Northern Colorado
</li><li>Texas Woman's University
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WillIGetToWorkWithSpeechTherapyPatientsPriorToGraduating">Will I Get to Work With Speech Therapy Patients Prior to Graduating?</h3><p>For the master's degree program, you may be required to come to the campus and complete a clinical practicum that'll last a few weeks. Other universities allow you to perform your supervised practicum near your home. You might work with children in a public school or patients in a nursing home. Clinical training is not included in the preparatory coursework programs.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDoSchoolsRequireOfOnlineStudents">What Do Schools Require of Online Students?</h3><p>A bachelor's degree is necessary for enrollment. Many schools prefer that you hold a degree in speech therapy, but it is not necessarily a requirement, as long as you complete course prerequisites before beginning the master's degree coursework. Also, some schools prefer that you have a background in sign language.
</p><h3 id="section---WhoAccreditsThesePrograms">Who Accredits These Programs?</h3><p>Many graduate-level speech-language pathology programs, including online programs, are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). Such accreditation is voluntary and supplementary to a schools' overall accreditation. Programs accredited by the CAA must adhere to academic standards established for professional speech therapy practice.
</p><h3 id="section---HowDoIFindAccreditedPrograms">How Do I Find Accredited Programs?</h3><p>To find a CAA-accredited online program, you can go to ASHA's website, which has a resource through which you can search for degree programs that offer all or some of their courses online. It even has a search filter you can use to find only programs that carry the CAA accreditation. Once you complete your search, you'll see a list of schools with links that take you to the college or department that offers the program.</p>