Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) Fieldwork Experience

Course Overview

Licensed speech-language pathology assistants earn considerably more than registered speech-language pathology 'aides, ' which are the only paraprofessional positions available for those with associate's or bachelor's degrees in communication disorders and sciences/speech-language pathology who have not yet obtained ' or do not wish to pursue ' a master's degree. The Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) Fieldwork Experience program is offered at the California State University Northridge. The CSUN SLPA advanced professional development certificate program is for those who wish to become licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) , regardless of whether they intend to pursue a master's degree. Offered in collaboration with CSUN's College of Health and Human Development, the SLPA certificate program is a 130-hour course of study that provides approximately 20 hours of anytime/anywhere online instruction and 110 hours of clinical fieldwork. SLPA clinical fieldwork consists primarily of face-to-face work with clients (100 hours) and also includes an administrative/support services component (10 hours). Supervision of clinical fieldwork is provided by experienced speech-language pathologists with current California license/credential and preferably American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) memberships. The entire program can be completed in one semester. More than one-fourth of all speech-language pathologists in California are CSUN graduates.