Situated in the Mountain region of the Western United States, Montana State offers ambitious students equal opportunities to work in the field of communication disorders and gain a creditable degree. As speech-language pathologists, individuals can work in a plenitude of domains and help patients suffering from speech, language, and hearing disorders by bringing effective changes in their lives. Speech Language pathologists can also work in related medical, research, and educational fields.

Before entering the practical fields, students are supposed to complete their Master’s degree in speech-language pathology from an American Speech Language Hearing Association(ASHA) accredited institution. If you want to develop good communication skills and help people suffering from speech-language pathologies then Montana is a dynamic place to learn, grow, and be inspired. Below are some of the best undergraduate and graduate universities in Montana that offer quality education and a favorable environment for speech-language pathologists required to enter the practical field.

Speech-language Therapy Programs in Montana

Montana State has framed study coursework at different stages of education from bachelor to master’s for individuals eager to pursue their careers as speech-language pathologists. Following are the degree programs in which students can apply and step forward to change the lives of people in the Mountain areas of the Western United States.

Montana Bachelors in SLP and Speech Therapy 

Through a 4-year bachelor’s program in speech-language pathology, students can have an in-depth understanding of required knowledge, research, and practicums in this field. We have enlisted below some of the top-ranked institutes in Montana offering bachelors in SLP. 

University of Montana- Bachelor in Communicative Sciences Disorders

The University of Montana in Missoula is one of the top-ranked public research universities offering a bachelor’s in communication science disorders for students eager to learn about Communication Disorders and help individuals suffering from them. The program lays a solid basis for students working with patients with developmental and acquired speech, language, and hearing disorders. Graduates of the program are fully prepared to seek further education in graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology. Apart from communication disorders, students can also pursue graduate degrees in related medical and educational fields such as psychology, linguistics, neurosciences, education, and physical or occupational therapy.

The university’s speech, language, hearing, and occupational sciences program aims to enhance people’s lives and communities in rural Mountain West areas and elsewhere. Through innovative research, clinical practice, and education, the university prepares leaders in enhancing lives and bridging communities. The university differs from others in offering equal opportunities to all people without discrimination regarding race, color, religion, physical or mental disability, etc. Graduates of the program have 100% certification pass rates and job placements.

The period of the program can vary between 2 years and 4 years. The online Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Sciences and Disorders incorporating CSD courses only with general education can be completed in 2 years; whereas the traditional course including online general education and additional core CSD courses can extend up to 4 years. Students can work according to their feasibility with the benefit of being fully online and having a structured semester system. The 4-year program incorporates 56+ credit hours if the student is enrolled in the fall whereas 55+ credit hours if enrolled in the spring. Training is given in communication, neural development, anatomy and physiology, client assessment and evaluation, research methods, social and cultural foundations, and acquired and developmental disorders.

The University requires Moodle as the Learning Management System students must use for coursework. To keep track of students’ progress, an advising worksheet is designed which can be used with an advisor. As competent professionals, the graduates of the University of Montana can serve individuals with speech-language disorders by assessing and treating them. The students can also work in medical, school, and human service settings with their expertise.

Online Bachelor’s in Speech-language Pathology in Montana

University of Montana- Online Bachelor Of Arts in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

The University of Montana is offering a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders that gives an opportunity to SLP aspirants to pursue their careers in this field. This program allows you to become a certified Speech-Language pathologist who has access to children, adults, or infants suffering from speech-language, hearing loss swallowing, and developmental disorders. The Bachelor of Arts from Montana University is available in Communicative Science and Disorder (CSD) through the School of Hearing, Occupational Science, and Speech Language. 

This is an online program that is flexible enough with high standards of on-campus degree programming. For those graduates who have completed general educational requirements and credit hours, this bachelor’s program is usually completed within 2 years. However,  as well 4-year program is also available with core CSD course completion. The graduates have the golden opportunity to study and receive an SLPA Certification which also requires additional education and clinical training for licenses.

Online courses provide an asynchronous learning environment that helps learning aspirants to take this program from any part of the world within their comfort zones. Expected learning takes place per schedule dates and deadlines are also specified to keep the students on track. The coursework is compressed into 8 weeks for spring and 7 weeks for summer. Due to the limited syllabus and optimum-paced nature, the online course follows the on-ground schedule. The curriculum and exposure to practicums develop a strong and comprehensive foundation of knowledge in speech, language, hearing, and development in social and as well as behavioral communication. The graduates have the opportunity to effectively work with people with congenital and acquired disorders. 

This degree program prepares the students to seek and deal with all speech and hearing disorders along with medical, educational, lingual, and occupational therapies. Those students who want to excel in the asynchronous online coursework must follow up on the ICT Guide Basic Minimum System Requirement. To know the charges and mandatory fees you can visit  Business Services Tuition and Fees page. The deadline for applying is either fall or spring. 

If you want to acquire financial aid you have to apply a month before the start date. Usually, these programs are in correspondence with the on-campus schedule in a particular time frame. The graduates are also offered additional CSD courses once general education is completed. To receive the national certificate general education is mandatory for speech-language pathology as well as audiology programs. The credit hours enrollment is up to 90-135 per year.

Montana Masters in Speech-language Pathology (MSLP) Programs 

University of Montana- Master Of Science Speech-Language Pathology 

The University of Montana prepares well-educated and certified Speech-language pathologists competent to deal with people who are victims of speech, language, swallowing, hearing, and balance disorders. This master’s program has gained accreditation from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in SLP. The university is highly committed to providing high-caliber academic as well as clinical experience that pays special attention to interprofessional research and education. The university aims to build and acknowledge the graduates’ skills to provide efficient pathology services for a diverse class of people.

The thesis program includes a maximum of 71 credit hours; however, the non-thesis program includes up to 65-68 credit hours. You may require permission from graduate advisors to proceed through these programs. There’s substantial weightage to clinical exposure in this program, including 30 credit hours, which is highly beneficial for students. The rigorous clinical coursework at this university provides you the opportunity to work with children and adults with developmental and swallowing disorders and gain practical experience. 

For the on-campus students, it’s mandatory to attend face-to-face classes. The minimum time to complete the degree is 4 semesters and a summer term. The coursework is flexible enough to provide part-time options where students can take several internship and observership programs. The graduates of this master’s program are allowed to work with ASHA-certified faculty and have extensive experience in particular aspects of languages, literacy, swallowing, and hearing disorders.

To further aid students, the university has assigned Graduate Advisors who review each individual’s work compatibility and determine the prerequisites of progress for the course before the degree. If the graduates are behind in reaching the prerequisites benchmark, training completions are available for extended study. The campus places students in two study plans: 1st emphasizes developmental disorders SLP560 in a year and 2nd plan focuses on the acquired disorders that take up to SLP530 in a year.

Along with the CSD course, the graduates can apply for SLP IN ASHA to complete prerequisite courses in physical, biological, and social sciences, along with statistics, and multicultural diversity. The transcript is provided for advanced placement, CLEP, and equivalency. The university provides students the opportunity to acquire scholarships through internal department applications. 

Montana State University- Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology

Speech-language pathologists are devoted to treating individuals with speech, language, swallowing, and communication disorders. Through the Master’s program in speech-language pathology at Montana State University, aspiring students can learn to diagnose, treat, and prevent communication disorders in children and adults. The University provides students with opportunities to strengthen their educational foundation through graduate education and build an accomplished career as a speech-language pathologist. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Body (ASHA), a national professional, scientific, and credentialing association, is affiliated with the university. Part-time or full-time employment is possible for speech-language pathologists in a variety of research, healthcare, and educational contexts.

Patients with language disorders have difficulty comprehending others and communicating their thoughts, ideas, and feelings, whereas patients with speech disorders struggle to produce speech sounds accurately and fluently or have a problem with their voice or resonance. The Master’s degree prepares competent speech-language pathologists who help these patients with their exceptional skills and knowledge. Students of this program have the facility of both classroom learning and hands-on clinical experience. They also get internships and therapy sessions under supervision by senior SLP experts to help them develop the skills required in this field.

The Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Montana State University is a 2-4 year program, which can be pursued after completing a bachelor’s degree. The Graduate Record Examination(GRE) is the entrance exam for this program. The requirements of the Master’s degree enrolment include a minimum of 3 GPA, GRE scores, entrance essay, and letters of recommendation.

Online Masters in Speech-language Pathology in Montana

University of Montana- Online Master Of Science Speech-Language Pathology 

Apart from an on-ground Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, the University of Montana is also offering a 2-year online Master’s degree program. This program is ideal for students who believe in learning better from home, who have commitments, or people who can’t manage time for on-ground classes.  The graduates become certified Speech-Language pathologists, who have exposure to children, adults, or infants suffering from speech-language, hearing loss swallowing, and developmental disorders. 

The university is highly to provide technical training and high-caliber academic experience to graduates who pay attention to interprofessional education and research. The virtual sessions are highly interactive to ensure that every student learns maximum. The university aims to build and acknowledge the graduates’ skills to provide efficient pathology services for a diverse class of people.

The university has two types of accredited programs: thesis and non-thesis options. The thesis option includes 35 graduate program courses, 30 practicum credits, and a minimum of 6 thesis credits. The non-thesis option includes 65-68  credit programs comprising a minimum of 30 practicum credits and 3 capstone projects. The majority of the programs having 32 credit hours pay special attention to speech development as well as communication and disorders related to swallowing. The graduate thesis includes 6 credit hours, and the non-thesis portfolio includes 3 credit hours.

Clinical education programs include specialty clinics along with direct experience working with adults and children who are acquired with developmental issues with enhanced competency. The supervised clock hours are up to 375 hours. The graduates have the accredited opportunity of working with ASHA-faculty, and extensive training experience in speech, swallowing, language, literacy, and hearing science departments. The graduate program has Graduate Advisors who review each individual’s work compatibility and determine the prerequisites of progress for the course before the degree. They educate the students to enhance their abilities and to determine how to integrate the best required coursework. If the graduates are behind in reaching the prerequisites benchmark training completions are available for extended study.

The university avails of synchronous participation in all academic courses. Practicals provide you with a reminder for graduate programs. The entire coursework is up to a minimum of 2 summer terms and 4 semesters. There are 2 study plans, in the 1st study plan pays emphasis on developmental disorders that take 560 SLP in one year and 2nd study plan emphasizes acquired disorders that take up to SLP 530 in a year. The Montana University In addition to CSD courses, the degree program also emphasizes biological science, physical sciences, social science, as well as statistics. The transcript is provided for advanced placement and CLEP. 

Conclusion 

Owing to the growing number of individuals with speech-language disorders, Montana has introduced several degree programs in SLP to cope with the increasing need for the present and demand of the future for certified and experienced speech-language pathologists. Universities and colleges in Montana have come to the fore to enhance the lives of such patients and build competent pathologists. From bachelor’s to master, Montana State has a myriad of programs that you can enroll in to embark on your journey as a speech-language pathologist. Mentioned above are some of the top-grade degrees that you can join. Begin your journey today!

Montana Speech-Language Pathology Programs

Program	University Name	City	State	Accreditation
Master's in Audiology (MS)	University of Montana	Missoula	MT
Master's in Speech-Language Pathology (MS)	University of Montana	Missoula	MT	ASHA