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Your Next Step To Becoming an SLP
Through ACU’s online Certificate in Speech-Language Pathology, driven individuals will develop their communication and theoretical skills to meet the coursework requirements established by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to gain admission to a speech-language pathologist graduate program.
Lock In Your Tuition, Unlock Your Future.
Our Locked-In Tuition program guarantees you’ll pay the same price for your leveling coursework.
About the Program
ACU’s online Speech-Language Pathology post-baccalaureate certificate program offers a pathway into the field for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated area. Through coursework in communication sciences and disorders, you can complete the prerequisite courses that are required to enter a graduate SLP program. Along the way, you will develop an expertise in audiology, communication disorders and AAC methods to serve and treat children and adults.
Program Structure
All the Details on Your Certificate
ACU’s online Speech-Language Pathology Post-Baccalaureate Certificate’s 30-credit-hour curriculum covers areas such as phonetics, speech and language disorders, audiology, and anatomy and physiology while incorporating pre-clinical experiences. Through focused online coursework, students can build the foundation needed to pursue graduate study and a future career in speech-language pathology.
Required Hours
30 Hours
10-18 months
$395 per credit hour, $310 per resource fee per part of term
Example Coursework
Phonetics
Audiology
Neurological Bases of Communication
Anatomy and Physiology for Communication
Upcoming Start Dates
January 12, 2027
March 9, 2027
Common Work Environments
K-12 Schools
Hospitals and Clinics
Colleges and Universities
Private Practice
Curriculum & Format
The Leveling Pathway for Speech Pathology welcomes all applicants, whether they have an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders or another field, to further their education into a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
The Leveling Pathway consists of 30 credit hours and includes the following courses:
- CSDO 225 – Phonetics
- CSDO 319 – Speech Science
- CSDO 330 – Language Development and Language Disorders
- CSDO 352 – Audiology
- CSDO 353 – Hearing Rehabilitation
- CSDO 356 – Speech Sound Disorders
- CSDO 357 – Organic and Neurogenic disorders
- CSDO 371 – Neural Bases
- CSDO 381 – Anatomic & Physiologic Processes for Communication
- CSDO 493 – Pre-clinical experiences
To be considered for this program, students will be asked to take a set of American Speech–Language–Hearing Association prerequisite courses such as
- Biological Science
- Physical Science (Physics or Chemistry)
- Social or Behavioral Science
- Statistics (non-research methods)
Meet the Program Director
Alicia Ramirez, Online Speech-Pathology Assistant Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Alicia Ramirez, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the program director for the Speech-Language Pathology Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program and is an assistant professor and program director of the online undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders program at ACU. Ramirez graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Abilene Christian University in 1997 and went on to earn her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Texas Woman’s University in 1999. Currently, Ramirez is working on her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Special Education at Regent University. Her dissertation topic and research interests are in language development, assessment, and intervention for English Language Learners with speech and language impairments and ethical considerations for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
Spotlight
Program Overview
ACU’s Speech-Language Pathology Post-Baccalaureate Certificate helps individuals with a bachelor’s degree in another field complete prerequisite coursework to enter graduate-level SLP programs. The online program combines focused coursework, clinical experience and professional development in an accessible format. After completing the certificate and required graduate education, students can prepare to serve diverse populations as speech-language pathologists.
Student Spotlight: Kayla Perez
Bright, young, and full of life. These words best describe Kayla Perez, a future graduate of the bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders program. Hoping to become a speech-language pathologist serving underserved communities, Kayla is elated to finish her studies and potentially enroll in a master’s program soon after. Looking to be an advocate for other students who have felt like an outcast, Kayla shares her story about what can happen when you finally decide to allow God to take control of your life and follow your dream career.
What Can You Do With a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders?
One in four people are projected to be living with some degree of hearing loss by 2050. And as many as one in 10 people are estimated to have a disabling hearing loss that will require rehabilitation. That’s why we need specialists in communication disorders now more than ever! Read our blog to learn how you can enter this rapidly growing field with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Student Spotlight: Brittany Moore
Army wife, mom of two, and career-driven woman Brittany Moore is the perfect role model for women looking to reach their goals or change their careers, despite life’s constant changes and commitments. Graduating with her online B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders in May 2023, Brittany is beyond grateful to ACU for effectively preparing her for the world of speech pathology.
After completing the SLP Master’s program, students will enter a rapidly growing employment market in the State of Texas, which is increasing by 39.3%. In 2026, there were over 26,000 new job openings for speech-language pathologists. The median annual salary for a speech-language pathologist in Texas is $88,297.
The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is also projecting that by 2034, overall national employment for SLPs will grow by 15%, with over 13,000 new jobs a year.
To be considered for admission, students must:
- Submit official college transcripts showing earned bachelor’s from a regionally accredited college or university or the equivalent.
- Complete the online program application accompanied by a non-refundable processing fee.
- Pre-requisites: Biological Science, Physical Science (Physics or Chemistry), Social or Behavioral Science, Statistics (non-research methods)
Students are not required to submit ACT or SAT test scores.
Graduation Requirements: Students must earn a C or above in each course in the certificate program. A minimum of 2.0 is required to earn the certificate.
Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of ACU.
Abilene Christian University enjoys a strong national reputation as one of the leading private Christian universities in the west and southwest, indicated by various ratings (such as U.S. News and World Report and other reports).
This degree prepares students with the prerequisites required by graduate programs in order to meet the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification standards.