Frequently Asked Questions
I. Frequently Asked Questions for Speech-language Pathology
Where do I find application materials?
Application materials for the graduate programs can be found on this website
(http://www.sphs.unt.edu) The university
encourages prospective students to apply using the online application (http://www.tsgs.unt.edu).
Should potential applicants need the department to mail application materials
contact the departmental office at 940-565-2481.
When may I enter the graduate program?
We admit students in the fall and spring semesters.
What are my chances of being admitted?
We offer admission to about 30 to 35% of the applicants.
What is the size of your graduate program?
We have about 20 first-year students and about 25 second-year students.
Typically, we enroll 20 to 25 new students in the fall semester and 10 to
15 in the spring.
When are the deadlines for graduate applications?
We begin reviewing applications on February 15th for fall admission and
on October 1st for spring.
Where should I send my application materials?
The application materials should be sent to the Toulouse School of Graduate
Studies (Toulouse School of Graduate Studies, University of North Texas,
P.O. 305459, Denton, TX 76203-5459). The Graduate School needs: (1) your graduate application form and payment (U.S. residents, $50.00 and international students, $75.00), (2) official copies of your scores
for Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and (3) official transcripts sent
from all institutions that you have attended. Send directly to the department: (1) your personal statement, (2) your application
form for graduate assistantships if you are interested, and (3) have 3 people
send letters of recommendations on your behalf. They may send them to: Director
of Graduate Studies for SLP, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences,
University of North Texas, P.O. Box 305010, Denton, TX 76203-5010.
Do I go through the regular application process if I am an international
applicant?
No. You should contact the International Study Programs (ISP) at UNT to
begin and complete the application process. Please see http://www.unt.edu/isp.
Whom should I ask to write letters of recommendations and should
they use the “reference forms”?
Letters from teaching professors provide us much information regarding your
potential to complete the graduate program. Recommendations from clinical
faculty who supervised you directly offer insights into your clinical abilities.
Many applicants opt to ask two teaching faculty and one clinical supervisor.
The reference form may be downloaded at www.sphs.unt.edu/forms.htm.
People writing letters of recommendation for you may use their institutional
letterhead accompanying the Reference Form, if they wish.
What does the department evaluate when deciding whom to admit?
We review every application carefully, weighing all admission materials
including: GRE scores, GPAs, personal statements, and letters of recommendation.
What are the admission requirements?
Our master's program requires an applicant desiring to pursue graduate work
in SLP to meet the following minimum requirements: (1) GPA: 3.0 on the last
60 semesters hours of undergraduate study or an overall GPA of 2.8; (2)
GPA of 3.0 in the undergraduate major; and (3) GRE scores.
Because we have a large number of applications for a limited number of spaces,
most students exceed minimum requirements.
When should I take the GRE?
Your GRE scores must be reported to the department no later than the deadlines
for graduate admission. Generally it is best to take it the summer before
your senior year; this schedule allows you to retake the test and still
meet the deadline. If you take the test in the fall, please let us know
so we can expect your scores should they be late.
What do you mean by “Personal Statement”?
A personal statement is an essay that describes your goals, lists your professional
and related experiences, and states your academic and clinical background.
The statement should describe why you wish to attend UNT, and other information
that you would think could assist us in the decision-making process. The
statement should be about one page, typed, and double-spaced.
Are interviews required?
Interviews are not required for master’s applicants.
Will I know if you received my application packet and if it is
complete?
If anything is missing from your application materials we will contact you.
Typically, when will I find out if I have been admitted to the
graduate program?
Decisions are announced about three to four weeks after the deadlines for
graduate applications.
When will acceptance letters be sent?
We usually send them in March for fall admission, and November for spring
admission.
When should I notify you if I decide to accept the admission offer?
Your admission letter will provide you with specific information regarding
the dates to which you must notify us.
Are graduate assistantships available in the department?
Teaching, research, clinical assistantships are available in the department
on a competitive basis. If you wish to consider other methods of financial
support please contact the Office of Student Financial Services (http://essc.unt.edu/finaid/).
Do you offer a distance-learning program?
No.
My bachelor’s degree is in a different field. What should
I do?
A prospective student holding a bachelor’s degree from an other discipline
is admitted as a leveling student. A leveling student is a graduate student
who takes undergraduate courses in preparation for a master’s degree.
Admission as a leveling student will require you to complete approximately
15 semester hours of under-graduate prerequisites with a minimum grade of
"B" or better in each course.
The required undergraduate courses
are:
SPHS 4010- Normal speech/language development
SPHS 3020- Phonetics
SPHS 4120- Neuroanatomy of speech and hearing
SPHS 4130- Anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing
SPHS 4150- Speech and hearing science
Plan on two semesters (Fall and Spring) to complete the above-mentioned
courses prior to taking graduate courses. It typically takes 2 to 2 1/2
years to complete the entire program, including leveling classes.
May I transfer credit for graduate courses taken elsewhere?
Yes, you may transfer as many as six graduate credits, pending the approval
of the department.
May I count the observation and clinical hours that I completed
at my undergraduate institution?
Yes, provided the hours are properly documented, including the signature
of a certified speech-language pathologist.
May I defer my enrollment?
In extraordinary circumstances, with permission of the Graduate Adviser,
a student who has been admitted to the program may defer enrollment to the
following year.
II. THE GRADUATE PROGRAM
Do you offer a master of arts or masters of science degree?
We currently offer both.
What is the length of the master’s program?
Typically full-time students with an undergraduate background in speech
and hearing sciences complete the program in five semesters.
What are the academic and clinical requirements for the master’s
program?
Students need to complete 45 semester hours of academic coursework and earn
400 (375 direct contact hours, 25 observation hours) supervised clock hours.
How many semester hours of coursework are required each semester?
Most students enroll in approximately 15 credit hours per semester and 12
clinical practicum hours. The last semester students typically complete
a full-time ff-campus externship.
Is it possible to pursue the master’s degree on a part-time
basis?
We have found that students are most successful when they are full-time
students. We, however, consider applicants for part-time enrollment.