Your interest in speech-language pathology is nurtured, and your intellectual curiosity supplemented, with hands-on experience in our nationally recognized graduate program – now offered both at our main campus in Clayton, Missouri and our distance education (i.e., remote synchronous instruction with on–campus clinical experience) location in Kansas City, Missouri. Fontbonne University’s accredited Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program prepares dynamic clinicians to work collaboratively in a wide variety of settings. We have a 5–6 semester program for students who have an undergraduate degree in SLP and have met the prerequisite requirements (see View Program Requirements). Leveling courses are available to complete prerequisite requirements if your undergraduate degree is in another field of study.

With a master’s degree — a requirement for employment across the country — graduates can look forward to a career with many options. These professionals assist individuals of all ages with a range of conditions including cerebral palsy, cleft palate, deafness, stroke, brain injury and autism, with a variety of communication disorders (speech, language, fluency, voice). 

Each location of this program requires an application through the CSDCAS WebAdmit site. You must apply through the CSDCAS WebAdmit site in order to be considered for our graduate SLP program. 

Speech-Language Pathology Days

Do you have additional questions? Would you like to meet with a faculty member or student in our program Interested in learning more about this program?

Clayton, Missouri Clinic:

• Please email Dr. Carmen Russell at crussell@fontbonne.edu to schedule a time to meet to discuss the program and tour the Clayton clinic.

Kansas City, Missouri Clinic:

• Contact Dr. Klaire Brumbaugh at kbrumbaugh@fontbonne.edu to schedule a time to view the Kansas City clinic, located on the campus of Avila University.

• Students must successfully complete 55 semester hours of graduate credit.
• Each location offers an on-site speech-language and hearing clinic that offers excellent clinical opportunities for student clinicians and free services for children and adults of the community.
  • View more details about our clinics located in Clayton and Kansas City.
• Nationally recognized, experienced and committed faculty
• A cohort model encourages students to support one another as they advance through the program together.
• Graduate assistantships and traineeships are available to selected students which provide a significant amount of tuition remission.
• Two specialty tracks may be available to scholars:
  • To work with children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing, OR
  • To work with adults who have neurogenic communication disorders.
• Format: This is a full-time program. Students participate in classes in the evenings and clinical practicum during the daytime.

• Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)
• Missouri License in Speech-Language Pathology
• Certification by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) for Student Services in Speech-Language Pathology

Students gain real-world experience through a variety of clinical practicum opportunities while under the mentorship of experienced working professionals. Fontbonne has more than 100 agreements with excellent facilities.

Some St. Louis area examples include:

Some Kansas City area examples include:

The current U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists speech-language pathology as having a “faster than average” growth in employment rate of 19% (2012-2022).