Speech Pathology Schools in Pennsylvania - PA

Speech and language pathology, also known as speech therapy, has been a high growth occupation in Pennsylvania.  Job growth for this occupation in the state has been about 47% in the past ten years.  Nationally, a 19% growth rate is expected for the next ten years, slightly higher than most other occupations.  The growth will be particularly visible in the education sector.  As enrollments continue to increase, the need for professionals focused in areas of special education, such speech therapists, will also continue to grow.  The average annual salary for speech therapists has also gone up by about 30% since 1999.  Yet, the education path for speech pathologists is not easy and requires academic aptitude and hard work.  However, speech pathology can be a very admirable and rewarding career for dedicated and motivated individuals.

www.bls.gov

Pennsylvania Speech Language Pathologist Education

Prospective speech therapists in Pennsylvania should follow these steps in order to complete their educations:

1. Excel in math and science courses in high school and maintain a high overall grade point average.  Special interest should be given to foreign language classes.  After school activities such as speech and debate teams could be a way for students to improve their understanding of communication in social settings that may come in handy later in their careers.
2. Enroll in a four year bachelor’s degree program and major in communication sciences or a related major area of study.  Generally, biology or psychology might also be an acceptable major, especially if a prospective student wishes to eventually specialize in a particular disorder that affects a patient’s speech.  Towards the end of the bachelor’s program, students should take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE).
3. Students should then enter an accredited graduate degree program online or through speech pathology schools in Pennsylvania.  The accrediting body for speech therapy education programs is the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.  Prospective speech therapists in Pennsylvania can obtain their graduate degrees at any one of the 15 schools that offer a master’s or a doctoral degree in speech pathology.  The program should cover courses in the biological sciences, physiology of the human body pertaining to speech and communication, and diagnoses and treatment of disorders affecting speech.  A clinical or laboratory portion will also be included in the graduate program.

http://facstaff.uww.edu/bradleys/cdprograms.html

Through campus or online programs, aspiring Speech Pathologists in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie, Pennsylvania may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Albert Einstein Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Saint Luke's Hospitals and Temple University Hospital.