Program Overview
Speech-language pathologists work with people of all ages and are prepared to evaluate speech and language problems. Pacific prepares you for lifelong success by providing an excellent student-centered experiential learning experience through clinical practice, scholarly activity, and service to the profession and the community.
Key Program Features
Program Features
The University of the Pacific Speech Pathology Programs offer unique accelerated pathways that set them apart. Traditional programs typically require four years of full-time study, but Pacific gives you two faster options: a 15-month program if you have a speech-language pathology background, and a 24-month program for degrees in other fields. You can start your career 9-12 months earlier than graduates from other universities.
These programs excel at clinical preparation. Students get hands-on experience in cutting-edge facilities with 18 high-tech clinical therapy rooms that feature observation mirrors and audio-monitoring systems. The department’s facilities include the Pacific Speech, Hearing and Language Center, the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Stockton, and the Language-Literacy Center—each designed for clinical training.
Clinical experience is the core of Pacific’s education. Students must complete 400 clock hours of supervised clinical practice, with 375 hours spent directly working with clients. This training prepares you to assess and treat communication disorders in a variety of populations. The disorders include:
- Speech sound disorders
- Fluency disorders
- Voice disorders
- Language disorders
- Neurogenic communication disorders
Students in the 15-month program start working with clients right from their first semester. The next phase involves spending two days each week for seven months in northern California public schools under certified supervision. Your final experience—a full-time, semester-long medical externship—can be completed in locations that match your preferences.
Pacific’s program aims to develop thoughtful practitioners with strong critical thinking skills and ethical foundations. The results speak for themselves—graduates achieve a 100% employment rate within one year and maintain a 98% Praxis Examination pass rate (3-year average).
Online and Hybrid Options
Flexibility plays a key role when you’re working on your graduate degree in speech pathology. The University of the Pacific understands this and has adapted parts of their speech language pathology graduate programs to meet student needs.
Career Opportunities
Career Outcomes
The University of the Pacific Speech Pathology Programs’ graduates achieve outstanding career outcomes that prove the program’s excellence. Students show they can handle this challenging curriculum with a 91% on-time completion rate averaged over three years.
The program’s 98% Praxis examination pass rate over three years stands well above the national average of 80-90%. Pacific has achieved something remarkable – a perfect 100% pass rate before graduation for over 20 years. Only two other institutions nationwide share this track record.
Career prospects look excellent, as 100% of graduates secure jobs in their field within a year. This perfect placement rate reflects how highly employers value Pacific graduates throughout California and beyond.
Speech-language pathologists can work in many different settings. The job market looks promising, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting an 18% increase in employment between 2023 and 2033. This growth creates opportunities in communities of all types nationwide.
The field offers competitive pay that varies by workplace. Speech-language pathologists earned a median annual salary of $89,290 in 2023. In California, they average even more at $112,030 . School positions typically pay $71,000 to $83,000, while healthcare settings average $82,000. Supervisors earn more, around $113,000 yearly.
What makes these results possible? Pacific graduates point to the program’s quick pace and early clinical experience. One graduate puts it perfectly: “Preparation starts at the beginning of the program… The hands-on experience we gain through working with patients is priceless”.
The University of the Pacific speech pathology programs combine academic excellence with practical training to help you succeed in this growing field.
Program Curriculum
Program Specific Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of communication disorders and differences and swallowing disorders, and methods of prevention, evaluation, and intervention.
- Demonstrate skill in selecting appropriate tools and conducting evaluations with diverse populations and across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate skill in conducting intervention with diverse populations and across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate interaction and personal qualities consistent with the standards of the profession.
- Demonstrate knowledge of school-based and medical-based speech-language pathology services.
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes used in discipline-related research.
- Demonstrate knowledge of counseling principles and practices applied to the practice of speech-language pathology with diverse populations and across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate knowledge of standards of ethical conduct.
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes used in research and of the integration of research principles into evidence-based clinical practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary professional issues.
- Demonstrate knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders and differences, including the appropriate etiologies, characteristics, anatomical/physiological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates.
- Demonstrate knowledge of entry level and advanced certifications, licensure, and other relevant professional credentials, as well as local, state, and national regulations and policies relevant to professional practice.
- Demonstrates kills in oral and written or other forms of communication sufficient for entry into professional practice.
- Complete a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology with at least 325 of the 400 clock hours completed at the graduate level.
- Pass the national examination adopted by ASHA for purposes of certification and licensure in speech-language pathology.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
The University of the Pacific Speech Pathology Programs sets high standards for admission. The program’s competitive nature shows in its 2023 admission cycle, where only 36 students gained admission from a pool of 105 applicants.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution serves as the foundation. The program recommends a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.25 GPA in prerequisite courses. Students who gain admission typically perform better than these standards. The last admission cycle saw an average GPA of 3.73 for the 15-month cohort and 3.61 for the 24-month cohort.
Students must complete and document at least 25 hours of clinical observation with an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Students whose native language isn’t English need to prove their English language proficiency.
The program employs the CSDCAS application system. Your first application costs $125, while each additional program costs $50. The priority deadline falls on January 15th, with decisions coming by mid-February. The final deadline is February 1st, and decisions arrive by March end.
Your application package must include:
- Official transcripts from all post-high school institutions
- A personal statement describing your motivation and qualifications
- Three letters of reference (at least one from a university faculty member)
- A 3-4 minute video response to prompts detailed on CSDCAS
Your background determines whether you’ll enter the 15-month or 24-month program. The 24-month program needs simple coursework in child development, biology/anatomy, chemistry/physics, statistics, and psychology/sociology. The 15-month program requires these courses plus eight additional speech pathology-specific subjects.
The admissions process doesn’t require or look at GRE scores. Students who receive an acceptance offer must respond by April 15th.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
USD 62,093/year (international)
Tuition and Fees
The financial investment needed for graduate education plays a significant role in planning your academic future. Pacific University’s Speech Pathology Programs rank among California’s best graduate programs, and you need to think over the costs carefully.
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at Pacific University charges $1,483 per unit for the 2025-2026 academic year. The program needs 56-88 total units based on your background. Your total tuition investment could range from $83,048 to $130,504.
Your education comes with these mandatory fees:
- Wellness Center Fee: $240 per term (9+ units) or $120 per term (0.5-8.5 units)
- Activity & Recreation Fee: $120 per term (9+ units) or $60 per term (0.5-8.5 units)
- ASUOP Student Activity Fee: $150 per term (9+ units) or $75 per term (0.5-8.5 units)
The Wellness Center Fee drops to $80 during summer sessions.
Many financial aid options can help you manage these costs. Eight to nine graduate assistantship positions go to outstanding applicants yearly. These positions are a great way to get experience and include a $3,000 tuition waiver in the first year plus $5,000 in monthly stipends from September through June.
Speech pathology students can access scholarships through organizations like ASHA, NSSLHA, and specialized programs for bilingual practitioners or those with specific clinical interests.
Pacific University’s financial aid packages match your qualifications and program of study. Specific financial aid details become available after program admission and acceptance.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid & Funding Opportunities
A range of funding options may be available to students enrolling at University of the Pacific. Explore all options early — many scholarships have deadlines months before programme start.
- University Scholarships: University of the Pacific may offer merit-based, need-based, or programme-specific scholarships for postgraduate students. Contact the international or financial aid office for current awards.
- Government Scholarships (): National governments often fund outbound and inbound student mobility. Check your home country's government scholarship schemes (e.g., national student loan bodies, ministry of education awards).
- International Scholarships: Major funders include: Commonwealth Scholarships, Fulbright (USA programmes), Chevening (UK), Erasmus+ (Europe), DAAD (Germany), Campus France, Australia Awards, and many more.
- Employer Sponsorship: Professionals returning to study may negotiate tuition sponsorship with their employer, particularly for MBA or executive programmes.
- Graduate Assistantships / Fellowships: Some universities offer funded research or teaching assistant positions that include a stipend and partial or full tuition waiver.
- External Foundations: Rotary Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Ford Foundation, and many discipline-specific bodies fund postgraduate study globally.
- Payment Plans: Flexible instalment plans may allow you to spread tuition payments across the academic year.
About University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific
Stockton, United States
Visit the university profile page to learn more about this institution.
University Profile- Start Date MD 2085
- Language English
- Duration 24 months
- Credits 120 ECTS / 360 credits (2-year programme)
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