Your interest in speech-language pathology is nurtured, and your intellectual curiosity is supplemented, with hands-on experience in our nationally-recognized graduate program – now offered both at our main campus in Clayton, Missouri and our satellite education (i.e., remote synchronous instruction with on-campus clinical experience) locations in St. Paul, Minnesota and 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 with a diverse population of people with communication disorders across the lifespan. Each of Fontbonne University’s programs for a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) are ASHA accredited and draw on faculty who are recognized in their area of expertise.

We have a 5–6 semester program for students who have an undergraduate degree in SLP and have met the prerequisite requirements. Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in SLP or who have not completed the undergraduate prerequisite courses may have a 7-8 semester program. Leveling courses are available to complete prerequisite requirements if your undergraduate degree is in another field of study.

Our three locations:

The SLP Program at Fontbonne University is not enrolling students in the 2024-2025 admission cycle due to the university’s announced closure in summer 2025.

• Our main campus in Clayton, Missouri is a traditional graduate program with an on-campus clinic and externship placements in the greater Saint Louis area. Courses are offered both in-person and in synchronous modalities.
• Our satellite graduate program in Saint Paul, Minnesota housed on the campus of St. Catherine University, has an on campus speech-language clinic and combines in-person and synchronous modalities for coursework. Students may not utilize GI Bill® benefits to cover the costs of this program at the St. Paul, Minnesota location at this time. Please contact the Registrar’s Office with any questions.
• Our satellite graduate program in Kansas City, Missouri housed on the campus of Avila University, has an on-campus speech-language clinic and combines in-person and synchronous modalities for coursework. Externship placements are made in the Kansas City area. 

Fontbonne University is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to Minnesota Statutes sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

Each location of this program requires an application through the CSDCAS WebAdmit site. Students who applied for admission in the 2024 admission cycle were notified of the closure decision via CSDCAS. Please contact Dr. Klaire Brumbaugh at kbrumbaugh@fontbonne.edu for any questions or concerns.

• 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,  Kansas City and St. Paul.
• 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.
• This is a full-time program. Students participate in classes in the evenings and clinical practicum during the daytime.

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.

St. Louis examples include:

St. Paul examples include:

Kansas City 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).

The Master of Science (MS) education program in speech-language pathology (residential, distance education, and satellite modalities) at Fontbonne University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. 

The graduate SLP program at Fontbonne is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation which is the body that establishes standards for graduate programs in speech-language pathology. In order to graduate from an accredited program, students must achieve academic and clinical experiences that meet the standards provided by the CAA. Completion of these requirements will allow students to seek state licensure and ASHA certification.