Graduate Applicant FAQ

The graduate program is housed in Cramer Hall, which was totally renovated in 2004. We moved into our current space in August 2005. To see where Cramer Hall is located on campus, go to https://www.marquette.edu/contact/finder/cramer_hall.shtml. To see photos of the building, including the clinic, student work areas, research laboratories, and classrooms, go to https://academic.mu.edu/sppa/slong/SPPA_tour/index.html.

2. What is the likelihood of getting funding or assistantships as a first year graduate student?

Here are the average grades and test scores from all students accepted into our graduate program for Fall 2007:

GPA 3.66

Verbal 527

Quantitative 654

Analytical Writing 4.9

Tuition scholarships and graduate assistantships are merit based. Since we have virtually no way of assessing clinical merit, it means that we look almost exclusively at academic merit. The more you are above the averages shown, the better your chances. If there is evidence of research experience or aptitude in your application (for example, you worked in a research lab as an undergraduate, you wrote an undergraduate research thesis, you took research design or statistics classes as an undergraduate), this can also help.

3. Is the graduate program clinical, medical, research, or education based?

All of the above. It is clinical in that we operate a full-service on-campus speech and hearing clinic that provides assessment and treatment services for all ages. Both masters level clinical instructors and doctoral level faculty participate in the running of the clinic. It is medical to the extent that all students participate in a semester-long off-campus placement in a medical setting. This can be an acute care hospital, a rehabilitation hospital or specialty clinic, a community hospital, a skilled nursing facility, etc. It is research based given the ongoing grant writing and publication activities of the faculty, which you can read about in the faculty links. And, finally, it is education based because all students participate in a second, also semester-long, off-campus placement in a school. This placement satisfies the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for a student teaching practicum as well as supplying a significant number of ASHA-credited clock hours and a meaningful apprenticeship in providing school-based clinical services.

4. What types of clinical experiences are a part of the Master's program, and what additional opportunities are there for Master's students with particular interests?

All M.S. students participate in the following clinical experiences:

In our on-campus clinic, assignment to six different therapy clients with three different supervisors. At least one of these “clients” must be a group therapy experience. We currently have three therapy groups: an adult aphasia group, a preschool group for unintelligible children, and a preschool group for urban children at risk for reading failure. Our aim is to have students accumulate between 125-150 clock hours before going to off-campus practica. Hours earned as undergraduates count toward this total.
A semester-long assignment to a diagnostic team of 2-3 students paired with a faculty supervisor. The team conducts weekly assessments of patients new to the on-campus clinic.
A semester-long off-campus placement in a medical setting. This can be an acute care hospital, a rehabilitation hospital or specialty clinic, a community hospital, a skilled nursing facility, etc.
A semester-long off-campus placement in a school setting. A variety of school placements are available, reflecting the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Graduate students in the Bilingual English-Spanish (BIES) certificate program perform a portion of their on-campus assessment and treatment practica with bilingual patients. Their off-campus school placement is with a bilingual SLP who serves both monolingual English and bilingual English-Spanish speaking children.

A limited number of graduate students (two per term) can participate with the Cleft Palate Team at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. This requires an independent study registration.

For graduate students who have completed sufficient undergraduate and graduate coursework to satisfy ASHA standards there is the possibility of doing independent studies linked to clinical observation and participation experiences. In recent years, we have done this with students interested in autism and intervention in the NICU.

5. Is there work being done with acquired speech and language disorders including aphasia and traumatic brain injuries?

Yes, we have a program for patients with aphasia in our on-campus clinic. Both individual and group treatment is offered. Most of these patients are more than a year post-onset. Off-campus medical placements provide a range of experiences with this population in both acute and rehabilitation settings.

6. Are students expected to travel for clinical placements, and if so, how often and how far?

Yes, in their second year students travel to off-campus medical and school placements that are at a distance from campus and require use of a car. All placements are made within a 50 mile radius of the Marquette campus and the great majority are within a 15 mile radius. Students can express preferences for their off campus placements, including geographical location. All off-campus clinical placements are a minimum of 3 days per week, most are 4 days per week, and a few allow students to participate 5 days a week, if they want to.

7. How do you judge the transfer of graduate level courses to your program?

The Graduate School allows the transfer of up to 12 graduate credits into the M.S. program. The Graduate Program Director in Speech-Language Pathology evaluates any previous graduate work in the field and makes recommendations to the Graduate School.

8. Do you have a Ph.D. program in Speech Pathology?

No.

9. Do you have a graduate program in Audiology?

No.

10. What is tuition per year for an out-of-state resident?

Tuition rates are the same for both Wisconsin and out-of-state residents. The current tuition rates for the Graduate School are shown at https://www.marquette.edu/grad/future_tuition.shtml. Tuition is the same in the Summer term as it is in the Fall and Spring terms.

11. Are you on a semester rotation or a quarter rotation?

We are on a semester system, both Fall and Spring terms lasting 14 weeks. The Summer term is divided into two 6-week sessions. Summer courses are taught intensively in either the first or second session. Summer clinic extends across both sessions.

12. What is the average cost of living? Is there housing set aside for graduate students? If not, is there available housing nearby?

For the cost of living in Milwaukee as a whole, take a look at http://www.metromilwaukee.org/liveandplay/index.html?a=showlist&sid=14.

While Marquette does not own housing specifically for graduate students, the Marquette neighborhood and the Greater Milwaukee community provides a wide variety of housing options for graduate students and families. The Office of University Apartments & Off-campus Student Services can help you direct your search for housing that will suit your needs during your time at Marquette. The office also publishes the Tenant Guide, the primary resource students use to find housing in the near-Marquette neighborhood. The guide not only lists a majority of the properties located in the immediate Marquette neighborhood, but it also offers useful information on safety, budgeting, and campus and community resources. You may contact their office at 414-288-7281 or you can access a variety of online resources at https://www.marquette.edu/orl/uni/index.html.

13. Do students have their own personal place to study and work?

A very nice feature of our program’s space in Cramer Hall is the Student Computer Lab and the Student Workroom and Lounge. There are photos of these https://academic.mu.edu/sppa/slong/SPPA_tour/index.html (photos 12-16). There is also a larger lounge area within Cramer Hall shared by all students in the College of Health Sciences. Graduate students completing a thesis or other research project are eligible to receive individual study carrels in the university library. The official policy on this is at https://www.marquette.edu/library/information/research_carrel.html.

14. Do many Master's students in your program complete a thesis, and do they still usually finish in the same amount of time?

Because of the coursework requirements (46 graduate credits) and practicum requirements (375 clock hours plus 25 observation hours) that must be met in a two year (5 term) program, most students elect the non-thesis option for their degree. We average 1-2 students per graduate class who complete a thesis. The thesis option requires a 6 credit Thesis registration. If this replaces two other graduate classes (two courses @ 3 credits = 6 credits), then the degree can still be completed in the two year timeframe. If it is done in addition to other graduate credits (i.e., the student completes a total of 52 graduate credits), then an additional term is typically required.

15. Is it possible to arrange a tour of your department and/or do you have an open house in your department?

The Graduate School sponsors both online and in-person open houses. See https://www.marquette.edu/grad/open_index.shtml for details. The in-person open houses are attended by one or two graduate faculty members and include tours of both the campus and the department facility. You can also contact the Graduate School (https://www.marquette.edu/grad/contact_visit.shtml) to arrange for a personal campus visit. If requested, this will include a meeting with either the Chair of the Department, Edward Korabic or the Graduate Program Director, Steven Long. You should contact the Graduate School rather than the individual faculty members to arrange your visit.

16. Since I don't have an undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders, I know I need to take some undergraduate prerequisite courses. What generally are the courses or are they based on what I have already taken in my undergraduate degrees? Can I take these courses at Marquette University? How long does it generally take to fulfill those classes?

They are based on what you’ve already taken but here is what we would look for:

Area	Marquette Equivalent
Physical science course (physics, chemistry, etc.)
Biological science course (biology, botany, etc.)
Mathematics or statistics course
Introduction to Communicative Disorders	SPPA 010
Phonetics	SPPA 031
Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanisms	SPPA 036
Speech Science	SPPA 134
Normal Speech and Language Development	SPPA 139
Language Disorders in Children	SPPA 140
Articulation and Phonological Disorders	SPPA 142
Clinical Procedures and Management	SPPA 151
Clinical Practicum: Speech Pathology	SPPA 153
Introduction to Audiology	SPPA 172

If you plan to pursue teacher licensure as a speech language pathologist (which allows you to work in U.S. public schools and which we highly recommend since this is over half of the job market) then you must also have coursework in:

Developmental psychology (aka child psychology, lifespan psychology)

Exceptional children (i.e., those with special needs)

You can complete undergraduate coursework at Marquette but it is not required.

Entering the graduate program without an undergraduate background in speech-language pathology, and assuming you have already taken science and math courses and some psychology coursework, it would likely take 3 years of full time study, including the intervening summer terms (8 terms total), to complete the M.S. degree.

17. If I took the prerequisite courses at Marquette would I be able to continue right into the graduate program?

Yes, it’s possible to be accepted into the graduate program without having completed any of this preliminary coursework. For that to happen, you would have to present a strong academic record from your other university studies.

18. I am currently studying for the GRE. What scores do you recommend that applicants have?

Here are the average GRE scores from all students accepted into the graduate program for Fall 2007:

Verbal 527

Quantitative 654

Analytical Writing 4.9

Even though these are the average scores, we never base admission decisions solely on GRE scores. We give consideration to your GPA, your letters of recommendation, and your personal interests and experiences.

19. Is there an essay question that needs to be submitted with the graduate application?

We recommend that you include a personal statement with your application. This statement takes the place of the four essay questions listed on the Graduate School application form. In your statement you can discuss anything about yourself that you think will help us evaluate you as an applicant. Obviously, we will have your transcripts, your GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation. This tells us a lot but not everything about you. Topics you might address in your personal statement include: your areas of interest within the field, what you find appealing at Marquette, activities you've been involved in outside of school and how these have influenced you, and anything good or bad that has occurred while you've been at university that has affected your academic career.

20. I am in the process of applying to the Speech Language Pathology program. Should letters of recommendation be on letterhead? Is there a form for my professors need to complete instead?

There is no form. Three letters of recommendation, on letterhead paper, should be sent to the Graduate School along with the rest of your application.

21. How do student loans work in Wisconsin and at Marquette?

Basic information about student loans available to graduate students is at https://www.marquette.edu/grad/finaid_index.shtml. If, after reading that, you have specific questions, you can email thomas.marek@marquette.edu. He is the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School responsible for financial aid.

22. When does the Fall semester begin?

You can view the academic calendar at https://www.marquette.edu/provost/2008-09_gsm-academiccalendar.shtml. There are two orientation sessions, both held the week prior to the first day of classes. The Graduate School orientation is Thursday evening. The Program in Speech-Language Pathology orientation is Friday morning.

23. When is tuition due for the Fall semester?

Billing statements first go out in mid August (see https://www.marquette.edu/bursar/billstat.html). If you have more detailed questions about tuition charges, you should email the Bursar's Office at bursar@marquette.edu.

24. I have a temporary address for the next couple of months, then it will be changing in August. How do I change my address with the school?

Follow the directions at https://www.marquette.edu/registrar/how/updatedirectory.shtml.

25. If I am accepted into the graduate program, can I postpone my start date for a year?

Yes, the Graduate School allows you to defer admission for one year. Beyond that, you must re-apply for admission. Financial aid offers cannot be deferred. You will be considered again for financial aid in the next year's admission cycle but it is not guaranteed that a scholarship offer will be repeated from one year to the next.

26. What is the deadline for graduate applications?

For students seeking to enter in the Fall term, the deadline is January 15. For students entering in the Spring term, it is November 15.

27. If I am admitted into the graduate program, how long do I have to decide whether to accept the offer of admission?

For admission in the Fall term you must reply by April 15. For admission in the Spring term, you must reply by December 15.

28. I am a senior majoring in Spanish and Rehabilitation Psychology. I have become interested in Communicative Disorders and was looking at Marquette's program. Could you give me any insight into whether or not a student with my degrees could be admitted to your program? What would I need to do to ensure that I was prepared to enter your program?

Yes, we do accept students into our graduate program without an undergraduate major in speech-language pathology. In recent years, we have accepted students with majors in Psychology, Linguistics, Communication, English, and Biology. We would evaluate you based on your overall academic record (grades, GRE scores, letters from professors) as well as your expressed reasons for wanting to enter the field. Some students in your position choose to complete some of the coursework that makes up a typical undergraduate major in speech-language pathology before applying to graduate school. Others simply apply and, if accepted, take that coursework as part of their graduate program. Both ways of doing it are workable.

29. Do you admit students into the graduate program in the Spring semester?

Yes, we do accept applications for admission in the Spring semester. The deadline for such applications is November 15. You should be aware, however, that we generally admit students in the Spring only when we have lost students from the class entering in the previous Fall. This does happen but, as you can imagine, not in large numbers. The reason our admissions work this way is that our graduate curriculum and our clinical programs, both on and off campus, function best with students who enter in the Fall. We are better able to sequence courses for such students and can better forecast our need to recruit patients for our on-campus clinic and to arrange for off-campus school and medical placement opportunities.

If you apply for Spring admission and are not successful, you can request to have the Graduate School convey your application to be considered for admission the following Fall. There is no additional fee for doing this.

30. How does the clinic operate in the Marquette graduate program?

The overall scheme for clinical education is that you will work 2-3 semesters in the on-campus clinic or until you accumulate between 125-150 clock hours, have worked with both child and adult patients, have experience with both treatment and assessment and, preferably, have provided treatment in both individual and group settings. You then spend 2 semesters doing your off-campus practica, one in a public school and one in a medical setting. Each placement runs for 14 weeks.

In the on-campus clinic we see a wide range of ages and conditions. Group programs are operated for patients with aphasia and children with phonology, language, and literacy disorders. Such patients are also seen individually. We see preschool children, school age children (many of them from parochial schools), Marquette college students, individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities, etc.

Students are assigned up to 4 clients a semester, depending on their experience and the times they have available in their schedule. Typically, we want you to work with 6-8 clients in the on-campus clinic. In addition, during one of the semesters you are in the on-campus clinic you will working with another student on a diagnostic team, doing weekly evaluations.

Milwaukee has large African American and Latino populations. The issues in seeing these populations in our on-campus clinic are often scheduling and transportation (since we would waive fees for service for indigent families). Because of this, we tend to operate special programs that will bring these clients to us. For example, Dr Maura Moyle is presently doing a study of literacy development among young African American children. As part of her treatment study a number of students are involved in running group treatment activities both at the children's preschool and in our campus clinic. The Spanish language clinic is, for now, limited to students in the BIES program. This is simply because we have limited resources for providing supervision of therapy conducted in Spanish. Apart from these two programs, the clientele of the on-campus clinic reflects the overall diversity of the metropolitan area.

In the off-campus practicum sites, the access to diverse populations is considerable, since schools and medical facilities are of course located throughout the city and suburbs. Many of the Milwaukee Public Schools have very diverse student bodies and you would have the opportunity to select from numerous opportunities. Similarly, medical facilities located in predominantly Latino or African American sections of the city will naturally serve those populations. If you want more specific information on what school placements are available, I encourage you to email kathleen.erdman@mu.edu, as she is the schools coordinator for our program. For medical placements you can contact jacqueline.podewils@mu.edu. Mrs. Podewils is our Clinical Coordinator.

32. How well do the faculty get to know the students?

I think, as a faculty, we know our graduate students very well. Certainly all the faculty know all of the students by name but, beyond that, I believe we are highly invested in working with students on an individual basis. You'll get the best answer to this question by putting it some of our current students. They'll be honest, and I think they'll tell you that they have ready access to all the faculty, and that we're even in a good mood most of the time!

33. Where do I submit my graduate application materials and how do I check on whether they've all been received?

Go to https://www.marquette.edu/grad/future_apply.shtml for details of the entire application process. Applications must be submitted online. You will receive an online account which will allow you to check the status of your application and verify when it is complete.

34. What is the pass rate for your graduate students taking the Praxis examination for the first time?

Our results for the last five years are shown in the table below:

2009-2010	Number of students taking exam	24
2009-2010	Number (and %) passed on first attempt	24 (100%)
2008-2009	Number of students taking exam	25
2008-2009	Number (and %) passed on first attempt	25 (100%)
2007-2008	Number of students taking exam	25
2007-2008	Number (and %) passed on first attempt	25 (100%)
2006-2007	Number of students taking exam	26
2006-2007	Number (and %) passed on first attempt	26 (100%)
2005-2006	Number of students taking exam	23
2005-2006	Number (and %) passed on first attempt	22 (96%)

35. What is the program completion rate for your graduate students?

Our results for the last five years are shown in the table below:

2008-2009	Number of students admitted to program during academic year	26
2008-2009	Number of students from cohort (and %) who eventually graduated	22 (3 still scheduled to graduate)
2007-2008	Number of students admitted to program during academic year	32
2007-2008	Number of students from cohort (and %) who eventually graduated	31 (97%)
2006-2007	Number of students admitted to program during academic year	21
2006-2007	Number of students from cohort (and %) who eventually graduated	21 (100%)
2005-2006	Number of students admitted to program during academic year	23
2005-2006	Number of students from cohort (and %) who eventually graduated	23 (100%)
2004-2005	Number of students admitted to program during academic year	24
2004-2005	Number of students from cohort (and %) who eventually graduated	24 (100%)

36. What is the employment rate for your graduate students?

All students within the past decade (which is as far back as we checked the records) found employment upon graduation.

37. What is the policy of your program regarding students with communicative disorders or who are non-native speakers of English?

Students with Communicative Disorders

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Marquette University is dedicated to graduating students with optimum preparation for successful careers in the profession of communication disorders. Since voice, fluency, articulation, language or hearing impairments may interfere with a clinician’s ability to effectively treat persons with impairments of communication, we encourage students in our program with such impairments to seek treatment.

English Proficiency

Our department supports the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in encouraging persons of diverse backgrounds to enter the field of communication disorders. All students in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology must provide evidence of adequate written and verbal communication skills in Standard American English necessary to meet academic and clinical requirements. Non-native speakers of English will work closely with their advisors throughout the course of their study toward establishing this proficiency prior to enrollment in clinical practicums. Students who speak with accents and/or dialects may seek assistance in improving these skills at the recommendation of department instructional staff.