Education Pathways to Speech-Language Pathology Assistants Certification

Speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) who want to become ASHA-certified and hold the C-SLPA credential must meet the requirements set forth in the Standards for SLPA Certification, which include

• meeting degree and education requirements,
• passing a national examination, and
• abiding by the Assistants Code of Conduct.

Eligibility Pathways

To be eligible to take the SLPA certification exam, all applicants for ASHA SLPA certification must complete one of three pathway options that best fits their education and qualifications.

Education Option 1

• 2-year SLPA program degree from an accredited institution (e.g., associate's degree from a community college or technical training program)
• Complete the three 1-hour prerequisite courses listed below
• Complete the clinical field work requirement listed below

Education Option 2

• Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from an accredited institution
• Complete ASHA’s online SLPA education modules or academic equivalent
• Complete the three 1-hour prerequisite courses listed below
• Complete the clinical field work requirement listed below

Education Option 3

• College degree (associate's or bachelor's) from an accredited institution
• Complete an SLPA certificate program with equivalent coursework, or complete academic coursework from an accredited college institution, in the areas below:
  • Introductory or overview course in communication disorders
  • Phonetics
  • Speech sound disorders
  • Language development
  • Language disorders
  • Anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms

  Prerequisite Courses

  In addition to finishing all the requirements of that option, applicants must also complete the following mandatory requirements:

  • Completion of a 1-hour of ethics course*
  • Completion of a 1-hour course in universal safety precautions*
  • Completion of a 1-hour patient confidentiality training course (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, etc.)*

  * These three prerequisite courses must be completed no more than 2 years prior to application. These requirements may also be met as part of an academic course. Applicants who have not had specific academic training in the roles and responsibilities of working as an assistant must also complete ASHA's online education modules for assistants, or an equivalent academic course.

  Clinical Hours

  • Clinical field work (also called "clinical practicum" or "on-the-job" hours): A minimum of 100 hours, to include
    • 80 hours of direct patient/client/student services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP)**
    • 20 hours of indirect patient/client/student services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP**

    ** Any hours completed January 1, 2020, or after must have been supervised by an ASHA-certified SLP (See Standard III.)

    Direct Clinical Contact

    Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP.

    • screening speech, language, and hearing
    • assisting the SLP during assessment
    • administering assessment tools within ASHAScope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
    • providing direct therapy services

    Indirect Clinical Contact

    Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP.

    • meeting with the SLP to review sessions and notes and to plan future services
    • preparing materials and planning for clinical service
    • attending consultations or team meetings with the SLP
    • documenting screening/treatment results following services
    • entering or recording data for billing purposes and/or code procedures following services