MA Application

Statement regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on admissions

The last two years have brought unprecedented challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has impacted all areas of students’ lives, including experiences in the classroom, employment opportunities, and volunteer and extracurricular activities. At SDSU, we understand that there are concerns about how the pandemic and related effects will impact the admissions process and decisions. We are committed to a holistic review of applications, considering applicants’ academic background, experiences, and attributes that make them a good fit for the profession and for our MA program specifically. In line with our school and program missions, we aim to recruit applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences and train future clinicians to work with culturally and linguistically diverse populations across the lifespan. We understand that not all applicants have had the same opportunities and support, and that unanticipated challenges have interrupted projects and experiences, and disrupted plans. We will take this and more into consideration of your application. If you have any questions about the admissions process that cannot be answered on this website or CSDCAS, please contact slp-admissions@sdsu.edu. 

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The following instructions are for the Master of Arts (M.A.) Program with concentration in Speech-Language Pathology only.

• We accept applications for Fall admissions only (no Spring admissions).
• Graduate admissions is a 2-step process.  These 2 steps are completely separate.  What you submit to SDSU, such as transcripts, will not be shared with CSDCAS and vice versa.
  • First, you must apply generally to the University via the CalState Apply application by December 15.  You will follow the status of this application, as well as receipt of your transcripts, via my.SDSU.  You will be sent instructions for setting up your my.SDSU account and your SDSU Student ID after you submit your application.  The application fee is $70.
  • Second, you must apply to the individual department via the Communication Sciences and Disorders Central Application Services (CSDCAS) by January 12.  You will follow the status of this application for things like receipt of letters of recommendation and transcripts via the CSDCAS website.  CSDCAS charges $128 for the first program and $51 for each additional program.
• CalState Apply Applications can be submitted October 1st – December 15th.   CSDCAS Applications can be submitted October 1st – January 12th.  Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. THE UNIVERSITY HAS DIFFERENT GENERAL DEADLINES, BUT STUDENTS APPLYING TO THIS DEPARTMENT MUST ADHERE TO OUR JANUARY 12TH DEADLINE.
• Admission decisions will be made by late-February or early March. YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL BY THE END OF MARCH.
• If you are interested in applying to the Master of Arts (M.A.) Program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at SDSU and your undergraduate degree is in another discipline, you must complete the prerequisites either at another accredited institution or our SLP Essentials Program offered through the SDSU Global Campus.  All prerequisites must be complete before beginning the masters program.  A Google search of Speech Language Post-baccalaureate Programs will guide you to schools that offer this program.  We will accept a Post-baccalaureate from any accredited University.

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1. Review the MA Admission Requirements page.

2. Submit the Cal State Apply Online Application
*by December 15th, 11:59pm PST*

NOTE: The CalState Apply application must be completed first. Upon completion, SDSU will e-mail you a Student ID # in 10-15 business days and instructions on how to set up your my.SDSU account.  If you already have an SDSU Student ID, it will not change; you will use the same Student ID number.  Via my.SDSU, you will be able to follow the processing of your application by Graduate Admissions.   Graduate Admissions will send e-mail updates every 2 weeks to students with incomplete files.

You will need to put this Student ID # on your CSDCAS Supplemental Application.

DO NOT BEGIN SUBMITTING TRANSCRIPTS, HARD COPY OR ELECTRONIC, UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR SDSU STUDENT ID #, WHICH INDICATES THAT GRADUATE ADMISSIONS HAS SET UP YOUR ELECTRONIC FILE.

NOTE:  Unless you are applying to another CSU program that does not require a supplemental application, you do not have to complete the Transcript Information, Experiences, and Achievements sections of the CalState Apply application as those items will be addressed in the supplemental CSDCAS application.

CalState Apply Customer Service:  857-304-2087 or CalStateApply@liaisoncas.com

Major Selection:

• Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: Speech-Language Pathology (MA)

NOTE: You do not need to choose a credential program. Students earn their SLP credential as part of the masters program and all credential paperwork is completed near the end of the program.

3. Submit One Set of Official Transcripts, Hard Copy or Electronic, From All Institutions Attended
*Must be received by SDSU Graduate Admissions or postmarked by January 12th*

• Mail hard copies to:
  Graduate Admissions
  San Diego State University
  5500 Campanile Drive
  San Diego, CA 92182-8225
• OR send Electronic Copies:   If your school offers this option when requesting transcripts, choose SDSU from the pulldown menu.  If SDSU is not an option on the pulldown menu, ask your school to send to:  TranscriptsForSDSU@sdsu.edu.  Electronic transcripts MUST come directly from your school.  Electronic transcripts sent by students will not be accepted.

NOTE: Do not submit transcripts to Graduate Admissions prior to submitting the CalState Apply application and receiving your SDSU Student ID.

NOTE: Submit transcripts for those courses completed and graded.  Do not wait until Fall grades are posted to request transcripts if doing so will cause you to miss the Jan 12 deadline.  Documents postmarked after Jan 12 will not be processed.  If admitted, you will be required to submit your final transcript during your first semester at SDSU.

NOTE: Students who received their undergraduate degree from SDSU do not need to submit an SDSU transcript to SDSU Graduate Admissions as those can be accessed electronically. If you attended any other universities or junior colleges and these grades appear on your SDSU transcript, then you do not need to submit transcripts for those schools. For all other students, you must submit transcripts from all schools attended even if the grades appear on your degree transcript.  SDSU transcripts and all other transcripts DO need to be submitted to CSDCAS by every applicant.

NOTE: INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS–If you have international coursework, you must have your school send SDSU Graduate Admissions one official original-language copy of all records of academic coursework and proof of degree.  For each document you must also send a certified literal English translation, which can come directly from the school itself or from a professional, certified translator. The translation must contain all information shown on the original language documents. Country-specific guidelines can be found on the SDSU Graduate Admissions website: http://admissions.sdsu.edu/international/graduate/graduate_country_requirements .

CHINESE INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS:  Degrees from China must also be verified by the China Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC).

4. Submit the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized (CSDCAS) Application (the preceding wording is the link)
*by January 12th, 8:59pm, PST*

• Essay and Resume will need to be uploaded to the online application.
• Essay should be no more than 3 pages, double spaced.  Essay prompt is: Please tell us about why Speech-Language Pathology is a good fit for you. What would you bring as a prospective graduate student and as a potential contributor to this profession? Include consideration of your experience with academics, volunteerism, research, cultural and linguistic diversity, and work. Why would our program be a good fit to help you reach your unique goals?
• Official transcripts must also be mailed to CSDCAS.  Instructions for submission are on the CSDCAS website.
• Three letters of recommendation are required.  Letters from former Professors are preferred but not mandatory.  Letters are due by January 12.  Students will provide email addresses of recommenders, and the letter requests will be sent electronically from CSDCAS to the recommenders.
• You will be able to follow the status of your application through CSDCAS to see when letters of recommendation are received.
• FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR CSDCAS APPLICATION:  

Customer Service Phone:  (617) 612-2030 Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm EST.

Customer Service E-Mail: csdcasinfo@csdcas.org

5. Submit TOEFL Scores and Proof of English Proficiency to SDSU (if necessary)

The GRE is no longer required,  however, TOEFL scores are still required from applicants who received or will receive their undergraduate degree at an international institution where the primary language of instruction was not English.

*Must be received electronically by Enrollment Services by January 12th*.  It takes ETS 10-15 days to send test scores to SDSU, so please plan accordingly.

• TOEFL scores are required, if applicable. Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) http://www.ets.org and request that your TOEFL scores be sent to San Diego State University electronically. Institution Code: 4682. TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language.  This is only required for international students whose schooling thus far has been in a language other than English.
  
• Allow 1 month for TOEFL scores to be sent electronically from ETS to SDSU.
• TOEFL scores expire after 2 years.
• The University will accept TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or a DuoLingo English Test score as proof of English proficiency.
• Please see SDSU’s Admissions website for more instructions and the minimum scores for each option under Step

 

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GPA Calculator

For assistance in calculating your GPA, please use this calculator (xlsx).

 

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Application Checklist

• Apply to SDSU via the online CalState Apply application
• Have ETS send electronic TOEFL scores
• Transcripts – One official set sent to SDSU Graduate Admissions
• Complete the Communication Sciences and Disorders Central Application Services (CSDCAS) application, which includes uploaded essay, official or unofficial transcripts, and resume

 

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Questions?

• All admissions-related questions should be submitted via e-mail to Janet Park at jpark@sdsu.edu

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Apply Early!

We urge you to apply early. Graduate Admissions receives thousands of transcripts a day and it takes time to process everything. Until they receive and scan all transcripts and test scores and sign off on your file at the University level, your file is considered incomplete, and incomplete applications are not reviewed by our admissions committee. You do not need to wait for final transcripts for classes in progress at the time you apply. If admitted to SDSU, those will be requested at a later date. The later you apply, the less time you have for any errors to be corrected.

 

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