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Director’s Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the Northwestern University Master of Science in Speech, Language, and Learning (MS SLL) program.  I hope that as you explore the information available on this site, you are excited by the opportunities the MS SLL program provides.

NU’s MS SLL curriculum is uniquely designed to develop exceptional clinicians, prepared to meet the needs of those they serve in the context of the ever-changing landscape of healthcare and education.  With an eye toward the future, we cultivate the critical thinking, scientific rigor, and problem solving our graduates must possess to meet the needs of their clients and their field long after graduation.

During the MS SLL program, students partake in the following:

  • A year of core courses that span foundational concepts, patient populations, and professional and service-based issues
    • These courses provide students with sufficient depth and breadth of academic study to prepare students to diagnose and treat individuals with a wide variety of speech and language disorders and differences.
  • A variety of electives to address areas of clinical interest
    • Elective opportunities are available during the second year of study, allowing students to cultivate deeper understanding in an area of specialization.
    • Students may customize their elective experience with faculty-mentored independent studies as well as thesis options.
  • An exciting clinical curriculum spanning the duration of the program, designed to develop skills across the spectrum of service delivery.
    • Students gain experience in our brand new, state-of-the art NU Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning (NUCASLL) as well as two full time externships designed to support their clinical interests.
    • In the clinical milieu, students integrate research, clinical principles, and professional skills in the service of promoting change in their clients.
    • While working with their clinical instructors and team members, students develop not just clinical acumen, but skills in interpersonal communication, self-awareness, and leadership.

Again, thank you for your interest in our program.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Warmest Regards,
Stacy Kaplan, PhD, CCC-SLP
Program Director