Online Doctorate Clinical Speech Language Pathology
Launching in Fall 2026, UC’s fully online Clinical Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP-D) is a part-time program designed for practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) looking to advance their careers without interrupting their current professional commitments.
Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology Program Highlights
High Quality Education
This program is designed to enhance students’ professional and clinical expertise, equipping them with the skills to mentor and lead in their chosen field. Students will develop critical thinking, clinical problem-solving, and research application skills while gaining expertise in clinical education, teaching, supervision, and mentorship.
Throughout the program, students will collaborate with practicing clinicians and engage with UC’s renowned faculty. Each student will choose between two specialized tracks, healthcare or education, to focus their learning and leadership development for their respective setting.
Flexibility
- Full and Part-Time Options
- World-Class Faculty Leadership
- Scholarship Opportunities for Active Military and Veterans
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your partner through the application process, getting enrolled, and starting your program
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
This proposed curriculum for the Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology program is subject to change.
- Duration: 2 Years
- Post Baccalaureate Minimum Credits: 45 Credits
- Post Master's Minimum Credits: 45 Credits
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| CSD8000 | Application of Clinical Science to Service Delivery: Interpreting the Evidence This course will explore the current state of published evidence and expert clinical experience pertaining to the assessment and treatment of select clinical populations, including but not limited to language, communication, voice, and swallowing disorders/disabilities. This seminar style course will promote the development of the student’s ability to provide critical analyses of published evidence to include examination of research design as well as the fidelity of the reported outcomes, including the application of findings to real life clinical scenarios. To support their understanding, an overview of both basic qualitative and quantitative statistics will be provided. |
3 |
| CSD8001 | Epidemiological Trends in CSD: Current State and Future Needs of Clinical Care The field of communication sciences and disorders has seen disproportionate advances in assessment and treatment over the past 40+ years for different populations we serve. This course will evaluate incidence and prevalence of populations and/or diagnoses speech language pathologists’ serve coupled with consideration of current assessment and treatment strengths and limitations. We will consider opportunities for advancement within our field in areas such as novel and innovative methods, tools, and paradigms to improve clinical and quality of life outcomes and access to care in healthcare and educational settings. |
3 |
| CSD8002 | Advanced Application of Research for Clinical Decision Making Students will actively engage in presented clinical case discussions, demonstrating the application of published evidence to support hypothetical assessment and intervention planning for populations we serve in CSD. This course will support a focus on interprofessional collaboration and effective communication. Students will present a real-life clinical case to actively discuss their decision-making process considering and applying evidence-based practice and clarifying short and long-term implications of assessment and treatment decisions. |
3 |
| CSD8003 | Advanced Assessment and Intervention Strategies for CSD This course will investigate the strengths and limitations of select assessment and intervention tools/programs providing students with skills for future application. Students will collaboratively identify how the underlying principles of development, learning, and recovery integrate with the practical implementation of a given assessment or intervention. We will explore how assessment and intervention benefit from collaborative holistic approaches, including the use of culturally responsive methods, involvement of family, facilitators (e.g., interpreters), and other interdisciplinary professionals. |
3 |
| CSD8004 | Professional Leadership and Mentorship This course will cover the dynamics of receiving and providing guidance as a mentor and professional leader for clinicians treating populations across the lifespan. We will explore the scholarship and pedagogy involved in teaching for classroom and clinical settings. Real life experiences, culturally humble and inclusive approaches, interpersonal factors and the direct application of content to healthcare and educational settings will be fundamental to the didactic nature of this course. |
3 |
| CSD8005 | Advanced Instrumentation for Assessment and Treatment in CSD The scope of practice for speech language pathologists (SLPs) includes the provision of specialized instrumentation to evaluate and treat the anatomy and physiology of the speech mechanism, aerodigestive tract, and central nervous system. In clinical practice, SLPs administer some instrumentation techniques (e.g., FEES) while others require a collaborative interprofessional approach, with neighboring disciplines conducting the instrumentation and SLPs engaging in or benefitting from the interpretation process. This course will focus on scientific principles, operational support, and interpretation factors associated with the use of acoustic, aerodynamic, pressure monitoring, and imaging (e.g., ultrasound, MRI, and endoscopic and fluoroscopic) technology. Population specific focus will depend on the specialty areas of the students but may include voice and swallowing disorders, speech sound disorders, motor speech disorders, craniofacial anomalies, AAC, and/or language and literacy. |
3 |
| CSD8006 | Ethical Considerations Related to Access & Social Well-Being in CSD This course will cover an in-depth analysis of how current and desired standards of care involving assessment, intervention, and access to CSD services in the educational or medical environment are impacted by issues of diversity, clinical need, social wellbeing, cultural and policy influences. Each of these issues will be explored and defined. Emphasis will be placed on examination of challenges of each issue and how the profession should and could improve with an expanded understanding and novel approaches to care. Students will be guided to develop solutions-oriented projects for identified needs in designated settings. |
3 |
| CSD8007 | Culminating Project I: Topic, Team, Foundation, and Approach In this course, the SLP-D student will develop a clinically applied culminating project guided by their specialty area mentor. The student will develop the focus, academic approach, and a research team required to complete the project. This course is the first of a three-part series and emphasizes preparing the student for project design, initiating the literature review, and writing and submitting IRB documentation. |
2 |
| CSD8008 | Culminating Project II: Implementation and Execution The SLP-D student, with the support of their project chair and identified area specialist, will organize and execute the approved culminating project developed in CSD 8007 - Culminating Project I. |
2 |
| CSD8009 | Culminating Project III: Findings and Conclusions The SLP-D student will present their culminating project to their committee, faculty and clinical specialty peers in the form of a formal defense presentation and written manuscript outlining the full scope and application of the approved culminating project carried out through CSD 8007, CSD 8008, and this final course (CSD 8009). |
2 |
| CSD8011 | Advances in Clinical and Educational Practice Significant technological advances in the areas of assessment, intervention, outcome monitoring, delivery models and clinical training are now a part of mainstream clinical care and clinical education. This course will examine and review the current trends and strengths and limitations in existing and emerging technologies within communication sciences and disorders. Students will be expected to develop a framework for a technologically based application, program or protocol to be used in the clinical and/or classroom setting. |
3 |
| CSD8012 | Neuroimaging and Neurobehavioral Metrics in CSD The use of neuroimaging to identify and quantify the function of neural pathways, cortical and sub-cortical regions integral to neuro development and recovery of language learning, cognition, motor speech, voice and swallowing function is increasingly evident in the research. This course will investigate how findings from these areas of published research relate to actual functional outcomes and how practical applications of neuroimaging can inform care. |
3 |
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDLD7038 | Leadership for Social Justice This course is designed to develop competencies necessary for entry-level administrative positions. The goal of this course is to provide participants with a theoretical knowledge base concerning issues of social justice in educationalleadership. The course focuses on the many ways inwhich educational leaders can actively oppose economic, social, and political injustices in the American public school system. |
3 |
| EDLD7035 | Educational Leadership Theory This course is designed to introduce the student to the theories and practices of educational leadership and organizational behaviors in school systems. Through a series of individual and collaborative activities, participants will begin to understand and appreciate the challenges faced by modern school leaders. |
3 |
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EDLD8035 | School Law This course offers an overview of legislative, executive, and judicial action pertaining to the education with a focus on: the rights of students;the rights of PreK-12 personnel; the responsibilities of school and state agency officials; due process hearings; gender equity andsexual harassment; race an international origin discrimination; legal problems of religious and private schools; search and seizure in schools; legal aspects of the formulation of policy in schools; complementary methods for examining legalissues in education; and recent developments in education law. This course also offers a survey offederal and state statutes, regulations, executiveagency opinions, and published research with respect to the rights of students and personnel and corollary responsibilities of school and stateagency officials, with a social justice approach. Additionally, this course examines a historical approach to meeting the needs of all students, embedded within the context of federal laws and policies. It also provides an overview of federal laws that mandate the success of students with varying social, emotional, and academic needs. |
3 |
| SPED7001 | Overview of Special Education Law This course provides students a foundational understanding of the modern practices within special education. Students gain understanding by studying how the field has evolved throughout time. Information presented in this course is contextualized through various means including: understanding of human need, law/policy, and current research. From this course, students gain an initial understanding of the legal and ethical roles and responsibilities of a professional within the field of special education. |
3 |
| EDST7001 | Politics of Education This course explores a range of political issues in American education. The primary focus is on understanding the social and political context that shape educational policies in schools. It examines political decisions that affect the national, state, and local goals of schooling. |
3 |
| CSD8010 | Clinical Immersion This course will be tailored to each student to support them in gaining advanced clinical skills and knowledge in a chosen specialized area of practice. Students may engage in intensive clinical work, collaborate with experienced clinicians, work on a specialized clinical certification (e.g., board certification) and/or participate in scholarly activities related to their chosen specialization. This course will provide opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world clinical challenges, enhance clinical reasoning, and develop a strong foundation for future leadership roles in the field of speech-language pathology. |
3 |
| CSD8013 | Advanced Language Learning and Reading This course will explore the fundamentals of language and learning, including reading development for children using a holistic approach that considers culturally responsive theories and practices. In this seminar style course, we promote independent critical thinking of the published evidence to support examination of the child in context. Student learners are provided with case-based learning opportunities to proffer the integration of clinical principles, theoretical foundations, and translational application of the evidence to bridge the research to practice gap. To support this knowledge translation, students are provided with opportunities to engage in comprehensive assessment practices that inform that pathway toward intervention in an inclusive manner. |
3 |
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| HCA7001 | Health Systems Management 1: Organization & Delivery The course is intended to provide the student with a systems perspective of U.S. health and health care structure and function. As the MHA Program’s introductory course, it provides a basis for all subsequent courses including leadership, systems analysis, finance and economics, quality improvement, policy and law, and others. Topics include an overview of the social, political, economic and structural dynamics which shape health care in the United States as well as current and likely future imperatives health care managers will face. Evaluation is competency-based; students will be expected to demonstrate proficiency at seeking and applying evidence to managerial decision-making, the effective communication of ideas, and a number of different types of analyses relevant to cases and issues affecting U.S. healthcare today. |
3 |
| HCA7002 | Health Systems Management 2: Principles of Leadership This course provides an introduction and overview to healthcare leadership, human resources management, and organizational behavior in healthcare settings, reflecting the uniqueness of this sector as well as the universal concepts and principles utilized in the development of effective healthcare administrators and leaders. This course integrates theory with practice through readings, written assignments, group projects, and discussion boards from different organizational perspectives. The development of leadership, managerial and organizational skills will be accomplished through a strong emphasis on self-reflection and self-analysis utilizing the tools of the course. This course aims to provide a relevant understanding of organizational dynamics such as performance, organizational culture, teamwork, individual and shared values, and cultural competency. It will examine how healthcare leaders and their organizations relate to each other internally and to their external environments. Topics include values-driven leadership, team effectiveness, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, conflict management, human resources management, employee behavior and appraisal, and assessment and evaluation of leadership performance. This course emphasizes the reflection of the students’ past and current experiences with the integration of current evidence-based leadership and human resources management principles. The students will be required to submit their feedback from self-evaluation assignments, surveys, inventory tools, and group work that is intended to provide insight, awareness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional and personal development for ongoing growth in healthcare leadership roles. |
3 |
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| HCA7031 | Health Policy 1: Health Policy & Regulation This course is designed to provide students with an overview of how policy is developed and how policies can affect health care in the United States. The course prepares students to understand the steps in the policy creation process and then apply concepts in policy analysis and advocacy. There are five focus areas: need and demand, healthcare finance, ethics & law, preparedness, and policy evaluation. Within the five focus areas, we will examine topics using Bardach’s Eightfold Path: problem definition, agenda setting, implementation, evaluation, and modification. The course will present case studies and readings about real-world problems that health professionals face. |
3 |
| HCA7033 | Global Health Systems This foundational course uses the subject matter of global health to teach students the critical management skill of how to analyze the structure and functions of healthcare systems. Once mastered, these skills can be applied to the assessment of systems at any level and in any type of community or setting. As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to all, American healthcare managers working in a world where global health issues are of immediate and critical relevance to strategic and day-to-day operations. The building blocks of health care systems, their impacts on intermediary and outcome variables, and key stakeholder and other analytical tools will be applied to various national systems from high and low-resource nations around the world. Cultural, social, environmental, and other variables impacting understanding of health and illness, and the policies and systems built to address them, will be examined. In addition to institutional health care systems, the roles played by the marketplace, transnational organizations, private entities, and others in global health care will be explored. |
3 |
| CSD8010 | Clinical Immersion This course will be tailored to each student to support them in gaining advanced clinical skills and knowledge in a chosen specialized area of practice. Students may engage in intensive clinical work, collaborate with experienced clinicians, work on a specialized clinical certification (e.g., board certification) and/or participate in scholarly activities related to their chosen specialization. This course will provide opportunity for students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world clinical challenges, enhance clinical reasoning, and develop a strong foundation for future leadership roles in the field of speech-language pathology. |
3 |
| CSD8013 | Advanced Language Learning and Reading This course will explore the fundamentals of language and learning, including reading development for children using a holistic approach that considers culturally responsive theories and practices. In this seminar style course, we promote independent critical thinking of the published evidence to support examination of the child in context. Student learners are provided with case-based learning opportunities to proffer the integration of clinical principles, theoretical foundations, and translational application of the evidence to bridge the research to practice gap. To support this knowledge translation, students are provided with opportunities to engage in comprehensive assessment practices that inform that pathway toward intervention in an inclusive manner. |
3 |
Prerequisites
- Graduated with an ASHA-accredited SLP master’s degree program with at least 50 semester hours completed.
- Hold current state licensure in SLP in good standing.
- Maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher for graduate work.
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $65.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $70.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- $20.00 for domestic applicants to Graduate Certificates
- $25.00 for international applicants to Graduate Certificates
- Application fees are waived for Summer 2026 applications submitted by March 1st, 2026
- Application fees are waived for Fall 2026 applications submitted by July 1st, 2026
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who:
- are currently serving in the US armed forces
- are veterans of the US armed forces
All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts during the application process, showing all undergraduate and graduate course work completed, including degrees granted and dates of conferral.
Official transcripts are not required until the student has received and accepted an offer of admission from the university. Once the offer has been confirmed, the student must submit official transcripts.
Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.
Transcripts can be submitted electronically or by mail. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly. Then, mail your sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
Please mail sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
Transfer Course Credit
Students who have earned graduate credits from accredited institutions may be eligible to apply some or all of those credits towards their pursuit of the online SLP-D program. Please contact your Enrollment Services Advisor (ESA) for specifics about the policy.
Submit an updated resume that meets the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) criteria and includes at least 3 years of clinical practice.
Submit 3 letters of recommendation (LOR) from clinical experts, supervisors, or individuals who can speak to your academic potential for this advanced degree.
Submit a 2–3 page written statement outlining your research interests, professional experience and achievements, and your motivation for pursuing the SLP-D at UC.
You may also choose to submit a Clinical Case Presentation instead.
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | January 10, 2026 | August 24, 2026 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid). To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage.
Amanda Kaye Simmons
Assoc Professor - Educator, CAHS Communication Sciences & Disorders
357 HSB
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