Speech-Language Pathology Admission

Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) will open for the fall 2024 cycle in July 2023. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, with application review beginning in December 2023.

Candidates apply for admission to the MS speech-language pathology program using the CSDCAS online portal. Candidates will submit all required documentation (e.g., resumes, essays, etc.) and will request their letters of recommend and all transcripts to be submitted directly to CSDCAS.

International Students

If you are unable to access the CSDCAS website and online application, please contact Kate Glaser at kglaser@bw.edu or (00) (1) 440-826-8016.

CSDCAS Customer Service Team

CSDCAS has a team dedicated to helping candidates with the application process. The CSDCAS customer service team can be reached Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET at (617) 612-2030 or csdcasinfo@csdcas.org. When contacting CSDCAS by email, include your full name, CSDCAS ID number and a detailed question.

Helpful CSDCAS links:

• CSDCAS Student Page
• Applicant Help Center
• CSDCAS Fee Waiver Program
• CSDCAS Application Tips

Official transcripts from each college/university you listed in the Colleges Attended section of your application must be sent directly to CSDCAS from your college's registrar by mail or electronically through Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse.

Sending by mail:
CSDCAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9113
Watertown, MA 02471

Please note:

• Once received by CSDCAS, the transcript verification process may take up to 4 weeks. Candidates are encouraged to order transcripts as soon as they fill out the Colleges or Universities Attended section of CSDCAS. Waiting to order transcripts could cause significant delays in moving through the verification and application review process.
• In CSDCAS, you will have the option of entering your coursework in the application yourself or using the Professional Transcript Entry service. Plan, accordingly, since the Professional Transcript Entry service can take several weeks to process the information.
• Candidates with degrees earned from foreign institutions must have a course-by-course evaluation completed with degree verification by World Education Services (WES) as part of the CSDCAS application process. This evaluation should be sent directly to CSDCAS in the above manner.

Candidates must submit three professional letters of recommendations directly to CSDCAS. At least two of the recommendations must be from college/university professors with one coming from a faculty member who instructed you in a communication sciences course.

The other professional recommendation could be from another faculty member, if not then it should be from a person qualified to evaluate your background and potential for success in a graduate program. We encourage recommendations to come other university/college professors, an advisor of extracurricular activities, or a work supervisor or manager. Recommendations will not be accepted if submitted by any member of your immediate family, a spouse/partner, close friend, or individual who taught/coached/or supervised you at the high school level.

CSDCAS applications received by the University without three recommendations following the above guidelines will be considered incomplete. It is in your best interest to avoid that delay in processing your application by giving your references ample time and following up on their progress.

As part of the CSDCAS application, BW requires candidates to respond to three short answer essays. These essay prompts serve as writing samples and help the Admission Committee become acquainted with you in ways different from courses, grades, and other objective data.

Essay responses should clearly and thoroughly answer the posed questions. To accurately respond to the questions, it is recommended that essay responses be between 100-250 words in length.

Prerequisite Courses

Candidates for the SLP program must complete all prerequisite courses at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States*. CSD prerequisite courses may be no more than five years old at the time the program begins.

*Prerequisite courses taken at universities outside the U.S. may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the admission committee. Additional documentation may be required for approval.

Colleges and Universities Attended Outside the United States

Candidates with degrees earned from foreign institutions must have a course-by-course evaluation completed with degree verification by World Education Services (WES) as part of the CSDCAS application process. This evaluation should be sent directly to CSDCAS.

English Proficiency Requirement

Upon initial application review, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam may be required if English is a second language. Minimum TOEFL score (IBT 79, CBT 213, PBT 550). Register to take the TOEFL.

In addition to TOEFL, BW also accepts IELTS (composite 6.5) or Duolingo (score of 105) for English proficiency.

International Student Certification of Financial Support

International students who will be applying to BW and looking to secure an F-1 visa must submit a statement of financial support from the student's bank showing acceptable funds on account to support tuition and living expenses while studying at Baldwin Wallace University. Students must submit this completed form before Baldwin Wallace will issue an I-20.

We will not be conducting interviews as part of the formal admission process. Once applications have been received and reviewed through CSDCAS, selected candidates will be invited to attend admitted student events to learn more about the program, connect with faculty and interact with current SLP students. These events will be held during the spring semester and are by invitation only.

Students admitted to the nursing, physician assistant, public health or speech-language pathology program within the School of Health Sciences at Baldwin Wallace University must be able to meet the technical standards for health sciences. The highest priority is placed upon developing graduates who are competent, caring healthcare professionals who possess the skills of life-long learning needed to incorporate new knowledge and methods into their practice settings and to adapt to an ever-changing healthcare environment. Therefore, the following specific attributes are essential for admission, progression, and graduation from the programs in the School of Health Sciences:

• General
• Observational
• Communication
• Motor
• Intellectual and analytical
• Behavioral, emotional and social

The University endorses the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities while ensuring the academic integrity of its programs. Students with disabilities who are seeking accommodations should contact the Baldwin Wallace University Office of Accessible Education. Baldwin Wallace University does not discriminate in admission or treatment of students on the basis of disability.

General: The student is expected to possess functional use of the senses of vision, touch, hearing, taste and smell, so that data received by the senses may be integrated, analyzed, and synthesized in a consistent and accurate manner in order to gather significant information needed to effectively evaluate the stakeholders, which include patients, clients, and/or community members.

Observational: The student must have sufficient capacity to accurately observe and participate in the lecture hall, laboratory, clinical settings, field work and with stakeholders at a distance and close at hand, including nonverbal and verbal signals, to assess alterations in stakeholders in a variety of settings.

Communication: The student must able to communicate proficiently in both oral and written English language. The student must be able to use verbal and nonverbal communication to elicit, describe and perceive information from stakeholders and professionals across a variety of settings (i.e., classroom, clinical, medical, field work, etc.). Each student must have the ability to modify their communication style to meet the needs of stakeholders.

Motor: Based on the profession, the student must be able to perform gross and fine motor movements with sufficient coordination needed to assess and treat stakeholder populations. The student must develop the psychomotor skills reasonably needed to perform or assist with procedures, treatments, management and operation of diagnostic and therapeutic instrumentation/equipment utilized in the general and emergent care of stakeholders. The student must be able to maintain consciousness and equilibrium; have sufficient levels of postural control, neuromuscular control, and eye-to-hand coordination; and possess the physical and mental stamina to meet the demands associated with extended periods of sitting, standing, moving and physical exertion required for satisfactory performance in the classroom and field work settings.

Intellectual and Analytical: The student must be able to utilize problem-solving skills that are crucial to their area of practice within the Health Sciences. Problem solving involves the abilities to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures; to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize objective and subjective data; and to make decisions that reflect consistent and thoughtful deliberation and sound judgment. A student must have the capacity to read and comprehend research literature. Each student must demonstrate mastery of these skills and the ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers and research literature to formulate sound judgment in stakeholder assessment and planning.

Behavioral, Emotional and Social: Flexibility, empathy, integrity, motivation, effective interpersonal skills and concern for others are personal attributes required of students in the Health Sciences. The student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, exercise of good judgment, prompt completion of all responsibilities in the classroom and field settings, and development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with stakeholders and professionals. Each student must be able to effectively self-regulate emotional status within professional contexts in order to exercise stable, sound judgment and to complete assessment and interventional activities. The ability to establish rapport and maintain sensitive, interpersonal relationships with stakeholders from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds is critical for practice within the fields. The student must be able to effectively manage stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, graciously accept constructive criticism, and learn to function cooperatively and efficiently in the face of the uncertainties inherent within their area of practice.

When applying for admission to the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, candidates are asked whether they have ever been found guilty of a misdemeanor or felony that was not expunged or sealed. Candidates with a criminal record that has not been expunged or sealed are not eligible for enrollment in the SLP program at Baldwin Wallace University. All students who enroll in the SLP program are required to complete both a civilian and a federal background check through the Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation (BCI&I) on an annual basis. Forms and details will be provided to all students who qualify for admission to the program. Although students with an expunged record may be eligible for enrollment in BW's SLP program, an expunged or sealed record may impact a student's eligibility for clinical placement or future employment in certain work settings. Eligibility for a professional license varies by state and may be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the professional licensing board.