Master of Science of Communicative Disorders
College of Health Sciences

Current qualifications for a Mississippi State Department of Health speech-language pathology licensure are:

1. Education: At least a master’s degree, e.g., M.S., M.A., or M.Ed., in speech-language pathology, communicative disorders, or speech and hearing science from an institution recognized by the State Board of Health. Institutions recognized by the State Board of Health within the meaning of Section 73-38-9 shall be those institutions with academic programs accredited by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association or any other national accrediting body deemed appropriate by the Board.  
2. Supervised Professional Employment: The applicant must have obtained the equivalent of nine (9) months of full-time professional experience (the Supervised Professional Employment) in which bona fide clinical work has been accomplished in the major professional area (speech-language pathology or audiology) in which the license is being sought. Full-time employment is defined as a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours of work a week. For applicants awarded a master’s degree, the Supervised Professional Employment Plan (SPEP) must begin after the degree has been awarded.  

An applicant desiring to complete the Supervised Professional Employment Experience must apply to the Board for a temporary license on a form available from the Board and must demonstrate that he is or will be supervised according to Rule 10.4.5 of these regulations.

1. National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology: The applicant must have passed a National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology  

The table below provides:

Licensure requirements are subject to change. Students should do their own due diligence and determine the appropriate pathway and license type for themselves.