Pennsylvania Licensing Requirements for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. It is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as legal advice.
Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.
Initial Licensure Requirements
- Master's degree or equivalent from an accredited academic institution
Note: For this section, "equivalent" is defined as holding a bachelor's degree and completion of a program of study comprising 39 graduate semester hours with specific distribution requirements; graduate semester hours in practicum may not be counted toward satisfying the 39 semester-hour requirement.
- Three hundred seventy-five hour clinical practicum
- Completion of 1 year of supervised professional experience (1,080 hours in 2 consecutive years)
- Passage of an examination
Exemptions
- Physicians and surgeons
- Trained employees under direction of a physician doing hearing testing
- Hearing aid fitters
- Department of Education credentialed employees of public, private or chartered schools
- Students or trainees appropriately designated as such
- Federal employees
- Any licensed person engaged in the profession for which they are licensed
- Non-residents who are licensed in another state with equivalent standards may provide services for no more than 5 days in any calendar year in cooperation with a state-licensed practitioner.
- Organizations engaged in the practice of speech-language pathology, audiology or teaching the hearing impaired as long as it employs such licensed individuals to provide the direct practice,however, such organizations or corporations must file a certification with the Board that it submits itself to the rules and regulations of the Board.
Reciprocity/Endorsement
The Board may waive the education and examination requirements for:
- Applicants licensed in another state with equivalent standards
- CCC holders
- Individuals with a bachelor's degree in speech language pathology, audiology or teaching the hearing impaired, who has been employed in this area for at least 9 months within 3 years prior to date of statute enactment (1982-1985).
Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure
N/A
Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal
Twenty clock hours of continuing education per biennial renewal period.
Board Oversight
Department of State, Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs, State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
Board Composition
The state Board of Examiners in Speech-Language and Hearing shall have 10 members, 9 of whom appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate majority; the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs shall serve in his official capacity as the tenth member of the Board; there shall be 1 licensed speech-language pathologist, 1 licensed audiologist, 1 member who renders professional services as a teacher of the hearing impaired, 2 members at large who are either licensed speech-language pathologists, audiologists or teachers of the hearing impaired (each profession shall not be represented by more than 2 Board members), 2 licensed physicians (1 of which specializes in otolaryngology), and 2 public members; no member of the board shall at the same time be an officer/agent of any statewide association representing the profession under the jurisdiction of this board.
Resources
The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on state licensure requirements, contact the state board and visit this website:
Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language and Hearing
Questions regarding this document? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.