A Chronology of Changes in ASHA's Certification Standards

1952 – Certification program started. Required for basic certificate: 30 semester hours, 275 hours of clinical practicum, 1 year of sponsored professional experience. No graduate degree and no national examination.

1965 – Requirement of a master's degree or equivalent 60 semester hours in specified areas, 275 hours of clinical practicum, 9 months of supervised full-time professional employment, a letter from the candidate's academic program director, and a passing score on a national examination.

1973 – Clinical practicum hours increased to 300.

1980 – Requirements added for amount and type of supervision of student practicum.

1993 – Master's or doctoral degree required (equivalency no longer accepted) as well as 75 hours of coursework (now including basic sciences) and 375 hours of observation and practicum (25 observation, 350 practicum) with 250 at the graduate level. During 36-week Clinical Fellowship, periodic formal evaluation of specific skills required.

1997 – New requirements adopted for the certificate in audiology: at least 75 hours of post-baccalaureate study; 12 months of full-time, supervised experience; and a doctoral degree. First two requirements effective January l, 2007; doctoral degree effective 2012.

1999 – Approved requirement of mandatory professional development for maintenance of the certificate in audiology, effective January 1, 2003.

2000 – Approved requirement of mandatory professional development for maintenance of the certificate in speech-language pathology, effective January 1, 2005.