Education Pathways to Speech-Language Pathology Assistants Certification

Speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) who want to become ASHA-certified and hold the C-SLPA credential must meet the requirements set forth in the Standards for SLPA Certification, which include

• meeting degree and education requirements,
• passing a national examination, and
• abiding by the Assistants Code of Conduct.

Eligibility Pathways

To be eligible to take the SLPA certification exam, all applicants for ASHA SLPA certification must complete one of three pathway options that best fits their education and qualifications.

Education Option 1

• 2-year SLPA program degree from an accredited institution (e.g., associate's degree from a community college or technical training program)
• Complete the three 1-hour prerequisite courses listed below
• Complete the clinical field work requirement listed below

Education Option 2

• Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from an accredited institution
• Complete ASHA’s online SLPA education modules or academic equivalent
• Complete the three 1-hour prerequisite courses listed below
• Complete the clinical field work requirement listed below

Education Option 3

• College degree (associate's or bachelor's) from an accredited institution
• Complete an SLPA certificate program with equivalent coursework, or complete academic coursework from an accredited college institution, in the areas below:
  • Introductory or overview course in communication disorders
  • Phonetics
  • Speech sound disorders
  • Language development
  • Language disorders
  • Anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms
• Complete ASHA’s online SLPA education modules or academic equivalent
• Complete the three 1-hour prerequisite courses listed below
• Complete the clinical field work requirement listed below

Prerequisite Courses

In addition to finishing all the requirements of that option, applicants must also complete the following mandatory requirements:

• Completion of a 1-hour of ethics course*
• Completion of a 1-hour course in universal safety precautions*
• Completion of a 1-hour patient confidentiality training course (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, etc.)*

* These three prerequisite courses must be completed no more than 2 years prior to application. These requirements may also be met as part of an academic course. Applicants who have not had specific academic training in the roles and responsibilities of working as an assistant must also complete ASHA's online education modules for assistants, or an equivalent academic course.

Clinical Hours

To meet the requirement for clinical hours, you must have completed at least 100 hours of clinical field work—also called "clinical practicum" and "on-the-job hours"—within 5 years of applying for the C-SLPA.

1. Clinical field work hours must include
   • 80 hours** of direct patient/client/student services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP), and
   • 20 hours** of indirect patient/client/student services under the supervision of an ASHA-certified SLP.
2. You may choose one of the following ways to meet the requirement for clinical hours:
   • Use hours from academic practicum that are no more than 5 years old when you apply for assistants certification.
   • Use hours from on-the-job work (with a current or former supervisor who hold the CCC-SLP**) that were completed within the last 5 years—at the time you apply for assistants certification—and are in accordance with state regulations.
3. It is important to note that
   • observation, simulation, and graduate practicum hours cannot be used toward this requirement, and
   • no paperwork is required to be sent to ASHA; your supervisor will verify your hours through your online application.

** Any hours completed January 1, 2020, or after must have been supervised by an ASHA-certified SLP (See Standard III.)

Direct Clinical Contact

Examples of direct clinical contact may include the following activities performed under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP.

• screening speech, language, and hearing
• assisting the SLP during assessment
• administering assessment tools within ASHA Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
• providing direct therapy services

Indirect Clinical Contact

Examples of indirect clinical contact may include the following activities performed under the direction and supervision of the supervising SLP.

• meeting with the SLP to review sessions and notes and to plan future services
• preparing materials and planning for clinical service
• attending consultations or team meetings with the SLP
• documenting screening/treatment results following services
• entering or recording data for billing purposes and/or code procedures following services