ECU's Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders offers a speech-language pathology track on campus and through distance education. Applicants need the specified academic preparation and Casper assessment. The clinical track combines graduate coursework with supervised clinic and internships and is accredited by ASHA's Council on Academic Accreditation.
- Program
- Communication Sciences and Disorders - Speech-Language Pathology Track
- Credential
- MS
- Location
- Greenville, North Carolina, United States
- Casper
- Required · CSP-10101
- Next deadline
- January 15, 2027 (Priority application deadline)
- Interview
- Interview
- Seats
- 30-32 campus; 10-12 distance education
- Length
- Campus: traditionally 5-6 semesters, at least 58 credit hours; distance education: traditionally 8-9 semesters.
Casper Requirement for East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology
East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology requires Casper for the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Test to book
- U.S. Professional Health Sciences Casper - Speech-Language Pathology · CSP-10101
- Languages
- English
- Other Acuity assessments
- Duet (not required)
Check available Casper test dates in your Acuity Insights account at takecasper.com.
ECU requires Casper scores to arrive in time for application review. Check Acuity Insights for available sittings and ECU's posted distribution cutoff.
Casper format
Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test run by Acuity Insights. The current format has 11 scenarios (4 video-response and 7 typed-response) with 2 questions each and takes about 65 to 85 minutes, including optional breaks. Typed-response scenarios allow 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
Practice with Bright Doctor's Casper Question Bank, featuring 100+ scenarios and 300+ expert responses.
East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology Application Deadlines 2026-2027
- Apply through
- ECU Graduate School online application
- Applications open
- July 15, 2026
- Application fee
- $75 nonrefundable application fee
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Priority application deadline | January 15, 2027upcoming |
| Final application and all materials deadline | January 15, 2027upcoming |
| Campus guided-observation documentation | July 15, 2027upcoming |
| ECU distance-education guided-observation documentation | December 1, 2027upcoming |
Submit all application materials to the ECU Graduate School by the program deadline; send official transcripts to gradschool@ecu.edu, not to the department.
East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology Admissions Statistics
Period: ECU program FAQ: typical intake per academic year
- Seats / class size: 30-32 campus; 10-12 distance education
Eligibility Requirements for East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology
- Degree / credits
A bachelor's degree is required. Applicants without a speech-language pathology or related undergraduate major need 21 credits of specified prerequisites; applicants missing prerequisites may seek campus-only provisional admission.
- Residency
ECU distance-education applicants must live at least 75 miles from Greenville, North Carolina.
- Citizenship
International applicants who are not permanent U.S. residents must enroll in the campus program; ECU cannot provide clinical training outside the United States.
Admission pathways
- Campus provisional admission: Complete required prerequisites on campus before beginning the master's sequence.
Verify coursework against the program's prerequisite list on the official ECU CSDI website before submitting.
Other requirements
- Admission deposit: Admitted students pay a $100 nonrefundable deposit by the date in their offer; it is credited toward tuition upon enrollment.
- Orientation and clinical compliance: Complete required orientation before clinic and submit required forms through CastleBranch; students pay associated CastleBranch expenses.
Selection Factors East Carolina University Considers
Prerequisites
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Phonetics | required |
| Language Development | required |
| Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism | required |
| Speech Science | required |
| Development of Articulation and Phonology | required |
| Introduction to Audiology | required 3 credits |
| Aural Rehabilitation | required 3 credits |
| Statistics | required Standalone course; CSD statistics and research methods alone do not qualify. |
| Physical science | required Coursework must include physics or chemistry. |
| Biological science | required |
| Behavioral or social sciences | required 6 credit hours |
| Neurology or neural processes of speech, language and swallowing | recommended |
GPA
- How it is calculated
Minimum cumulative GPA from undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or other MS courses.
- Minimum
- 3.0 overall GPA; 3.2 GPA in speech-language pathology prerequisites.
Complete prerequisite coursework with a B or better before enrollment. Enter courses and grades in ECU's prerequisite summary form.
Admissions tests
- GRE (not required): ECU does not require the GRE for this program.
- English proficiency: TOEFL iBT, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (required for some applicants): Required for applicants whose native language is not English unless they meet ECU's qualifying U.S.-coursework exemption; see ECU Graduate School score requirements.
Experience and volunteer hours
Required.
Before clinical training, document at least 25 guided observation hours of speech-language pathology or audiology sessions. No more than 10 hours may be indirect observation; at least 15 must be direct observation. ECU sets documentation deadlines by cohort.
Supplementary application
Submit three recommendations, including at least one from an academic professor; ECU's writing-prompt response; prerequisite-course descriptions and the completed prerequisite summary form; and a résumé of no more than two pages.
How applicants are ranked
ECU reviews and ranks completed applications. Applicants advancing from the first review phase are invited to interview; the Graduate School makes the final admission decision on the program's recommendation.
Interview Format at East Carolina University
Format: Interview
Online interview via WebEx.
- Who is invited
- Top-ranked applicants; the handbook estimates about 75 campus, 25 ECU DE and 10 Alaska applicants, subject to applicant volume.
- When
- Interview dates for this entry cohort are not published.
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Start Practicing FreeCurriculum at East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology
- Program length
- Campus: traditionally 5-6 semesters, at least 58 credit hours; distance education: traditionally 8-9 semesters.
- Structure
Graduate coursework, supervised clinic and internships; campus students have a full-time clinical internship, while distance-education students complete clinical internships in their region.
- Campuses
- ECU Greenville campus, ECU distance education
The speech-language pathology track trains clinical speech-language pathologists. The curriculum emphasizes normal processes of speech, hearing, and language from the undergraduate pre-professional foundation, extending into graduate-level clinical competency. ECU offers a three-year option for its online program, accommodating students balancing work or family commitments. The accredited program equips graduates for licensure; check ECU's state Licensure Dashboard to confirm it meets requirements in your home state.
Campus and facilities
Broad pathology exposure in affiliated hospitals. Distance education (DE) and online tracks are available.
Tuition and Funding at East Carolina University
Campus and distance-education students are billed at different graduate rates. ECU caps graduate credit-hour billing at nine hours per semester; consult ECU's current tuition and fees schedule for the applicable rate.
What Applicants Are Saying
Matriculated students describe a curriculum emphasizing normal processes of speech, hearing, and language from the undergraduate pre-professional foundation, extending into graduate-level clinical competency.
Students report typical days starting early with classes or clinicals, followed by study and preparation for hands-on placements. The workload intensifies during internships and clinical hours. Students describe broad pathology exposure in affiliated hospitals and highlight satisfaction with formal teaching quality and a collaborative environment.
Shared by applicants and students on forums and communities. It is anecdotal, not official program information.
How to Prepare Your East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology Application
- Check your overall GPA against 3.0 and prerequisite GPA against 3.2; identify any missing courses.
- Arrange documented guided observation hours before clinical training.
- Book ECU's Casper test early enough for score delivery and use Acuity Insights' practice test.
- Prepare transcripts, three recommendations, the writing response, prerequisite forms and a two-page résumé.
More About East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology
- Accreditation
Accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Frequently Asked Questions About East Carolina University Speech Language Pathology
Does ECU Speech-Language Pathology require Casper?
Yes. Select ECU to receive your U.S. Professional Health Sciences Casper score; Duet is not required.
What is the minimum GPA?
ECU requires a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.2 GPA in SLP prerequisites.
How long is the program?
The campus track traditionally takes 5-6 semesters and requires at least 58 credits; distance education traditionally takes 8-9 semesters.
Are prerequisite courses required?
Yes. Applicants without a related major need 21 credits of specified prerequisites; campus-only provisional admission is available to applicants who need to complete them.
What is the workload like?
ECU describes a demanding curriculum and advises against outside employment, particularly during intensive clinical training.
Does ECU SLP lead to licensure?
The program prepares students for North Carolina licensure requirements; check requirements in the state where you intend to practise.
Is the GRE required?
No. ECU does not require the GRE for this program.
What are Casper test dates for ECU SLP?
Check Acuity Insights for ECU's available sittings and distribution cutoff; choose a sitting early enough for ECU to receive your score.
Sources
- ECU Master of Science Admission Information
- ECU Master of Science Program
- ECU MS Student Handbook
- ECU Graduate School program listing
- ECU Graduate School Application Process
- ECU Graduate School International Students
- Acuity Insights Dates and Times
- Acuity Insights Casper Prep
Last updated: September 26, 2026