Online Pathology Assistant Degree Program Information

Associate's degree programs are available online for those who want to become a speech language pathology assistant (SLPA). Students learn the skills necessary to assist speech pathologists in screening, assessing, treating and evaluating outcomes in speech and language therapy.

Overview of an Online Pathology Assistant Degree Program

These degree programs prepare participants for state certification or standards for employment as a paraprofessional, and they award an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree upon completion. Graduates are prepared to assist speech pathologists in documenting patient testing and progress, checking and maintaining equipment, preparing charts and records, conducting speech screenings, treating disorders, scheduling activities and performing research. Prerequisites typically include coursework in biology, English, computers and communication disorders. Letters of reference may also be required for entry consideration.

Program Information and Requirements

Online speech pathologist assistant associate's degree programs typically take two years to complete and consist of approximately 90 credit hours. Communication with peers and faculty, classes, activities, lecture materials and assignments are all accessed online. Classes may have designated attendance times to participate in web chats or class facilitation, and some programs have supplemental video and audio components. Also, 100 hours in fieldwork is required to become a speech pathology assistant. Some schools arrange this in-person practicum for students in their locality.
Technical requirements vary by school; however, all programs require access to a high-speed Internet connection, e-mail and personal computer. Online courses may require access to an educational delivery program, such as Moodle. Specific browser, software and hardware requirements are also common.

List of Common Courses

Coursework in speech pathologist assistant degree programs covers language development, disorders, treatment options and phonetics. General education courses in math, English, speech, humanities, social sciences, computers and writing are also required to graduate.

Communication Disorders Course

Swallowing, speech and feeding disorders and how they affect communication are covered in this course. Methods of treatment, interventions and progress tracking are also explored. In addition, this class introduces the profession of speech and language pathologist assistant and the various roles, disorders, terminology and legal guidelines they must follow.

Language Development and Therapy Course

Students of this course learn predictable events and processes in language development. Early childhood, childhood and adolescent milestones are also studied, along with intervention therapy approaches used in treating disorders.

Language Phonetics Course

Speech sounds and listening, recording and identifying normal or disordered speech are the focus of this class. Students focus on American English and learn to apply these skills using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to identify and treat speech disorders.

Career Information for Graduates

Speech pathology assistants earned an average salary of $53,000 per year in September of 2010, according to Indeed.com. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) currently only collects data on speech-language pathologists and audiologists; however, assistants in the occupational and physical therapy fields make about 60%-75% of the professional salaries (www.asha.org).

Continuing Education Information

For individuals who aspire to become a speech pathologist, a master's degree is required. Several master's degree programs in speech and language pathology programs are available online.