If you want to freely practice speech therapy, included in the requirement is undertaking and passing speech therapy courses. Your journey will include a lot of education, practical experience, training and a certification. Based on current statistics, it is most likely that the demand for speech therapists will grow. So, if you are looking for a career path or even possibly a shift in career, you might want to look into being a speech therapist. Aside from the high salary you get to take home, you will also get the satisfaction of helping people build their confidence and lead better lives.

The first step to become a speech therapist is to get the proper education. A minimum of a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology degree is needed for the state to allow you to take on patients. Some areas and employers require a Master of Science degree but that would also mean a higher salary. 

In your studies you will be faced with different speech therapy courses that will equip you with the understanding of the practice. The subjects should give you the knowledge how certain areas of the body are used in speech and language development. Also, you must ensure that the curriculum is approved by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). If the school you will enroll into is accredited, then most likely, the courses are approved as well.

Before you can look for speech therapy courses it is best to settle on a specialization first. You can opt to focus on helping children or a specific disorder like autism. Statistics show a high demand for speech therapists that will cater to the elderly so you might want to consider that option as well. You will need to identify these so that whatever school you will choose to enter is guaranteed to make you the best therapist for the clientele that you prefer. You may select based on your personal preferences – where you think you are best suited and who you can work with. If you do not want a specialization, you can go for a general speech therapy profession.

Speech therapy courses for speech problems in both children and the elderly are also available separately. The usual problems for children include lisps and stuttering. Therapists also coach children through developmental delays in their speaking abilities. The usual speech problem for the elderly is aphasia (loss of speech). Speech therapists should learn how to trace the cause of the problem – whether it is dementia, brain trauma and deafness.

Whatever course you decide to settle one, look not only on the academic subjects, but also on the clinical practice that they have. It is part of the requirements for getting a license so make sure you can meet all of them.

Speech therapy courses will only propel you forward to get you a license to practice. To do this, you must also finish around 300 to 375 hours of clinical experience. Aside from that, you need to get a passing score in the PSETS (Praxis Series of the Educational Testing Services). Not all states require a license but it will increase your chances of a higher salary if you have one. Read through the state requirements so you will know what you need to go through to practice legally as a speech therapist.