Bethel launches master’s in speech-language pathology program
By Macey Heath, social media content specialist
July 21, 2026 | 1:17 p.m.
The new Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program builds on Bethel’s Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, which launched in fall 2025. Together, the programs will prepare undergraduate and graduate students to support people with communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan.
Jayanti Ray, chair of Bethel’s speech-language pathology program, describes the program as both a professional path and a calling.
“The Christ-centered speech-language pathology program reflects a calling to teach students that communication is a divine gift. In helping others find their voice, we honor God, who gave it to them,” she says.
The program is also connected to a generous gift from John and Joan Wories, whose support will help launch the John and Joan Wories Center for Speech-Language Pathology by fall 2027. After John experienced a stroke and completed intensive speech-language therapy for aphasia, the Wories saw firsthand how skilled, compassionate care can change a person’s life. Their gift will support facilities, faculty, undergraduate and graduate programs, scholarships for future speech-language pathologists, and a clinic offering therapy for people with aphasia and other neurogenic disorders.
Graduate students in the MS-SLP program will prepare to pursue licensure as speech-language pathologists who assess, treat, and support clients with communication and swallowing disorders. Rooted in Bethel’s Christ-centered mission, the program combines academic preparation with hands-on clinical training. Faculty teach from a Christian perspective, helping students connect their values to ethical decision-making, patient-centered care, and service in the field.
Ray says Bethel’s speech-language pathology program brings together clinical training and relationship-building to prepare future clinicians for meaningful service.
“The program merges rigorous clinical science and application with the art of relationship-building, empathy, and compassion. We are training future clinicians to serve people with communication and swallowing challenges and contribute to lasting improvements in their quality of life,” she says.
Bethel’s MS-SLP program offers two pathways. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or communication disorders can complete the 60-credit program in two years. Students coming from another field can choose the three-year program, which includes 26 credits of preparatory courses before moving into graduate-level study.
Students will complete a blended graduate program that includes online terms, on-campus clinical practicum experiences, off-campus externships, clinical research, and preparation for the national speech-language pathology Praxis exam. They’ll also move through the program in a cohort model, building a supportive learning community while receiving advising throughout their time at Bethel.
Through this new graduate program, Bethel is preparing future clinicians to meet real needs in education, healthcare, and community-based settings. Graduates will be equipped to serve with clinical skill, integrity, cultural responsiveness, and compassion.
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program is a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Candidacy is a preaccreditation status awarded to developing program.
Prepare to provide ethical, compassionate care.
In Bethel’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, you’ll build the clinical knowledge, hands-on experience, and professional skills to serve people with communication and swallowing disorders across schools, healthcare settings, clinics, and communities.