MHSc. Admission Requirements

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology will admit approximately 60 students to the MHSc program for the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications are submitted through the Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service (ORPAS). Please refer to the ORPAS Application Guide for complete application details and instructions. The deadline to apply to the MHSc program for the 2023 – 2024 academic year January 5, 2023.

Overview of Requirements

Undergraduate Degree

Applicants must hold the equivalent of a four‑year University of Toronto bachelor’s degree from an approved university (which includes twenty full course equivalents, but does not necessarily need to be an honours degree) with at least a mid‑B standing in the final year (or in the last five full course equivalents).

Important: The University of Toronto uses the ORPAS sub-grade point average (GPA) to determine eligibility for the MHSc program and the sub-GPA is part of the overall assessment process. The sub-GPA is calculated using the most recent ten full course equivalents. If an applicant is currently enrolled in the fourth year of a baccalaureate program, this calculation will start with the final fall grades (completed December 31) and will move back in chronological order, based on the transcript. Where grades must be extracted from a term to achieve the equivalent of ten full courses, the weighted average of that year (e.g., the second year) will be used. Please refer to the ORPAS website and the ORPAS Application Guide for additional details.

For students with a three‑year degree, additional coursework must be in accordance with the structure for a four‑year degree at the University of Toronto.

All applicants are required to be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) of Canada at the time of the application. International students are not accepted.

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants are also required to complete the stated prerequisite undergraduate university level courses with a final grade of B+ in each course in order to be considered for the MHSc program. The prerequisite courses include:

  • Child development (one half course);
  • General linguistics (one half course);
  • Phonetics (one half course);
  • Elementary statistics (one half course);
  • Human physiology (one full course); and
  • Research methods (one half course).

To determine whether a particular course meets a prerequisite requirement, consult the MHSc program website. If a course is listed on the website, then it has been approved and will satisfy the specified prerequisite course. Please note that course offerings are subject to change and not all courses listed on the MHSc prerequisite section of the website are necessarily offered at any given time. It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm course offerings with the institution of interest.

To claim a course as a prerequisite if that course is not listed on the MHSc prerequisite section of the website, students must obtain pre-approval from the department and include it as an attachment in the application. For more information on this pre-approval process please contact the Student Affairs Office at slp.studentaffairs@utoronto.ca.

Confidential Assessment Forms and Academic Reference Letters

Applicants must arrange to have two academic referees complete the Confidential Assessment Form and write an academic reference letter. Referees must be full‑time faculty members (normally with a rank of lecturer, sessional lecturer, assistant professor, or higher) at an accredited university. Please note that college instructors are NOT considered to be appropriate academic referees. Forms may be downloaded directly from the ORPAS Application.

Academic references are those professors, assistant professors and/or sessional lecturers who know you well enough to write an insightful reference that speaks to your academic capabilities, knowledge and skills.

For mature applicants who have been out of the university environment for five years or more, one letter from an employer will be accepted. However, applicants will still need to obtain at least one reference letter from a full-time faculty member who can evaluate the applicant’s academic skills.

Clinical Experience

Note:

  • In recognition of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have waived the volunteer requirement (including the clinical letter) for the 2023-2024 admission cycle (entry Fall 2024). Applicants will not have the opportunity to submit a clinical reference. While clinical hours or work experience in a clinical setting may still be included with the application and discussed in the statement of intent, they will not be given weight in the review process.

A minimum of 14 hours of experience supervised by a speech-language pathologist in a communication disorders setting in a volunteer, educational, or paid capacity is required to apply to the MHSc program. Relevant experience may be sought at any facility where services are supervised by a qualified speech‑language pathologist. A qualified speech‑language pathologist will hold licensure, registration and/or certification from an appropriate regulatory body and/or professional association.

The clinical experience should involve direct interaction with individuals with communicative disorders. It might also include observation of speech‑language pathologists working with individuals with communicative disorders or discussions with speech‑language pathologists about the profession.

Clinical Reference Form and Reference Letter

A clinical reference form and letter from the primary supervisor of the speech‑language pathology clinical experience is required as part of the application package. Letters from program directors who were not directly involved in supervision of the applicant and letters from communication disorder assistants are unacceptable.

Applicants who have completed more than one supervised clinical experience in a speech‑language pathology setting and had an additional experience where the clientele differed in either population or age group from the first experience, are strongly encouraged  to submit a Clinical Reference Form and letter for each site. All Clinical Reference Forms and letters will be considered during the admissions process. Forms are available on the ORPAS website.

Statement of Intent

All applicants must complete a Statement of Intent and there are two components to the Statement of Intent. The first section should be a maximum of 3,000 characters (this incudes spaces) and should address the following topics, in particular the first four items:

  1. Outline reasons for choosing speech‑language pathology as a career;
  2. Highlight specific personal attributes that would be relevant for the profession;
  3. Emphasize academic and non‑academic accomplishments;
  4. Outline reasons for choosing the MHSc program in speech‑language pathology at the University of Toronto; and
  5. Demonstrate current knowledge about the profession of speech‑language pathology.

Applicants may also wish to use this statement to explain irregularities in their application and to outline any research experiences.

The second section of the Statement of Intent is a summary of volunteer experiences and should list:

  1. Volunteer experiences in the field of speech‑language pathology and/or audiology in point form, including dates, duration, total hours, populations, and the nature of activities in which the applicant participated; and
  2. Other relevant volunteer experiences, including dates, duration, populations, and activities.

 Other Application Information

Education Outside of Canada

Applicants must be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) of Canada to apply. International students are not accepted. For education completed outside of Canada, applicants must send ORPAS all official academic records, including an official transcript of any completed courses or diplomas that have been conferred.

Language Requirement

All applicants to the MHSc program must have excellent oral and written English skills. This proficiency is required for both the academic and the clinical aspects of the program.

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate facility in the English language by completing one of the English proficiency tests listed on the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies website.

The Department of Speech‑Language Pathology strongly prefers that the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) be used to satisfy this requirement. With respect to the internet‑based version of the TOEFL, applicants must achieve a minimum overall score of 100/120, with a minimum of 22/30 in the speaking section, and a minimum of 22/30 in the writing section. TOEFL candidates should use the institution code for the University of Toronto, which is 0982.

If it is impossible for an applicant to take the TOEFL, the department will accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (minimum score of 8.0 Academic).

Interview

The program may include interviews for selected candidates as part of the application process. Additionally, when the submitted documentation requires clarification, applicants may be invited for an interview at the Department of Speech‑Language Pathology. The meeting provides the opportunity to explore in‑depth issues, such as spoken and written language ability and areas of academic performance or interpersonal communication skills. For applicants who live outside of Toronto and are unable to attend a personal meeting, they may be invited to participate via teleconference or video conference.

Health Requirements

All applicants to the MHSc program are expected to be in a state of health that allows for full participation in the academic and clinical programs without posing a risk to oneself or others.

Applicants who have been offered admission to the program are required to submit medical certification that confirms immunization against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, rubella, measles, mumps, chicken pox and hepatitis B, as well as medical certification confirming a negative tuberculosis test result. Other vaccines may also be required. Please note the following items:

  • Tuberculosis certification must be by skin test or chest x‑ray.
  • If a skin test yields a positive result, a follow‑up chest x‑ray is required and must be dated no earlier than one year prior to beginning the program. This must be repeated annually.
  • In addition, many clinical sites require annual flu shots that can be obtained at no additional cost from the University of Toronto health services, community flu shot clinics, and any doctor’s office in Ontario.

Police Record Checks

Many placements (e.g., school boards, social service sites) request police record checks. If admitted, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete and pay for this service. Failure to obtain a satisfactory police record check may result in an alternative or delayed placement that may also delay a student’s graduation date.

Indigenous Applicants

The department reserves one place annually for an Indigenous applicant who satisfies all admission requirements as outlined in the ORPAS Application Guide and on the department website. To apply under this category, contact the department directly at slp.studentaffairs@utoronto.ca , before the application deadline to self-identify.

Contact Information

Student Affairs Office Department of Speech‑Language Pathology Temerty Faculty of Medicine

University of Toronto #160‑500 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7 E-Mail: slp.studentaffairs@utoronto.ca  Fax: (416) 978‑1596