Frequently Asked Questions

Why UMaine?

While there are many options nationally for your graduate education in speech-language pathology, UMaine is the only graduate program in the State of Maine (and one of only three in Northern New England). We proudly prepare our masters students as generalists, competent to work in any setting with any client, to serve all of the communities across our state. 

In the classroom, we offered experiential learning opportunities that enable our students to master content and apply skills within a structured classroom setting. Our faculty facilitate the development of collaboration, self-reflection, critical thinking, and professional writing skills through case studies and other interactive activities. 

Clinically, our student gain experiences from the start of graduate school with clients with different communication needs across the age span. In their first semester, our students begin developing a caseload in our on-campus clinic, and then expand their learning to off-campus placements. Given our community and alumni connections, our students can have clinical experiences across New England and Canada in varied settings including: early intervention, public schools, community clinics, private practices, acute care, rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and more. Our clinical supervisors work hard to understand students’ professional goals and secure external clinical placements that align with their skills and preferences.

Our research labs provide opportunities for students to engage in mentored or self-directed (thesis) projects to further develop their skills. We hope students’ experiences with research in their masters program enable them to contribute to much-needed research in the field as a clinician and as an independent researcher. 

When students are asked, “Why should someone pick our program?”, they’ve shared perks such as: cost of attendance, size of the program, starting clinical experiences in the first semester, availability of off-campus clinical placements, exposure to a variety of clients, confidence in meeting the clinical hours requirement before graduation, relationships with clinical and academic faculty, and individualized graduate school experiences. Our international graduate students from Canada specifically stated the benefits of: opportunity to work as graduate assistants, qualification for specific scholarships, and tuition rates specific to Canadians. 

The Graduate Student Experience

What funding opportunities are available for the graduate program?

Please review the Funding page. 

How do I find housing? Where do students live?

Generally, our students live within a 30 minute drive to campus, most frequently in Orono, Old Town, and Bangor. Our students recommend looking at apartment complexes in Old Town and Orono, such as The Ave, The Reserve, and The Block, but there are more. Additionally, Facebook pages like “University of Maine (UMAINE) Housing, Sublets & Roommates” can be helpful. After admission, the graduate coordinator can help connect students to facilitate the process. 

How many students would be in my graduate class?

We aim to have about 20 students in each graduate class, ranging from 15 to 25 each year. 

When do you start your first clinical placement?

For a standard program of study, students will start serving their first clients in our on-campus clinic the first semester of graduate school. Typically, treatment services begin the second week of the semester. Students receive ample guidance in preparing for and starting their first session, with continued support throughout their graduate program.

What does a day in the life of a graduate student look like?

Although schedules and programs of study can vary, most first-year graduate students in their fall and spring semesters begin their days by seeing clients in the on-campus clinic between the hours of 8 and 4. Each weekday, students can expect to attend a graduate course at night (typically 4-7pm) to fulfill coursework requirements.  Summer clinic placements vary widely based on the student’s interest and needs but often include off-campus and international placements for students looking to pursue Canadian licensure upon graduation. For second year graduate students, they are off-campus for both the fall and spring semesters with night classes on weekdays. The hours and locations of these clinical placements vary based on the student’s interest and needs. Students commute up one hour, one way for highly desirable placements, such as acute care hospitals, while many students commute within a half hour drive of Orono. A sample course rotation, with the weekday night classes listed, can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook. 

I am interested in speaking with a current graduate student. Is this possible?

Yes, our department has graduate student ambassadors to answer your questions about our program.