Minnesota State Characteristics of Licensure Law

Last updated June 2008

The information below is collected from state licensure boards or regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the professions of Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology. It is intended for informational use only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

Contact the state's licensure board or regulatory agency for exact licensure, certification, or registration requirements in your jurisdiction.

Initial Licensure Requirements

For speech language pathology: Master's or doctoral degree from a CAA accredited program. If completing a doctoral program in which a master's degree has not been conferred, an applicant must submit a transcript showing completion of coursework equivalent to or exceeding a master's degree.
For audiology when graduate training is completed after August 30, 2007, an applicant must possess a doctoral degree with an emphasis in audiology or its equivalent as determined by the commissioner, from a program accredited by CAA or its equivalent.
Complete graduate or doctoral clinical experience required by ASHA, the American Board of Audiology, or an equivalent as determined by the commissioner.
Passage of the National Examination in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology.
Applicants for licensure by equivalency must possess ASHA CCCs or ABA certification.

Exemptions

Any person that is licensed, certified or registered to practice a profession or occupation that is within their scope of practice
School personnel licensed by the state board of teaching and practicing within the scope of their school license
Students participating in supervised field work or supervised coursework if the person is designated by a title that clearly indicates the person's status as a student trainee
Individuals visiting the state and using protected titles while in the state, if the titles are used no more than 30 days in a calendar year as part of professional activity that is limited in scope and duration and is in association with a state licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist

Reciprocity/Endorsement

Applicants must provide evidence that the applicant holds a current and unrestricted credential for the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology in another jurisdiction that has requirements equivalent to or higher than those in effect in Minnesota.
Under this provision, individuals must have maintained the appropriate and unrestricted credentials during the past 5 years as demonstrated by submitting letters of verification to the commissioner.

Interim Practice/Temporary Licensure

Clinical fellowship licensure or doctoral externship licensure is required of individuals who have met all qualifications for licensure, have applied for licensure, and are not the subject of a disciplinary action.
Clinical fellowship or doctoral externship licensees must practice under licensed supervision or when appropriate under an individual with a Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA or an individual who is board certified by the ABA.
Doctoral candidates in audiology completing their final externship as part of their training program are eligible to receive a doctoral externship license in audiology and are not required to complete the postgraduate clinical fellow year.
Temporary licensure shall be granted to individuals who have submitted a signed and dated affidavit stating that the applicant is not the subject of a disciplinary action and produces a copy of a current credential as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist
or
holds either a Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA or is board certified by ABA; a temporary license expires in 90 days or on the date of licensure, whichever is first.

Continuing Education for Licensure Renewal

An applicant for licensure renewal must meet the requirements for continuing education stipulated by ASHA or the American Board of Audiology
or
must show completion of 30 contact hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle. Dual licensees must complete 36 contact hours.

Hearing Aid Dispensing

All audiologists are exempt from taking the written Hearing Instrument Dealers examination.
After July 31, 2005, all applicants for audiology licensure must achieve a passing score on the practical HID examination.
Audiologists licensed before August 1, 2005 are exempt from the practical tests.

Support Personnel

A licensed speech-language pathologist may delegate duties to a speech-language pathology assistant who has documented with a transcript from an educational institution satisfactory completion of either an associate's degree from a speech-language pathology assistant program accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges or its equivalent as approved by the Commissioner or a bachelor's degree in communication sciences or disorders with additional transcript credit in the area of assistant-level service delivery practices and completion of at least 100 hours of supervised field work experience as a speech-language pathology assistant student.
A supervising speech-language pathologist must be state licensed, hold the ASHA CCC or its equivalent as approved by the Commissioner, and have completed at least one continuing education unit in supervision.
For the first 90 work days within a 40 hour work week, 30% of the assistant's work must be supervised and at least 20% must be under direct supervision. After the initial 90-day period within a 40 hour work week, 20% must be supervised and at least 10% must be under direct supervision.
A supervising speech-language pathologist must be available to communicate with the speech-language pathology assistant at any time the assistant is in direct contact with a client.
A full-time speech-language pathologist may supervise no more than one full-time speech-language pathology assistant or the equivalent of one full-time assistant.
Any agency or clinic that intends to utilize the services of a speech-language pathology assistant must provide written notification to the client.

Board Oversight

Minnesota Department of Health, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Advisory Council

Board Composition

The Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist Advisory Council is comprised of 12 persons appointed by the commissioner; there shall be three public members; three licensed speech language pathologists, each of whom is employed in a different employment setting but including one speech-language pathologist who currently and for the previous 5 years has practiced in a state public school; there shall be three audiologists, currently and for 5 years engaged in the practice of audiology and hearing instrument dispensing, each of whom shall be employed in a different employment setting; one nonaudiologist hearing instrument dispenser and one licensed physician certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.