(a) Definitions. As used in this section:

1. (1) Acceptable certifying agency shall mean an organization accepted by the department as a reliable authority for the purpose of certifying speech-language pathologists, applying its criteria for granting certification in a fair, consistent, and non-discriminatory manner.
2. (2) Supervision shall mean supervision by a speech-language pathologist licensed in New York State, except that supervision of any experience acquired outside New York State or in an exempt setting as established in section 8207 of the Education Law, may be provided by a person approved for supervision by an acceptable certifying agency or a person holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

(b) In addition to meeting all applicable provisions of this Part, to be registered as a program recognized as leading to licensure in speech-language pathology, which meets the requirements of section 75.1 of this Title, the program shall:

1. (1) be a program in speech-language pathology leading to a master's or higher degree or its equivalent, from a college or university acceptable to the department, which includes at least 75 semester hours or the equivalent, provided that at least 36 semester hours of the program or the equivalent are at the master's or higher degree level;

2. (2) contain curricular content that includes, but is not limited to, each of the following content areas:

   1. (i) human communication processes and sciences: at least 12 semester hours or the equivalent, which shall include, but need not be limited to, course content in the normal anatomy and physiology of speech and swallowing; cognitive and linguistic bases of language; and neural bases of speech, hearing, language and swallowing;

   2. (ii) professional practice areas in speech-language pathology: at least 36 semester hours or the equivalent, which shall include, but need not be limited to, course content in multicultural issues and in diagnostic assessment and treatment of persons with disorders of:

      1. (a) articulation/phonology;
      2. (b) fluency;
      3. (c) voice and resonance;
      4. (d) receptive and expressive language;
      5. (e) literacy;
      6. (f) hearing; and
      7. (g) swallowing;
   3. (iii) additional semester hours in the above or related areas: at least 27 semester hours or the equivalent, in the above content areas, which may include, but need not be limited to, content in audiology/aural rehabilitation, cognitive/psychosocial aspects of communication, cleft palate/craniofacial anomalies, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), research methodology, counseling, professional issues, ethics, infection control and issues related to the prevention of communication disorders; and
3. (3) include a practicum in speech-language pathology of at least 400 clock hours under supervision, at least 375 clock hours of which shall be in direct client contact, at least 25 clock hours of which shall be in clinical observation and at least 325 clock hours of which shall be at the master's or higher degree level.