1. (a) An individual must not practice as an assistant in speech-language pathology without a current license issued by the department. An applicant for an assistant in speech-language pathology license must meet the requirement under the Act and this section.

2. (b) Degree. A degree must be completed at a college or university which has a program accredited by the ASHA Council on Academic Accreditation or holds accreditation or candidacy status from a recognized regional accrediting agency.

   1. (1) An applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree with an emphasis or major in communicative sciences or disorders.
   2. (2) An applicant who holds a baccalaureate degree with a major that is not in communicative sciences or disorders may qualify for the assistant license. The department must evaluate transcripts on a case-by-case basis to ensure equivalent academic preparation, which may include some leveling hours.

   3. (3) The transcripts showing the conferred degree must be evaluated as follows:

      1. (A) only course work meeting the requirements of subsection (c) will be acceptable;
      2. (B) a quarter hour of academic credit must be considered as two-thirds of a semester credit hour; and
      3. (C) academic courses, the titles of which are not self-explanatory, must be substantiated through course descriptions in official school catalogs or bulletins or by other official means.
   4. (4) An applicant whose transcript is in a language other than English or whose degree was earned at a foreign university must submit an evaluation form from an ASHA-approved transcript evaluation service. The transcript evaluation service must determine that the applicant's degree is a bachelor's degree or higher with a major in one of the areas of communicative sciences or disorders. The applicant must bear all expenses incurred for the evaluation.
   5. (5) An applicant who holds a baccalaureate degree with a major not in communicative sciences or disorders and whose transcript is in a language other than English or whose degree was earned at a foreign university may qualify for the assistant license if the applicant submits documentation in a form and manner prescribed by the department that shows the applicant completed sufficient communicative sciences or disorders academic leveling courses. The academic leveling courses must be completed at a college or university which has a program accredited by the ASHA Council on Academic Accreditation or holds accreditation or candidacy status from a regional accrediting agency in the United States and approved by the department.

3. (c) Course Work. The applicant must have acquired at least 24 semester credit hours in communicative sciences or disorders as prescribed by this subsection.

   1. (1) The applicant must have received a grade of "C" or above, or a passing grade if letter grades are not issued by the university, for these semester credit hours.
   2. (2) At least 18 of the 24 semester credit hours must be in speech-language pathology.

   3. (3) At least three of the 24 semester credit hours must be in language disorders.

      1. (A) These courses must cover disorders specific to phonology, morphology, syntax, pre-literacy, and/or language-based literacy skills.
      2. (B) These courses do not include introductory, survey, or overview language courses.

   4. (4) At least three of the 24 semester credit hours must be in speech disorders.

      1. (A) These courses must cover disorders specific to articulation, fluency, resonance and/or voice.
      2. (B) These courses do not include introductory, survey, or overview courses of speech.
   5. (5) A combined language and speech disorders class for three semester hours will not be credited to meet the requirements of both (c)(3) and (c)(4). The class will only be credited toward one of the requirements, but not both.
   6. (6) The 24 semester credit hours excludes course work such as special education, deaf education, or sign language.
   7. (7) The 24 semester credit hours must be academic course work and excludes courses which only offer clinical experience without a classroom component.

4. (d) Clinical Observation and Experience. The applicant must have earned at least 25 hours of clinical observation in the area of speech-language pathology and 25 hours of clinical assisting experience in the area of speech-language pathology.

   1. (1) These hours must be obtained through an accredited college or university or in one of its cooperating programs. If these hours are not obtained, the applicant must complete the missing hours with the applicant's supervisor upon issuance of the assistant license as prescribed under subsection (e).
   2. (2) An applicant who held an assistant license in another state and completed hours for that license does not need to submit proof of completion of the 25 hours of clinical observation and 25 hours of clinical assisting experience.

5. (e) An applicant who has not acquired the required hours under subsection (d) must complete the hours under 100% direct supervision by the approved supervisor once the license is issued and before the assistant may begin to practice.

   1. (1) The licensed speech-language pathologist who will provide the applicant with the training to acquire these hours must meet the requirements set out in the Act and §111.154, must be the approved supervisor of the assistant, and must have the assistant complete any missing hours under 100% direct supervision before allowing the assistant to practice without 100% direct supervision.
   2. (2) If the assistant changes supervisors before completing the missing clinical observation and clinical assisting experience hours, the assistant must complete the missing hours under 100% direct supervision by the new supervisor before being allowed to provide services under the assistant license.
6. (f) In the event the degree, course work, or clinical observation and experience set out in this section were earned more than 10 years before the date of application for the assistant license, the applicant must submit proof of current knowledge of the practice of speech-language pathology to be evaluated by the department. Proof of current knowledge may include: completing at least 10 hours of continuing education or other courses within the last year; or holding a current license in another state.
7. (g) An assistant may not begin to perform any duties until the license has been issued and all missing clinical observation and clinical assisting experience hours are complete, if applicable.

Source Note:The provisions of this §111.50 adopted to be effective December 1, 2025, 50 TexReg 7552.