Bilingual Extension Institute

For over 30 years, more than 1000 bilingual speech-language pathologists have successfully completed the Teachers College, Columbia University Bilingual SLP Extension Institute (the “Institute”), founded and directed by Professor Catherine Crowley. The Institute was offered in an in-person version and the online offering began in 2017. Since the online Institute began in 2017, we have welcomed international students who are SLP professionals from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Taught by its eight-person faculty,  the Institute’s Advanced Certificate Diploma in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology is designed to provide students with the knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services, focused on current evidence-based practice. Each student is assigned a master clinician/mentor to provide support and guidance as students integrate what they are learning into their clinical practice. The focus is primarily on birth through 21 years, however, the online cohort has content related to bilingual adults.

• Requirements:  

  The Institute is open to all SLPs, whether monolingual or bilingual, who wish to enhance their content knowledge, competencies, and clinical skills in working with bilingual and multicultural children and adolescents.

  Academic Credit: It is offered as a credit-bearing, non-degree program. Students receive six graduate-level credits from Teachers College, Columbia University through two courses focused on assessment and treatment for pre-school and school-age children. The cost, noted below, is significantly discounted from the current cost for credits at Teachers College, Columbia University.
• Certificate: Completion of either the online or in-person Bilingual Extension Institute meets the requirements of the Advanced Certificate diploma in bilingual SLP. Additionally, the Institute meets the academic and clinical requirements for the bilingual extension to the NYSED TSSLD, except for passing the NYSED language proficiency test.  

The Bilingual SLP Extension Institute is accepting applications. Total tuition for all six credits in 2025 is $6,950, or $3,475 for each of the 3-credit courses, with a course fee of $40 per semester for evaluation materials and a required Columbia Health and Related Services Fee. Teachers College, Columbia University does not offer funding. However, those who have tuition scholarships from the NYC DOE or who work in the NYC DOE may contact the NYC DOE Office of Scholarships and Incentives and inquire about any funding for their employees.

The online Institute is offered each year, beginning each May and finishing in December. The Institute is divided into two 3-credit semesters, one from May to August and the other from September through December. The online institute is asynchronic, meaning that students review videos and readings and receive feedback from instructors on their assignments. Weekly resources and materials are released two weeks ahead to allow for some flexibility in the schedule.

All who meet the requirements of the 6-credit Bilingual SLP Extension Institute are eligible for the Teachers College Columbia University Advanced Certificate in Bilingual SLP. Many professionals enroll for the Institute even if they are not bilingual so they can acquire the content knowledge and clinical skills needed to work with bilingual populations. There is no language proficiency requirement for the Advanced Certificate.

Students who complete the Institute meet the requirements for the Teachers College Columbia University Advanced Certificate in Bilingual SLP. Those students who also want the NYSED bilingual extension certificate must also hold the “base certificate” (the TSSLD or TSHH), pass the NYSED Bilingual Education Assessment, and apply through the TC Office of Teacher Certification.  

Dates for the 2026 Online Bilingual SLP Extension Institute: 

The fully online asynchronic cohort begins May 18 and finishes August 16 for the summer semester.  The fall semester begins September 8 and ends December 14.

For more information, contact bilingualslp@tc.edu.

How to Apply