MSc* Speech And Language Therapy

Introduction
IF YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A GOOD HONOURS DEGREE IN LINGUISTICS, PSYCHOLOGY OR A BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND ARE CONSIDERING A CHANGE OF DIRECTION, THIS COURSE WILL TRAIN YOU TO BECOME A QUALIFIED SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST WITHIN TWO YEARS.

Entry Requirements
Good honours degree (2.1 or above) or equivalent. Experience of working with people with speech or communication impairments. Students whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency of IELTS 7.5 or equivalent.

Application Deadline
01 Dec 2010

Other Entry Requirements
Preferred subjects at honours degree level include Linguistics, Psychology or a biological science.

A satisfactory criminal records check will be required.

Duration
The PgDip takes 2 years to complete full-time. If you are eligible to progress to the MSc, you will undertake a further 4 months of study (full-time) or 8 months (part-time).

Outcomes
PgDip/ MSc*

Funding Information for International Students
Visit the International section of the website

Course Fees
Visit the Fees section of the website

Sources of Funding
Visit the funding section of the website

Professional Registration
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health Professions Council.

Attendance/Location
By attendance at QMU.

Description
You will diagnose and treat children and adults with a wide range of communication difficulties. This will include developmental disorders and speech and language problems resulting from injury, stroke and disease. You will also develop strong practical skills as well as a sound understanding of the theory of speech and language therapy. The clinical studies part of the programme is central and includes clinical placements in both years of the course. Placements are possible in local hospitals, schools and other clinics. Clinical work is underpinned by modules in linguistics, psychology and biological and medical sciences.

Structure
The PgDip runs over two calendar years and is an intensive programme with 80 weeks of study. It is a full time, modular course. In year One , you will study seven modules and undertake 2 clinical placements. In Year 2, five modules and 3 clinical placements. For the award of MSc, you will be required to complete a dissertation.

Course Covers

Year One
- Linguistics 1: Foundations
- Biological and Behavioural Science for SLT1: typical processes.
- Research methods for SLT and Audiology
- Professional Practice for SLT1 (including summer block placement)
- Linguistics 2: Clinical linguistics
- Biological and Behavioural Science for SLT2: clinical aspect
- Speech and Language Therapy 1
- Within-semester clinical placement 1

Year Two
- Linguistics 3: Processing and Variation
- Speech and Language Therapy 2
- Speech and Language Therapy 3
- Professional Practice for SLT 2 (including summer block placement)
- Within-semester clinical placement 2
- Within-semester clinical placement 3
- Linguistics 4: Advanced Phonetic, Linguistic and Audiological Research

Teaching and Assessment
Teaching will include a mix of lectures, tutorials, student-led seminars, clinical placement experience, case study analysis and individual project work. Emphasis will be placed on integrating clinical and university based learning opportunities.
Your performance will be assessed by a combination of course work including essays, reports, presentations and examinations as well as clinical practical assessments.

Careers
The aim of the course is to provide a fast route to an SLT qualification for applicants who have already attained a good honours degree (or academic equivalent).

Once approved, successful completion of this course provides eligibility to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC), the professional body governing health professions in the UK. To work as a SLT in the UK you must be accepted onto the HPC register. You will also be eligible to register with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Most graduates work within the NHS and can take up posts in community clinics, schools, hospitals across the UK and abroad.
Several Speech and Language Therapy graduates have gained research posts and some have gone on to achieve higher degrees.

Further Info
PLACEMENTS:
Although every effort is made to arrange summer block placements to suit students’ circumstances, this is not always possible and students must be prepared to be flexible about placement location and timing. Students are responsible for any travel and/or accommodation costs incurred during placements.

(*subject to validation - please continue to check the website for updates)

International Job Opportunities
There are exciting opportunities for UK-qualified speech and language therapists to work overseas for personal or career development reasons.

For more important information on working overseas, please visit our website at http://www.qmu.ac.uk/courses/PGCourse.cfm?c_id=175.

In November 2008, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA), the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT), the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists Association (NZSTA), the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and the Speech Pathology Association of Australia (Speech Pathology Australia) signed an international agreement on the mutual recognition of professional association credentials (MRA). The agreement came into effect on 1st January 2009.

The aims of the agreement include:
• Assisting the academic community, continuing education providers, industry, regulatory
authorities and the public by identifying common standards of clinical competence;
• Facilitating the ongoing exchange of knowledge as it relates to research, continuing professional
development, emerging technologies and other aspects of professional practice;
• Promoting greater international understanding of the role of speech-language pathologists;
• Responding to governmental interests in reducing trade barriers;
• Streamlining the mutual recognition process for individuals who are credentialed by the signatory
associations and improving mobility for employment abroad; and
• Providing a process for countries interested in the mutual recognition of qualifications and
credentials for speech-language pathology.

The agreement enables full members of one association to join any of the others. A full member of the RCSLT is a graduate who has successfully completed the probationary period within the UK and is registered with the RCSLT. The MRA does not apply to newly-qualified graduates. Alterative processes apply to newly qualified graduates and are specific to the professional body of the country you wish to practice in. Newly qualified graduates are advised to contact the professional body of the country they wish to practice in.
For further information and links to overseas speech and language therapy organisations, please see the official RCSLT website at www.rcslt.org.

For more information, please contact
Admissions , +44 (0)131 474 0000
admissions@qmu.ac.uk

Academic Disabled Student Co-ordinator
Contact School Office for Speech and Hearing Sciences , +44 (0)131 474 0000
admissions@qmu.ac.uk

Further contact
Admissions, +44 (0)131 474 0000 ,

further information: Admissions 0131 474 0000 admissions@qmu.ac.uk » how to apply

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