Study Speech & Language Therapy, why & how to study

CONTENTS

1. What’s Speech & Language Therapy?

2. What Speech & Language Therapy degrees can you study?

3. What do you need to get onto a Speech & Language Therapy degree?

4. What topics does a Speech & Language Therapy degree cover?

5. How will you be assessed?

6. Why study Speech & Language Therapy?

7. What do Speech & Language Therapy graduates earn?

8. What jobs can you get as a Speech & Language Therapy graduate?

9. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

10. Similar subjects to Speech & Language Therapy

11. Have any questions?

What’s Speech & Language Therapy?

Speech & Language Therapy is concerned with the identification and treatment of issues to do with the ear and voice.

This subject area means you can help people in a medical capacity without having to study comprehensive Medicine. If you're interested in studying a medical subject, but don't fancy devoting more than three years of your life to completing a degree, Speech & Language Therapy may be an ideal route to follow.

What Speech & Language Therapy degrees can you study?

Speech & Language Therapy includes courses on audiology, speech therapy and aural & oral sciences. Undergraduate degrees on offer in the UK include:

• Speech and Language Therapy BSc
• Aural & Oral Sciences BSc
• Healthcare Science (Audiology) BSc
• Audiology BSc
• Language Pathology BSc
• Speech and Language Sciences MSc

Options may include an integrated foundation year. All courses include experience of professional practice, some may offer a placement year. Study abroad may be available.

What do you need to get onto a Speech & Language Therapy degree?

Entry requirements for a Speech & Language Therapy degree at a university typically range from 112–160 UCAS points. This could include the qualifications below.

• A Levels: AAB–BBC
• BTECs: DDD–DMM
• Scottish Highers: AAABB–AAAB (Advanced Highers: AAB )
• International Baccalaureate: 36–30
• Universities will usually ask that you have studied: one A Level (or equivalent) in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics or psychology

Other good subjects to have studied include:

• An additional science subject, or science at GCSE level (or equivalent) is required by some universities

Experience that would look good on your application:

• Experience of working with typical client groups to build your interpersonal skills, such as volunteering in a school or nursery or with charities helping people with hearing or learning difficulties
• Shadowing related occupations, such as an audiologist or a speech and language therapist
• Independent research into the subject through reading, or accessing media produced by professional bodies like the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) or British Academy of Audiology

Other requirements for this subject include:

• Pass in the practical element of sciences
• Because you'll be working with children or vulnerable adults, you'll need to complete Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks (PVG scheme in Scotland)

What topics does a Speech & Language Therapy degree cover?

Typical modules for courses in this subject include:

• Speech, language and communication disorders
• Dysphagia, voice, motor speech disorders, dementia
• Applied phonetics and phonology
• Biomedical sciences, ENT/neurology/brain and behaviour
• Autism spectrum disorder, learning disability, child mental health, cerebral palsy, cleft palate
• Anatomy and physiology for speech and language pathology
• Linguistics: introduction to language and communication
• Acquired motor speech disorders and augmentative and alternative communication

How will you be assessed?

Assessment methods vary from module to module, with coursework often taking up to 50% of the degree. Assessments may include:

• Essays
• Practical tests
• Quizzes
• Online self-assessment

Why study Speech & Language Therapy?

Speech & Language Therapy allows you to find out how human speech and hearing systems work, where you learn methods of treatment for aural and oral disorders.

Career-specific skills:

• Professional competences in your chosen discipline, and experience of working with clients such as young children
• Experience of working across a wide range of settings
• Knowledge of the latest developments in clinical practice

Transferable skills:

• Interpersonal skills
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Organisation
• Research skills
• Report writing

Professional accreditation:

• ‘Speech and language therapist’ is a protected title, gained only through accredited training. Degrees must be approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the RCSLT
• Audiology is part of the NHS Practitioner Training Programme, with approved and accredited degrees in Healthcare Science (Audiology) across England and Wales

What do Speech & Language Therapy graduates earn?

Speech & Language Therapy graduates can expect an entry-level salary of around £25,500 (NHS Band 5).

Mid-career, a speech and language therapist could earn up to £53,000 in a managerial role (Band 8a). Audiologists may be paid an average of £30,000 as a hearing aid dispenser, which could include working for high street companies, or up to £45,839 as an experienced audiologist (NHS Band 7).

What jobs can you get as a Speech & Language Therapy graduate?

Most jobs are in the healthcare sector, in either the NHS or a private company.

• Speech and language therapist
• Audiologist
• Medical practitioner
• Lecturer
• Medical research scientist

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

If you have a first degree in another science discipline, you can take a graduate-entry pre-registration course at undergraduate level to qualify as a speech and language therapist. Examples of taught master’s and research degrees at postgraduate level include:

• Speech and Language Sciences MSc
• Advanced Audiology MSc
• Language Pathology MSc
• Audiology PhD
• Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Sciences MPhil/PhD

Similar subjects to Speech & Language Therapy

Other subject areas that might appeal to you include:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Linguistics
• Medical Technology & Bioengineering
• Occupational Therapy

Have any questions?

If you’ve got any questions about studying Speech & Language Therapy, you can email our experts at ask@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk. We’ll be happy to hear from you!