Language Pathology - MSc

Our Language Pathology MSc is designed for those wanting to develop a career as a Speech and Language Therapist in the National Health Service or other settings. This practical course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council and accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

In year one you will cover modules in psychology, linguistics andanatomy/physiology that underpin the discipline. You will also begin to work on speech and language therapy (SLT) cases and have your first experiences of working clinically under supervision.

Year two is more specialised with a focus on motor, head and neck and cognitive impairments. With academic and clinical supervision, you will carry out and write up a clinically-based research project (an extended case report), based on a therapy programme that you will deliver and evaluate to one client with the support of both a practice educator and academic supervisor.

You need to be able to identify with NHS values as stated in the NHS constitution.

Teaching is delivered through case-based problem solving which means you will be participating in guided self-directed learning and collaborating with peers in group work.

Our staff have an immense amount of experience of delivering SLT courses and many are qualified and experienced speech and language therapists. Many are involved in research in this area and our teaching is supported by research.

We take a student-centred approach to your development of knowledge, thinking and professional identity. Within clinical practice, you will receive tailored supervision, with a focus on reflective skills. We also provide transparent and fair assessment procedures with clear and specific marking criteria for coursework, helping you to achieve your potential.

We have very high student satisfaction scores for our programme in the 2018 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (94% satisfaction). We rank 1st in the Guardian University Guide 2019. We rank 2nd in the UK for Aural and Oral Sciences in The Complete University Guide 2019.

Delivery

The course is taught at Newcastle city campus and in a variety of external clinical placements. The course runs from 9am to 5pm during weekdays from September to July in both years. Clinical days may extend beyond a typical working day to allow for travel. This is an intense course with approximately 25-30 contact hours per week with the possibility of additional contact hours during clinical placements. There are also clinical placements in the summer months in both years.

You will complete compulsory modules which are supported by clinical placements from early on in both years. Assessment is through course work, written examinations, in-course assessment of the clinical practicum, viva presentations and class tests. An important element of year two is the extended case report, where you manage a clinical case, provide intensive treatment, evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and write up your findings in dissertation format.

Placements

You will have the opportunity to complete clinical placements in our campus-based clinics and in a range of external settings where speech and language therapists work. These could include NHS settings, eg community clinics, hospitals or schools.

In year 1, you will complete one placement in the Tavistock Aphasia Centre, one placement in the Children’s Speech and Language Clinic and an external six week block placement. In year 2, you will complete a placement where you work with an individual client for the extended case report and a final block placement.

Accreditation

The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. On successful completion of the programme you can apply to register with the HCPC and RCSLT as a speech and language therapist.

Facilities

We have two clinics on campus:

• Tavistock Aphasia Centre (North East)
• The Children's Speech and Language Therapy Clinic.

Visit the Language Pathology - MSc page on the Newcastle University website for more details!