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. This practical course is accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.

In year one you will cover modules in psychology, linguistics and anatomy/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 to one client.

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. All are involved in research in this area and our teaching is supported by research findings.

We take a student-centred approach to your development of knowledge, thinking and professional identity. We offer an individual approach to clinical supervision in our clinics, which involves micro-analysis of video material and focuses on positive aspects of interaction. We also aim to provide transparent assessment procedures and a clear and specific marking criteria for coursework, helping you to prepare your coursework.

We have very high student satisfaction scores for our programmes in the 2016 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (92% satisfaction). We are ranked in the top 10 in the UK for Aural and Oral Sciences in The Complete University Guide 2017. We also rank 4th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the 2016 National Student Survey, with a score of 93% (in the Aural and Oral Science category).

[Delivery

The course is taught at Newcastle city campus and in a variety of external clinical placements. The course runs from 9am to 6pm during weekdays from September to July in both years. 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 block clinical placements in the summer months in both years.

You will complete compulsory modules followed by a six-week clinical placement in both years. Assessment is through course work, written examinations, in-course assessment of the clinical practicum, case presentations and in-course class tests. An important element of year two is the extended case report, where you manage a clinical case, provide intensive input, and write up your findings in dissertation format.

Placements

You will complete two, 11-week on-site placements either in the Aphasia Centre or the Child Speech and Language Therapy Clinic. You will also complete two, six-week placements in a range of NHS and educational settings.

Your clinically-based research project (extended case report) will be the basis of a third six-week placement.

Accreditation

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

A 2:1 honours degree, or international equivalent, in psychology, linguistics or a medical discipline. We will also consider applicants on an individual basis with a first degree in a different subject if they have relevant industry experience.