BSc Speech and Language Therapy / Course details

Our three-year BSc Speech and Language Therapy course will prepare you for a career as a speech and language therapist who treats, supports and cares for those with speech, language, communication, eating, drinking or swallowing disorders.

You will develop the core theoretical knowledge and specialist clinical skills required by the speech and language therapy profession while learning the academic study skills you need to earn a higher education qualification.

Our course places particular emphasis on scientific thinking, preparing you to incorporate clinical enquiry into your chosen career path. You will gain practical, hands-on experience through block placements in each of the three years of study.

In line with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) policy, you will become competent in assessing and managing eating, drinking and swallowing (EDS). To meet these competencies you will be provided with active learning opportunities on campus (including simulation and case-based learning) alongside block placements. You will undertake 30 hours with adults and 10 with children in relation to EDS. These competencies must be met to allow you to practise as a speech and language therapist.

You will be able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists after graduation.

Extensive placement experience

Gain practical experience and team-working skills through three block placements totalling 16 weeks of hands-on work, which we organise for you.

• Year 1- 4 weeks
• Year 2 - 6 weeks
• Year 3 - 6 weeks 

Get involved

Help promote speech and language therapy as a profession through our Speech and Language Therapy Society, which has been highly commended in the University's annual Making A Difference Awards for social responsibility.

Careers help

You will learn through:

• interactive, enquiry-based lectures and supporting tutorials;
• independent study
• research projects
• individual and group projects
• web-based study
• clinical practice placements with a service provider, such as the NHS 

You will learn from a number of award-winning leaders in speech and language therapy education. A number of our staff hold fellowships and senior fellowships from the Higher Education Academy.  

You will be assigned an individual academic adviser who regularly offers general academic and personal support. On starting the course all first year students are matched with a Speech and Language Therapy student peer mentor from a higher year group, who offers group and individual suppose and advice on various aspects of student life in Manchester.

You can also take part in Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) where students provide support and facilitation of learning for specific course units. Learn more about support for our students .

This course is very much full-time and you need to ensure you are available between 9am and 5pm five days a week, although some of this time may be spent off campus in private study or directed reading.

We do, however, understand the needs of those with dependants, and always try to give plenty of warning of changes to timetables and offer more convenient times where possible.

Placements

We partner with more than 66 organisations across the north-west of England, with a small number of charities, schools and private companies in addition to large NHS Trusts that provide clinical placements for our students.

We endeavour to provide you with at least one placement with children and young people and one with adults across your time on the course.

You will experience a range of speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders while on placement, which could include:

• development language disorder (DLD)
• speech sound disorder (SSD)
• dysfluency (stammering)
• dysphonia - voice disorders
• aphasia - language disorder following a stroke or other trauma
• dysarthria and dyspraxia
• word finding difficulties
• dysphagia - eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties
• reading and writing disorders

You will also consider the diversity of clients accessing services in the UK. This includes bilingual clients who speak languages other than English, clients from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, and trans and non-binary clients who have no disorder but wish to change their voice and communication to match their gender presentation.

As a student on this course participating in clinical placements arranged by The University of Manchester as part of your degree, you are covered by the public liability insurance of the placement provider organisation and protected by the indemnity insurance cover of your supervising clinician, who will be a registered member of the HCPC and RCSLT.

We will assess your learning through written exams, written assignments, presentations and vivas.

Our Speech and Language Therapy students can access our own resource room, which is continually updated to incorporate the most commonly used clinical assessment and intervention materials in the field.

We also have access to dedicated technical support, with rooms available for preparation of presentations and video or audiotape analyses.  

University facilities

The University of Manchester offers extensive teaching and learning facilities and  library and online services to help you get the most out of your studies.