Birmingham City University : Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy - BSc (Hons)

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Summary
Course Outline
Your Career
Entry Requirements & Applications

Faculty of Health

School
The School of Health and Social Care

Campus
City South

Tariff
280

Duration
Full Time: 3 years
Part Time: 6 years

Fees
NHS funded

Key Facts

Delivered at the region’s only centre for Speech and Language Therapy, the course is approved by the Health Professions Council, and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Uniquely adopts a social (rather than medical) approach to the way speech and language therapists work with clients - an approach favoured by service users, and which produces well-rounded therapists.
Use of block clinical placements enables you to put theory directly into practice during each working week, as you participate in all aspects of clinical practice.
Innovative teaching includes virtual clinical scenarios – created by the University’s Virtual Case Creator technology, and commended by the Health Professions Council and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Service users are regularly and directly involved in your training, thanks to the strong positive relationships nurtured by staff during their time in practice.
A recent NHS survey of SLT department managers who have recruited from the University found that 98.6% of our graduates were judged as achieving or bettering the expected level of preparedness for their first post.

Why Choose Us?

A well established and respected programme, bringing together a solid network of placement providers to give you professional contacts and practical opportunities.
Recent course redesign allows for extensive feedback from students, graduates and Trusts to ensure real-life experiences inform and influence your learning.
You are introduced to adult and child groups from the beginning of the course, giving you a broad scope of client exposure on which to build a comprehensive study.
Option of flexible part-time study available if you want to build your course around your work commitments.
Moodle – the University’s virtual learning environment – complements your classroom learning, allowing you to build confidence and skills before you work with real service users.
Based in the £30 million award-winning Seacole Building, the Faculty of Health is the University’s largest, with over 7,000 full and part-time students enjoying the inspiration of a caring, collaborative and cutting-edge community.
SPACE (Skills Practice And Clinical Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.
Course tailored – and delivered solely - to the specific needs of SLT students, ie. you are not taught as part of a larger group, with students from other courses, as is often the case in similar programmes.

As this programme is funded by the Department of Health, it is not open to International Students.

A career in speech and language therapy may be for you if you:

Enjoy working with people of all ages
Can communicate effectively
Can work in a team
Enjoy problem solving
Meet the above entry requirements

You will benefit from the course’s use of long block clinical placements, simulated learning activities that support your preparation for placement and teaching that integrates speech and language therapy with supporting disciplines, e.g. linguistics and psychology.

Download this course information as a PDF

Course Structure

In your first year, you will take the following modules (part-time students will take these modules over two years):

Describing communication development and change – this includes linguistics, psychology. Learn about typical communication and how communication develops and changes throughout the lifespan.
Recognising communication and swallowing needs – learn about anatomy and physiology, speech and language analysis, swallowing, stammering and more
Introduction to professional practice – learn about developing professionalism, reflection, policies and procedures, interaction skills, presentation skills.
Introduction to research and evidence based practice – foundation skills for the research proposal project that you will undertake in Year 3.

In the second year, will take the following modules (part-time students will take these modules over two years):

Appraising communication and swallowing needs - learn how to assess the needs of a children and adults with communication and swallowing difficulties
Professional practice (including simulation events)
Interpreting communication and swallowing needs
Research and evidence-based practice

Full-time students in their third year will take the following modules (part-time students will undertake these modules over two years):

Management of communication and swallowing needs – learn how to manage a range of communication and swallowing disorders
Professional practice for qualification – including 15-week clinical placement
Application of research and evidence based practice – undertake a desk-based project to demonstrate your ability to plan a research project.

Part-time programme

For each year of the full-time course, you will study the same modules over two years instead of one. It will therefore take you six years to complete the part-time course.

You will be expected to attend University for two days per week. This will be the same two days over the course of an academic year, but may change from one year to the next. You may be asked to attend on a few extra days outside of the ‘regular’ attendance days to allow for specialist visits and specialist lectures, for example.

You should expect to complete a minimum of 15 hours self-study in addition to the days that you attend University.

At the end of each level of study (each level will take you two years), there will be the option to move from the part-time course onto the full-time course. It is also possible to transfer from the full-time course onto the part-time course.

Assessments

Assessment will evaluate your theoretical knowledge and your practical skills.

Methods of assessment during the course include:

a personal and professional development portfolio
written workbooks
video analysis tasks
group presentations
client-based reports
data analysis
research proposal
examinations
viva
continuous placement assessment

Career Prospects

We have an excellent reputation for producing successful speech and language therapists.

Once qualified you could work within community health centres, mainstream and special schools, colleges and training centres, hospitals, nursing and residential homes, young offenders’ institutions, prisons and clients’ own homes.

There is also the option to work in independent practice or to work abroad once you have gained some experience.

Further Study Options

Once employed as a speech and language therapist you have the option to apply to study on the MSc Advanced Practice or Advanced Health Care Programmes.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of Grades BBC (280 UCAS tariff points):

Level 2 qualifications which must be achieved prior to application:

GCSE at Grade C or above in five subjects, which must include English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. (GCSE equivalents other than CSE Grade 1 are not accepted, e. g. Key Skills Level 2, Adult Numeracy, Adult Literacy).
or
Irish Leaving Certificate, a minimum of five Ordinary Levels at Grade B3 or above, must include English, Mathematics and a Science subject.
or
Scottish qualifications, a minimum of five Intermediate Standard 2 or above, must include English, Mathematics and a Science subject.

Plus one of the following Level 3 qualifications which you may be working towards:

GCE A/A2 level

280 UCAS tariff points from a maximum of three A/A2 level passes which must include a Science or Social Science subject for example one of Psychology, Sociology, Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics. A typical offer would be BBC. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded.

GCE/AVCE Double Award in Health and Social Care

GCE/AVCE Double Award with remaining UCAS tariff points from a maximum of one GCE A/A2 Level in a Social Science or Science subject. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded.

BTEC National Diploma in Health Studies of Early Years

Minimum Grade DDM for qualifications achieved prior to 31 August 2010, or DMM for later awards. (280 tariff points).

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Minimum Grade 36 required (523 tariff points).

CACHE Diploma in Child Care and Education

Minimum Grade B required (300 tariff points).

Access to HE Diploma in Health, Nursing or Midwifery

Full award (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 including 24 at Merit or Distinction from Science or Health related subjects and 15 at Level 2, must include Mathematics and English Language GCSE equivalent if not already achieved.

The Open University K101 - An Introduction to Health and Social Care

Acceptable with evidence of previous Level 3 studies.

Irish Leaving Certificate

Maximum of 5 Highers at Grade B3 or above to achieve 280 UCAS tariff points.

Scottish Qualifications

Maximum of 5 Advanced Highers at Grade C or above to achieve 280 UCAS tariff points.

14-19 Level 3 Diploma in Society, Health and Development

Full Award is acceptable in combination with one A/A2 level in a Science subject (minimum Grade B).

Honours Degree

Full award or completion of at least 1 year of an honours degree programme (transcripts will be required).

Other qualifications

Should you feel that you hold relevant qualifications which are not listed above – please email: SLT@bcu.ac.uk marking the subject field as: Admissions Tutor - Speech and Language Therapy and provide the information you wish to be assessed. The tutor will respond directly to you.

In addition:

Applicants must have evidence of study within the last 5 years.

Applicants are required to attend a visit day and complete a written interview.

Second reference for Access/BTEC students from the original referee to be provided to the institution by 30 April of the enrolment year.

Places subject to a satisfactory Occupational Heath Check, Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

Applicants should be aware that qualifications, personal statement, reference and written interview all form part of the selection criteria for this course.

English language:
A particularly high standard of spoken and written English is necessary to cope with linguistics, phonetics and clinical work on the Speech and Language Therapy course. However, there is a great need for therapists who are fluent in more than one language and graduates with such skills would be a valuable addition to the profession; such candidates are therefore encouraged to apply.

Applicants who have not received their secondary school education in English will require an overall IELTS score of 7.5 with no subtest below 7.0. To register with the Health Professions Council on qualification applicants for whom English is not a first language an IELTS score of 8.0 with no subtest below 7.5 is required.

Application Details

FT Via UCAS: UCAS B620. PT apply direct to Faculty. Tariff Score: 280 points. Grades BBC

For general information about applying to study at Birmingham City University, please refer to the Making your Application section.

International enquirers may contact the International Office for further help and advice.

Enquiries

Prospective students from the UK or EU may enquire online by using the Course Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 5595.

Prospective students from non-EU countries may enquire via the International Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 6714.

Fees Notes

NHS Funded. For further information visit the fees area of the Student Info section.

Further Information

Please click here for the latest information on the next Faculty of Health Open Days.

SLT Admissions Team : Helen Jenkins, Wouter Jansen & Gill Rose
Tel: +44 (0)121 202 4207
Email: SLT@bcu.ac.uk

Admissions office:
Tel: +44 (0)121 331 5500
Email: health.admissions@bcu.ac.uk