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Speech and Language Therapy (Degree Apprenticeship) - BSc (Hons)

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Speech and Language Therapists support people of all ages who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties. We are one of only three universities offering this new apprenticeship in Speech and Language Therapy, which will prepare you to achieve excellence and professional autonomy in clinical practice. This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

  • Level Apprenticeship
  • Study mode Blended Learning
  • Award BSc (Hons)
  • Start date January 2028

This course is:

Overview

Speech and Language Therapists support people of all ages who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties. We are one of only three universities offering this new apprenticeship in Speech and Language Therapy, which will prepare you to achieve excellence and professional autonomy in clinical practice. This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

For more information, see the course specification below:

Download the course specification

How to apply

You cannot apply directly to the University for a degree apprenticeship. To be eligible for an apprenticeship, you need to be employed in a suitable and relevant job and meet the entry requirements.

If you are currently working at an employer who is offering an apprenticeship, your employer would need to contact apprenticeship-enquiries@bcu.ac.uk to nominate you, and they will then be provided with the relevant documents and paperwork.

If you are not currently employed in an organisation that offers apprenticeships, you can search for opportunities on the Find an Apprenticeship website.

Contact us

If you have any questions about this apprenticeship route, please contact our Apprenticeships team at apprenticeship-enquiries@bcu.ac.uk.

What's covered in this course?

This course prepares you to apply to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to work as a Speech and Language Therapist on graduation.

Over the four years of the course, you’ll learn about anatomy, psychology, linguistics and phonetics, and issues around both communication and swallowing difficulties.

You will apply theory to practice and learn about assessing client's speech, language, communication and swallowing needs. As you get further into your studies, you'll learn about managing your client's speech, language, communication and swallowing needs.

Approximately 20% (one day per week)  of the course will delivered by Birmingham City University, through face-to-face (on campus) teaching. 20% of your time (one day per week) is allocated for guided study time and placement, and 60% is carried out with your employer undertaking work-based learning.

Placements are an important part of the apprenticeship, and will take place in a number of settings covering paediatric and adult care. These are separate to the work-based practice element of the course, and may comprise of face-to-face and telehealth experiences.

More information on placement requirements are outlined on the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists website.

Applications

Application for the apprenticeship is through the employer organisation. Your application will be assessed by both your employer and the academic team at Birmingham City University.

To secure a place on the apprenticeship, you will also need to pass an interview with representatives from both your employer and Birmingham City University.

Entry requirements

Three GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, including Mathematics and English language. Level 2 equivalent qualifications (e.g. Functional Skills) are accepted.

Level 2 qualifications must have been achieved at the point of enrolment.

Plus one of the following:

  • 112 UCAS points (Grades BBC) from 3 A levels or an equivalent L3 qualification examples include:
  • BTEC National/Extended Diploma DDM
  • Access to HE Diploma (Health or Science related pathway) - Pass with 60 credits overall; 45 credits at level 3 with 12 at Distinction and 24 at Merit. If applying with an Access course you only need GCSE mathematics and English language at grade C/4 or above. You are not required to hold three GCSEs in total.

This is not an exhaustive list of qualifications so please contact your employer for further clarification.

Applicants who do not meet typical Level 3 qualifications who have relevant and sufficient experience* can still apply by successfully completing a portfolio of evidence set by our university admissions team. (The same GCSE qualifications are still required.)

*Speech and Language Therapy Assistant, Teaching Assistant, Senior Health Care Support Worker

IELTS

  • 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.
  • To register with the Health and Care Professions Council, applicants for whom English is not a first language will require an overall IELTS score of 8, with no subtest below 7.5.
  • If English is studied at GCSE Level but as a second language, IELTs must be completed to qualify for UK L2 requirement

Places are subject to:

  • Occupational Heath Clearance
  • Advanced Disclosure and Barring Service report
  • Successful interview
  • Proof of qualifications
  • Pre-employment checks
  • Successful formal application to university through APTEM system and eligibility checks e.g. qualification checks

How will I study?

As an apprentice on this course you will be released by your employer to study part-time at university while having exposure to a range of practice placement settings. In university, you will experience a mixture of face-to-face and virtual teaching, self-directed study and practice-based clinical placements. On the job, you will engage with practice partners and service users to learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to care for a wide range of patients.

Apprentices are required to complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) on completion of the programme. The EPA is independently assessed outside of the university.

Why Choose Us?

  • Apprenticeships offer work based learning – the opportunity to build on existing knowledge and skills.
  • You will be supported by highly experienced tutors and work based clinical educators to support you both with your studies and in practice. The course team offers a wealth of experience and knowledge for you to learn from – plus they are actively involved in campaigns and lobbying to make a difference.
  • We have excellent facilities on campus including state-of-the-art equipment, study spaces and an extensive library of learning resources to support you with your studies.
  • Study alongside other individuals who have experience within your industry. You will be able to build valuable networks, sharing best practice and supporting you with your future career opportunities.
  • At the end of the course, you will have three years work experience, and a degree-level qualification, without taking on any student debt.
  • We have been training Speech and Language Therapists for over 50 years, so you are guaranteed excellent support, training and access to a wealth of knowledge.

Facilities & Staff

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Our staff

Victoria Lundie

Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy

Victoria has been a part of the SLT teaching team at BCU since 2012. She is joint course lead for BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy and has specific responsibility for student experience as a part of this role.  She is part of the placements team working with two colleagues to ensure that students and placement educators...

More about Victoria