Speech and Language Therapy - BSc (Hons)
If you want a client-centred, evidence-based education in the field of speech and language therapy, our three-year BSc programme is the right choice for you. Our course, which is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) uses a variety of innovative activities and placements....
Studying with us in 2021/22 and 2022/23
The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Information about the arrangements for the 2021/22 academic year can be found here.
Should the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continue in the 2022/23 academic year or subsequent years of your course, any additional and/or alternative arrangements put in place by the University in response will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, pandemic-related/health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
Mandatory Vaccination Requirement
The Government is intending to introduce a mandatory requirement for those working in a health care setting (including students on placement) to have been vaccinated against COVID-19. If introduced, the requirement will affect this course as the completion of placement (s) in a health care setting is compulsory. This means that from 1 April 2022, all students on this course must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (unless they are exempt) before they are allowed to enter a health care setting to undertake a placement required for the successful completion of this course.
- Level Undergraduate
- Study mode Full Time/Part Time
- Location City South
- Award BSc (Hons)
- Start date September 2022
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Health Sciences
- Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
Overview
If you want a client-centred, evidence-based education in the field of speech and language therapy, our three-year BSc programme is the right choice for you.
Our course, which is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) uses a variety of innovative activities and placements. After successful completion of this course, you will be ready to apply to the HCPC for registration as a speech and language therapist.
What's covered in this course?
Speech and language therapists support people of all ages who have communication and/or swallowing difficulties. Delivered at the West Midlands’ only training site for speech and language therapists, this course is designed to prepare you to achieve excellence and professional autonomy in clinical practice.
You will learn through a variety of formats, including workshops, interactive lectures, and simulation sessions, at our recently extended £71 million campus, with state-of-the-art facilities. You will also benefit from the Virtual Case Creator (VCC), which enables us to simulate clinical scenarios in a virtual environment.
Throughout the course, you will develop your understanding of research and evidence-based practice, so that you can contribute to the future development of the speech and language therapy profession.
You will undertake two major clinical placements, during which you will be immersed in all aspects of clinical practice. Towards the end of your clinical placement in your third year, you are likely to be managing your own caseload of clients, and you will have the option to participate in a number of extracurricular activities, including an opportunity for international exchange. Our graduates can go on to work as speech and language therapists in a wide range of settings including the NHS, schools, charities and private practices.
Accredited By
This course is accredited by:
The flexibility of the course allowed me to transfer from full-time to the part-time programme for my final year, which allowed me to study at a pace that suited my needs. My favourite aspect of the course was the clinical placements, as the experience provided me with the opportunity to apply my theory to practice whilst developing my practical skills in a range of clinical settings."
Amirah Hussain
Why Choose Us?
- Funding - Allied health profession students will receive at least £5,000 a year in additional funding for maintenance and associated study costs. Download the funding FAQs
- The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, which also commended our virtual simulated practice activities that help prepare you for practice
- We have been training SLT's for over 50 years! Our long – established course has a history of training speech and language therapists for over 50 years, so you are guaranteed excellent support, training and access to a wealth of knowledge
- Gain practical experience - from the first week of the course, you will have the opportunity to carry out valuable work experience in a variety of different settings and through simulation events, to establish exactly what sort of therapist you would like to be and develop your employability skills
- We’ve invested £71 million in our City South Campus - our brand new extension features two specialist SLT clinics with cutting-edge technology, a resource room, home environment room and simulation suites to aid your learning
- Flexible learning - this course is available to be studied full-time or part-time with the option to switch between them
- Student loan finance - have you already studied an undergraduate degree but would like to do a new one in Speech and Language Therapy? You may be eligible for funding
- Learn from passionate and experienced staff – 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
Entry Requirements
We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.
Essential Requirements
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120 - 112 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level |
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| GCSE |
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| Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level) |
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| Scottish Intermediate 2 |
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| Scottish Credit Standard Grade |
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| Scottish National 5 |
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| IELTS |
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| Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) Qualifications | ||
| UK Qualification | Requirements | |
| A level and Advanced VCE |
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| Access to HE Diploma |
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| British bachelor's degree |
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| City and Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080) |
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International Baccalaureate Diploma |
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Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma |
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OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma |
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| Open University courses |
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Scottish Advanced Higher |
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T-Levels |
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| Other qualifications | ||
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If you have a qualification that is not listed in the table please refer to our full entry requirements on UCAS. Recent relevant study to GCE A-level standard or above must have been completed within five years of the course intake date the applicant is applying for. Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website. In addition:
Places subject to a satisfactory Occupational Heath Check, a Disclosure and Barring Service report and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Applicants should be aware that qualifications, personal statement, reference and 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 and Care 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. |
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Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Tuition fees shown are for the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation based on the Retail Prices Index and the additional costs we incur each year to deliver our courses, maintain and develop our infrastructure and provide a range of support services, or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2022
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £9,250 per year
- Apply via UCAS
- Part Time
- 6 years
-
TBC
International students
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead.
Funding
From August 2020, nursing professional degree students will receive at least £5,000 a year in funding support.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Fees for part time students
If you study this course part-time or via distance learning, you will be charged on a pro-rata basis. This means your fee will be calculated per module.
Additional costs
We offer a wide range of professionally accredited and vocational courses that require the purchase of, among other things, uniforms, equipment, subscriptions, professional body memberships and DBS checks. There are likely to be costs associated with attending placement and there may be opportunities to pay to attend conferences to extend your learning and development. Costs specific to the BSc in Speech and Language Therapy course are outlined below:
Professional body membership
It is a requirement that you become a student member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the professional body for speech and language therapists during your time as a speech and language therapy student at BCU. Student membership costs £41 per year via direct debit (correct on 09/04/2019). Membership includes monthly delivery of the Bulletin magazine, online access to the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Books
It is recommended that students wait until they have started the course before purchasing any books, as individual module coordinators may make particular recommendations and students may also be able to borrow the books they need from the University library as required.
Printing and photocopying costs
The BSc Speech and Language Therapy course features a range of bespoke teaching resources provided through online Moodle sites, including worksheets, support notes and quizzes. You will also be expected to access additional literature sources (i.e. scientific journals, government publications), as part of your directed and self-directed learning. You may wish to print some of this teaching material and literature and take account of the additional cost of doing so. All students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Uniform
For practice learning opportunities, you will be expected to adhere to the BCU HELS Faculty Dress Code and/or the dress code for the relevant placement provider(s). Occasionally, uniform will be provided. Should you wish to discuss any concerns in connection to this prior to starting the course, please contact the course leads in the first instance.
Course in Depth
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
40 credits
This module starts your development towards meeting the HCPC Standards of Proficiency through providing you with the foundational skills needed to safely operate as a student professional within the context of current and future speech and language therapy services.
20 credits
This module will introduce you to key areas in phonetics and linguistics, including speech articulation, phonological theory, sociolinguistics, and syntactic analysis. You will also devote considerable time to building your phonetic transcription skills in small group workshops.
20 credits
This module will introduce you to profession-specific knowledge of the main structures and functions of the body systems and the relationships between these in human communication and swallowing so that you can understand the implications of this for the work of the speech and language therapist.
20 credits
This module introduces you to psychological theory and aims to provide insight into the development of language and communication through the lifespan with focus on early years, adolescence and the ageing population. The module also highlights the relevance that psychological theory has to the development of language and communication and how this is applied to SLT.
20 credits
In order to deliver effective care for clients communication and swallowing needs you will require a sound knowledge of their impairments and needs. This module will introduce you to the profession-specific knowledge and skills base that you will need before moving on to appraise and manage clients with communication and swallowing needs.
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
20 credits
This module builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in year 1 within the Communication and Swallowing Needs strand. We will introduce you to the principles of appraisal in speech and language therapy across a range of paediatric and adult client groups. The module will help you develop your clinical decision-making skills.
20 credits
The focus in this module is on developing professionalism as a values system. You will explore traits, attributes, behaviours and acts, alongside the development of effective interactions and relationships will be explored. You will have the opportunity to support your development through practical, interactive tasks and reflective work.
20 credits
This module covers the first block clinical placement of the programme (8 weeks). You will observe and appraise clients with a variety of communication and swallowing needs within different settings, drawing upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the level 5 modules ‘The Intermediate Professional’ and ‘Appraising Communication and Swallowing Needs’.
20 credits
In this module you will learn how to develop research questions, conduct and write a literature review, and propose appropriate methodologies and data analysis methods. You will take data analysis workshops to gain hands on experience in dealing with real data. You will also learn about principles of ethics in research.
20 credits
In this module you will extend your theoretical knowledge of communication and swallowing, and gain additional practical skills in the analysis of communication and swallowing data. We will introduce you to a number of theoretical frameworks, such as Conversation Analysis, and instrumental methods, including the acoustic analysis of speech.
20 credits
In this module you will learn the principles of client-centred management and gain the essential skills necessary for planning management for clients with communication and swallowing needs. You will cover a spectrum of client groups such as people with aphasia, motor speech disorders, dysphagia and children with speech disorders/delay.
Year Three
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
40 credits
In this module you will complete your learning about the clinical management of people with communication and swallowing needs. You will work on cases with different levels of severity and complexity, including cases, where a person may have more than one area of impairment or need. You will also develop skills in working effectively in partnership with others.
40 credits
This module caps the research and evidence-based practice strand of the course. You will construct a research proposal, in which you formulate an SLT practice-related research question, critically evaluate the relevant academic literature, and design a study to address the research question that is both methodologically sound and ethically appropriate.
20 credits
In this module, you will consider the knowledge and skills necessary to support your development into a practice-ready final year student. You will study in more detail the key threads for professional development, under the topics of: reflection; interaction; communication and meta-communication; resilience; confidence and professional values.
20 credits
This module covers the second block clinical placement of the programme (12 weeks). It provides you with opportunities to apply your knowledge, skills and professionalism in the management of a range of clients. Towards the end of this module, there are study days to support you with the writing of your CV and to prepare you for job interviews.
Course structure
In your first year you'll learn the basics in the areas of anatomy, psychology, linguistics and phonetics.
The year acts as a strong introduction to the most common issues around both communication and swallowing difficulties.
In year two, you'll begin to apply theory to practice and you'll learn about assessing client's speech, language, communication and swallowing needs. You will also have your first clinical placement in your second year.
In your third year, you'll learn about managing your client's speech, language, communication and swallowing needs, and you put your learning into practice on your final 12-week clinical placement.
We offer a part-time route which gives you the opportunity to still train as a speech and language therapist if you feel that you cannot commit to a full time degree. The part-time course takes six years to complete and you'll attend university for two days per week. You'll also have the chance to swap to the full-time route if you decide you want to finish in less than six years.
Overseas opportunities
During year 3 of the course up to 20 students have the opportunity to undertake a week of joint learning with SLT students from other EU countries, under the ‘IP light’ programme. The IP light event is usually hosted by a partner institution in continental Europe.
Trips and visits
During the third year students participate in off-site visits to clinical teams, for example to the cleft palate team at Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH).
Examples of classroom activities
In order to ensure that you can get the most out of clinical placements, we offer a range of simulation methodologies which enables you to practise in a safe ‘forgiving’ environment with no risk of harm to service users. We are currently the only SLT programme to offer extensive simulation opportunities and expertise.
RCSLT
This course has been approved by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
Employability
Enhancing Employability Skills
Once you graduate from our course you will be eligible to apply to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to work as a speech and language therapist. You'll have a range of career opportunities available to work as a speech and language therapist in hospitals, community health centres, mainstream and special schools, care homes, nursing and residential homes, young offenders' institutions, prisons and clients' own homes.
You'll also have the option to work in independent practice once you have gained some experience, and to work abroad.
In applying for your first job you’ll be able to draw on the experiences from your block clinical placements, during which students are immersed in all aspects of clinical practice. You will have completed a personal development portfolio, and as a participant in Professional Practice Day you will have shared in the ideas and experiences of employers and alumni.
Placements
The programme includes two block clinical placements, during which you are immersed in all aspects of clinical practice. The first block placement is in year two and takes 8 weeks to complete (16 weeks in year 3 for part time students); the second block placement consists of 12 weeks in year 3 (24 weeks in year 6 for part time students). Towards the end of the second block placement students are expected to be able to manage their own small caseloads. You will work with various different client groups during your placements (both adults and children), and work in different settings, e.g., community clinics, hospitals, schools.
During your first year you will undertake a number of placement-related activities, and you will work with speech and language therapy service users from your first week on the course.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
Facilities & Staff
Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £260 million on new learning facilities.
We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that medical staff may come across.
These resources are essential in offering students a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice. Much of our teaching is carried out within our state-of-the-art, £30m Seacole Building, which houses cutting-edge learning facilities.
Take a virtual tour of our skills suites at Seacole
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that students learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. These include a mock operating theatre and a cutting-edge radiography virtual clinical training facility, virtual ward and virtual case creator.
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Resource Room
This is a dedicated resources room for speech and language therapy students. It houses a vast range of up to date assessment and therapy materials that students will develop their knowledge and skills of during their programme of study in readiness for clinical practice.
Skills Practice and Care Enhancement facility
The SPACE (Skills Practice And Care Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.
It is fully stocked with the specialist items and equipment needed for procedures such as taking blood pressure, giving an injection, abdominal examination of a pregnant woman and caring for ill babies in an incubator.
Mary Seacole Library
The Seacole library, based at City South Campus, is one of the UK's largest specialist health education libraries. The state-of-the art facility offers an extensive range of range of information and reference materials set out in a relaxing environment, conducive to studying. There are comfortable seating areas, group study areas, a silent study area and private study rooms.
Computer Facilities
The Seacole building houses a large open access IT Suite which comprises of 96 PCs, full colour printers, photocopiers and scanners. Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
The IT Suite offers extended opening hours and is supported by a specialist Open Access Assistant during term time. In addition to the open access PCs within the IT Suite, there are 12 networked student PCs available within Seacole library.
Our staff
Lesley Ann Docherty
Senior Lecturer
Lesley Ann qualified in 2001 from UCE and worked at Selly Oak Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital until joining the University in 2014. She worked in the Stroke Unit and supported patients in the Burns Unit and ITU. Lesley Ann currently holds an honorary contract at a local NHS hospital.
More about Lesley AnnClaire Hartley
Senior Lecturer
Claire Hartley is a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) and Senior Lecturer (in acquired communication difficulties) at Birmingham City University. She is also the Programme Director for the Return to Practice in SLT Programme. Her interests include aphasia, motor speech disorders, simulated practice in SLT, and working with service users. She is a Better Conversations Champion, Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT) Certified clinician and Chairs the Central Neuro Rehab CEN. She also supervises the department's placements with the Stroke Association.
More about ClaireDr Thomas Hopkins
Senior Lecturer in SLT, Research Coordinator and Deputy Chair
Tom is a psychologist who teaches the psychology strand that exists across several modules within the BSc and MSc Speech and Language Therapy degree course. This includes aspects of developmental psychology, social and cognitive psychology as well as applying psychotherapy to speech and language therapy practice. Having gained a distinction in research methods at Masters degree level and as a result of completing a PhD using mixed methods at the University of Sheffield (Department of Human Communication Sciences), Tom also contributes to the research methods teaching of which include Qualitative and Quantitative research methods.
More about ThomasDr Wouter Jansen
Senior Lecturer and Joint Programme Lead (MSc Speech and Language Therapy)
Wouter lectures on the BSc Speech and Language Therapy degree, and also acts as Admissions Tutor for this course. He teaches (clinical) linguistics, phonetics, and research methods and currently leads two modules: SPR5018 Appraising Communication and Swallowing Needs, and SPR6015, the final year research and evidence-based practice module for SLT students. Wouter's academic background is in linguistics, especially phonetics and phonology.
Wouter has a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Groningen (cum laude, 1997; equivalent to an MA in the pre-2002 Dutch HE system). He has a PhD in Linguistics, also from the University of Groningen (completed in 2004; supervisors: Dicky Gilbers and John Nerbonne). Wouter was a Lecturer in Linguistics at University College Dublin in 2003-2004, and taught a module on advanced phonological theory at University College London in 2004-2005. In 2005-2006 he was a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics in the department of Clinical Language Sciences at Leeds Metropolitan University. Wouter joined Birmingham City University as Senior Lecturer in Clinical Linguistics in 2006.
More about WouterGillian Rudd
Senior Lecturer and Joint Programme Lead (MSc Speech and Language Therapy)
Gillian has extensive experience of supporting children and young people with a wide range of communication needs and additional expertise in supporting children and adults presenting with fluency disorders. She promotes a person-centred, solution-focused approach in both her teaching and practice.
Gillian is actively engaged with local and national specialist and professional networks and is keen to support student involvement in activities across the profession. She is also a member of the Speech and Language Therapy Admissions Team, supporting student recruitment through interviews, Open Days and events.
More about Gillian