Speech and Language Therapy - BSc (Hons) - 2022/23 Entry

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.

This course is not open to International students.

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

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

Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic

The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. You'll be able to hear more about your chosen subject area in our course talks.

Next Open Day: Saturday 25 June

Book now

Entry Requirements

We accept a range of qualifications, the most popular of which are detailed below.

Essential Requirements

Level 2 Qualifications
120 - 112 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level
UK Qualification	Requirements
GCSE	Five subjects at grade C/4 or above Must include Mathematics and English language Level 2 equivalent qualifications (e.g. Functional Skills) are not accepted Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application
Irish Leaving Certificate (Ordinary Level)	See level 3 entry under Irish Leaving Certificate for full details
Scottish Intermediate 2	Five subjects at grade C or above Must include Mathematics and English language Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application
Scottish Credit Standard Grade	Five subjects at grade 2 or above Must include Mathematics and English language Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application
Scottish National 5	Five subjects at grade C or above Must include Mathematics and English language Must have been achieved at the point of enrolment Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application
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
Plus one of the following Level 3 (and above) Qualifications
UK Qualification	Requirements
A level and Advanced VCE	BBB to BBC / 120 to 112 UCAS points Excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking A maximum of 3 subjects are considered. These can be other A-levels or level 3 equivalents
Access to HE Diploma	Health or Science related pathway Pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3 with 12 at Distinction and 24 at Merit (of which 24 must be in a science or health related subject) 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 five GCSEs in total.
British bachelor's degree	Minimum 2.2 at full honours Considered on an individual basis
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma (2016 – present) Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) (2010 - 2016) BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (2002 – 2010)	DDM Must be in either Health and Social Care or Science related subject
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma (2016 – present) Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) (2010 - 2016) BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (2002 – 2010)	120 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification Either the BTEC level 3 National Diploma or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health, Early Years, relevant Education subject or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma (2016 – present) Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF) (2010 - 2016) BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (2002 – 2010)	120 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification Either the BTEC level 3 National Foundation Diploma or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health, Early Years, relevant Education subject or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (2016 – present) Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF) (2010 - 2016) BTEC Level 3 National Award (2002 - 2010)	120 UCAS points Considered with two A-levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s) Either the BTEC level 3 National Extended Certificate or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health, Early Years, relevant Education subject or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care	Grade B overall
City and Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080)	120 UCAS points Must be in Health and Social Care or Early Years
International Baccalaureate Diploma	Obtain a minimum of 30 points overall with grade 4 or above in at least one Higher Level subject from Group 4 (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above, we will accept grade 5 in Maths (Standard Level) from the IB Diploma For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at Grade C/4 or above, we will accept Standard Level English Language (not literature) English A - Grade 4 or above or English B - Grade 5 from the IB.
Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers)	Pass the Irish Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 120 tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects. This must include Maths and English Language taken at either Ordinary level (minimum grade O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3)) or Higher level (minimum grade H1-H7 (or A-D/A1-D3)) Must include Psychology, Sociology, Geography, Maths, Health or Science related subject at Higher level
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma	DMM Must be in either Health and Social Care or Applied Science
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma	120 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification Either the OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be a relevant Health, Early Years, Education or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma (2016 - present) OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma (until-2016)	120 UCAS points Considered with one A-level or an equivalent level 3 qualification Either the OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be a relevant Health, Education or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate (2016 – present) OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma (until 2016)	120 UCAS points Considered with two A-level or equivalent level 3 qualification(s) Either the OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be a relevant Health, Early Years, Education or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
Open University courses	Considered on an individual basis Must be in Health, Education, Science or Linguistics related subject
Scottish Advanced Higher	Achieve a minimum of 120 tariff points achieved in either three Advanced Highers or from a combination of two Advanced Highers plus two Highers. Where three Advanced Highers have been taken achieve a minimum of grades CCC. Where a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers have been taken you must achieve (grades of CC in two Advanced Highers plus grades of CC in two Highers). Must include Psychology, Sociology, Health or Science subject at Higher level or above
T-Levels	120 UCAS points (Merit overall) Must be in either Healthcare Science or Science
Other qualifications
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: Applicants must normally have evidence of formal study within the last 5 years.However, we are sometimes able to waive this requirement if a candidate has a significant amount of professional experience in a relevant field, for example healthcare, social care, or education Applicants are required to attend a visit day and complete an interview. Interviews are currently online via Microsoft Teams. Find out more about online interviews. 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, 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.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply

UK Student
International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to 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

Full Time
3 years
£9,250 in 2022/23
Apply via UCAS

Part Time
6 years
£1,542 per 20 credit module

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.

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key Software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Free access to Rosetta Stone

All students can sign up to the online learning language platform for free through the Graduate+ scheme.

DBS check

You will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this course. Your first DBS check is included in your fees.

Placement expenses (mandatory)

There may be some costs for travel or temporary accommodation associated with placements. The NHS Learning Support Fund can help with these costs. Information about what the fund covers and eligibility criteria can be found online

Clothing and safety equipment (mandatory)

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). This may involve the purchase of new items of clothing and/or shoes.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books (optional)

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy.

Memberships (optional)

You may wish to join a union or professional body related to this course.

Subscriptions (optional)

You may wish to purchase subscriptions to additional journals and websites.

Accommodation and living costs

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Funding

From August 2020, nursing professional degree students will receive at least £5,000 a year in funding support.

Find out more about the funding available

Download the funding FAQs

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.

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.

Work Experience

We understand that it is difficult to obtain work experience in the current situation and the restrictions in place. If you are unable to obtain work experience relevant to your course, this will not affect your application. If you do want to gain some experience to help prepare you for your course, there are other options available. The UCAS website details a range of alternative activities that you might want to consider.

UCAS

Financial Support

We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.

Student loan finance - have you already studied an undergraduate degree but would like to do a second one in Speech and Language Therapy? You may be eligible for funding.

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.

Download course specification

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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.

More about our placement opportunities

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 Ann

Claire 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...

More about Claire

Dr 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...

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Dr 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...

More about Wouter

Gillian 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...

More about Gillian