Speech and Language Therapy - BSc (Hons)
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry. Switch to 2026/27 Entry
If you want a client-centred, evidence-based education in the field of speech and language therapy, our three-year BSc course 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....
- Level Undergraduate
- Study mode Full Time
- Award BSc (Hons)
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City South
This course is:
Overview
The students are here running our conversation group. So that's a group for people with Aphasia who have a communication difficulty, and so they're providing opportunities for our clients to have good quality conversations with people who know what it's like when you have difficulties with communication. We put on activities based around a topic each week, so that might be quizzes or exploring music, exploring drawing, and it's all designed to facilitate conversation and encourage interaction between our members. Aphasia presents differently in every one, so we might work with people who have word finding difficulties, specific difficulties with their speech and speech sounds. So really, we work across the board with a different number of needs and we have the resources and facilities to help support them with that. It's not an area that lots of people are aware is part of speech and language therapy, and it's useful to actually have the experience of how we can support clients who have Aphasia to actually be able to implement the supportive techniques and therapies that we discuss in lectures. I'm currently on placement at the Trans Voice Clinic as well. We work with clients who are wanting to feminise their voice, so they have different goals for their therapy. The really wonderful thing with working with trans clients is these are people who genuinely want to have a change in their voice and their communication confidence, and we allow them to have that space to get those skills. It is one of my favourite days on placement. As a therapist it is really rewarding to know that you are helping them in a journey that is so massive and personal for them. So if someone is in the middle of transitioning and they've got a very deep voice, they'll be perceived as male, which can really affect their self-esteem.
Whereas if we help them with that voice, we can help raise the pitch and the resonance to make it more feminine, and then that will help their self-esteem. There are lots of files on my computer with directions and exercises and goals that, to me, without sounding corny, spell a little bit of hope. I hope it's not just finding your voice, it's finding your identity. And that's what these sessions help me do. My placement is giving me loads of confidence, this year I am a lot more hands on than I was last year. This year, everything's just kind of clicked into place. Placements are a big part of why I chose to study at BCU. Not a lot of universities offer this opportunity and I think it's really important in order to help develop our practice and develop on them skills that you can't necessarily build just with lectures. One of our members used the phrase small victories every day, which I really liked, referring to using the strategies from our clinic and I think that sums it up nicely. Sometimes I never remembered, now the brain saying, Hi, Wow, I remember this. So there's better, better now really better.
If you want a client-centred, evidence-based education in the field of speech and language therapy, our three-year BSc course 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. 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 will be able to 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. Whilst on the course you will complete the RCSLT pre-registration EDS competencies as this is now an essential part of your training.
You will also 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:
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 in a receipt of a student loan 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.
- We have been training SLTs 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 from passionate, experienced staff.
- Top 5 for Speech and Language Therapy graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2024).
- We have two specialist SLT clinics, a telehealth suite, a resource room, home environment room and simulation suites to aid your learning.
Open Days
Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation. Booking isn't open for this event yet, register your interest and we'll let you know as soon as booking goes live.
Next Open Day: 28 June 2025
Entry Requirements
These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.
All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.
Essential requirements
- Standard offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.
- Accelerate offer: 96 UCAS Tariff points. Find out more about BCU Accelerate.
Applicants will also need to complete an interview for this course; see interview arrangements below.
If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on our Foundation Year instead. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS entry tariff.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Prior to enrolling on the course, successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check and an enhanced DBS check via the Faculty, as well as registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Qualifications, personal statement, interview and references all form part of the selection criteria for this course.If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact admissions@bcu.ac.uk.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
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 (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £9,535 in 2025/26 ✱ Important note for this price
- Apply via UCAS
(↩Back to price) * The Government is proposing to increase the cap on full-time regulated tuition fees to £9,535 for 2025/26 and the University is planning on increasing fees to that maximum level once legislation is enacted. Part-time fees are charged pro-rata, where applicable.
International students
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
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.
Course in Depth
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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
Download nowCourse 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.
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.
Additional support
If you have a specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia or ADHD), a disability, a long-term health condition or mental health difficulties, our support teams provide advice, information and practical support (such as reasonable adjustments). Engaging with our support teams early on in the application process means that the University is more likely to be able to implement support before your arrival at University. If you require reasonable adjustments in your placement setting, early disclosure will assist the University in securing suitable placements wherever it reasonably can.
RCSLT
This course has been accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
Health and Care Professions Council
This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, and will give you eligibility to apply for registration if you successfully complete the course.
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; the second block placement consists of 12 weeks in year 3. 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.
Facilities & Staff
We have invested over £400 million in our facilities, including an upgrade to our Skills and Simulation facilities at City South Campus. We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that you may come across in the workplace. These resources are essential in offering you a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice.
Mock Wards
These are set up to look like typical hospital wards, with four to six bays. Depending on the topic in hand, different manikins can be used as patients and relevant equipment is provided to practise clinical skills. Some of the manikins are interactive and can simulate different scenarios e.g. some allow you to cannulate, check pulses, intubate etc, and some can talk to you. One ward is often used as an adult ward, and the other as a child ward.
These rooms also allow for scenarios to be set up for other professions such as dietetics, paramedic science and social work.
The Operating Theatre and Recovery Suites
The operating theatre and recovery suite gives you the sense of what it would be like in a real surgical environment.
These spaces emulate the full surgical journey from anaesthetics, through surgery and into recovery. ODP students can practice a range of skills including gowning, hand washing, preparing instrument trays, and working with a patient. Nurses and midwives may experience a surgical placement and need to go to theatre or be part of the midwifery team involved with caesarean sections. Many other Allied Health Professionals may also see patients in recovery if necessary.
Home Environment Room
This facility replicates a small flat with bedroom, bathroom and kitchen diner space. It is used to simulate non-clinical settings, to give students experience of working in different environments. It also incorporates a range of digital health technology, to help prepare students to work in the NHS of the future.
Simbulance
Our ‘Simbulance’ is a purpose built teaching space that allows students to practise their skills in a highly specialist, high-fidelity simulated environment. The Simbulance is an exact replica of an operational emergency ambulance. Learners are truly immersed in the clinical environment and test their knowledge and skills in a safe and supported space, before entering the clinical environment ‘for real’ on placement.
Assisted Living Space
This space replicates a flat and is used for scenarios such as home visits. The sitting room area provides a different space to practise skills and simulations and work with service users and other students.
Assisted Kitchen
This specially designed kitchen has different areas where you can practice cooking, cleaning, boiling the kettle etc., with someone who has actual or simulated vision impairment. There are adapted devices to help, and simulation glasses for you to wear to experience vision impairment.
Physiotherapy Room
This is a space for physiotherapy students to use, with various equipment to practise client meetings.
Radiotherapy Planning Computer Suite
Our computers allow you to plan hypothetical treatments, in terms of angles and directions, ensuring that radiotherapy reaches where it is needed on a patient’s body.
Radiography Image Interpretation and Reporting Stations Computer Suite
These facilities allow you to view and analyse x-rays.
VERT - Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training
This room contains 3D technology to view virtual patients and look at trajectories for treatment.
Radiotherapy
This room contains the same bed/couch used when patients are given radiotherapy treatment. While students of course do not administer radiotherapy in this room, it does allow them to practise adjusting the equipment to make sure both it and a patient would be in the correct position to receive treatment.
Telehealth Room
This room allows for small group teaching in a central area (large boardroom type table) with five small telehealth booths down either side. These are to allow all our health professions students to practise delivering healthcare and advice remotely, either over the phone or on a video call. This addition to our teaching reflects moves in the sector to offer more flexible access to healthcare services, particularly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Imaging Academy
This new facility is a larger version of our existing image interpretation computer facilities and forms part of the Midlands Imaging Training Academy, funded by Health Education England. These expanded facilities will mean we can further develop our courses and expertise in radiography and imaging.
Speech and Language Therapy Resource Room
Our Speech and Language Therapy Team have developed a collection of tools, books and resources to help you learn and understand the implications of a speech or swallowing limitation. You can practise one to one client meetings and clinics and use the video recording equipment to review role play scenarios.
Ultrasound simulation suite
Students have access to a wide range of Ultrasound simulation equipment to develop their clinical skills and aid in training. The equipment includes two ultrasound machines with a range of phantoms, scan training stations and eve body works.
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...
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...
More about ThomasDr Wouter Jansen
Senior Lecturer and Joint Programme Lead (MSc Speech and Language Therapy)
Wouter is one of the course leads for the MSc Speech and Language Therapy and lectures on all 3 SLT programmes offered by the university. He teaches (clinical) linguistics, phonetics, and research methods and is currently the module lead for SPR7003 The Science of Speech, Swallowing and Hearing, SPR7004 Understanding Human Communication and...
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...
More about GillianRichard Armstrong
Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy
Richard qualified as a speech and language therapist from Newcastle University. He has worked with teenagers and adults with autism, learning disabilities, and mental health difficulties in several psychiatric settings. Most recently he worked on an acute rehabilitation trauma unit with patients with acquired neurological conditions (e.g. spinal...
More about Richard