Program Overview

Introduction to Speech and Language Pathology

The study of Speech and Language Pathology examines human communication, how it develops, and the many differences and difficulties that children and adults experience. Speech-language therapists/pathologists work with premature infants, children who have difficulty communicating and learning, and adults who have lost their ability to communicate through stroke, brain injury, degenerative disease, or other reasons.

What Will My Study Involve?

• A hands-on qualification, where you will work with real patients of all ages, through clinical experience at speech-language clinics, hospitals, retirement homes, and schools around Aotearoa.
• Opportunities for overseas and clinical placements.
• The University of Canterbury has its own speech-language clinics, giving you experience with clients right on campus.
• The degree is Aotearoa New Zealand's most established, having trained most of the country's speech-language pathologists and being the first to be accredited by Te Kāhui Kaiwhakatikatika Reo Kōrero o Aotearoa | New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association.

Courses

Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours

UC offers a Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours, which develops professional clinical practice and research skills in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders.

• The first year of the degree is called the Intermediate Year, and includes introductory courses and a large selection of optional courses in a variety of subjects, such as Linguistics, Psychology, and Education.
• The Intermediate Year is followed by three full-time years of specialised professional training – the Professional Years. A Grade Point Average of B or better is required to progress to the second year.
• In the Professional Years, you will complete coursework covering a wide variety of topics in normal and disordered aspects of speech, language, swallowing, and hearing. The academic coursework is taken in combination with clinical fieldwork.
• You will have the opportunity to undertake your fieldwork with practising therapists and people of all ages and backgrounds in a variety of settings, including preschools, schools, hospitals, and clinics in Ōtautahi Christchurch and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

Limited Entry to the First Professional Year

Entry to the second year of the Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours is limited to those who successfully complete their Intermediate Year with high grades and complete an application process.

Career Opportunities

The skills you gain when you study speech pathology will set you on a career helping others with their wellbeing, either directly as a clinician, or through administration and research, or even in creating new assistive communication devices.

• Career pathways could include:
  • Speech-language therapist
  • Audiologist
  • Paediatrics
  • Rest home care

Qualifications

• Diploma in Science
• Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours

Related Subjects

• Computational Linguistics: Develop theoretical and applied skills in computer modelling language.
• Linguistics: Gain an in-depth understanding of language, communication and how they shape our lives.