Program Overview

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Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)

Overview

The Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides students with a comprehensive education in speech pathology. The program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and clinical experience necessary to become competent speech pathologists.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Honours program, students must have completed 160 credit points from years 1 and 2 of the Bachelor of Speech Pathology pass degree, with a grade point average of at least 5.50 on the ACU seven-point scale. International applicants must also meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

Completion Requirements

To qualify for the Bachelor of Speech Pathology Honours degree, students must complete 320 credit points from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

• 40 credit points from Inter-professional Units (Part A)
• 140 credit points from Speech Pathology Theory Units (Part B)
• 50 credit points from Integration and Practice Units (Part C)
• 80 credit points from Honours units (Part D)
• 10 credit points from Core Curriculum Units (Part E)

Exit Points

Students who have successfully completed 220 to 230 credit points from the Bachelor of Speech Pathology units, excluding the Core Curriculum units, and 10 to 20 credit points from the Core Curriculum units, may exit with a Bachelor of Allied Health qualification.

Progression Requirements

Students are required to follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator.

Schedule of Unit Offerings

The program consists of five parts:

Part A: Inter-professional Units

• ALHT106: Psychology for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• HLSC120: Indigenous Health and Culture (10 credit points)
• ALHT210: Neuroscience for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• ALHT211: Research and Evidence-Informed Practice in Allied Health (10 credit points)

Part B: Speech Pathology Theory Units

• SPHY100: Communication and Development Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY102: Anatomy and Physiology for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• SPHY103: Linguistics and Phonetics for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• SPHY105: Foundations of Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)
• SPHY201: Language Disorders (Developmental) (10 credit points)
• SPHY202: Language Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• SPHY205: Motor Speech Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• SPHY209: Speech Disorders (Developmental) and Hearing (10 credit points)
• SPHY301: Swallowing, Feeding, and Mealtime Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY303: Voice Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY304: Fluency Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY407: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 1 (10 credit points)
• SPHY408: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 2 (10 credit points)
• SPHY309: Language, Literacy, and Cognition Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)

Part C: Integration and Practice Units

• SPHY101: Introduction to Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)
• SPHY203: Speech Pathology Practice 2A (10 credit points)
• SPHY207: Speech Pathology Practice 2B (10 credit points)
• SPHY302: Speech Pathology Practice 3A (10 credit points)
• SPHY305: Speech Pathology Practice 3B (10 credit points)

Part D: Honours Units

• ALHT411: Honours Literature Review for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• ALHT412: Honours Research Methods for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• ALHT413: Honours Research Project Implementation for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• ALHT414: Honours Thesis for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY413: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4A Honours (20 credit points)
• SPHY414: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4B Honours (20 credit points)

Part E: Core Curriculum Units

• UNCC100: Self and Community: Exploring the Anatomy of Modern Society (10 credit points)
• PHCC102: Being Human (10 credit points)
• PHCC104: Ethics and the Good Life (10 credit points)

Course Map

The course map outlines the recommended sequence of units for students to complete the degree. The map is subject to change, and students should consult the Course Enrolment Guide for the most up-to-date information.

Commencing Semester 1 2025 (Pass Units) Honours Units in 3rd and 4th Year (2027 & 2028)

The course map for students commencing in Semester 1 2025 is outlined below:

Year 1 Semester 1

• ALHT106: Psychology for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• HLSC120: Indigenous Health and Culture (10 credit points)
• SPHY103: Linguistics and Phonetics for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• SPHY101: Introduction to Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)

Year 1 Semester 2

• SPHY102: Anatomy and Physiology for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• Core Curriculum Unit 1 (10 credit points)
• SPHY100: Communication and Development Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY105: Foundations of Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)

Year 2 Semester 1

• ALHT210: Neuroscience for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY209: Speech Disorders (Developmental) and Hearing (10 credit points)
• SPHY201: Language Disorders (Developmental) (10 credit points)
• SPHY203: Speech Pathology Practice 2A (10 credit points)

Year 2 Semester 2

• ALHT211: Research and Evidence-Informed Practice in Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY202: Language Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• SPHY205: Motor Speech Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• SPHY207: Speech Pathology Practice 2B (10 credit points)

Year 3 Semester 1

• SPHY309: Language, Literacy, and Cognition Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• ALHT411: Honours Literature Review for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY301: Swallowing, Feeding, and Mealtime Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY302: Speech Pathology Practice 3A (10 credit points)

Year 3 Semester 2

• SPHY303: Voice Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• ALHT412: Honours Research Methods for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY304: Fluency Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY305: Speech Pathology Practice 3B (10 credit points)

Year 4 Semester 1

• SPHY407: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 1 (10 credit points)
• ALHT413: Honours Research Project Implementation for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY413: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4A Honours (20 credit points)

Year 4 Semester 2

• SPHY408: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 2 (10 credit points)
• ALHT414: Honours Thesis for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY414: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4B Honours (20 credit points)

Commencing ACU Term 1 2027 Canberra Only

The course map for students commencing in ACU Term 1 2027 at the Canberra campus is outlined below:

Year 1 ACU Term 1

• ALHT106: Psychology for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY101: Introduction to Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)

Year 1 ACU Term 2

• SPHY103: Linguistics and Phonetics for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• HLSC120: Indigenous Health and Culture (10 credit points)

Year 1 ACU Term 3

• Core Curriculum Unit 1 (10 credit points)
• SPHY100: Communication and Development Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)

Year 1 ACU Term 4

• SPHY102: Anatomy and Physiology for Speech Pathology (10 credit points)
• SPHY105: Foundations of Speech Pathology Practice (10 credit points)

Year 2 ACU Term 1

• ALHT210: Neuroscience for Allied Health (10 credit points)
• SPHY209: Speech Disorders (Developmental) and Hearing (10 credit points)

Year 2 ACU Term 2

• SPHY201: Language Disorders (Developmental) (10 credit points)
• SPHY203: Speech Pathology Practice 2A (10 credit points)

Year 2 ACU Term 3

• SPHY205: Motor Speech Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• ALHT211: Research and Evidence-Informed Practice in Allied Health (10 credit points)

Year 2 ACU Term 4

• SPHY202: Language Disorders (Acquired) (10 credit points)
• SPHY207: Speech Pathology Practice 2B (10 credit points)

Year 3 ACU Term 1

• SPHY309: Language, Literacy, and Cognition Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• ALHT411: Honours Literature Review for Allied Health (10 credit points)

Year 3 ACU Term 2

• SPHY301: Swallowing, Feeding, and Mealtime Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY302: Speech Pathology Practice 3A (10 credit points)

Year 3 ACU Term 3

• SPHY304: Fluency Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• ALHT412: Honours Research Methods for Allied Health (10 credit points)

Year 3 ACU Term 4

• SPHY303: Voice Disorders Across the Lifespan (10 credit points)
• SPHY305: Speech Pathology Practice 3B (10 credit points)

Year 4 ACU Term 1

• SPHY407: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 1 (10 credit points)
• ALHT413: Honours Research Project Implementation for Allied Health (10 credit points)

Year 4 ACU Term 2

• SPHY413: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4A Honours (20 credit points)

Year 4 ACU Term 3

• SPHY408: Professional Reasoning in Speech Pathology - 2 (10 credit points)
• ALHT414: Honours Thesis for Allied Health (10 credit points)

Year 4 ACU Term 4

• SPHY414: Speech Pathology Professional and Reflective Practice 4B Honours (20 credit points)