MPhil Speech and Language Therapy

Program Overview

---

Our MPhil in Speech and Language Therapy offers you a unique opportunity to undertake research in a variety of health and organisational contexts. Whatever your specific research interests we are likely to have a supervisor with the experience to support you in this process. You will be offered opportunities to access our Masters level research methods modules to provide a sound foundation of specific research knowledge and skills. In addition, you will have access to the University’s Proficio research training scheme which allows you to choose training programmes that meet the requirements of your own research topics and methodologies. This MPhil is offered on a 2 year full-time or 4 year part-time basis, plus up to one year of completion. Some people choose to do an MPhil before applying to undertake a PhD in order to develop their research skills and knowledge and to demonstrate their self-discipline and time management skills to potential supervisors or funders. The School of Health and Social Care is proud to work closely with our Service User Reference Group (SURG). SURG is made up of service users, carers, and volunteers who generously share their first-hand experiences of health and social care. We work collaboratively with SURG to design our courses to ensure that we truly are putting the needs of patients and clients at the heart of what we do. SURG are involved as part of our course application processes and often form part of our interview panels. This helps us to be confident that we are selecting the right applicants for the course and their future careers. SURG members also support the delivery of our teaching sessions and research activity, which means you’ll benefit from an insight into their lived experiences of living with a diagnosis, health condition, or circumstance. You’ll find that not only does your clinical knowledge expand, but your empathy, compassion and ability to advocate develops also. You can find out more about SURG by reading their blog here . Why we're great.

• We have research interest groups in ‘Developing Professional Practice’ and ‘Applied Health Research’, and host the NIHR Research Design Service for the East of England.
• Our staff are multi-professional, including clinically-qualified lecturers, sociologists and social policy and management specialists, so they have clinical and academic credibility.
• A unique feature of our School is that many of our staff work with local National Health Service (NHS) Trusts and other local agencies, which enhances our grasp of the contemporary links between academic research, the major issues of the day and practice.

Our expert staff

Within our School of Health and Social Care, you will be allocated a supervisor whose role it is to guide you through the different stages of your research degree. In some cases, you may have joint supervision by two members of our staff. The support provided by your supervisor is a key feature of your research student experience and you will have regular one-to-one meetings to discuss progress on your research. Initially, your supervisor will help you develop your research topic and plan. Twice a year, you will have a supervisory board meeting, which provides a more formal opportunity to discuss your progress and agree your plans for the next six months.

---

Specialist facilities

The School has access to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) building. We also have an open-access reception area where staff and students meet for social events. As part of the University, you have access to our state-of-the-art library and the very latest equipment and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills. As a School, we have purpose built facilities where you can meet to discuss your progress and ongoing work. Our staff offer approachable support at all levels. Our university student support network can also offer you help with personal and study issues during your time with us. You also have access to an excellent theatre and sports and social club experiences at Essex.

---

Your future

We currently have graduates working in both clinical and management positions in local trusts, hospitals and care organisations, as well as in local and county councils.

Program Outline

Course structure

A research degree doesn't have a taught structure, giving you the chance to investigate your chosen topic in real depth and reach a profound understanding. In communicating that understanding, through a thesis or other means, you have a rare opportunity to generate knowledge. A research degree allows you to develop new high-level skills, enhance your professional development and build new networks. It can open doors to many careers. We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

---

---

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose. Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

---

---

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits. In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available. Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

HR	100	4	FY
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.	The module number.	The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.	The term the module will be taught in. AU : Autumn term SP : Spring term SU : Summer term FY : Full year AP : Autumn and Spring terms PS: Spring and Summer terms AS: Autumn and Summer terms

Year 1 You undertake a dissertation of 40,000 words on a subject relevant to your specialist area of practice.Dissertation workshops are held throughout the academic year which will help you to select a topic for your dissertation and provide guidance on writing up your research. View Health and Social Care - Research on our Module Directory

---

---

Assessment

Within our School of Health and Social Care, the length of time taken to complete your research degree is dependent upon the programme on which you are registered. We offer a number of different research degrees meaning that your yearly timetable is agreed on an individual basis with your supervisor at the start of your programme of study.

---

---

Dissertation

Within our School of Health and Social Care, our professional doctorates can be studied flexibly between four and seven years. Decisions about the duration of the study period are based on your individual need and funded support. Each programme comprises three elements of taught modules, work-based learning and original research through doctoral-level dissertation. For your taught modules, you complete a research methods module to underpin your subsequent research work. You will be guided in selecting further module/s to meet identified deficits within your knowledge base but, in your first year, you complete Research Methods, an online learning module. You also attend occasional (approximately six) professional doctorate study days at our Colchester Campus, which provide face-to-face support for your research methods module, offer research workshops and provide portfolio development sessions. In your second year, you are required to attend weekly taught sessions. You undertake our module Theory and Method in Health Research and then you can choose between Statistical Analysis and Qualitative Research Methods, depending on your research focus. For your work-based learning, you will create two portfolios of learning chronicling the development of expert practice. These portfolios are constructed from the specialist application of generic outcomes in areas such as risk and diagnostic reasoning. Your portfolios are submitted at the end of your first and second years. For your original research through doctoral-level dissertation you undertake a dissertation of 40,000 words on a subject relevant to your area of practice.