Program Overview

BMedSci Speech and Language Therapy is a three year course and is recognised as a qualification to practise as a speech and language therapist*. This interdisciplinary degree includes teaching from academic departments across the University, for example Biomedical Sciences and other health professionals such as neurologists and audiologists. Many children and adults have difficulties with communication. Speech and language therapists work with these individuals to help them to communicate. Speech and language therapists usually work with the individual as well as their families and carers. This can take place in the individual's home or in a clinic or hospital. Speech and language therapists who work with children usually do so in the children's school or nursery in collaboration with teachers and other professionals. There are many different types of communication problems. Some of these are well known, for example stammering, hearing loss and autism. Others are less well known, such as cleft palate, head injury and losing the ability to communicate after a stroke.Communication problems are complex. The role of the speech and language therapist is to identify the type of communication problem and then how to help the individual to communicate more effectively. To do this, speech and language therapists study a range of subjects including biomedical sciences, psychology, linguistics and communication. They also need to develop clinical skills to enable them to work with individuals with communication problems.