Speech Pathology University of Melbourne

Overview

Overview

Speech pathologists work with people of all ages who are experiencing communication and/or swallowing disorders as a result of illness, injury or disability. Speech pathologists may work in a range of education and health sectors.

The first year of the Speech Pathology program at University of Melbourne provides the scientific background in anatomy and physiology, articulatory and acoustic phonetics, linguistics, speech and language disorders, clinical practice and processes.

The second year builds on the specialised knowledge acquired in first year, develops clinical skills and introduces students to research methods in the field.

Speech pathologists may work as a sole therapist or as part of a larger interdisciplinary team (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors, audiologists and psychologists). This profession may be of interest to those with a scientific or linguistics background who are interested in working with people.

Graduates from the Master of Speech Pathology will develop and apply clinical skills for the assessment, diagnosis and intervention across all areas of speech pathology practice. Students graduate from this well-established course as speech pathologists qualified to work with children and adults who have communication and/or swallowing issues.

Upon graduation, students are eligible for membership with Speech Pathology Australia and can work in any area of the field.

Career

Graduates from the Speech Pathology program at University of Melbourne are equipped to work with, and help, people of all ages and backgrounds with communication and/or swallowing issues.

Opportunities for employment with a Master of Speech Pathology may include:

• Clinical practice in public or private health institutions
• Epidemiological and intervention-focused research of communication and/or swallowing impairments
• Neurological and genetic-based communication disorder research.

Graduates will also benefit from strong external teaching and clinical partnerships, which can help develop important professional networks.