Communication Disorders
Qualifications
BSLP(Hons), MAud, MSc, PhD
Introduction
Speech–language therapists are professionals educated in the study of communication, its development and its disorders.
Speech–language therapists who work in schools often see children who have difficulty communicating because of problems in language development or associated problems in learning to read. They also deal with children who stutter or are not able to produce speech appropriate to their age.
Speech–language therapists in medical settings provide services to those who have lost the ability to communicate or swallow effectively due to stroke, degenerative disease, brain injury or cancer.
Speech and Language Pathology at UC
The Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours (BSLP(Hons)) trains you to help people with communication disorders gain the ability to communicate successfully.
The Speech and Language Pathology programme at the University of Canterbury is New Zealand's most established programme, having trained most of the country's speech–language therapists.
A hands-on qualification, you will gain clinical experience working with clients of all ages with communication disabilities. There are eight clinics on campus and you will also go on placement to speech–language therapy clinics at hospitals, schools and other facilities nationwide. There are also opportunities for overseas clinical placements.
A four-year professional degree, the UC degree was the first in the country to be accredited by the New Zealand Speech–Language Therapists' Association (NZSTA), the organisation which sets quality standards for speech–language therapy courses in New Zealand.
The Department of Communication Disorders has 12 full-time academic staff with PhDs and is a national resource centre for information and continuing professional education in communication sciences and disorders.
Each year the department welcomes a number of distinguished scholars from around the world, including Erskine Fellows, who lecture and conduct collaborative research in the department.
Recommended background
Entry to the Intermediate Year of study is open to all students with entry to the University. The recommended preparation for the Intermediate programme is a science background to at least NCEA Level 3 and work experience, including visits to meet people with different speech and language abilities. English and languages, eg, Māori, are also useful.
100-level courses
The first year of the BSLP(Hons) is called the Intermediate Year. Selection into the BSLP(Hons) professional years is made at the end of the Intermediate Year. (Note that the requirements for the Intermediate Year are subject to review.)
The Intermediate Year courses may be taken in one full-time year of study or accumulated over more than one year. It is also possible to take the Intermediate Year at other universities – if you are intending to do this you are strongly advised to seek approval of your course of study from the Student Advisor, College of Science, University of Canterbury.
If you have studied courses equivalent to any of the Intermediate courses you should also contact the Student Advisor as you may be granted exemption from courses in the Intermediate Year.
CMDS 161 is a compulsory Intermediate Year course.
Strongly recommended Intermediate Year courses are CMDS 111, CMDS 112 and LING 101.
Other recommended Intermediate Year courses are BIOL 116, EDUC 102, HLTH 101, MAOR 165, PSYC 105, PSYC 106, SCIM 101 and TREO 110.
As entry to the professional years is limited, it is recommended that students choose courses that meet 100-level requirements for a potential major in a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
200-level and beyond
The one-year Intermediate programme is followed by three full-time years of specialised professional training – the professional years. Entry to the First Professional Year is limited (see below). In the professional years, students complete coursework covering a wide variety of topics in normal and disordered aspects of speech, language and hearing. The academic coursework is taken in combination with fieldwork, which is an important component of the professional years.
In their First Professional Year, students take courses in speech and language development, neuroscience and audiology. They are also introduced to the observation and assessment of individuals with communication disorders and the distinguishing characteristics of the major types of disorders. There is the opportunity for practical experience with a range of clients.
In their Second Professional Year, students continue studying different types of communication disorders and gaining practical experience with clients. They work with practising therapists in Christchurch and other centres throughout New Zealand, and expand study to include coursework in a hospital setting.
In the Third Professional Year, further courses are taken in the areas of speech, language and swallowing disorders. Research coursework is also included. More time is spent taking responsibility for the assessment of clients and the planning, management and evaluation of therapy programmes. The culmination of the Third Professional Year is a 12-week clinical externship working side-by-side with a speech–language therapist.
Work in the field is introduced into the BSLP(Hons) degree from the First Professional Year. This fieldwork accounts for about 10% of the First Professional Year's work, 20% in the Second Professional Year and 50% in the final year. Students have the opportunity to undertake work with people of all ages at clinics in Christchurch, throughout New Zealand, and overseas.
Entry into the First Professional Year
Entry into the First Professional Year is competitive and is restricted to 40 students annually.
Students are selected on the basis of academic merit (normally a B+ or better average), fluency in English and suitability for training as a speech–language therapist. Relevant work experience with individuals who have communication disorders may also be considered when selection decisions are made. In cases of equal merit preference will be given to people who have completed the recommended courses.
Applications for entry for 2013 close on 1 November 2012 (application forms are available from August). Intending applicants should contact the Head of Department, Department of Communication Disorders, preferably at least a month before the closing date.
If a student is unsuccessful in gaining a place in the First Professional Year, all courses passed can normally be credited to another degree. The Student Advisor, College of Science, is available to advise students on their options.
Further study
The Master of Science (MSc), Master of Audiology (MAud) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees offer advanced educational and research opportunities to graduates. The MSc and MAud degrees may be taken as a full-time or part-time course. The PhD degree typically involves a minimum of three years full-time study.
Career opportunities
The speech–language therapy profession offers a range of career opportunities. Graduates are highly employable as clinicians both in New Zealand and overseas.
You can work with people or computers, in a research laboratory, a private clinic or a government agency. You can work with language-delayed children in a school setting or with elderly stroke patients in a large hospital or nursing home. You can be an entrepreneur, developing and marketing new communication devices and tests, or building your own private practice. You can teach at a university, conduct research in a scientific laboratory or be an administrator.
Perhaps best of all, you can combine several of these to establish a challenging and satisfying career which improves the quality of life for individuals with communication disorders.
For further career information, please go to www.canterbury.ac.nz/careers
Contact
Department of Communication Disorders
Telephone: +64 3 364 2401
Email: sue.bradley@canterbury.ac.nz