Dr Catherine Gregory: When people think of speech pathologists, they often think of us working with children in helping children speak. But speech pathologist's can help people in a lot of different ways.
Dr Lucy Bryant: A speech pathologist accesses, diagnoses, treats and managers a range of communication and swallowing disorders. So things like speech, language, literacy, fluency, voice and social communication.
Helen Blake: And because we also learn about all the anatomy and physiology you need to speak, we know about any difficulties you might have with swallowing and feeding, so we can help with that too.
Dr Amy Freeman: It's such a diverse profession. We work right through the age spectrum. So from infancy right to old age.
Associate Professor Emma Power: Speech pathologists work with individuals, but we also want to change systems. So, can we make systems accessible for people with communication and swallowing disorders.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: Here at UTS in Speech Pathology, we're looking to prepare practice-ready graduates so they're ready to go out and perhaps work in a private practice or eventually run their own private practice.
Dr Lucy Bryant: We have specialized learning classrooms that offer our students the chance to work in small groups to apply the skills that they learn, rather than just being lectured and obtaining loads of knowledge, so that students can actually apply their skills in the types of settings that they would see in clinic rooms.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: The other thing we're doing is helping them to work with other professionals, inter professional practice. The job prospects for our graduates are extremely good and growing.
Dr Amy Freeman: Speech pathologists work in hospitals, health care settings, community health, schools, mental health, private practice. It's just so broad, it's a really diverse range of settings.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: And we're really focused on the future of Speech Pathology, so areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality, gaming technologies, the smart home devices and 3D printing of food are all areas that Speech Pathology might be going into.
Harmony Turnbull: I chose to be a speech pathologist because I really like the mix of science together with really connecting with people and making a different in people's lives. Dr Lucy Bryant: I chose to be a speech pathologist because I believe that every human needs to have the ability to communicate.
Dr Amy Freeman: I knew I wanted to work with people and I loved science and I loved teaching.
Associate Professor Emma Power: I really loved communication. I love science. I like connecting the two because we're in a profession that involves interpersonal skills where we have to deliver the science through the medium of communication.
Helen Blake: I also love the fact that I'm actually helping people to be able to participate fully in whatever opportunities they want to have across their life.
The Master of Speech Pathology uses an active learning approach and is delivered by innovative, clinically-experienced, research-active speech pathologists, alongside other health professionals, in the Graduate School of Health.
For full course information, including entry requirements and fees, visit the Master of Speech Pathology course information page.
Course teaching mode
You will actively engage in problem-based learning through simulated clinical experiences in lectures, interactive workshops, online forums, and through clinical placements on campus and in the community. You can expect to be present engaged on campus or on a placement four-to-five days per week during each session, and may have obligations for clinical placements during session breaks.
Course overview
This is a course for people who are passionate about communication rights, and improving the lives of individuals with communication disability and/or swallowing disorders. Speech pathologists work with a diverse range of people, including children and young people with developmental speech/language disorders, people who stutter, people with lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, or autism, and people with acquired conditions such as stroke, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, or traumatic brain injury. Speech pathologists work in hospitals, health centres, schools, private practices, and a range of other settings. Your future work as a speech pathologist will help and enable people with these conditions and others who struggle to get their message across to participate in all aspects of society and people with swallowing difficulties to have safe and enjoyable meals.
UTS speech pathology graduates will have the opportunity to use the latest digital technologies for health and education and how to apply many different information communication technologies, including social media, in their day to day work. They will learn about the business aspects of speech pathology, and ways to prepare for changes to the workforce expected with the growth of the private practice sector, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the use of personal electronic health records.
Grounded firmly in the profession, the two-year course allows you to be an active participant in learning as you acquire the clinical and professional skills needed to be ‘work ready’ on graduation.
Through a variety of learning experiences, you will participate in meaningful clinical practice, coursework, and research training. Setting your sights on evidence to date and future directions, this course offers lifelong learning strategies to continually develop your skills and interests in speech pathology throughout your career.
Certification as a Speech Pathologist
The University of Technology’s Master of Speech Pathology program is accredited with Speech Pathology Australia, now holding Provisional Accreditation. This is the highest level of accreditation available to new courses. Graduates will be qualified to practice as Speech Pathologists in Australia and will be eligible to apply for membership of Speech Pathology Australia.
Visit Why become a Speech Pathologist for more reason why you should consider this profession as a career