Course overview

With increasing demands on speech and language therapy, services to meet the needs of an ageing population and increasing numbers of children identified with communication difficulties, further increases in the number of skilled speech and language therapy assistants (SLTAs) are anticipated across the UK.

This course provides opportunities for you to develop the knowledge and skills needed to become a competent SLTA, who will work within the field of speech and language therapy, under the supervision of a registered Speech and Language Therapist (SLT).

As much therapy is now provided by SLTAs, this is a new and emerging role. SLTAs may work with individuals in a variety of settings, including pre-schools, schools (including special schools), acute healthcare, elderly care and rehabilitation. This course may suit you if you are a school/college leaver who wants to have a career that incorporates healthcare, but which also potentially crosses boundaries into the field of education. It is also suitable for experienced applicants (for example, teaching assistants) who already have experience of working to support children with their communication.

Course content

The course comprises underpinning science units, which include:

• both general and specific anatomy and physiology (for example, the upper respiratory system)
• core sciences
• psychology
• applied psychosocial sciences
• linguistics and phonetics
• communication through the life cycle
• communication in individuals with altered anatomy and physiology (for example, cleft lip/palate) or as a result of pathology (for example, following a stroke)

The course also includes an interprofessional unit on Collaborative Learning, which is common to a range of health and social care courses at both the University of Portsmouth and the University of Southampton.

Year one

Anatomy and Physiology Applied to Clinical Practice: designed to provide you with a understanding of the human anatomy and physiology, this unit informs subsequent patient assessment and clinical practice units.

Early Human Development: this unit explores human development in relation to speech, language and communication. It teaches theories of language acquisition and cognitive development in children.

Clinical Skills One and Two: these units will provide you with the knowledge and skills in applied clinical linguistics that are necessary to undertake assessment of a range of communication disorders in adults and children.

Working in Health: you will explore the core skills needed to provide holistic care of clients throughout the management of their speech and language needs, including the importance of working as a team member in a variety of health, education and social care settings. You will engage in a highly interactive approach to exploring a range of topics, such as communication, informed consent, ethics, conduct and accountability, that contribute to your professional development as an associate practitioner.

Evidence-Based Practice: this unit will give you the opportunity to question clinical practice, find and critically appraise pertinent evidence and make informed recommendations for practice to provide the best possible care for patients. This introductory unit is the foundation on which evidence-based practice principles throughout the course are built. During this unit you will gain the skills required to identify suitable research data, assess it and use it as part of your course assignments.

Year two

Speech, Language and Communication Needs and Management: the unit focuses on the knowledge and skills required to assess and provide preliminary differential diagnoses of communication difficulties and then discuss the management opportunities for these needs, using a variety of therapeutic procedures. It will introduce you to the epidemiology of communication difficulties and the Classification of Health and Function. The unit will also teach you to reflect on the numerous sources of information at your disposal to evaluate the outcomes and quality of interventions in the field. This knowledge and skill base is supported by teaching and learning within the University and also during work placement.

Improving Health Services: this unit focuses on the implementation of evidence-based practice as part of a clinical governance framework within health, social care and education settings. This unit also involves working collaboratively within interprofessional teams and some of it is run jointly with the University of Southampton.

Sight and Sound: this unit aims to develop the knowledge and skills required to support individuals with hearing and visual impairments.

Case Study: this unit aims to integrate theory and practice to provide an understanding of patient-centred care.

Altered Physiology: you will consider a range of diseases exploring underlying processes and impact on patients. You will also study the impact of normal physiological changes in old age in terms of altered function and increased susceptibility to disease.

Teaching and assessment

Course content will be delivered using a student-centred approach and will include lectures, group work, presentations, tutorials and practical work. The course will be delivered in University facilities for ‘academic underpinning’ and laboratory training (skills laboratory and science laboratory), and in the workplace and specific placements for skills training. A variety of approaches will be used to assess your knowledge and competence. Tests, coursework assignments, case studies, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and a final-year case study will all feature. During the course you will also build a portfolio of evidence of your knowledge and competence that you will be able to use to showcase your abilities to future employers.

Supervised workplace experience is a key component of the course and we anticipate that key placements will be within acute and community NHS Trusts, education (mainstream and special education settings) and with a wide range of health and social care services. Full-time students will be supervised during placements, which will be with host speech and language therapy agencies, local authorities, educational institutions, and acute and primary care NHS Trusts. Part-time students will usually undertake placements with their existing employer, although observational visits to other agencies will be undertaken. Placements are secured through the Faculty of Science Placement Office.

Career prospects

SLTAs work with a variety of individuals in numerous settings, including pre-school clinics, school (including special schools), acute healthcare, elderly care, rehabilitation and social care settings. The qualification is also suitable for a range of other support roles for children and adults with special needs, including senior teaching assistant posts in schools and colleges. It could also enable you to access further study in order for you to qualify as an SLT.

Facilities and features

You will have access to University-wide resources, including our student support services, computer suites and the University Library, which houses an excellent collection of journals and books. The Centre for Simulation in Healthcare has specialist facilities for further developing tomorrow’s healthcare practitioners and will enable you to experience both clinical and informal healthcare situations in a safe and supportive environment.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for FdSc Speech, Language and Communication Science for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).