BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- B620
- Entry Requirements
- ABB
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2023
Course Overview
Study for a degree in Speech and Language Therapy and open up a world of opportunities.
It is estimated that over 2.5 million people in the UK alone have a communication disorder. So a Speech and Language Therapist’s scope of work is very broad. You could work with people of any age and from any background; anyone who experiences difficulties with communication and swallowing.
It’s rewarding work, too. On our degree course, you’ll gain the skills you need to guide and advise people as they manage their individual challenges and how to support their families and other health and education professionals. You’ll have a positive effect on their everyday lives, helping them not only overcome their difficulties but also to reveal their personal strengths and fulfil their potential.
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Our BSc Speech and Language Therapy is ranked in the top 20 for Health Professions by 'The Guardian University Guide 2023'.
Speech and language therapy builds on a foundation of linguistics and phonetics, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. Our course covers all areas of SLT research, intervention and practice.
From the beginning of this three-year programme, you’ll discover how these core academic areas relate to a wide range of client groups, including children with developmental speech and language disorders, individuals with learning disabilities, and adults with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties. These client groups form the basis for your modules.
Throughout the course, you’ll use Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to develop skills such as team working, negotiating and leadership. You’ll also use group learning to expand your knowledge of SLT practice.
You’ll then take your learning beyond the classroom with practice placements. Here you’ll have the opportunity to develop your therapeutic practice with real-life clients, working alongside qualified therapists. Practice education features throughout the course, ensuring you have the clinical and core skills you’ll need for real working environments.
Taught within the School of Health Sciences, Speech and Language Therapy at UEA reflects our multidisciplinary ethos. That ethos has been developed and nurtured as a reflection of the real-life practices of working healthcare professionals. As such, you’ll undertake shared modules with Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students and spend some of your time studying alongside students from other health professions, as well from other UEA Schools including Medicine and Education.
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Accreditations
This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as a speech and language therapist.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- ABB. If you are taking an EPQ and three A Levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer if you achieve an A in the EPQ.
- T Levels
- Obtain an overall Pass including a B in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable subjects: Health, Healthcare Science, Science
- BTEC
- DDM in Health, Care or Science
- Access to HE Diploma
- Pass with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3, in a Health, Care, Science or Psychology subject
- International Baccalaureate
- 32 points
- English Foreign Language
If English is not your first language, we will require evidence of proficiency in English (including reading, writing, speaking and listening) at the level of IELTS 7.5 overall (minimum 7.5 in each component).
Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
INTO UEA also offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your UCAS application.
Interview formatOur interviews for 2023 will take place online with an academic staff member from the School of Health Sciences. You will be invited to the interview session by email, which will last about 30-40 minutes. The email will include a link to access the interview and will confirm the start time. You will not need to download any software or set up an account prior to your interview, access to your interview will be available through a web browser. You should ensure that you have access to a computer, tablet or phone with audio and camera functionality. Email admissions@uea.ac.uk if this will present you with any problems.
Note that we will not disclose interview questions in advance of the interviews, but in general terms the interviews will explore a range of issues, including your suitability for the profession and the NHS values (as reflected in the NHS constitution). We’ll look to consider your motivation to study this course, as well as whether you have an interest in people and a clear understanding of the profession (ideally with relevant voluntary or paid work in healthcare).
Experience of healthcareWe are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation. We will take this into account and will adapt our expectations.
Keep in mind that clinical work experience is not generally a requirement for applying to train in healthcare, but it is important to show that you are able to work with people and appreciate the health and social care setting. It is important to remember why we look for work experience in an application; this in turn can help you think of the numerous ways that you might be able to demonstrate how you have acquired relevant experience.
We will want to see that you understand what a career in Health involves. Work experience, and other related experiences, are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
What type of experience do you need?Any activity or life experience that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Practical ways to gain experienceKeep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. Whilst volunteer work in the NHS might be disrupted at this time, other schemes may still be in operation and worth exploring i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively. It is likely that these sorts of volunteering opportunities will start to run again before healthcare related opportunities are available.
Remember: it is what you learn about yourself, about other people and about how effective care is delivered and received that counts. What you did is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learnt which matters.
PROGRAMME CONDITIONS
Offers will be made to applicants after completion of successful interviews, and will be subject to a satisfactory occupational health check (including evidence of appropriate immunisations), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two satisfactory references. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
PLACEMENTS
During the course, practice experience is gained via placements. The placement environments include hospitals, community, social services or a variety of other sectors. Placement allocation occurs throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and London.
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. If you intend to apply with deferred entry, please let us know about your gap year plans in your UCAS application.
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
Once enrolled onto your course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include your eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
- Intakes
This course is open to UK and overseas applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Grade A or above in one of the following subjects:
- Children's Care, Learning and Development
- Children and Young People's Workforce
- Health and Social Care (including Technical Level)
BCC or above.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable, please contact Admissions for further information.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications, and we also recognise that some students might take a mixture of some of the qualifications above. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
Please note that we do not consider A Levels in General Studies or Critical Thinking, Apprenticeships, NVQs (any level) or Work-based Level 3 Diplomas (previously NVQs) to meet the minimum academic entry requirements, although these can be used as evidence of recent study. We’ll also be unable to consider you for this course if you’ve obtained an academic fail from a previous health based degree programme, including where an exit award has been achieved.
GCSE REQUIREMENTS
5 GCSEs at a minimum grade C or grade 4, including Mathematics, English Language and a science subject. These requirements apply alongside all other specified requirements.
If you hold or are working towards Mathematics and English Language GCSEs but do not hold 5 GCSEs/a science GCSE, please contact Admissions.
RECENT STUDY
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
AGE ON ENTRY
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by the 31 August 2024. This is owing to the integrated nature of placements within the second year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, applicants who will not be 18 years old or over by this date, should consider applying for deferred entry.
INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for this course, entry is available through successful completion of an International Foundation at our partner INTO UEA (as well as a successful interview):
International Foundation in Pharmacy, Health and Life Sciences
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
Studying at UEA will provide you with a springboard into the Speech and Language Therapy profession. Your degree qualification will enable you to apply for professional registration as a Speech and Language Therapist, opening doors to a wide range of settings, including schools, hospitals, people’s homes and the justice system, as well as community work.
Graduates from this programme are widely employed across the NHS, education and independent sectors throughout the UK and beyond. You could also choose to return to higher education as an academic or researcher.
The transferable skills you develop on this course will also equip you well for further training in health or education (e.g. PGCE) and for non-clinical roles involving communication skills, problem-solving, and disability awareness.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Example of careers that you could enter include:
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Hospitals
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Community health centres
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Education (schools and nurseries)
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The independent sector
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The charity sector
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The justice system
Discover more on our Careers webpages.