BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy
Course
options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- B620
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2026
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Why you should choose us
100%
Of graduates go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the course
Graduate Outcome Survey 2020Course Overview
Join our established BSc Speech and Language Therapy to open up a world of opportunities. You could work with people of any age and from any background, supporting individuals and their families living with communication and/or swallowing needs. Your course will interweave the disciplines of linguistics and phonetics, psychology, and anatomy and physiology in a wide-ranging exploration of speech and language therapy research and practice, including your completion of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing competencies.
Through our innovative Project-Sustained Learning curriculum, our dedicated teaching team will support you to develop and apply your knowledge and skills, drawing on in-house clinical expertise and phonetics/psychology/linguistics subject specialists, supported by local clinicians and service users.
Our curriculum facilitates your development of independent and collaborative working skills to thrive within the profession. Over the course you’ll undertake ten group projects resulting in practical resources to support your early speech and language therapy career. Following a project management cycle, your projects may include designing materials to raise awareness of the profession and devising informal assessment tools. Through your discussion, research, integration, and application, you’ll be directly preparing for your summative assessments. Through our progressive schedule of conversation partner and clinical placements, you’ll gain the skills and experience to become well-rounded clinicians.
You’ll benefit from our speech and language therapy Clinical Skills Area, housing specialist resources including an extensive library of tools for assessment and intervention. You may also have placements through our in-house Hub, supported by our clinical staff.
Demand for Speech & Language Therapists remains strong. After graduation, you might progress into any number of careers with employers in the NHS, private clinics, education, the non-profit sector or the justice system. Or you might pursue further study to enter research, specialist teaching or other related fields.
Please note that our programme is undergoing routine RCSLT reaccreditation in early 2026. The details of our programme here includes the planned enhancements and are therefore subject to amendments arising through this reaccreditation.
Accreditations
Our course is fully approved by and prepares you for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
Study and Modules
Structure
This three-year full-time Speech & Language Therapy degree programme will arm you with the theory, methodology and skills you’ll need to embark on a career as a Speech and Language Therapist. The programme combines a number of compulsory modules with practical placements.
In your first year you’ll be introduced to the core concepts relating to speech and language therapy in the areas of linguistics, phonetics, psychology and biology, as well as speech and language therapy theory and practice, and consider how communication and swallowing evolve over the lifespan. Through client group study, you’ll gain an understanding of basic approaches to intervention appropriate for stuttering and cluttering and vocal tract differences. On top of this, you’ll be introduced to what it means to be an evidence-based professional, with some teaching shared with Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students.
You’ll also undertake two pre-clinical placements which will explore the subjects of acquired communication difficulties and working with children and spend up to a week exploring clinical settings. These placements will enable you to develop and hone your communication skills.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Our teaching methods and pattern are consistent across the clinical modules. This involves being in face-to-face lectures for around three full days each week and having independent study time for the rest of the week. However, this can vary dependent on other requirements of the programme. The majority of our teaching takes place in person, with selected elements of the programme taught online or through directed study.
To aid directed and independent study, you’ll have access to the university’s excellent library facilities, as well as an extensive range of clinical resources. These include speech and language therapy assessments across the range of client groups, and therapy resources including equipment for Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
Our speech and language therapy Clinical Skills Area is available to support teaching and independent study throughout your Speech and Language Therapy degree.
Throughout the course, you’ll engage with our innovative Project-Sustained Learning curriculum, which contextualises and applies your learning through group projects with tangible outcomes to support your early speech and language therapy career and aid your development of teamworking and independent study skills.
As a member of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, you’ll spend time studying alongside students from other healthcare disciplines, allowing you to develop the inter-professional working skills key to clinical practice, leadership, research and clinical education.
Throughout the first year, you’ll be assigned a Conversation Partner, an adult with communication difficulties usually following stroke or head injury. Through your conversations, you’ll develop your core communication skills in a supportive non-clinical environment. At the end of the year, you’ll spend a week orientating to clinical speech and language therapy environments, and three weeks with children in education settings. You’ll apply your understanding of child development as you build your confidence interacting with children and reflect on communication in an educational environment.
Assessment
Our assessment method is designed to ensure you’re not only enabled to evidence your learning, but that you also have opportunities to develop some of the skills required when qualifying. These are professional skills such as presenting, sharing clinical reasoning, and thinking critically.
Each module is assessed and will give you the opportunity to evidence your learning and understanding of content within that module, supported by the four formative group projects. This could cover a number of elements such as clinical knowledge and application, understanding of key theories, practical skills and professionalism. A range of assessment methods are introduced across the first year to assess your knowledge in a variety of formats appropriate to the content and the field, such as essays or case-based assignments, classroom or practical tests and presentations or professional discussions.
Structure
In your second year, you’ll cover developmental speech and language disorders and acute-onset neurological conditions such as stroke. You’ll develop your research skills, learning to interpret and appraise data and how it informs intervention. You’ll cover essential clinical skills and undertake at least eight weeks of placement.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Your PSL group members will change each with each project to enable you to work with a variety of cohort members and continue to develop your communication and professionalism skills.
The modules covered in year two build on your skills and knowledge from year one and you’ll be supported to become increasingly independent with your clinical reasoning.
The clinical placement opportunities will be full-time and hosted by providers including NHS trusts, private clinics, schools, and our in-house Hub. These will give you the opportunity to integrate theory and practice under the supervision of a qualified Speech & Language Therapist and with support from university staff.
Assessment
Whilst the content will change in accordance with the module and level of study, the assessment methods remain similar to that of the first year. The majority of assessments are based on clinically derived scenarios, datasets, and other information, and reflect the everyday skills required by Speech & Language Therapists.
Structure
Your third-year study will focus on intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities and progressive neurological conditions. You’ll increasingly focus on clinical decision making and planning interventions for clients. You’ll also complete a structured literature review, supervised by a member of staff with expertise in your chosen area. You’ll undertake further clinical skill sessions and professional development, and an eight-week clinical placement.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
The first semester consists of clinical modules. Alongside two full days of lectures and seminars each week, you’ll be supported to develop your literature review. The clinical modules build on the knowledge and skills taught previously and extend your skills in assessment and intervention in preparation for graduating as a newly qualified Speech & Language Therapist.
The spring semester is dedicated to the eight-week clinical placement and progressing your literature review, while your third semester focusses on completion of the project.
Assessment
Your third-year assessments will evaluate the content of the modules you study this year using similar methods to those used in your first two years. In addition, you’ll be assessed on your literature review.
Employability
After the Course
Studying within UEA’s Project-Sustained Learning curriculum will equip you with a wealth of specific and transferable skills to launch you 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 and in 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
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Hospitals
- Community health centres
- Education (schools and nurseries)
- The independent sector
- The charity sector
- The justice system
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Additional GCSE Requirements
We also require 5 GCSEs at a minimum grade 4 or grade C, including Mathematics, English Language, and at least one Science subject.
If you hold or are working towards Mathematics and English Language GCSEs but do not hold 5 GCSEs/a science GCSE, please contact Admissions.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB.
Contextual offer: BBC.
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM in Health, Care, Science, Applied Psychology or Children's Play, Learning and Development.
Contextual offer: DMM in Health, Care, Science, or Applied Psychology or Children's Play, Learning and Development.
See BTEC / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 section below for further information on accepted subjects.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3, in a Health, Care, Science subject.
Contextual offer: Pass the Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 30 credits at Level 3 and Pass in 15 credits at Level 3 in Health, Care or Science subject.
T levels
Obtain an overall Merit. Acceptable subjects: Education and Early Years, Health, Healthcare or Science.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
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 one satisfactory reference. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll 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.
- 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. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
- Placements
During the course, no less than 25% of your time will be spent on practice placement. This might be in a variety of settings that include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services and voluntary or private organisations. Placement allocation occurs throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
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. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include 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.
- 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 2027. 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.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Additional GCSE Requirements
We also require 5 GCSEs at a minimum grade 4 or grade C, including Mathematics, English Language, and at least one Science subject.
If you hold or are working towards Mathematics and English Language GCSEs but do not hold 5 GCSEs/a science GCSE, please contact Admissions.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall.
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, UEA International Study Centre offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 7.5 overall (minimum 7.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
-
- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
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 one satisfactory reference. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
If you have previously studied at degree level in a health based subject, we will want to see that you have passed all of the study that you have undertaken. We’ll 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.
- 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. For more information on the application process and what to expect at each step, take a look at our handy Applying to HSC infographic, which explains the application journey from start to finish.
- Placements
During the course, no less than 25% of your time will be spent on practice placement. This might be in a variety of settings that include hospitals, community services, general practice, social services and voluntary or private organisations. Placement allocation occurs throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
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. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include 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.
- 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 2027. 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.
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
You can find information regarding additional costs associated on our Fees and finance webpages.
How to Apply
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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: