COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Speech Pathology is a structured four-year professional degree designed to prepare students for careers in diagnosing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. In the first year, students build foundational knowledge in language acquisition, anatomy and physiology, phonetics, speech and oral communication, and communication impairments, along with an introduction to speech pathology practice and healthcare systems. The second year focuses on more advanced study, including applied psycholinguistics, language development and impairment, case studies, and speech pathology development, along with the first stages of clinical practice and health research training. Students begin supervised clinical placements to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. In the third year, students study specialized areas such as swallowing disabilities, complex communication disorders, acquired speech impairments, and advanced communication skills, while continuing extensive clinical placements. This year also includes exposure to healthcare in rural and regional settings, helping students understand diverse clinical environments. The final year focuses on advanced clinical reasoning and high-level professional practice through extended clinical placements and an honours research project. Overall, the program integrates academic learning, research, and intensive clinical experience to develop highly skilled speech pathologists capable of working in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centres, and community healthcare settings, supporting individuals with communication and swallowing difficulties across the lifespan.