Course Curriculum

The Master of Speech Pathology consists of 160 credit points delivered through fifteen core units that provide the theoretical, clinical and professional foundations required for entry-level speech pathology practice. The course covers a broad range of topics essential to understanding communication and swallowing across the lifespan. Students begin with units such as Communication, Culture and Context; Communication Across the Lifespan; and Research, Ethics and Impact, which build an understanding of communication development, cultural diversity and the ethical frameworks that underpin professional practice. Foundational clinical knowledge is developed through units including Foundations of Communication Analysis, Swallowing and Mealtime Management Across the Lifespan, Early Childhood Speech, Language and Hearing Disorders, Acquired Language Disorders, Fluency and Voice, Motor Speech for Children and Adults, and Diversity in Communication. These units equip students with the skills to assess, diagnose and manage a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults.The course also includes several units that require attendance at a five-day residential school, allowing students to participate in hands-on activities, simulations and intensive skills development that support high-quality clinical learning. As students progress, they engage with specialised content focusing on school-aged children and individuals with complex needs, as well as professional identity, clinical reasoning and interprofessional practice through units such as Working as a Speech Pathologist and Working with School-Aged Children and Children with Complex Needs.A major component of the program is its structured Work Integrated Learning sequence. Students complete three practice education units—Speech Pathology in Professional Practice 1, 2 and 3—which include supervised clinical placements in various health, education and community settings. The final placement unit is a 20-credit-point capstone experience that consolidates professional skills and prepares students for independent practice. By completing all 160 credit points, graduates are equipped with the clinical competence, cultural capability, ethical grounding and professional readiness needed to enter the speech pathology workforce with confidence.