Bachelor of Science (Speech and Language Therapy)

Course Overview

Speech and language therapists enable people with communication disorders and swallowing disorders to achieve their maximum potential. They are involved in assessing clients’ communication and swallowing difficulties, and developing treatment programmes to meet their specific needs. They work closely with other members of the team, such as nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, teachers, etc, and work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, primary care health centres and schools. The Bachelor of Science Speech and Language Therapy programme is accredited by both the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT (professional body and CORU (regulatory body.

Our mission statement is: “To prepare speech and language therapists in training to become competent clinicians and independent lifelong learners, by providing a supportive learning environment to explore relevant theory and apply it to clinical practice, with an emphasis on lived experiences and evidence.”

Our curriculum is spiral in nature, which means that we revisit topics and themes throughout the programme to deepen students’ knowledge and skills. There is a clear, transparent, pathway to facilitate the development of competencies across the four years.

Students must undertake clinical placements, under the supervision of qualified speech and language therapists, in a range of settings to develop clinical competencies. We also have a purpose-built speech and language therapy on-site clinic on campus. This clinic is a unique collaboration between University of Galway, the health services, and Voices for Down syndrome Galway. Students undertake some of their clinical placements in this facility. The on-site clinic has the dual function of delivering high quality services to the public while at the same time providing a supportive learning environment for SLTs in training.

We use innovative and creative teaching, learning, and assessment methods to facilitate students to link theory with practice the curriculum is delivered by a dynamic reflective team that is committed to excellence.

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 Level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint) or Agricultural Science), and any other subject recognised for entry purposes.

Speech and language therapy graduates will be in a position to work in a range of settings with adults and children with a range of speech, language, communication and swallowing needs. For example, graduates may work in the following settings:

• Primary care clinics/health Centres
• Day Centres
• Rehabilitation Centres
• Child and adolescent mental health services
• Individuals' Homes
• Child Development Centres
• Hospitals
• Mainstream and Special Schools
• Language Classes
• Voluntary agencies