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At University of Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
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.
Applications and Selections
Who Teaches this Course
Requirements and Assessment
Key Facts
Entry Requirements
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.
Additional Requirements
Students must satisfy the Garda/police vetting and also satisfy the English Language Requirements where English is not their first language.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Duration
4 years
Next start date
September 2025
A Level Grades (2024)
universityofgalway.ie/alevels
Average intake
25
QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes
Closing Date
NFQ level
Mode of study
ECTS weighting
Award
CAO
GY503
Course code
Course Outline
Year 1
- Psychology I
- Human Body Structure
- Human Body Function
- Practice Education I
- Professional Studies I
- Linguistics I
- Phonetics and Phonology
- Communication Impairments & Dysphagia I
Year 2
- Psychology II
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurophysiology
- Practice Education II
- Professional Studies II
- Research Methodology II
- Linguistics II
- Communication Impairments & Dysphagia II
Year 3
- Psychology III
- Practice Education III
- Professional Studies III
- Research Methodology III
- Linguistics III
- Communication Impairments & Dysphagia III
Year 4
- Practice Education IV
- Professional Studies IV
- Research Methodology IV
Curriculum Information
Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.
Glossary of Terms
- Credits
- You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
- Module
- An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
- Subject
- Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
- Optional
- A module you may choose to study.
- Required
- A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
- Required Core Subject
- A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
- Semester
- Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.
Year 1 (60 Credits)
RequiredPS1106: Introduction to Psychology - 5 Credits - Semester 1RequiredSL128: Communication Impairments & Dysphagia 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredSL122: Phonetics & Phonology - 15 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredSI317: Human Body Function - 10 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredAN240: Human Body Structure - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredSL124: Professional Studies 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredSL126: Linguistics 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredSL125: Practice Education 1 - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS1101: Developmental Psychology - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Year 2 (60 Credits)
RequiredSI209: Neurophysiology - 5 Credits - Semester 3RequiredPS159: Psychology 2: Health & Social Psychology - 5 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredAN208: Neuroanatomy - 10 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredSL225: Communication Impairments & Dysphagia 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredSL222: Professional Studies 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredSL223: Linguistics 2 - 5 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS160: Research Methodology 2 - 5 Credits - Semester 4
RequiredSL221: Practice Education 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Year 3 (60 Credits)
RequiredSL321: Psychology 3 - 5 Credits - Semester 5RequiredSL327: Communication Impairments & Dysphagia 3 - 15 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredSL323: Research Methodology 3 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredSL324: Practice Education 3 - 15 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredSL325: Linguistics 3 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredSL322: Professional Studies 3 - 15 Credits - Semester 5
Year 4 (60 Credits)
RequiredSL407: Professional Studies 4 - 20 Credits - Semester 7RequiredSL408: Research Methodology 4 - 20 Credits - Semester 7
RequiredSL406: Practice Education 4 - 20 Credits - Semester 7
Further Education
MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice and Research (full-time/part-time)
MSc Childhood Speech, Language & Communication Needs (full-time/part-time)
MSc Applied Multilingualism (full-time/part-time)
Why Choose This Course?
Career Opportunities
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
Who’s Suited to This Course
Learning Outcomes
Transferable Skills Employers Value
Work Placement
Practice education begins in first year, when students visit pre-schools and centres for people with disabilities. Throughout the course, there is a combination of one-day weekly placements in the on-site clinic and block placements in the community where students are given the opportunity to learn under the supervision of a qualified speech and language therapist. The Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) requires that speech and language therapists in training undertake a minimum of 450 hours clinical education, 300 of which must be with a speech and language therapist and 150 of which can be clinically related.
Study Abroad
Related Student Organisations
Course Fees
Fees: EU
Fees: Tuition
Fees: Student Contribution
Fees: Student levy
Fees: Non EU
Occupational Health Service
In year on students are required to pay a €200 fee towards a subsidised Occupational Health Service provided to students of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences in compliance with all relevant legislation and standards.
EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Levy €140 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here.
Find out More
The School of Health Sciences
Speech and Language Therapy
T 353 (0)91 495470
E healththerapies@universityofgalway.ie
www.universityofgalway.ie/speech_language_therapy/
What Our Students Say
Jenna O'Neill | BSc (Speech and Language Therapy)
This course really appealed to me due to the broad range of subject areas covered, taking in psychology, linguistics, anatomy and physiology. The best part of the course was the clinical placements which give you the opportunity to link what you are doing in the classroom to its practical application. It also provided great insight into the range of possible working environments, from hospitals to schools and community clinics. It is a challenging, enjoyable and rewarding course which leads on to a great career.