Speech Pathology

You'll gain the knowledge required to engage in professional, ethical, and evidence-based practice. This involves drawing on skills in reasoning and reflection to provide appropriate services for people across their entire lifespan.

Speech Pathologists work with a wide range of people across different settings and manage complex and difficult issues. You’ll acquire theoretical and clinical knowledge; as well as hands-on skills to assess, diagnose and provide intervention for children and adults affected by communication difficulties. For example, brain injuries can result in difficulties understanding or producing language, slurred and imprecise speech; and changes to cognition such as attention, memory, and personality.

In your studies, you’ll learn about the role of technology in speech pathology practice. For example, technology for understanding acoustic signals of speech and parameters of voice production, as well as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

In the first year, you’ll develop foundational knowledge in the areas of anatomy, physiology and biopsychosocial issues that can affect people’s health, swallowing, speech, and language ability.

Your second year will focus on human communication science, clinical science, and research methods. You’ll have opportunities to learn alongside your allied health peers from occupational therapy and physiotherapy in UniSA’s community clinics. You’ll be involved in simulated tele-practice environments to deliver collaborative, quality care through clinical case scenarios.

Practice-based learning is a strong focus, particularly during the third and fourth years, where you‘ll be able to complete clinical placements in UniSA’s community clinics and in professional practice across community, hospital, aged care, early years settings and schools.

• Working with a high school student with a stutter to speak more fluently and with confidence.
• Training a high school teacher who constantly loses their voice to use it more effectively.
• Helping an elderly man with dementia from a culturally and linguistically diverse background to communicate with his family and carers
• Working with a woman post-stroke to regain her language and communication skills
• Teaching a person to swallow safely and without choking following a brain injury
• Giving advice to a mother whose baby was born with a cleft palate
• Working with a young man with severe brain injury due to a motorcycle accident to communicate again.

Speech Pathologists are employed across many sectors, including:

• hospital and acute services
• private practice
• ambulatory and rehabilitation services
• aged care facilities
• community services
• home care programs
• government departments
• early years settings and kindergartens
• schools
• not for profit and non-government sector
• primary health networks

This degree prepares you for working overseas; after UniSA’s speech pathology program has full accreditation with Speech Pathology Australia. The qualification will be recognised in Australia and other countries around the world including New Zealand, Canada, USA and the UK.