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Our ability to communicate with others is a vital part of who we are as individuals, and how we fit in with society. Speech and language therapists play a vital role in assessing and treating people who have communication and swallowing difficulties, developmental and acquired. Clients can be of all ages, from newborn to the older population. If you are passionate about applying scientific principles to support communication and want to make a difference to others' lives, we can help you forge a fascinating career.

On this course you will:

• develop a strong theoretical understanding of speech and language therapy (SLT) through modules in linguistics, psychology, biological and medical sciences, and research methods; and
• carry out regular clinical placements that will build your practical skills. You will be placed in various settings including hospitals, schools and clinics to ensure you gain a range of experience.

Structure

You’ll join a diverse cohort of students, exploring the fundamental principles of speech and language therapy and gain hands-on practice experience through placement-based learning. As you progress, you will develop professional skills, knowledge and attributes through a combination of university and placement-based learning. Upon graduation, you will be eligible for registration with the HCPC, opening doors to a fulfilling career in speech and language therapy.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be taught in lectures, seminars, practical workshops, and laboratories. Outside these timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning through self-study. You will be assessed by a range of assessments throughout the course.

Placements

Practice placements are invaluable in consolidating theoretical study into practical expertise by working directly with patients and qualified staff. You will attend placements across Scotland in a variety of settings including, hospitals, schools, and clinics, to ensure you gain a range of experience at various locations. Â鶹ӰԺ manages the sourcing and allocation of placements for each student.
Typically, in Years One and Two you will complete  placements in early years and primary setting and a community placement in the voluntary/third sector to gain knowledge of typical development across the lifespan. You will complete practice placements with Speech and Language Therapists in Years Two, Three and Four. In addition, you will have an opportunity to attend a Peer Enhanced E-Placement. A simulated clinical placement experience, undertaken with your peers and supervised by a practice educator. You will attend a block placement in the summer period between Years Three and Four which  is typically completed within four weeks. Summer placements take place across Scotland, and the majority of students are required to travel outside the local area unless they have exceptional circumstances such as caring responsibilities. It is, therefore, likely that students will have to arrange alternative accommodation for the three-week duration of their placement.

Please note that there are additional costs associated with placements. Please see the ‘Other fees’ section under the ‘Entry requirements’ tab for more details.

Specialist facilities

Â鶹ӰԺ offers a specialist speech and psycholinguistic laboratory facility for use by all our speech and language therapy courses. This includes a recording studio, workstations with specialised software and associated hardware for the analysis of speech and speech production. We also provide access to software for design and delivery of online perceptual experiments.

Additionally, our extensive Clinical Resource Library houses the latest editions of commonly used professional assessments and intervention packages to support students’ clinical learning. Located in the Learning Resource Centre, students have 24/7 access to this recently updated resource.

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

Year One

You will:

• gain a grounding in development across the lifespan in the areas of physical sciences, linguistics and psychology;
• focus on academic writing, using AI responsibly and how to access appropriate information; and
• develop foundational professional and clinical skills.

Modules

• Foundations of Linguistics
• Biological and Medical Sciences
• Clinical and Professional Capabilities
• Development across the Lifespan 
• Lifespan Placement in early years settings and primary schools

Year Two

You will:

• focus predominantly on acquired language and swallowing disorders;
• continue to build your knowledge in linguistics, psychology with increased application to clinical areas;
• be introduced to research skills relevant to speech and language therapy; and
• develop your clinical skills through weekly clinical placements in Semester One and Peer Enhanced Electronic Placement in Semester Two 

Modules

• Clinical and Professional Skills
• Advanced Phonetic Analysis
• Developmental and Acquired Dysphagia
• Organic Speech Impairments and Voice Disorders
• Cognitive Sciences and Research Methods 

Year Three

You will:

• develop research and critical thinking skills;
• enhance your clinical decision-making skills (assessment/goal setting/management planning/outcome evaluation) through case studies and in-class discussions;
• focus on a mixture of focus on conditions acquired in adulthood  and childhood and developmental speech and language conditions; and
• continue to link theory to practice as you attend clinical placements during the semesters and a block placement during the summer.

Modules

• Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Practice
• Clinical and Professional Skills
• Acquired Language and Neurogenic Communication Impairments
• Specific Speech Disorders
• Research Methods 

Year Four

You will:

• enhance, consolidate and reflect on your learning to date;
• explore leadership skills and gain an understanding of key skills for collaboration and training;
• prepare to deliver services to diverse populations; 
  focus on neurodevelopmental practice across the lifespan, deafness, hearing impairment and working with interpreters;
• enhance your research skills by analysing and evaluating health and education data; and
• prepare for clinical practice as you develop your skills through attending clinical placements during the semesters and focusing on advanced clinical decision making.

Modules

• Neurodevelopmental Practice across the Lifespan
• Training and Leadership
• Delivering Services to Reflect Diversity
• Clinical and Professional Skills
• Preparation for Employment
• Advanced Clinical Decision Making
• Understanding Health and Education Data
• Deafness, Hearing Impairment and Working with Interpreters

NB The modules listed here are correct at time of posting (Dec 2025) but may differ slightly to those offered in 2026. Please check back here for any updates.

Career prospects are generally excellent. Many of our graduates work within the NHS in community clinics, hospitals and schools across the UK. Some graduates have travelled to work abroad, chosen to study further or taken up research posts.

This course meets the professional standards of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and is accredited by the HCPC. Successful completion enables you to apply for registration with the HCPC as a speech and language therapist, which is a requirement for employment in the UK.

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard - BBBBB, Minimum - BBBBC

A Level: µþµþµþÌý

Irish Leaving Certificate: H1 H2 H2 H2 H3

International Baccalaureate: 32 points

International: IELTS of 8.0 with no element lower than 7.5. Applications from international students are welcomed. The required standard of spoken and written English (specified by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists) for those whose first language is not English is an IELTS (British Council English Language Testing Service) score of 8 with no individual element score of less than 7.5. This reflects the level of English required for professional practice as an SLT.Ìý

Required subjects: Nat 5/GCSE level English at grade B/6 or above and Nat 5/GCSE level Maths at grade C/4 or above is required (equivalent to O3 or H4 in the Irish Leaving Certificate). National 5 /GSCE level science is also preferred.

The following subjects are preferred at Higher/A Level or equivalent: English, Languages, Psychology and Sciences. Subjects involving analytical skills (eg Modern Studies, RMPS, History, Geography, Classics, Music) may be accepted as an alternative to science, where a good level of science is demonstrated at Nat 5/ GCSE level.Ìý

Am I a Widening Access student?:ÌýWe apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to theÌýaccess and applicationÌý±è²¹²µ±ð.

²Ñ²¹³Ù³Ü°ù±ð/´¡³¦³¦±ð²õ²õ:ÌýMany mature students enter the course with non-standard qualifications, including previous degrees and fromÌýAccess Courses (Access to Health Care).ÌýApplicants with Access qualifications must demonstrate a strong academic profile.Ìý

We welcome applications from mature students with other relevant qualifications and/or experience. All mature students are asked to show evidence of recent study. SeeÌýRelated Access Course.

Direct Entry:ÌýNot available. Relevant HN qualifications may be considered for entry to Year One.

Other requirements

• Applicants are encouraged to acquire a good understanding of the nature of speech and language therapy practice, and, if possible, should gain some experience of interacting or working with people with communication difficulties. It should be noted that in most parts of the UK it is not possible to arrange direct observation or work-shadowing within Speech and Language Therapy clinics; however, many areas arrange introductory sessions for potential students. In addition, many charities working with and for people with communication needs welcome volunteers who are willing to support people with communication difficulties.
• A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme, an occupational health check and personal indemnity insurance (normally through membership of the professional body) are required.
• All applicants are expected to be free of any health problems which could affect their ability to practice safely and effectively. All first-year students are required to undergo health clearance checks and up-to-date information will be provided as part of the entry/induction process.
• If you are offered a place, you should be aware that acceptance onto the course cannot be taken as a guarantee that you satisfy the requirements for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Speech and Language Therapist.

Disability/health conditionsÌý

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at Â鶹ӰԺ. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the Disability Service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.Ìý

Fee information

Fees: Please follow the link in the 'Course Overview' box for information on fees for 2026 entry.

Special note on RUK and ROI fees: Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, who are subject to Rest of UK fees will be charged for the first three years of study only. The fourth year is free.Ìý

Other costs:Ìý

• The cost of professional indemnity insurance is the responsibility of the student.Ìý
• The additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the student. Students who receive SAAS funding may be able to claim for some of these expenses to be reimbursed.
• Uniform, PVG and badge costs
• For more information on this, visit theÌýUG 2026 fees page on our website.

Application information

How to apply: Application for this course should be made through . More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

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Email Admissions. You can also email the Speech and Language Therapy Team.

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2026/27 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
• The course information on this page is correct at the time of posting (Dec 2025) but may differ slightly for 2026 entry. Please check back here for updates.