Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy is a clinical profession concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders and difficulties with eating and swallowing across the lifespan. Communication is fundamental to human experience, and when people have difficulties with speaking, understanding language, reading, writing, or fluency, the impact on their quality of life, relationships, and opportunities can be profound. Speech and language therapists work with children who are late to develop language, with adults who have acquired communication difficulties through stroke or brain injury, with people who have developmental conditions such as autism or Down syndrome, and with individuals experiencing voice disorders or dysphagia.
At Chichester, this three-year degree prepares you to register with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council as a qualified speech and language therapist. You will study linguistics, phonetics, psychology, anatomy and physiology of speech and swallowing, and the clinical sciences underpinning the full range of communication and swallowing disorders. Clinical placements in a variety of settings, including NHS speech and language therapy services, schools, and community provision, develop your practical assessment and intervention skills under the supervision of qualified therapists.
Students on this course are eligible for NHS funding of at least five thousand pounds per year, with further support available for eligible students, making the financial pathway into the profession more accessible.
Speech and language therapy graduates register with the professional bodies and practise in a wide range of settings, including NHS community and hospital services, schools, specialist educational provision, care homes, and independent practice. The profession offers specialisation in areas such as paediatric language, acquired neurological communication disorders, autism, voice, fluency, and dysphagia. Many therapists develop expertise in a particular client group or condition and contribute to the evidence base through research and practice development.
Career progression is available into advanced clinical practice, management, education, and research roles within the profession.