Clinical Speech & Language Studies

Graduates will demonstrate excellence in clinical practice through extending and enhancing their existing theoretical knowledge base with a critical awareness of new insights and developments within their chosen clinical specialist area. Students will also be able to design and implement, with a degree of autonomy, and with due regard to ethical considerations, small-scale research studies in their chosen area.

Is This Course For Me?
The course provides additional specialist qualifications to already qualified Speech and Language Therapists and does not serve as initial qualification to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist. Those without an existing qualification in Speech and Language Therapy/Speech-Language Pathology should therefore not apply.

Course Structure
Applicants wishing to pursue Dysphagia or Voice may do so on a part-time or full-time basis. Applicants wishing to pursue AAC may only apply on a part-time basis. For the part-time M.Sc. course, core and specialist modules are taught during Year 1; research project and dissertation are the main focus in Year 2. For full-time students, core modules and a dissertation are completed in one year.

Full-time options take place over 12 weeks within the academic year. Part-time options take place over six weeks of teaching in the first year and six teaching weeks in the second year. Each week consists of five full days of teaching. Students must attend Trinity College Dublin for these teaching weeks. Additional assignment work, self-directed learning, and clinical work must be conducted outside of these weeks.

Students will take the following modules: Advanced Clinical Skills (AAC, Dysphagia or Voice); Dissertation; Evidence Based Practice; Research Methods 1 (quantitative focus); Research Methods 2 (qualitative focus); Research Methods 3 (research design and research ethics focus).

The Dissertation module is associated with the research project that must be completed by the student. This module is taken in first year by full-time students and second year by part-time students. All other modules are in first year.

During the programme, students must also complete a minimum of 80 hours clinical work in their chosen specialist area. Students who take the Dysphagia specialism and who have not completed a qualifying course in dysphagia will have to complete additional preparatory work. These students must have at least 40 of the required 80 clinical hours supervised by Speech and Language Therapists recognised by the Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies at Trinity.

Applicants should hold at least 2.1 Honours degree in Clinical Speech and Language Studies or an equivalent qualification in Speech and Language Therapy. Those without a qualification in Speech and Language Therapy/Speech-Language Pathology should not apply.

Candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the English language must provide an IELTS score of at least 6.5 in each category. Trinity prefers the IELTS qualification, but will accept alternative tests provided by global organisations.

Students will be required to undergo Garda Vetting, you can learn more at: www.tcd.ie/students/orientation/undergraduates/garda-vetting.php

1 Year Full Time/2 years Part Time

Next Intake September 2024

Closing Date 28th April 2024

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this course have gone on to become expert clinicians in their field and to administer clinical practices. Maybe continue to run research studies in their chosen clinical specialist area and pursue further education (e.g. PhD).