The University of Sydney

Master of Speech Language Pathology

Graduate
Apply To This Program

Details

University Location Sydney, New South Wales
City Population 5 million
Student Population 65,000
Int'l Student Population 10,600
Main Campus Camperdown / Darlington
Program Campus Cumberland
Program Duration 2 years
Estimated Annual Tuition $59,000 AUD (2022 fees; subject to increase)
Semester Intake March
Next Available Intake March 2022
Application Deadline October 30 each year*
Apply To This Program

Overview

The University of Sydney Master of Speech Language Pathology (MSLP) program prepares you for professional practice as a speech pathologist, developing the skills needed to assess and treat people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures, and to change lives by making it easier for people to communicate.

Speech pathology at Sydney has a long and proud history of producing high-quality graduates who go on to be expert clinicians, leaders of the profession and international researchers in communication sciences and disorders. Sydney University’s speech path discipline is the largest speech pathology department in the Australian state of New South Wales and one of the largest in Australia.

Program

The Master of Speech Language Pathology at the University of Sydney aims to

  • enable you to learn in a way that resembles the clinical practice of speech pathology; and
  • help you acquire the skills necessary to qualify and practice as speech pathologists through case-based learning and clinical placements.

The curriculum is designed around the competency requirements for speech pathology professional practice. It is structured around four academic blocks and four clinical blocks. The clinical blocks may occur outside normal semester times.

Admission Requirements

Completed bachelor’s degree
You must have an undergraduate degree from a recognized university and achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5/7, which the University of Sydney states is approximately equivalent to a credit average or better (between 65% and 74%). Your grades assessed for admission are based on your highest-ranked university degree.

You must also provide evidence that you have the assumed knowledge requirements in anatomy, neurology, linguistics, and phonetics.

Knowledge Requirements for Sydney’s MSLP Program
When you commence your studies in the Master of Speech Language Pathology, it will be assumed that you have reached a certain level of knowledge or skills in four areas of assumed knowledge.

Linguistics
Phonology, morphology, semantics discourse, grammar/syntax, orthography, sociolinguistic, and psycholinguistic models of language.

Phonetics
Be able to correctly transcribe in real-time broad (phonemic) transcription of adult and child English using the International Phonetics Alphabet and appropriate diacritics for clinical evaluation. In addition, the theoretical concepts of allophones, distinctive feature analysis, diacritics, stress, accent, suprasegmental aspects of speech, and the acoustic features of vowels and consonants.

Functional Anatomy of the Speech System
Anatomy of the head and neck including those necessary for speech, swallowing, respiration and hearing. The following areas of the human body should be studied – bones of the head, auditory system, neck, and torso as well as the joints, muscles and nerves of the brain, head, face, larynx, pharynx, and respiratory systems.

Functional Neurology of the Speech System
Functional anatomy and physiology of neural structures as well as fundamental concepts of nervous system function necessary for speech, language, hearing, and swallowing.

All offer holders will be given access to online modules that cover the assumed knowledge requirements listed above. The modules are offered from November to February. Please contact OzTREKK for more information.

Admission Timeline

*While the application deadline is October 30 each year, offers are made throughout the year based on academic merit and subject to availability in the program. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible as this program can fill quickly.