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Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology

Course code/s: Albury-Wodonga (HZHSSW), Bendigo (HZHSSB), Melbourne (HZHSSP), Mildura (HZHSSM), Shepparton (HZHSSS)

Note for students enrolled at the Albury-Wodonga, Mildura and Shepparton campuses: the first year of this course is taught at your respective campus and the second, third and fourth years are taught at the Bendigo campus.

This program provides prospective speech pathologists with a broad-based knowledge of normal development, the anatomy and function of the human body, causes and types of communication and swallowing disorders, and prevention and treatment strategies for communication and swallowing problems. The growth of the profession calls for speech pathologists with alert, critical minds and the ability to conduct systematic investigations into human communication problems.

The Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology is a four-year, full-time degree program. In first year, students will undertake an interdisciplinary common year in which students enrol in subjects with peers across the Faculty of Health Sciences. The focus of this year is on basic human biosciences and factors influencing health and on developing an understanding of the roles of health professionals in the health and welfare sectors.

The second year of study will see students begin to develop skills specific to the discipline of speech pathology and further explore the underpinning human biosciences and public health aspects. This provides a broad-based knowledge of normal development, the anatomy and function of the human body, and an introduction to causes and types of communication and swallowing disorders.

In third and fourth years, this program utilises both innovative Problem Based Learning (PBL) methods of teaching and learning as well as more traditional formats, and rich clinical learning experiences. PBL results from understanding and working towards the resolution of a problem. In this curriculum, PBL relies on the use of actual speech pathology cases, presented in a variety of formats e.g. printed case notes, computer-based examples, video or audio samples and simulated patients.

An honours program will be offered from 2013 and will be by invitation. Following completion of honours, opportunities for postgraduate research studies may then be offered to eligible candidates.

Clinical education

Clinical experience is a major component of the program and is gained at the La Trobe Communication Clinic and through external clinical placements in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, community health centres, early childhood centres, private practice, in metropolitan, rural and interstate settings. Clinical placements begin in the first year of the course with observational experiences and progress through each year of the course. The majority of clinical placements are undertaken in years three and four of the course.

Degree requirements

This is a four-year, full-time course. Students who meet the appropriate requirements will be invited to participate in an honours program.

Course structure

First year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	HBS1HBA	Human Biosciences A	15
TE-SEM-1	HLT1IPA	Interprofessional Practice A	15
TE-SEM-1	HLT1PHW	Perspectives of Health and Wellbeing	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE1IDH	Individual Determinants of Health	15
TE-SEM-2	HBS1HBB	Human Biosciences B	15
TE-SEM-2	HLT1IPB	Interprofessional Practice B	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE1SDH	Social Determinants of Health	15
TE-SEM-2	elective		15

Second year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	HCS2ACW	Analysing and Combining Words	15
TE-SEM-1	HCS2NCP	Normal Communication and Swallowing Processes	15
TE-SEM-1	HLT2IEP	Integrating Evidence into Practice	15
TE-SEM-1	HBS2ANS	Anatomy & Neurophysiology for Speech and Swallowing	15
TE-SEM-2	HCS3AOC	Analysis of Communication	15
TE-SEM-2	HCS3SHS	Speech and Hearing Sciences	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE3MHP	Mental Health and Pharmacology	15
TE-SEM-2	elective		15

Third year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-W10-24	HCS4ACS	Assessment of Communication and Swallowing Disorders	30
TE-W10-24	HCS4ISP	Introduction to Speech Pathology Practice Clinic	15
TE-W10-24	HCS4RSP	Research Methods and Statistics in Speech Pathology	15
TE-W29-46	HCS5AIA	Assessment and Intervention in Speech Pathology A	30
TE-W29-47	HCS5AIB	Assessment and Intervention in Speech Pathology Clinic	15
TE-W29-46	HCS5EPS	Evidence-Based Practice in Speech Pathology	15

Fourth year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit points
TE-W06-13	HCS5TIM	Therapeutic Intervention and Management	15
TE-W19-28	HCS5ASP	Advanced Seminars in Speech Pathology	15
TE-W07-18	HCS5SPA	Speech Pathology Practice A	15
TE-W20-26	HCS5SPB	Speech Pathology Practice B	15
TE-W29-49	HCS5SPC	Speech Pathology Practice C	15
TE-W29-49	HCS5SPD	Speech Pathology Practice D	30
TE-W29-47	HCS5CEL	Critical Evaluation of the Literature	15
OR (Intending honours students only)
TE-W29-47	HCS5RDC1	Research Design in Communication Disorders and Swallowing	15

Key: ¹ intending honours students only, to be taken in lieu of HCS5CEL

Professional recognition

Graduates of the Bachelor of Health Sciences/ Master of Speech Pathology are eligible for membership of the Speech Pathology Association of Australia and are able to work in several overseas countries after completing certain requirements.

Honours program

Students wishing to undertake the Honours program in the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology must have attained at least a B grade average across HCS5TIM, HCS5ASP and HCS5RDC. In addition, students must attain a B grade or higher for HCS5RDC.

Please see the Handbook entry for the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology (Honours) for details and course structure.