Master of Speech Language Pathology

Transform lives through high quality healthcare.

The Master of Speech Language Pathology (MSLP) prepares you for professional practice as a speech pathologist, developing the skills to assess and treat people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures, and change lives by making it easier for people to communicate.One in seven Australians have some form of communication disability, such as a problem with speech, using and/or understanding language, voice, fluency, hearing or reading and writing.

As a speech pathology student, you will learn to work with children and adults with such communication and speech difficulties, as well as those clients who have swallowing difficulties or need alternative ways to communicate.During this two-year degree, you will learn from leading experts in a curriculum that has been specifically designed to enable students to learn in a way that resembles the clinical practice of speech therapy.

Case-based learning underpins this program and is complemented by extensive clinical placements which provide hands-on experience with real clients in a supervised environment.The Master of Speech Language Pathology is a graduate entry program designed to accommodate all suitably qualified candidates regardless of their previous discipline.

Accredited by Speech Pathology Australia, graduates are eligible for practising membership of the association, which is a requirement to work as a speech pathologist in Australia.

A career in speech pathology gives you the rewarding opportunity to work across hospitals, private practice, schools and early childhood services.Learn more about studying health sciences at Sydney.

Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for this course for eligible domestic students.

This means that your course fees are subsidised by the Australian Government and you pay a student contribution amount (SCA).

CSP places are limited in number and are allocated based on academic merit.

Admission criteria

To be eligible to apply you will need to fulfil the following criteria:

1. An Australian bachelor's degree, master's or PhD from an Australian institution or equivalent.
2. A minimum GPA of 4.5 out of 7.0 which is an approximate Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60 percent. This does not guarantee an offer as the places are limited and offers are made based on academic merit.

This course has assumed knowledge requirements

All offer holders will be given access to online modules that cover the assumed knowledge requirements listed below. The modules are offered from mid October to March.

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. The four areas of assumed knowledge are:

1. Linguistics. Phonology, morphology, semantics discourse, grammar/syntax, orthography, sociolinguistic, and psycholinguistic models of language.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

If you do not have the assumed knowledge for the Master of Speech Language Pathology, the University strongly recommends that you do not commence the degree until you have undertaken studies in these areas.

Assumed knowledge requirements document: Please read this document carefully for a detailed outline of knowledge, practical skills required in each area and examples of units which meet the assumed knowledge requirements.

Admission process

Download the graduate entry masters admissions guide (pdf, 180KB) for more information on the admissions process for domestic and international applicants.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirements are the essential tasks and activities necessary to be able to achieve the core learning outcomes of a course. They are specific to a particular course or discipline. To assist students to make informed choices about their study, we have identified and set out the inherent requirements for this course.

The academic criteria are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice. The Handbooks Online is the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney.

What you'll study

Units of study