Speech and Language Therapy - MSc

This is one of the two inter-professional modules in the programme, delivered by registered healthcare professional tutors and other specialists from Birmingham City University. This module will emphasise the underpinning philosophies of inter professional collaboration and communication within health and social care, enabling shared learning across professional boundaries and facilitating the contextualisation of the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to deliver optimal care within a dynamic healthcare environment.

Speech and language therapists need a sound knowledge of the physiology and anatomy underlying communication and swallowing. They use this knowledge in appraising their clients' communication and swallowing needs, in managing their clients' needs, and in their evaluation and development of the evidence base. In addition, SLTs need a detailed understanding of the production, acoustics, perception, and development of speech, both in relation to people with typical speech abilities and those with developmental or acquired speech disorders.

SLTs draw on linguistics and the social sciences (psychology and sociology) in appraising their clients' communication needs, and in evaluating the impact of communication and swallowing needs on clients' lives. Speech and language therapy management draws on theories from psychology and linguistics. A good understanding of the social sciences and linguistics is also essential to clinicians in the appraisal of the evidence base for the services they offer, and in their ability to develop this evidence base in the future.

Appraisal is a core element of speech and language therapy practice and broadly encompasses the range of activities that a speech and language therapist might undertake when profiling a service user’s communication and swallowing skills and needs. Data gathered during the appraisal phase is used to inform decisions about intervention and management, and so it is essential that assessment processes are transparent, accurate, effective and efficient. Partnership working is key and speech and language therapists therefore need to be able to build and sustain collaborative therapeutic relationships with service users, families and carers and work with others in order to achieve meaningful outcomes for all.

This module will explore the theory and practice pertaining to the appraisal of individuals presenting with developmental communication and swallowing difficulties, as required for clinical practice. You will be introduced to the concept of clinical reasoning and provided with opportunity to practise this in relation to a range of clinical scenarios. Building on theory and models introduced in UHCD and SHSS, you will critically evaluate clinical data and learn to interpret and integrate assessment findings in order to inform future actions. As with all speech and language therapy management, the importance of working in partnership with others during the appraisal process will be emphasised throughout.

This module will explore the theory and practice pertaining to management planning with and for clients throughout the lifespan, as required for clinical practice. You will explore the value of speech and language therapy practice, critically considering the benefits of intervention at universal, targeted and specialist levels. Building on your study of psychology, sociology and health promotion in year 1, you will learn how speech and language therapists can best support service users and others to access and engage with interventions in order to ensure positive outcomes for all. You will also consider how to effectively facilitate self-management and the development and practice of others.

This second inter professional module will consolidate the links between your personal and professional development, whilst encouraging and enhancing a lifelong commitment to the concept of continuous quality improvement in a dynamic and ever-changing health and social care environment.

Through a flexible provision, you are encouraged to reflect critically upon your personal experiences as well and health and social care practice, and to appraise and apply concepts from the literature on best practice to issues of relevance for your profession and the needs of the service user.

This module focuses on pursuing excellence in healthcare and encouraging the development of advancing practice-led applied knowledge and skills for students to be able to lead service development effectively and efficiently.

This double module forms the final component of your Healthcare Professional MSc. It provides you with the opportunity to complete a piece of work around a topic of interest in order to demonstrate competence in the planning, execution, analysis and evaluation of a Research Project, a Systematic Review, or an Audit or Service Evaluation linked to practice.

The focus of this module is on facilitating independent, critical study in your professional practice discipline. It will also serve those of you who wish to embark on Doctoral studies in the future. This module involves 400 hours of study.