Being able to communicate with others is a fundamental human pursuit. Speech, hearing and language professionals have the privilege of bringing that gift to the community – whether that be through helping someone hear for the first time, assisting a stroke patient to speak again, or investigating how children acquire language.

 This degree will prepare you for further study towards a career in a number of professions, including clinical work or research in audiology and speech and language pathology, forensic speech science, the development of associated speech and hearing technologies, or teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

Key Features

• This course focuses on the many aspects of the production and perception of spoken language, such as the way we produce speech sounds using the vocal apparatus; the way the brain (via the ear) responds or fails to respond to different aspects of speech and language; how languages differ in the way they use speech; how language develops in children; the relationship between language and culture; and how computers can be used in speech, hearing and language analysis.
• In preparation for a career as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist, you can undertake this course as a pathway (subject to competitive entry) into our clinical masters courses.
• You can choose from a wide range of electives either as companion units to speech, hearing and language sciences, or as units of individual interest. In this way, you build a course that’s custom made to meet your individual needs.

If you wish to qualify for clinical practice in either audiology or speech-language pathology, you’ll need to do further (postgraduate) study to gain the appropriate professional accreditation. Macquarie offers masters degrees in audiology and speech language pathology. If you wish to become accredited as a TESOL practitioner, you’ll need to complete postgraduate study in this field.

• After further study: audiologist, speech pathologist, TESOL practitioner.
• Forensic speech scientist
• Speech, hearing or language researcher
• Professional roles in speech, hearing or health organisations (eg, marketing or health advocacy).