Language Pathology MSc
Our Language Pathology MSc is designed for those wanting to develop a career as a Speech and Language Therapist in the National Health Service or other settings.
You are currently viewing course information for entry year:
Start date(s):
- September 2025
Overview
Our Language Pathology MSc is a practical speech and language therapy course. This Master's programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council. It is accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
On completion, you'll have an in-depth understanding of the causes, symptomatology and consequences of the range of human communication disorders.
You'll develop the clinical skills necessary for effective intervention practice. You'll also learn about relevant legislation, statutory codes and policy affecting speech and language therapy practice.
To be admitted to the course, you need to be able to identify with NHS values as stated in the NHS constitution.
Download additional health information for prospective Language Pathology applicants.
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Important information
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Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
What you'll learn
As part of this Language Pathology MSc course, you'll complete a number of compulsory modules. These will be supported by clinical placements from early on in both years.
Year one
In year one, you'll cover the following modules that underpin the discipline:
- psychology
- linguistics
- practical anatomy
- physiology
You'll also begin to work on speech and language therapy (SLT) cases. These will give you your first experiences of working clinically under guided supervision.
Year two
In year two, more complex problems are set in speech and language pathology. This year is more specialised. You'll study topics including:
- eating, drinking and swallowing (fulfilling the pre-registration EDS competencies set out by RCSLT)
- ageing
- dementia
- mental health
- psychiatry
- research methods and statistics
There will be a focus on:
- motor speech
- fluency
- voice
- head and neck cancer
- cognitive impairment
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
How you'll learn
The Language Pathology programme is taught at our Newcastle city campus. You'll also attend a variety of internal and external clinical placements. The course runs from 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays from September to July/August in both years.
This is an intense programme with approximately 25-30 academic contact hours per week. When on external placements, you will be doing full working days, with additional travel time. You will undertake clinical placements in the summer months in both years.
Teaching is delivered through case-based problem solving. This means you'll participate in guided self-directed learning and collaborate with your peers in group work.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Aural examination
- Case study
- Design or creative project
- Dissertation
- Essay
- Lab exercise
- Professional skills assessments
- Oral examination
- Practical lab report
- Problem-solving exercises
- Report
- Written examination
- Written exercise
Clinically-based research project
An important element of year two of the Language Pathology MSc is the extended case report. You'll:
- manage a clinical case
- provide intensive treatment
- evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment
- write up your findings in dissertation format
You'll be supported by a practice educator (clinical supervisor) and academic supervisor.
Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:
- module handbooks
- course materials
- groups
- course announcements and notifications
- written feedback
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:
- peers
- academics
- personal tutors
- our University Student Services Team
- student representatives
You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.
Our School staff have an immense amount of experience in delivering SLT programmes. Many are qualified and experienced speech and language therapists and undertake research in this area. Much of our teaching is informed by our own research.
Your development
We take a student-centred approach to your development of:
- knowledge
- thinking and critical ability
- professional identity
Clinical practice
You'll receive tailored supervision, with a focus on reflective practice. We also provide transparent and fair assessment procedures with clear and specific marking criteria for coursework. This will help you to achieve your potential.
You'll have the opportunity to complete clinical placements in our campus-based clinics and in a range of external settings where speech and language therapists work. These could include schools and NHS settings, eg community clinics and hospitals.
In year one, you'll complete:
- one placement in the Tavistock Aphasia Centre
- one placement in the Children’s Speech and Language Clinic
- an external six-week block placement (during the summer)
In year two, you'll complete a placement where you work with an individual client for the extended case report (in semester 1) and a final block placement (during the summer). You'll also complete a practical dysphagia module, with video simulation that enables demonstration of RCSLT pre-registration eating, drinking and swallowing competencies.
Your future
What can you do with a Language Pathology MSc degree?
This Master’s course is a pre-registration speech and language therapy degree. Graduates can apply to the Health and Care Professionals Council to register to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist.
Graduates of this programme become practicing speech and language therapists across a range of settings, such as:
- hospitals
- schools
- children’s services
- justice
- mental health
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
We have two clinics on campus:
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)
English-domiciled students have access to undergraduate tuition fee loans and living cost loans for this course. Students from non-EU UK countries can apply for a tuition fee loan (but not a maintenance loan).
Students domiciled in Wales and Northern Ireland should apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan.
Scottish-domiciled students are eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan only if no equivalent course is offered in Scotland.
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You will be eligible for a scholarship worth 15% off the international fee.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
Search for funding
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Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
How to apply
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Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Programme Secretary
School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7385
Email: speech@ncl.ac.uk
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