The Master of Speech Pathology is ideal for students who have little to no prior experience in the field. Courses like those offered by the University of Melbourne provide the opportunity to learn about anatomy, physiology and other fundamentals before going deeper into specific methodology and practice. These courses are normally two years in duration if taken full time, or up to four years if part time.
Graduates from a Master of Speech Pathology have access to the employment options listed here. Those interested in caring for the elderly can join companies like Vivir Healthcare, applying specialist knowledge and technique to health concerns unique to them. Graduates wishing to work with children, or even within a more specialised field like aural rehabilitation in children, can find employment with Speech Pathology Australia and similar institutions both public and private.
Master level speech pathology can be funded via general scholarship opportunities like the Endeavour Scholarships and Fellows or the ECIG Scholarship Program, provided their requirements are met. These are very competitive however, requiring a high record of academic performance.
Applicants need to have completed a prior bachelor level degree in any field to enter. The University of Melbourne and similar institutions offer these courses to students who have achieved a credit level GPA in prior study (65%). In many cases, like the courses offered by Curtin University, students will need to have demonstrated the completion of biology courses at some point throughout their undergraduate study. Students who have not done this can still enroll; they’ll just have to take some extra courses to catch up.
These courses also tend to require students obtain first aid certification, in addition to undergoing police clearances and immunisations combined with supplementary materials to be defined by course coordinators.