M.Sc. Clinical Speech and Language Studies

Course Description

The aims of the course are to provide qualified Speech and Language Therapists with opportunities to advance their academic knowledge and professional practice skills with specific clinical populations. These courses provide additional specialist qualifications to already qualified Speech and Language Therapists and do not serve as initial qualifications to practise as a Speech and Language Therapist.

The two-year part time M.Sc. course takes place during twelve 5-day weeks spread over a 2-year period. There is an opportunity for students taking specialist strands in Dysphagia and Voice to do a one-year full time course. The full time course takes place during twelve 5-day weeks spread over one year.

All students must attend Trinity College for these teaching weeks. Additional assignments and clinical work must be completed outside of these weeks. During the M.Sc. course, students must complete a minimum of 80 hours clinical work in their chosen specialist area. Students who take the dysphagia specialist strand and who have not completed a qualifying course in dysphagia will have to complete additional preparatory work. These students must have at least 40 of the required 80 clinical hours supervised by Speech and Language Therapists recognised by the Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies at Trinity College Dublin. Students should where possible organise their own clinical work prior to commencing the course but must ensure that, where supervision is required, proposed supervisors have been agreed with the Department. For the part time M.Sc. course, core and specialist modules are taught during Year 1; research project and dissertation are the main focus in Year 2. For full time students, core modules and a dissertation are completed in one year. Classes are timetabled to facilitate clinicians in employment and overseas students. Specialist Strands offered for 2020/2021: Acquired Communication Disorders; Dysphagia; Developmental Communication Disorders; Voice; Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Communication Disorders and Adult Mental Health. Each specialist strand will only run if a minimum of five students registers for that strand.