After enjoying studying her BSc Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading, Ellie stayed on to study an MSc Speech and Language Therapy
Why did you decide to pursue a Masters?
I did my second-year undergraduate placement in the on-campus Speech and Language Therapy clinic and really enjoyed it. I subsequently decided I wanted to become a speech and language therapist (SLT), which requires a Masters degree.
Why did you choose this course and institution?
I chose this course because aside from it being the gateway to a career as an SLT, the range of modules looked really interesting and sounded like content I would enjoy learning. The course also gave me the opportunity to develop my clinical and practical skills with multiple placements, where I could apply the theory I have learned in lectures to actual clients.
I chose to stay at the University of Reading because it feels like home to me, with friendly lecturers and a very welcoming atmosphere. They also have amazing facilities and placement opportunities, with the onsite SLT clinic and connections with other placement providers too.
What was the application process like?
It started with writing a statement of purpose, explaining why I wanted to become an SLT, and detailing any previous experience I had with various client groups and what I learned/gained from this experience.
I was then invited to an interview, starting with a group session and finishing with a one-to-one interview with a clinician who asked me in more detail about my experience and gave me a case study to comment on.
Tell us a little bit about your course.
The MSc Speech and Language Therapy course is a two-year course, with more foundational modules in first year to give a broad understanding of the underpinnings of all areas of SLT, and then more specific and client-relevant modules in second year. The first year modules cover content including:
anatomy of the head and neck
psychological theories and linguistics.
The second year modules cover the various speech, language and communication needs seen in both adult and paediatric clients. The course involves placement in both years:
First semester of first year - a 'prep' placement which takes place in the onsite clinic.
Second semester - a ten-day external placement with either an adult or paediatric client group.
The external placement over summer between first and second year is then with whichever client group we didn't work with in our ten-day placement. In second year there's also two external placements, one being 20 days and the other being ten days (one paediatric and one adult again). Lastly, we write our dissertations over the summer of second year, followed by a winter graduation.
What do you enjoy about your course?
I enjoy the broad range of content we get to cover, and learning about new theories and concepts which are relevant to our practice as SLTs. The modules are also well-thought out and all link together in some way, so it's nice when I get that lightbulb moment and realise how the content from one module connects to the content in another.
What are the challenges?
The main challenge is definitely the intensity of the course - it's essentially the four year integrated MSci course condensed into two years. However, this does help with learning the content, as we are learning most of it simultaneously and therefore it's easier to find that link between it all. The content being so interesting also definitely makes it feel more manageable as I'm enjoying going to the lectures and seminars, even though the timetable is quite busy.
How does postgraduate study differ from undergraduate?
Postgraduate study is even more independent than undergraduate, as we are completely responsible for our own learning, and are expected to initiate contact with lecturers if we are struggling, rather than having multiple check-ins throughout the year.
The timetable is definitely also a lot busier for an SLT Masters - in first semester I was in 9am-6pm Monday to Friday, which differed greatly from my five hours a week of contact time in my third year of my undergraduate degree.
What's one thing you wish you'd known before starting your Masters degree?
I wish I'd known that I didn’t need to worry about what the course would be like or how it would be structured, as our first week of lectures covered everything we needed to know in terms of module structure, content and assignment structure, as well as information about placements.
How are you funding your Masters?
I'm lucky to be funding my Masters primarily through parental support, however my course qualifies for the NHS bursary of £5,000 per year, which I use to pay for:
groceries
placement travel
rent.
I also work part time for the university, helping out with open days and school visits to earn some extra money.
What study/careers support have you received as a Masters student?
The placements team find our placements for us and provide us with personal profile templates for us to fill out and send to our placement providers. We also have a careers team that provides support with:
careers advice
CV writing
mock interviews.
What are your career plans after graduation?
After graduation I plan to find a job as a paediatric SLT, working in mainstream and SEN schools with children with speech, language and communication needs.
What advice would you give to others considering studying a Masters?
I would definitely say to go for it. While it is more intense than an undergraduate course, as long as you choose a course which covers content that you'll find interesting, it makes up for the busier schedule as you'll be looking forward to going to the lectures and doing the assignments.
