Master of Speech Pathology

What you will study

To earn the Master of Speech Pathology, you must successfully complete units totalling 425 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.

Core units Year 1

• Introduction to Speech Pathology
• Cognitive Neuroscience and Motor Speech Disorders
• Evidence Based Clinical Decision Making
• Feeding and Swallowing Across the Lifespan
• Language across the Lifespan: Assessment and Analysis
• Acquired Language and Cognitive Communication Disorders
• Fluency Disorders – 12.5 credit points
• Hearing and Speech Sound Disorders
• Management of Child Language Disorders
• Voice Disorders (12.5 credit points)

Core units Year 2

• Disability and Multimodal Communication
• Management and Coaching in Speech Pathology
• Allied Health Research Project
• Speech Pathology Fieldwork 1
• Speech Pathology Fieldwork 2
• Speech Pathology Fieldwork 3 (37.5 credit points)
• Speech Pathology Fieldwork 4 (37.5 credit points)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, you must meet the following:

• Hold a recognised honours degree or bachelor’s degree with a course-weighted average of at least 65%.
• Provide evidence of successful tertiary-level study in human biology.
• Submit all required supporting documents.

Applications with a course-weighted average below 65% may still be considered where the applicant demonstrates equivalent prior learning, including appropriate professional experience. This experience must be clearly documented in the application.

Entry is competitive and places are limited. Applicants are ranked using the published requirements and their complete academic record. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer.

Supporting documents

Applicants must provide:

• An academic transcript and award certificate.
• A current résumé.
• A completed prerequisite-unit template identifying the tertiary unit or units used to satisfy the human biology prerequisite.
• Unit outlines for prerequisite units completed outside Curtin, including the syllabus, learning outcomes and assessment information.
• A link to a personal video statement of no more than five minutes.

The video statement must:

• Introduce the applicant.
• Reflect on relevant personal and professional experience.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the speech pathology profession.
• Clearly show and audibly record the applicant.
• Be accessible through a link that does not expire and is not password-protected.

Mandatory fieldwork requirements

Students must satisfy and maintain requirements relating to:

• Student declaration.
• Criminal record screening and clearance.
• Immunisation and vaccine-preventable diseases.
• First aid certification.
• Manual handling certification.
• Working with Children Check.
• Communicable-disease requirements.

English-language requirements

Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to:

• IELTS Academic overall band score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 7.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• An alternative English-language test or eligible qualification accepted by Curtin, provided you meet the required equivalent scores and conditions.

Contact the university or visit its website for more information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Apply knowledge of human communication science to the delivery of speech pathology services and research in diverse and changing settings.
• Critically analyse information to plan, implement and evaluate speech pathology services and research.
• Locate, extract and critically appraise evidence and information from a range of resources to solve theoretical and applied problems in human communication science with a high level of independence.
• Demonstrate excellence in written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills appropriate to the discipline within a legal and ethical framework.
• Use technologies relevant to the human communication sciences to inform clinical practice and research.
• Understand and implement a wide variety of learning strategies, and take responsibility for ongoing professional and personal development.
• Incorporate and demonstrate awareness of global or international perspectives in health care to clinical practice and research in speech pathology.
• Demonstrate awareness of and respect for individual human rights and cultural diversity.
• Independently and collaboratively ethically apply professional skills across a range of professional settings.

Career outcomes

• Speech Pathologist

Possible employment across a range of public, not-for-profit and private services throughout Australia. 

Graduates are eligible for membership of Speech Pathology Australia.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $39,598 (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.