Department of Language and Communication Science

The Department of Language and Communication Science at City, University of London, is the largest provider of speech and language therapy education in the UK.

The department offers courses for students wishing to enter the profession and for qualified practitioners.

The department carries out cutting-edge research into all aspects of speech and language disorder, including identification, therapy interventions and the impacts on quality of life.

Research into deafness and sign language is a further theme, with investigations of atypical signers, and signers with acquired language impairment.

Funding update: Non-repayable grants of at least £5,000

The Government has announced that from September 2020 students studying undergraduate and postgraduate pre-registration nursing, midwifery and many allied health courses, including radiography and speech and language therapy, will receive a non-repayable and non-means tested (universal) grant of £5,000 a year. This is in addition to existing mainstream student support accessed through the Student Loans Company.

The Government has also announced additional funding for specific courses or to help students with childcare costs.

We will update our website once more details have been announced by the Government.

Applications for this new funding can be made from Wednesday 1st July 2020, please visit the NHS Learning Support Fund website for more information.

You can also read their frequently asked questions for more information about the funding available, how to apply and eligibility.

Our courses

The department offers a range of courses at undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research degree level, as well as a range of Continuing Personal and Professional Development courses.

See which course is right for you:

Undergraduate

• BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy

Foundation Degrees

• Introduction to Health Sciences

Postgraduate

• MSc / Postgrad Diploma / Postgrad Certificate Speech, Language and Communication (Advanced Studies)
• MSc / Postgrad Diploma Speech and Language Therapy

The School of Health & Psychological Sciences believes that exceptional academic and clinical performance should be recognised and rewarded, we therefore have several scholarships available for students.

Visit the School of Health & Psychological Sciences Postgraduate funding page for more information.

MSc Conversion - Research Methods module

All students at City, University of London, who are studying on Postgraduate Diploma courses in Speech and Language Therapy and who would like to continue their study with one of the MSc research modules offered by the School of Health & Psychological Sciences are eligible for 50% off the module fee. This applies to both online and classroom-based modules. For more information, please contact the Postgraduate Administration team at pghealth@city.ac.uk.

Research degrees

• Clinical Research MRes

CPPD and short courses

See our full list of Language and Communication Science CPPD and short courses

There are four departmental themes within the Centre for Language Communication Sciences Research:

1. Adult Assessment and Intervention of Language and Speech Disorders
2. Development Assessment and Intervention Research in Speech and Language
3. Speech, Phonology and Linguistics
4. Gesture, Deafness and Sign Language

The department carries out cutting edge research into all aspects of speech and language disorder, including identification, therapy interventions and the impacts on quality of life. Research into deafness and sign language is a further theme, with investigations of atypical signers, and signers with acquired language impairment. Current projects are funded by:

• Bupa Foundation
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Stroke Association
• Dunhill Medical Trust
• Nuffield Foundation.

The department has strong links with the speech and language therapy profession and other practitioner groups. It regularly hosts seminars, conferences and other events that are open to the clinical community.

The interdisciplinary departmental staff team includes speech and language therapists, psychologists, phoneticians, linguists and audiologists.

What we do

We provide future healthcare professionals with the education, training and skills they need in order to be employable and culturally-agile in an interconnected world.

We produce world-leading research that addresses issues of global concern and shapes policy and practice in the wider world.

We draw on our long-standing and new partnerships with world-leading universities, in order to provide global opportunities for staff, students and those who visit us.

Staff activities

The Department of Language and Communication Science has been involved in an Erasmus-funded staff exchange which has seen staff from LCS visit Hadassa Academic College in Jerusalem and staff from Jerusalem visit LCS.

The collaboration between these two institutions may continue in the coming years, with opportunities to share expertise across areas of common interest.

Student-related Activities

Speech and Language Therapy students have the opportunity to take part in student exchanges in different parts of the world.

One long standing scheme involves the University of Perth in partnership with City. Students studying Speech and Language therapy visit clinics in London and our students undertake a clinical experience in Australia.

These are additional clinical experiences which take place in the summer of the third year for City students.

Another partnership, which is an Erasmus-funded one, involves the ‘Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona’ – with undergraduate students able to spend a term in each other’s institution.

Other possibilities for Erasmus-funded opportunities are being considered.

Speech and Language Therapy students at City can also apply to volunteer abroad at the end of their course.

Previous schemes have included the City-Cambodia project, the Kyaninga Child Development Centre in Uganda, or Lockerbie College in Barbados.

Students apply for such opportunities directly through the Department of Language and Communication Science or through City, University of London’s volunteering team.

These opportunities offer a great experience to practise what has been learnt on the course and further develop skills in an international setting.

Postgraduate courses for International students

Many international students choose to study with us. Some students come from overseas, both from within and outside the EU to study speech and language therapy, either to practice in the UK, or to use the qualification in another country.

Other international students are drawn to the postgraduate course in Speech, Language and Communication (Advanced Studies).

This course is designed for qualified speech and language therapists. It will help you extend your clinical knowledge and expertise, and develop new research skills in preparation for specialist clinical positions or further research.

This MSc is also suitable for graduates from related disciplines, such as psychology or linguistics, who are aiming to pursue research careers in the field of communication disorders.

For more information

For more information on the School’s international activities, please see details on each of the School's departmental pages.

To discuss opportunities for a partnership with the School of Health & Psychological Sciences, please contact: Dr Raheelah Ahmad, Director for Global Engagement for the School of Health & Psychological Sciences.