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- If helping others is your calling,
then we're here to help you reach your goal.
Speech pathology is a career
that empowers others to communicate,
and our degree will give you the knowledge and skills
to support people to participate fully in their daily lives.
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- So, why should you study speech pathology at ACU?
One excellent reason is because ACU graduates get jobs.
In Australia, we're first for graduate employment,
and second for graduate employer satisfaction.
We also rank in the top 2% of universities worldwide.
Our speech pathology program
would prepare you to assess and diagnose
difficulties with communication and swallowing
and enable you to provide support that is person centered,
culturally sensitive, and evidence-based.
You'll recognize the dignity of the human person
and your responsibility towards the common good
and have opportunities to put your values,
knowledge, and skills into action.
Ultimately, we'll support you
to improve individual and community wellbeing.
Our graduates have pursued careers in hospitals,
private practice, universities, schools,
mental health services, aged care facilities, and more.
It's up to you which path you take
but we're here to support you every step of the way
to help you reach your goals.
When you study speech pathology with us,
you'll pursue excellence in the theoretical, practical,
and evidence-based management
of speech, swallowing, and communication
with the aim of helping people
live their lives to the fullest.
You'll also get a work ready degree
as we ensure our degrees are industry relevant.
For example, the bachelor of speech pathology
is accredited with Speech Pathology Australia.
We have a friendly and close-knit staff.
We work in groups of specialization
so your learning experiences are created
by knowledgeable teams,
never just one person or from one point of view.
One of the things I'm probably most proud of
is the caring culture among our staff and students.
The speech pathologists
supervising our students on placement often comment
on the compassion and care our students show.
And as a result,
our students successfully gained speech pathology positions
many even before they graduate.
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- The speech pathology courses we offer nationally include
the bachelor of speech pathology
and the bachelor of speech pathology with honors.
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- We believe a hands-on degree
is one of the best ways for you to learn.
So you will combine community engagement opportunities
with theoretical units and professional practice placements
at partner institutions,
such as hospitals, community health centers,
aged care facilities,
early intervention services, or schools.
Here's a bit more about some of the experiences
you may get involved with.
All our students undertake
a one day observation placement in first year.
In second year, you're placed at a school one morning a week
where you'll assess and provide intervention
to school children
under the supervision of a speech pathology educator.
In third year, your placements consists of
simulated experiences in semester one
and 15 days of placement in semester two.
And in fourth year, you'll attend two placements
each of about 30 days,
one with children and another with adults
so you get experience across different ages.
We also have our own ACU health clinics on campus,
which offer more placement opportunities.
For example, this year we've been offering
tele-practice speech pathology services
to clients up and down the East Coast.
Most students will have have
at least one placement on campus during their studies.
Another great thing about studying with us
is that we organize all your placements for you,
so you don't have to worry.
And in your final year,
we're usually able to offer rural placements
which have provided really amazing experiences for students.
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- We have a range of study abroad opportunities
you can take advantage of in the future.
When you study with us,
you can choose to complete a unit at our Rome Campus
or head off to the UK, USA, Asia, or Europe
for a new perspective by studying for a few weeks,
a semester or longer.
And don't forget,
we offer many scholarships to help you along the way.
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- If you're worried
you won't get into your preferred course, don't panic.
That's why we offer a range of entry and pathway programs.
Pathway programs can act as a stepping stone
into your chosen degree.
At ACU, we offer foundation, certificate,
and diploma programs which once completed can be used
to gain entry into a range of bachelor's degrees.
We also have articulation agreements
with TAFEs and colleges.
So you might be able to use credit from those courses
to get into ACU.
It's important to note
that not all ACU degrees have pathway programs.
So make sure you check out what's relevant
for your desired course.
You may also wish to explore our entry programs
and adjustment factors.
These are a way of boosting your chance of success
with your first application
and are often based on your personal background,
such as if you went to school in a regional area,
experienced financial hardship,
or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
We also offer programs for veterans
and elite athletes and performers.
And if you're in year 12,
you should check out ACU guarantee,
our early offer program that assesses you for entry to ACU
based on your year 11 results.
You can head to our website for more information
about these programs.
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- As a university,
we've grown rapidly over the past few years,
but our classes are the perfect size.
You won't get lost in the crowd.
Your lecturers will know your name
and they're here to support and mentor you
and you'll make great friends and strong networks.
Now let's talk about your schedule.
The number of days you spend on campus each week
will depend on how your units are timetabled.
As a full-time student,
you might be able to fit it all into three days
or you might have classes across more days.
In the final years of the degree,
there are usually two days a week
set aside for placement activities.
Remember, as a student
dedicating 40 hours each week to study,
this is your full-time job.
If you're a part-time student,
you'll spend more like one to two days each week on campus.
This might suit if you have children
or if you need to juggle study with a full-time job.
We know timetables are important to you
which is why ACU has just introduced
a new timetabling system
to help you secure the classes that suit you best.
- Now, here's what you need to know about assessments.
There are a range of quizzes, written responses,
and live simulations,
where you take on the role of a speech pathologist
in case-based learning exercises.
Some units also hold end of semester exams.
As you progress through the course,
we try to make the assessments
as real and authentic as possible.
So for example,
you might have to analyze assessment results,
write clinical reports, and demonstrate therapy.
In professional practice units,
assessment occurs over the duration of your experience.
We use an assessment tool
that's used by all universities in Australia
and allows us to evaluate your competency
in performing clinical activities.
In the early years,
you're expected to demonstrate beginner little skills,
but by your final year,
we want to see you demonstrating work ready competencies.
A sign that you're ready to graduate
and start making it a difference.
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- In your third year and fourth year
of the bachelor of speech pathology,
you can apply to do honors.
Which involves you working with one or two staff
on a small research project.
Many of our past honors students
have published their projects in national journals
or presented at national conferences,
which are excellent achievements and a fantastic experience.
Also, if you have your eyes set on academia or research,
doing well in honors enables you to do a PhD in the future.
If later on you want to further your career,
change jobs, or up-skill,
we have a selection of post-graduate courses.
For example,
we offer the graduate certificate in rehabilitation,
graduate diploma in rehabilitation,
master of rehabilitation,
master of philosophy, and doctor of philosophy or PhD.
Thank you for joining us today.
Don't forget, you can always find more information online
at our events, in our course guides, or by contacting AskACU
Good luck with your journey to university.
We hope to welcome you to ACU soon.
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