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Mature Student Speech Therapy

Hi

I'm really after some advice and guidance.

I've decided that I want to pursue a career in SLT, but I don't know how to break into it.

I'm a 34-year-old married woman with no children. I left school with no A-C GCSEs, work as a medical secretary in maxillofacial and ENT and have been studying extremely hard these last few years at college and the OU to get my education. So far, I have 180 credits in English language and French modules and have sat my English language GCSE this year, for which I'm predicted 8-9.

Because I've had so much involvement with language, and I've dealt with patients who have speech pathology in my job (as well as served as an admin in an SLT dept about 10 years' ago), for quite a number of years now I've known it's a career I want to pursue. I love working with people, have basic knowledge of communication disorders and know the IPA inside out. I'm also quite prepared to get saliva on my clothes!

However, I'm acutely aware it's a profession that's very competitive to get into and I'm not sure of the best way for me. I've had offers from good unis for their linguistics BA programmes, but when it comes to SLT I've only informally asked Leeds Met about their BSc and I'm firmly locked out. Basically, they won't take my OU credits and they want me to sit an access course and do GCSE maths and double science, which I completely understand.

I've had a meeting with my local college about the access course and I will be able to do the Level 3 Health Sciences one, as long as I sit my maths alongside it, which is fine because that's the one I intend to do next year anyway.

So, my questions are:

How did you get into SLT as a mature student?

Any advice on where I could get work experience? You'd think with working in the NHS already I'd have easy pickings but after enquiring they only offer SLT experience to SLT students. I've also considered dropping a day at work and volunteering at a stroke clubs/becoming a befriender/working in portage, but I can quite depressingly say that there's nothing where I am!

I know it's going to be very hard work to break into, but it's the only career I can see myself enjoying out of everything available like translating, teaching and high end admin. Advice from fellow mature student SLT grads would be appreciated.

Thanks :smile:
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 1
Avatar for znh
znh
16
Original post by xsussax
Hi

I'm really after some advice and guidance.

I've decided that I want to pursue a career in SLT, but I don't know how to break into it.

I'm a 34-year-old married woman with no children. I left school with no A-C GCSEs, work as a medical secretary in maxillofacial and ENT and have been studying extremely hard these last few years at college and the OU to get my education. So far, I have 180 credits in English language and French modules and have sat my English language GCSE this year, for which I'm predicted 8-9.

Because I've had so much involvement with language, and I've dealt with patients who have speech pathology in my job (as well as served as an admin in an SLT dept about 10 years' ago), for quite a number of years now I've known it's a career I want to pursue. I love working with people, have basic knowledge of communication disorders and know the IPA inside out. I'm also quite prepared to get saliva on my clothes!

However, I'm acutely aware it's a profession that's very competitive to get into and I'm not sure of the best way for me. I've had offers from good unis for their linguistics BA programmes, but when it comes to SLT I've only informally asked Leeds Met about their BSc and I'm firmly locked out. Basically, they won't take my OU credits and they want me to sit an access course and do GCSE maths and double science, which I completely understand.

I've had a meeting with my local college about the access course and I will be able to do the Level 3 Health Sciences one, as long as I sit my maths alongside it, which is fine because that's the one I intend to do next year anyway.

So, my questions are:

How did you get into SLT as a mature student?

Any advice on where I could get work experience? You'd think with working in the NHS already I'd have easy pickings but after enquiring they only offer SLT experience to SLT students. I've also considered dropping a day at work and volunteering at a stroke clubs/becoming a befriender/working in portage, but I can quite depressingly say that there's nothing where I am!

I know it's going to be very hard work to break into, but it's the only career I can see myself enjoying out of everything available like translating, teaching and high end admin. Advice from fellow mature student SLT grads would be appreciated.

Thanks :smile:


Hi,

I am currently looking into Speech Therapy but I am a graduate.

From what I have researched, I think without relevant A-levels/ GCSEs, you have the following options:

- Continuing to study to reach the required A-levels (or equivalent) to enrol onto a 3 year BSc course
- Accept the BA linguistics offers and then complete a 2 year post-grad to become a speech and language therapist, e.g. MMedsci Speech and Language Therapy at Sheffield uni (entry requirements is 2:1 in any discipline and relevant experience but some universities require relevant degrees, such as sciences, languages/ linguistics).

Perhaps you could look into universities that offer Foundation Science courses, e,g, Foundation in Clinical Sciences/ Medicine at Bradford University, and check if this would be enough to transfer to a BSc Speech and Language Therapy degree.

My main advice on whatever route you decide to follow is check the universities you are hoping to apply to for SLT courses accept the qualifications you receive.

With volunteering, just keep contacting places. Looking at work experience in SEND schools might also be worthwhile.

Good luck!
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 2
Avatar for xsussax
xsussax
OP
6
Thank you for your response, it's very helpful.

Since my original post, my plan is to finish my OU degree in Language Studies as well as sit concurrent GCSE/A level courses in maths and science for my remaining 3 years then hopefully go in for an MA. I've also dropped a day at work so I can volunteer (no luck with comm disorders yet but I've been successful for a volunteer student support role so I'm going to do that for a year whilst researching what I can do to get 2 years S&L experience after that). When I sat my GNVQ H&S care I did a week's placement at an SEN school and loved it so you've given me the idea into looking into contacting them.

Sheffield's the uni I have my eye on as I live close and they're also one of the unis who offered me a transfer to their linguistics BA. They also seem like a very supportive and encouraging institution. I'm however yet to contact them to see if the above's suffice (I should step on it really as I will need to rethink if they won't consider!)

Good luck with your application.

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