Questions about MSCi Speech and Language

Hello, I am considering the 4-year Speech and Language MSci and had a few questions I was wondering if someone would be able to answer please.

- How large is the cohort?
- Do there tend to be mature students on the course too? I'm a mature student and worried I'll find it a bit isolating studying for 4-years with people a lot younger than me
- How far away do placements tend to be from Reading? Will you get reimbursed for any travel or accommodation expenses?
- Are placements typically 9-5 or could they end up being a 12 hour shift?
- What is a typical week's contact hours like? Is registration monitored at lectures, or can you watch lectures from home/online?


Thank you

Hey @Anonymous

Of course; I'm just about to go into my 4th year of SLT at Reading so I can certainly try and answer them for you - it always makes me excited when someone is considering SLT!
I'll just go in order of your questions to hopefully help structure the answer a bit easier for you!

-The cohort is usually up to 40 people I believe (at least that was the max in my cohort, but this may be different now. I think there may be less in other years, but 40 is the absolute max).

-Yep! There's a real range of ages on the course, which is something I love. There's a lovely group of mums in my cohort, along with other mature students that are slightly younger (between 21-25 years old maybe), and then another mix of people who came straight from school and those who took one or two gap years before starting. Honestly, everyone bonded really well though and, in my cohort anyway, age hasn't stopped anyone from getting along. As the cohort is so small, everyone knows everyone and it's a really lovely mixed group who are all eager to be nice to everyone. I am almost certain there would be other mature students in your cohort, should you choose to apply, as this is a course that is quite niche and often something people come back to do later on in life, especially as it's more of a 'developing' career than most - as in, more recently established!

-Placements can vary, but they can be up to 2 hours away I believe. The placement team work really hard to try and accommodate for your needs though, e.g. childcare, car driver/non car driver, disabilities, other needs, etc, and where possible, will try and place you near home if you live near enough by. Also, if you are on a placement that is further away one term, you will most likely be placed on one a lot closer for the next. They try to be as fair as possible, and are really helpful if you need anything changed - you just need to ask!

-Placements will always be 9-5 (or a variation, e.g. 8:30-4:30, depending on the placement provider), and always within a normal working day. Majority, if not all, SLT jobs are also 9-5 anyway!

-Contact hours vary from year to year, so it is hard to say, and I also started my degree during the pandemic so everything was very different then! However, I would estimate that you have around 16 contact hours a week - it is quite intense compared to other courses - and definitely be prepared to be on campus (or on placement) every day. You may get lucky and get a day off if timetabling works out that way, but better to be prepared to always be in, even if it's just one lecture on some days.
Yes, attendance is monitored in our lectures as this is needed to earn the qualification (and also as proof for funding, if you apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund bursary). Some lectures may be posted online though and your lecturer will inform you if this is the case. For example, most of my medicine lectures in Spring term were pre-recorded online, meaning I could watch them in my own time, as they were from external ENT surgeons, and this was most convenient for them. We knew this in advance, and were informed of the specific weeks that we would have any in-person teaching from them, if this was the case. Some lecturers will also record their live lectures for you to refer back to/for those who were off sick, etc, but this isn't always guaranteed. However, if you can't make a lecture for any reason, the tutors are super approachable and understanding, so just tell them and they will work something out with you, as they understand that life happens and sometimes things like childcare, or illness, etc, can't be helped.

Hope this is helpful. Please do let me know if you have any other questions, as I'm more than happy to try and help!

Skye
3rd Year Speech and Language Therapy Student

Hey @Anonymous

Of course; I'm just about to go into my 4th year of SLT at Reading so I can certainly try and answer them for you - it always makes me excited when someone is considering SLT!
I'll just go in order of your questions to hopefully help structure the answer a bit easier for you!

-The cohort is usually up to 40 people I believe (at least that was the max in my cohort, but this may be different now. I think there may be less in other years, but 40 is the absolute max).

-Yep! There's a real range of ages on the course, which is something I love. There's a lovely group of mums in my cohort, along with other mature students that are slightly younger (between 21-25 years old maybe), and then another mix of people who came straight from school and those who took one or two gap years before starting. Honestly, everyone bonded really well though and, in my cohort anyway, age hasn't stopped anyone from getting along. As the cohort is so small, everyone knows everyone and it's a really lovely mixed group who are all eager to be nice to everyone. I am almost certain there would be other mature students in your cohort, should you choose to apply, as this is a course that is quite niche and often something people come back to do later on in life, especially as it's more of a 'developing' career than most - as in, more recently established!

-Placements can vary, but they can be up to 2 hours away I believe. The placement team work really hard to try and accommodate for your needs though, e.g. childcare, car driver/non car driver, disabilities, other needs, etc, and where possible, will try and place you near home if you live near enough by. Also, if you are on a placement that is further away one term, you will most likely be placed on one a lot closer for the next. They try to be as fair as possible, and are really helpful if you need anything changed - you just need to ask!

-Placements will always be 9-5 (or a variation, e.g. 8:30-4:30, depending on the placement provider), and always within a normal working day. Majority, if not all, SLT jobs are also 9-5 anyway!

-Contact hours vary from year to year, so it is hard to say, and I also started my degree during the pandemic so everything was very different then! However, I would estimate that you have around 16 contact hours a week - it is quite intense compared to other courses - and definitely be prepared to be on campus (or on placement) every day. You may get lucky and get a day off if timetabling works out that way, but better to be prepared to always be in, even if it's just one lecture on some days.
Yes, attendance is monitored in our lectures as this is needed to earn the qualification (and also as proof for funding, if you apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund bursary). Some lectures may be posted online though and your lecturer will inform you if this is the case. For example, most of my medicine lectures in Spring term were pre-recorded online, meaning I could watch them in my own time, as they were from external ENT surgeons, and this was most convenient for them. We knew this in advance, and were informed of the specific weeks that we would have any in-person teaching from them, if this was the case. Some lecturers will also record their live lectures for you to refer back to/for those who were off sick, etc, but this isn't always guaranteed. However, if you can't make a lecture for any reason, the tutors are super approachable and understanding, so just tell them and they will work something out with you, as they understand that life happens and sometimes things like childcare, or illness, etc, can't be helped.

Hope this is helpful. Please do let me know if you have any other questions, as I'm more than happy to try and help!

Skye
3rd Year Speech and Language Therapy Student

Hi Skye, I had one more question I was wondering if you could help with. For the interview is it likely to be in person or over Teams/Zoom? Also do you have any advice on how best to prepare for it? Thank you

Hey @Anonymous

Of course; I'm just about to go into my 4th year of SLT at Reading so I can certainly try and answer them for you - it always makes me excited when someone is considering SLT!
I'll just go in order of your questions to hopefully help structure the answer a bit easier for you!

-The cohort is usually up to 40 people I believe (at least that was the max in my cohort, but this may be different now. I think there may be less in other years, but 40 is the absolute max).

-Yep! There's a real range of ages on the course, which is something I love. There's a lovely group of mums in my cohort, along with other mature students that are slightly younger (between 21-25 years old maybe), and then another mix of people who came straight from school and those who took one or two gap years before starting. Honestly, everyone bonded really well though and, in my cohort anyway, age hasn't stopped anyone from getting along. As the cohort is so small, everyone knows everyone and it's a really lovely mixed group who are all eager to be nice to everyone. I am almost certain there would be other mature students in your cohort, should you choose to apply, as this is a course that is quite niche and often something people come back to do later on in life, especially as it's more of a 'developing' career than most - as in, more recently established!

-Placements can vary, but they can be up to 2 hours away I believe. The placement team work really hard to try and accommodate for your needs though, e.g. childcare, car driver/non car driver, disabilities, other needs, etc, and where possible, will try and place you near home if you live near enough by. Also, if you are on a placement that is further away one term, you will most likely be placed on one a lot closer for the next. They try to be as fair as possible, and are really helpful if you need anything changed - you just need to ask!

-Placements will always be 9-5 (or a variation, e.g. 8:30-4:30, depending on the placement provider), and always within a normal working day. Majority, if not all, SLT jobs are also 9-5 anyway!

-Contact hours vary from year to year, so it is hard to say, and I also started my degree during the pandemic so everything was very different then! However, I would estimate that you have around 16 contact hours a week - it is quite intense compared to other courses - and definitely be prepared to be on campus (or on placement) every day. You may get lucky and get a day off if timetabling works out that way, but better to be prepared to always be in, even if it's just one lecture on some days.
Yes, attendance is monitored in our lectures as this is needed to earn the qualification (and also as proof for funding, if you apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund bursary). Some lectures may be posted online though and your lecturer will inform you if this is the case. For example, most of my medicine lectures in Spring term were pre-recorded online, meaning I could watch them in my own time, as they were from external ENT surgeons, and this was most convenient for them. We knew this in advance, and were informed of the specific weeks that we would have any in-person teaching from them, if this was the case. Some lecturers will also record their live lectures for you to refer back to/for those who were off sick, etc, but this isn't always guaranteed. However, if you can't make a lecture for any reason, the tutors are super approachable and understanding, so just tell them and they will work something out with you, as they understand that life happens and sometimes things like childcare, or illness, etc, can't be helped.

Hope this is helpful. Please do let me know if you have any other questions, as I'm more than happy to try and help!

Skye
3rd Year Speech and Language Therapy Student

Hi! I’m starting this course at reading in September, and this was really helpful! I just have one more question. I can’t figure out if the NHS LSF (the £5000 one) is for every year or just the first few. Have you got it for your fourth year?