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At a glance
Is there a Speech and Language Therapy degree course in Singapore?
The National University of Singapore has just launched a 2-year Masters course to meet the growing
demand for SLTs in Singapore. The first intake was in
January 2007. For more information on the course please go to the Division of Graduate
Medical Sciences (http://www.med.nus.edu.sg/dgms).
Alternatively, you can read more about it on this page.
Are there any scholarships available to Singaporean students?
There are several bonded scholarships available.For more information, please click
here.
Are there any preferred universities?
Most of the universities in Australia, UK, USA and Canada are well regarded. There
is no list of approved or recognised universities in Singapore at present. A list
of universities offering courses in Speech and Language Therapy (also called 'speech
pathology') can be found here.
Courses are typically either a four-year undergraduate degree, or a two-year Masters
program after an approved undergraduate degree. This will vary among the different
universities - see their websites for details.
What are the academic requirements to get into speech
therapy courses?
This will vary according to each university's requirements. In general, it is preferred
that applicants have either a science or language background.
Can I study this course via long-distance correspondence?
No, speech therapy courses cannot be carried out via correspondence because of the
clinical components which are an essential part of the course.
Is there a demand for SLTs
in Singapore?
Currently there approximately one hundred and fifty SLTs in Singapore serving a population of around four million people. Therefore
there is a large demand at present and for the foreseeable future.
What kind of career path can an SLT
follow?
Some SLTs specialise in a particular field that interests
them - examples include swallowing disorders, voice disorders, child language, research
and management skills such as setting up services, running services etc. Most SLTs will continue to retain a caseload of patients regardless
of their specialisation.
Chances for promotion from entry level therapist to senior therapist and beyond
is dependent on each organisation's career path, each individual's performance etc.
Pay-wise, entry level in most government hospitals is currently $2200-$2500. After
that it is dependent on performance. Pay may also vary depending on your level of
qualification, type of experience and any area of specialisation.
What challenges does an SLT
typically face?
This depends on each person! Some of the difficulties would be that there will always
be a huge number of patients to see because there are so few of us. If you speak
some local dialects, that will help with working with older adults. The need to educate
the doctors, teachers and the public about what we can provide, and how we can help,
will always be there. The limitations of our job are also challenging, eg. There
is no pill to take to improve one's swallowing; it takes time and effort from the
client, caregivers and therapists. See the general Student FAQ at Caroline Bowen's
site for
more information on SLTs' work.
How can I get an idea of what SLTs
do?
Observing some SLTs at work is very helpful.We recommend
calling up existing service providers to ask for an observation opportunity. That
way, you will get to see what some of the challenges and rewards are.
We also encourage you to take up Student Membership of SHAS to keep abreast of news
in the field and take advantage of lower fees for professional development events.
Can mature age students succeed in the Speech and Language
Therapy course?
A large number of students come into this field as mature students with work experience
from different industries. The added experience will stand you in good stead for
providing a different perspective when it comes to discussions in class. Age is
never a factor, passion for the work will get you everywhere!
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