Clinical Speech & Language Studies
This course will appeal to you if you have an interest in how speech, language, communication and swallowing work and how these areas may be affected in either children or adults. You will enjoy this course if you like a variety of teaching, learning and assessment approaches, such as lectures, problem-based and case-based learning and clinical practice.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | University of Dublin |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | University of Dublin | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years full-time
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University you must:
Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
A pass in English.
A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English
OR
A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Specific Subjects Required
Leaving Certificate
O6/H6 Mathematics
In addition:
H4 In one of English, French, German, Irish, Italian, Russian or Spanish
H4 In one of mathematics, applied mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, physics/chemistry or agricultural science
Note: Health screening and Garda vetting is required prior to registration for this programme. There may be additional costs for students related to travel and clinical materials during clinical placements.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
To qualify for admission to an honours degree course at the University you must:
1 meet the minimum entry requirements (see above).
2 satisfy course specific requirements (where applicable), see above.
3 where there is competition for places, have good enough examination results to be included among those to whom offers are made (see the Leaving Certificate scoring system or Advanced GCE (A Level) scoring system).
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University applicants must:
› Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
› A pass in English.
› A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English OR
› A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Notes:
1 A pass means grade O6/H7 or above in the Leaving Certificate and grade 7 or above in the University matriculation examination.
2 Mathematics at foundation-level is acceptable for minimum entry requirements only, for all courses except nursing or midwifery courses. Irish at foundation-level is not acceptable for minimum entry requirements, course requirements or for scoring purposes.
3 Students may combine grades achieved in different sittings of their Leaving Certificate/Matriculation examinations for the purpose of satisfying minimum entry and/or course requirements, but not for the purposes of scoring. This is not permitted for Medicine.
4 Combinations of Leaving Certificate subjects not permitted:
› Physics/chemistry may not be presented with physics or chemistry.
› Biology and agricultural science may not be presented as two of the six subjects required for minimum entry requirements, and they may not be presented together to satisfy course specific requirements. However, both may be used for scoring purposes.
› Art and music may not be offered as two of the three higher Leaving Certificate grades for minimum entry requirements, but both may be used for scoring purposes.
Bonus Points for Higher Level Mathematics
All students presenting H6 or above in higher level mathematics will have 25 points added to their score for mathematics. The bonus points will only be relevant where mathematics is scored as one of a student’s six best subjects for points purposes.
An applicant’s six best results from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be counted for scoring purposes. Applicants may combine results from the Leaving Certificate and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for scoring purposes.
The minimum entry levels (points) for Trinity in recent years are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/ undergraduate
Age Requirement
Applicants seeking admission in 2025 must have a date of birth before 15 January 2009.
Garda Vetting
Students on courses with clinical or other professional placements may be required to undergo Garda vetting procedures prior to commencing placements. If, as a result of the outcome of the Garda vetting procedures, students are deemed unsuitable to attend clinical or other professional placement, they may be required to withdraw from their course. Students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of 6 months or more will be required to provide police clearance documentation from the country (including different states) or countries in which they resided.
Students who accept an offer will be informed of the procedures to be followed to complete the vetting process (as part of the student orientation information).
Fitness To Practice
Professional courses demand that certain core competencies are met by students in order to graduate and practice professionally after qualification. Trinity has special responsibility to ensure that all students admitted to all professional programmes will be eligible for registration by the relevant professional body upon graduation. It is important to us that our students are able to fulfil the rigorous demands of professional courses and are fit to practice.
Health Screening
Offers of admission to the following courses are made subject to certain vaccination requirements and/or certain negative test results:
› Clinical Speech and Language Studies
› Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Science, Dental Hygiene, Dental Nursing, and Dental Technology
› Medicine › Nursing and Midwifery
› Occupational Therapy
› Pharmacy
› Physiotherapy
› Radiation Therapy
› Social Studies (Social work)
Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admissionrequirements/ undergraduate
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
These modules are accepted for scoring purposes only and are awarded the following points: Distinction 66, Merit 46, Pass 28.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
There is an entry route to a number of degree programmes in Trinity for applicants presenting appropriate QQI/FET Level 5 or 6 Major Awards. Applicants presenting distinctions in five modules can be considered for admission.
Full information on courses with QQI entry routes, requirements etc., can be found at the link below.
Careers / Further progression
Graduate skills and career opportunities
You might be surprised to learn that the knowledge and skills developed while studying Clinical Speech and Language Studies equips graduates to work in a wide range of interesting and challenging contexts.
Whilst graduates emerge with an in-depth knowledge of their discipline, they also have important transferable skills that provide a strong foundation to engage with society and the workplace. Graduates develop the ability to think independently, act responsibly, communicate effectively and develop continuously. Graduates are ethically minded, resourceful and are ready to embrace challenges and innovations in their chosen specialty. They become key stakeholders in the development of the speech and language therapy profession in national and international healthcare contexts and in advocating for the rights of people who have communication and swallowing impairments. Graduates from this course are highly sought after and valued by employers in healthcare and educational contexts.
Further information
Mature Students
All undergraduate courses in Trinity are open to mature applicants. Mature student applicants are not required to satisfy the normal minimum entry requirements and are not required to meet competitive academic entry levels (such as Leaving Certificate points), but are considered in the first instance on the basis of how relevant their life, work and educational experiences are to the course(s) that they wish to pursue. In addition, all applicants should demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of their course choice(s).
In order to apply to Trinity as a mature applicant you must:
› be an EU applicant (see page 216 TCD Undergraduate Prospectus 2025)
› be at least 23 years of age on 1 January 2025
› submit a CAO application form to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February 2025
Late applications will not be considered from mature students.
CAO applications may be made online at: www.cao.ie
Further information about applying through the CAO as a mature student can be found www.
For information on Alternative Entry Routes go to: https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/alternative-paths-to-trinity/
Places 2024: 34
Entry 2025
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
What is Clinical Speech and Language Studies?
The ability to speak and write, to listen and learn, to be understood — abilities that are fundamental to human communication and interaction — can be impaired by a wide range of conditions, from stroke to cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and autism. Speech and Language Therapists work with people of all ages and assess, diagnose and treat individuals with a variety of communication and swallowing disorders. Since communication and swallowing difficulties affect every aspect of a person’s life, the work of the speech and language therapist is multi-faceted, and therapists work in a variety of settings, from schools to hospitals and other clinical settings.
Do you enjoy:
Working with a diverse range of children and adults who may face challenges in communication?
Exploring how people communicate?
Being people-oriented, highly motivated and open to a collaborative problem–solving approach to learning?
Clinical Speech and Language Studies: The course for you?
This course will appeal to you if you have an interest in how speech, language, communication and swallowing work and how these areas may be affected in either children or adults. You will enjoy this course if you like a variety of teaching, learning and assessment approaches, such as lectures, problem-based and case-based learning and clinical practice.
Your degree and what you’ll study
The four-year Honours degree course comprises an integrated programme of theory and practice. The key strands within the curriculum are: Speech and Language Pathology and Swallowing Disorders; Clinical Practice; Linguistics; Psychology; Research and Basic Sciences (such as, Anatomy and Physiology).
First and second years
Much of first year is focused on foundation studies for understanding typical communication and swallowing behaviours. The emphasis in second year is on understanding and assessing the strengths and needs of the client population served by the profession, together with studying speech sciences, psychology and linguistics.
Third and fourth years
Third year places emphasis on the application of this knowledge to intervention in clinical contexts. You will also study neurology, psychiatry, discourse analysis and further develop your research skills. In fourth year, students are provided with the opportunity to integrate knowledge skills and competencies, acquired through the four years. Students prepare to become practitioners and researchers and complete a significant piece of research known as the Capstone project.
Clinical activities and placements provide an important learning context from the start of the course. The department has access to a wide range of service settings and clinics, in which to place students, such as hospitals, schools, clinics, rehabilitation centres. During term time, an average of one day per week is reserved for clinical work. You will also be required to undertake clinical practice outside term time.
The course employs a wide range of teaching, learning and assessment strategies. Both continuous assessment and end of semester exams are undertaken
Study abroad
Whilst the Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies has a strong international network, the nature of the professional course — in terms of the clinical practice requirements — precludes study abroad at undergraduate level. However, students get an opportunity to engage in international summer schools, during the summer vacation period.
Upon graduation, your qualification from Trinity is recognised as a licence to practise as a Speech and Language Therapist in Ireland. Those holding the degree are eligible to apply for statutory registration with CORU and membership of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT): www.iaslt.ie. Graduates who wish to work in the UK should contact the UK Health Professionals Council: www.hcpc-uk.org
Graduates of the course, who wish to work in another European country, will have to apply for approval from the appropriate registration body in that country. If you are considering applying for professional recognition to work as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the US or Canada, you should contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association at: www.asha.org or the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists at: sac-oac.ca. For more detailed information on your career prospects, visit the professional associations’ websites at: www.iaslt.ie and www.rcslt.org
www.tcd.ie/slscs/clinical-speech-language
E cslssec@tcd.ie