Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2025
You're viewing degree information for Australian students
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
- Australian or New Zealand Citizen
- Australian Permanent Resident (including Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders)
Entry Scores
2025 Guaranteed Entry
Year 12 (Grades-based): NA
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2024 Cut-Offs
Year 12 (ATAR-based):
- Internal: 80.00
TAFE/RTO: Adv Dip
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Entry requirements
Admission criteria
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they
fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND- Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
- Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
- Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any
remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjectsOR
Higher education study- Complete or partially complete a recognised higher education program at Bachelor or higher level at a recognised higher education institution, or
- Complete a Diploma level program at a recognised higher education institution
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)- Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Advanced Diploma level or above
OR
Work and life experience- Qualify for Special Entry, or
- Complete a 12-month UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent, or
- Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past
Essential requirements for admission
Prerequisites
NoneAssumed Knowledge
None
Degree overview
- Develop advanced knowledge and skills required to work successfully with people with communication and swallowing difficulties.
- Get real world experience with more than 880 hours of clinical placements as part of your study.
- Graduate with great career prospects, as employment opportunities for Speech Pathologists are expected to grow very strongly over the next five years.1
- Graduate with an honour's degree to give your unstoppable career a competitive edge from the start.
- Learn from a university with more than 50 years’ experience in health education and research.
- Study at South Australia’s No.1 university for graduate careers.2
- Benefit from our strong partnerships and alliances with hospitals, rehabilitation services, early childhood providers, schools, aged care facilities, disability, and community service providers.
- UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people. As one of the World’s Top Young Universities,3 we’ll ensure you get the experience your future profession demands so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.
1Australian Government National Skills Commission Employment Projections 2021. 2ComparED (QILT) Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021-23– Full-time Employment Indicator (Domestic Undergraduate). SA public universities. 3Ranked #43, 2024 THE Young University Rankings.
Snapshot
Communication is critical for building human connections and living a fulfilling life. Speech pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speech, language, fluency, and voice.
As a speech pathologist, you’ll support and empower people of all ages who have difficulty communicating. You will develop the expertise to address any problems that can affect speech and language, and help individuals express themselves and better interact with the world.
You will learn to support people improve their communication skills such as listening and speaking, reading and writing, and language comprehension. You will also learn how to facilitate other ways of communicating including through gesture, sign language or communication aids and technologies, as well as refining social skills.
UniSA's Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) has received Provisional Accreditation for graduates of 2023 and 2024. This classification enables graduates of the program to be eligible for certified practising membership of Speech Pathology Australia. The Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) program will undergo full accreditation in 2025.
What you'll need
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements.
Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
What you'll learn
Speech pathologists work with a wide range of people across different settings and manage complex and difficult issues. Communication and swallowing difficulties can occur from a variety of reasons, which include but not limited to development disabilities, delays or disorders, illness, accident, or similar.
In this degree you'll gain the knowledge required to engage in professional, ethical, and evidence-based practice. This involves drawing on skills in reasoning and reflection to provide appropriate services for people across their entire lifespan.
In your first year, you’ll develop foundational knowledge in the areas of anatomy, physiology and biopsychosocial issues that can affect people’s health, swallowing, speech, and language ability.
Your second year will focus on human communication science, clinical science, and research methods. You’ll have opportunities to learn alongside your allied health peers from occupational therapy and physiotherapy in UniSA’s community clinics. You’ll be involved in simulated telepractice environments to deliver collaborative, quality care through clinical case scenarios.
Practice-based learning is a strong focus, particularly during the third and fourth years, where you'll be able to complete clinical placements in UniSA’s community clinics and in professional practice across community, hospital, aged care, early years settings and schools.
You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.
Study hours
For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects, as well as to contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12–26 hours of study when at university and 14–28 hours of independent study per week.
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Honours
This is a four-year, professional degree with built-in honours. You’ll graduate with industry experience and connections, as well as advanced skills to prepare you for a successful career in industry or research.
The research component of your honours degree will include developing and undertaking a cutting-edge research project which may be either quantitative or qualitative. You'll develop relevant approaches to undertaking research through consultation, discussion, problem-solving and liaison with an experienced supervisory team.
Why Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Studying Speech Pathology is a great choice for those looking to make a difference in peoples’ lives.
As one of the World’s Top Young Universities1, studying at UniSA will give you the clinical experience your future profession demands. You will get to put your theoretical learning into practice with more than 880 hours of clinical placement under the supervision of experienced industry experts across a breadth of real-world settings. You will also benefit from UniSA’s more than 50 years of experience in allied health education, and the strong links to local and global industry we’ve built over this time.
Speech pathologists work closely with other allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. You’ll benefit from strong interdisciplinary learning opportunities throughout your degree and develop a greater understanding of how multidisciplinary healthcare collaboration can be in delivering better outcomes for patients.
During your studies, you’ll acquire theoretical and clinical knowledge, as well as the hands-on skills needed to assess, diagnose and provide intervention for children and adults affected by communication difficulties. For example, brain injuries can result in difficulties understanding or producing language, slurred and imprecise speech; and changes to cognition such as attention, memory, and personality.
You’ll also learn about the role of technology in speech pathology practice, such as technology for understanding acoustic signals of speech and parameters of voice production, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.
Our curriculum and course content that is specifically aligned with Australia’s First National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders, meaning you’ll graduate industry-ready with the skills and knowledge you’ll need to make a difference.
Graduating with an honour’s degree from UniSA will ensure you have a competitive edge and are well-placed for a career in industry, research or postgraduate study.
1Ranked #43, 2024 THE Young University Rankings.
Speech Pathology student experience
Hear from Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) student Alexandra as she talks about the benefits of the degree, placement opportunities, and why she chose to kickstart her unstoppable career at UniSA.
Your career
A successful Speech Pathologist is pragmatic, logical, attentive, and observant. You’ll have a passion for interacting with people and be great at communicating. You will also value diversity and inclusion, and be ready to meet the needs of patients with diverse health backgrounds and needs.
An unstoppable career in speech pathology is immensely rewarding and can offer exciting challenges. You may find yourself:
- working with a high school student with a stutter to speak more fluently and with confidence
- training a high school teacher who constantly loses their voice to use it more effectively
- helping an elderly man with dementia from a culturally and linguistically diverse background to communicate with his family and carers
- working with a woman post-stroke to regain her language and communication skills
- teaching a person to swallow safely and without choking following a brain injury
- giving advice to a mother whose baby was born with a cleft palate
- working with a young man with severe brain injury due to a motorcycle accident to communicate again
Speech Pathologists work across many sectors, including:
- hospital and acute services
- private practice
- ambulatory and rehabilitation services
- aged care facilities
- community services
- home care programs
- government departments
- early years settings and kindergartens
- schools
- not for profit and non-government sector
- primary health networks
UniSA currently has provisional accreditation with Speech Pathology Australia. Once UniSA’s speech pathology program has full accreditation with Speech Pathology Australia, this qualification will be recognised in Australia and other countries around the world including New Zealand, Canada, USA and the UK.
For specific requirements about registration with Speech Pathology Australia, please check their website.
Professional accreditation and recognition
This program has received provisional accreditation with Speech Pathology Australia. The Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) is undertaking accreditation processes in accordance with the accreditation procedures of Speech Pathology Australia.
Industry facts
Applying to study with us:
- Go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply.
- You will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application.
Preferred Pathways
Option 1:
Direct Entry
Direct Entry
Option 2:
Undergraduate Pathway
Undergraduate Pathway
Apply for your preferred degree directly via SATAC
Choose one of the following degrees and complete at least 18 units of study (four courses) and then apply for your preferred degree via SATAC at the next available intake using your competitive Grade Point Average (GPA).
Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Bachelor of Human Movement OR
Bachelor of Health Science (Public Health) OR
Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science
Bachelor of Health Science (Public Health) OR
Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science
Please note that all pathways are competitive and no guaranteed due to limited places. A competitive Grade Point Average (GPA) and other entry criteria (including prerequisites) apply. For more information, visit unisa.edu.au/study or contact our Future Student Enquiries Team at unisa.edu.au/enquire or on (08) 8302 2376.
Alternative Pathways
Australian
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
- UniSA College Diploma in Health (Allied Health and Human Performance)
- SAIBT Diploma of Health Science
International
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
SAIBT Diploma of Health Science
Deferment
This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
UniSA Excellence Scholarships
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
UniSA Outstanding Achievement Scholarship
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
Your study experience and support
Our campuses are home to fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
Student services
Our student services provide you with all the support you need at university. We want you to succeed, and if you need help, we're here to assist. You can access a full range of support services, including:
- academic counselling
- personal counselling
- social support services, including family support and nearby childcare
- common rooms
- prayer rooms
- security officers
- career services and mentoring
- Wirringka Student Services, offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a supportive place to study
- as well as services offered through our student association, USASA.
When you become a UniSA student, you can also contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and more.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your study spaces
As a speech pathology student, you’ll also have access to:
- physiology laboratory
- anatomy laboratories
You’ll also have access to a range of interesting on-campus spaces including modern lecture theatres, collaborative teaching rooms and relaxed student lounges.
Your program director
I have the privilege of directing a degree delivered by experienced Speech Pathologist educators and researchers in their field. As a team, we hold a philosophy that students are partners in learning, and we promote staff and student collegiality. I have a passion and commitment to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and with many varied learning styles and to enable students to graduate as practice-ready Speech Pathologists.
Ask UniSA
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How do I apply?
The way you apply for UniSA will depend on the undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree you're interested in studying.
The majority of applications are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Check out more information on the SATAC website and follow the appropriate process for your degree of interest.
There are a small number of degrees that you need to apply for through direct application processes. The process you need to follow will be listed on the 'How to Apply' section of the degree homepage, but you'll also be taken to where you need to go if you hit the 'apply' button.
If you are interested in studying one of our 100% online degrees you'll need to apply directly to UniSA Online.
You can find more information about the application processes for UniSA on our How to Apply webpage.
If you're more interested in applying for a postgraduate degree by research, check out and follow the information in our step by step guide to applying. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
Applications for all degrees will close ahead of study commencing, but the timelines may vary for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Undergraduate
The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be guaranteed equal consideration is generally in very late November or early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers. More competitive degrees may not make any offers after the main offer round. Find more information on the Key Dates section of the SATAC website, but you can also call the Future Student Enquiries team for more information on 08 8302 376.
Postgraduate
Many postgraduate by coursework degrees do not have set closing dates. The exceptions are highly competitive degrees, so it is best to check – either on the degree homepage on the SATAC website or by checking with our Future Student Enquiries team.
As most postgraduate applications are assessed as they are submitted and offers are continuous, there are no set closing dates for applications. Degrees can be filled and closed with little notice so it is best to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out on a place. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquires team on (08) 8302 2376 or submit an enquiry.
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What credit can I receive for previous studies?
You may be eligible for credit or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area and completed within a certain timeframe. Receiving credit or RPL will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree. You can read more about our pre-existing credit agreements through our online Credit Assessor. If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning (RPL) for this experience. Credit and RPL is assessed by the Program Director once you've received an offer, and you apply through UniSA's current student experts, Campus Central.
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Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
Future Student Enquiries welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your study options at UniSA. We can discuss degree information, entry requirements and pathways, applications, general career outcomes and student life, so you have the information to make the best study decision for your future. Head to our Book an Appointment webpage to find a date and time to speak with us, and take your next steps on journey to university study.
