A course for speech and language professionals
The Master of Communication Disorders at Macquarie University provides students with a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of language and communication disorders.
Developed by Macquarie's Department of Linguistics, the program is designed to meet the needs of graduates who wish to pursue an interest in communication disorders. It caters for speech pathologists, special educators, psychologists and other allied professionals wishing to specialise and/or upgrade their qualifications to Masters Level.
The program explores theories and research relevant to assessment and intervention. Focus areas in the Master of Communication Disorders include:
- developmental language disorders
- reading development and disorders
- psycholinguistic approaches to the study of aphasia
- discourse analysis
- language and cognition
- bilingualism.
Teaching staff include internationally recognised researchers in the fields of speech pathology, psychology, and theoretical and applied linguistics. As part of the Speech, Hearing and Language Research Centre, students will not only have access to extensive laboratory facilities, but also to a range of experts in the field of language and communication disorders. On-campus students will be in close contact with other postgraduate students training as applied linguists, TESOL specialists, speech pathologists, audiologists and interpreters.
Program content
Students in the Master of Communication Disorders must complete three core units, a small research project, as well as five elective units.
The core units featured are: Linguistic description of disordered language and Research methods for communication disorders parts A and B.
The research project provides those students considering a postgraduate research degree with a unique opportunity to develop their skills and determine their suitability for research.
Students are able to choose their five elective units from a choice of 19. These units include:
- Developmental language disorders
- Psycholinguistics and aphasia
- Phonetics and phonology
- Language and cognition
- Languages and cultures in contact
- Pragmatics
- Language testing and evaluation
- Second language acquisition
- Literacy
- Reading development and disorders
- Bilingualism
Admission requirements
There are two paths of entry for those wanting to undertake the Master of Communication Disorders. For direct entry, students must hold a Bachelor Degree in Speech Pathology from an Australian tertiary institution (or overseas equivalent) and a minimum of one year's relevant work experience. Indirect entry can be obtained by those with a four-year degree with a relevant major (ie linguistics, psychology or education), and a minimum of one year's relevant work experience.
Mode of study
The course is available on a full-time or part-time basis, and is available entirely (or partly) in distance mode, offering students maximum flexibility.
Linguistics at Macquarie
Linguistics at Macquarie boasts eight distinct professionally-based postgraduate coursework Masters programs of study including communication disorders. Other programs on offer are: Applied Linguistics; Clinical Audiology; Translation and Interpreting; Speech and Language Processing; Communication in Professions and Organisations; Editing and Publishing; and Speech and Language Pathology.
For further information contact the Linguistics Postgraduate Office on lingpgo@ling.mq.edu.au