Course overview
Speech pathologists help people who have trouble communicating or difficulty drinking and eating safely.
The role of a speech pathologist can be very diverse. You may help a child develop speech, language and literacy; provide feeding advice to parents of a baby born with cleft palate; and support an individual who has experienced a stroke, traumatic brain injury or onset of illness.
In this course, you will learn about typical and atypical speech and language development, along with the mechanisms underlying acute and chronic conditions that can impair swallowing and communication. You’ll also gain clinical reasoning
and practical skills, applying them to diverse cases.
You’ll graduate with the expertise and confidence to commence your career in speech pathology.
Career outcomes
Speech pathologists often work alongside other health and education professionals in hospitals and communities. Overall, roles for speech pathologists, speech therapists and audiologists are expected to grow by almost 32% by 2035.¹
Careers
- Speech pathologist
Industries
- Education and training
- Healthcare
- Public administration and safety
- Social assistance
¹ Source: Jobs and Skills Australia – Employment Projections
Professional accreditation and recognition
This course is accredited by Speech Pathology Australia.
Why study at Curtin?
Highly ranked course
Curtin is the top-ranked WA public university for graduate salary, and is equal first for full-time employment for Rehabilitation (undergraduate). (Good Universities Guide 2026)
Work experience
You’ll gain the practical, job-ready skills you need to work in this field, including learning clinical practice skills in Curtin’s on-campus clinic and work placements or fieldwork.
Accredited course
This course is accredited by Speech Pathology Australia.
Hear from our students
"I chose to study speech pathology after attending work experience at a local hospital and watching speech pathologists work with clients. I really enjoyed my Speech Pathology course. It provided me with clinical skills and knowledge as well as authentic work experience with clients. These skills and experiences are helping me achieve my career goals of providing person-centred services and high-quality care for clients."
Varini Nair
Bachelor of Science (Speech Pathology) (Honours)
Your student experience
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Find your entry pathway to Curtin
You may be finishing high school, coming from TAFE, or just thinking of a career change; but whatever your background, there’s an entry pathway to Curtin for you.
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Course structure
Year 1
In your first year, you’ll study communication science units and interprofessional course units with students from other health science disciplines.
Years 2–3
You’ll then delve into key practice areas, building the expertise needed to assess, diagnose and manage a range of client cases.
You’ll then apply your skills during supervised clinical placements in our on-campus clinics and various community settings. This includes opportunities for rural, remote and international fieldwork experiences.
Year 4
In your final year, you'll complete supervised clinical placements while undertaking an individual research or collaborative professional honours project.
This can be a physically and mentally challenging course. Please familiarise yourself with the inherent requirements before applying.
Detailed course structure and unit information
For detailed information and course structure, visit our Handbook.
Entry requirements
To study this course, you must meet the entry criteria:
- any course-specific requirements
- course ATAR, or equivalent, demonstrated via an accepted entry pathway
- English language requirement.
Minimum ATAR entry required
This course requires you to achieve a minimum ATAR/selection rank to be considered for entry, but does not guarantee selection.
Entry pathways
There are different ways to meet our academic entry requirements. Choose the option that best suits the highest level of education that you’ve achieved.
Curious how students entered this course? See the entry pathways other students have taken.
Course-specific requirements
You’ll also need to meet any specific requirements to be eligible to apply for this course.
Fees
2026 Domestic indicative fees
Commonwealth-supported first-year fee
$10,600*
Important information about fees
- *Fees are indicative only
- First year fees are based on a first-year full-time study load of 200 credit points. Your fees will vary depending on the units you choose.
- This indicative fee does not include other fees like administrative and incidental fees (such as lab coats or art supplies) or the cost of your textbooks. Visit other fees and charges for more information.
Scholarships
Get the support you need to succeed with our diverse range of scholarships. Whether it’s financial support, assistance with relocation, or recognition for your academic achievements, we have scholarships tailored to your unique needs.
How to apply
Follow these steps to make sure you’re eligible, prepared and ready to apply for your course.
Check entry requirements
Entry requirements differ by course and your previous work and study experience.
Prepare your documents
The documents you need may vary depending on your course and application pathway.
Check application deadlines
Deadlines vary by course and whether you’re applying as a domestic or international student.
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