Speech and Hearing Sciences | Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh

Postgraduate study in speech and hearing sciences

Communication is at the core of human society and without it people are excluded from education, employment and social interaction. Speech and language therapists, audiologists and British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters all support people to communicate more effectively so that they can engage fully in society.

At postgraduate level, we offer the following courses:

MSc Speech and Language Therapy
MSc Audiology (Pre-Registration)
MSc Hearing Sciences

For CPD, we offer: Sign Language Interpreting short courses and our Aptitude Test in Hearing Aid Dispensing course.

A child with a large piece of speech & language therapy equipment attached to their head

MSc Speech and Language Therapy (Pre-Reg)

This course offers graduates a fast-track route into a rewarding profession with strong employment prospects and opportunities to work across a range of settings. Speech and language therapists provide life-changing assessment, treatment and support for people experiencing difficulties with communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing, making a significant difference to quality of life.

MSc Speech and Language Therapy (Pre-Registration)

A woman with a headset on and a women behind her sat at a desk

MSc Audiology (Pre-Reg)

This course is a fast-track route to qualification for graduates, particularly those from related disciplines such as linguistics, psychology, physics, audio engineering, behavioural sciences, biological sciences and speech and language therapy.

MSc Audiology (Pre-Registration)

MSc Hearing Sciences

Our new two-year course is aimed at those who have an appropriate undergraduate science degree and are looking to undertake a research career within an academic institution or with companies developing hearing technology and audiological equipment. It is also relevant to international ��˾��Ƶs (who may have existing clinical registration and/or do not need UK registration to work in audiology services in their home country), equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to develop more advanced services for patients with hearing or balance disorders in their home country.

MSc Hearing Sciences

Why study for a postgraduate speech and hearing course at QMU?

Speech and Hearing Sciences at QMU offers prospective ��˾��Ƶs a small, friendly learning environment
Our professionally relevant courses are designed to meet the changing needs of ��˾��Ƶs, employers and society.
The presence of audiology, BSL/English interpreting and speech and language therapy courses within the same university subject area is unusual in the UK, but has significant potential benefits, given the complex interplay between the biological, psychological, social and cultural factors that underlie communicative behaviour.
Students on pre-registration courses are supported by a multi-professional staff team, facilitating an understanding of the links between hearing, speech and communication.

A teaching team with an excellent reputation

Speech and Hearing Sciences at QMU is recognised for excellence in teaching, research and clinical practice across speech and language therapy, audiology, communication sciences, and BSL/English interpreting.

Our key aims are to:

Educate speech and language therapists, audiologists and BSL/English interpreters to the high professional standards required in practice.
Deliver world-leading research in speech, language and hearing disorders, as well as BSL/English interpreting, to improve quality of life for people experiencing communication barriers.
Maintain a strong profile within professional and academic communities.
Strengthen our reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching, interdisciplinary research and clinical practice.

Our approach to learning is based on the belief that education is a lifelong process. We foster a supportive environment that encourages curiosity, collaboration, reflection and professional growth. Students build on their existing knowledge and skills through independent learning, guided support and constructive feedback.

Teaching and assessment emphasise active, evidence-based learning and the integration of theory with practice. Students engage in a variety of learning experiences, including:

Case-based and problem-solving activities that promote critical thinking and collaborative learning.
Clinical and research skill development through placements, role-play and research participation.
Collaborative projects and shared learning resources.

These approaches support the progressive development of practical skills, academic knowledge and professional competence.

Research-informed teaching

QMU has an international reputation for outstanding research in speech sciences and communication and our Clinical Audiology, Speech and Language Research Centre (CASL):

draws together the research and clinical expertise of both audiology and speech and language therapy and ensures that this expertise benefits the wider community;
aims to support clinically relevant research to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of communication disorders; and
builds on years of pioneering work, much of which has focused on developing technologies, in collaboration with engineers and computer scientists, that provide images of the tongue and its movement in the mouth during speech.

QMU Hearing Aid Audiology ��˾��Ƶ using a piece of equipment to test another ��˾��Ƶ's hearing

Great specialist facilities

Our fully equipped specialist facilities for both speech and language therapy and audiology include the following:

A suite of clinic rooms, situated around a clinic reception area, provides accommodation for clinical activities, clinical skill development and research.
A speech science laboratory which is primarily for undergraduate and postgraduate ��˾��Ƶ laboratory work and has an adjacent recording studio, as well as specialist equipment for speech analysis, including ultrasound tongue imaging.
A speech science laboratory which is primarily for research purposes and contains more complex speech science equipment.
An audiology suite, which consists of purpose-built test rooms and soundproof booths, and houses a full range of audiological equipment, supporting the development of clinical skills within the university environment before ��˾��Ƶs embark on clinical placement.