Speech Science is a large and complex field that includes topics in acoustic analysis and speech recognition, diagnosis of speech, language disorders, speech-language therapy and speech perception.

The University of Auckland is home to the Speech Science Group, which is comprised of researchers from departments and schools across the University, including the School of Psychology and the Department of Audiology and Engineering.

We also have the well-equipped Speech Science Laboratory, which houses a range of therapy and analysis equipment for treatment of speech disorders.

There are several options to consider when choosing a postgraduate qualification in Speech Science.

If you wish to qualify to practise as a speech-language therapist, the Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice is an accredited clinical qualification. It combines academic study with supervised clinical experience in community settings.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Speech Science and the Master of Science (MSc) in Speech Science do not lead to professional registration as a speech-language therapist. These programmes are intended for qualified speech-language therapists who already hold a qualification in Speech Science or Speech-Language Therapy who are seeking postgraduate study or research experience. The Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Speech Science is not a pathway to Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice and completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Speech Science makes you ineligible for Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice.

In exceptional circumstances, Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Speech Science may be appropriate if you have a postgraduate background in fields such as linguistics, psychology, audiology, engineering, education, or computer science and wish to develop expertise in Speech Science as part of your professional or research pathway.

The applied clinical papers (including SPCHSCI 714, 724, 734, 744) are not typically available for students who are not completing the Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice or are not already qualified speech-language therapists. 

Please contact the Speech Science Academic Advisers — Prof. Anna Miles or Prof. Clare McCann — before applying to the PGDipSci or MSc in Speech Science programmes. 

For speech-language therapists looking for postgraduate education in specialist topics, such as dysphagia, there is also the option of taking individual papers as a Certificate of Proficiency (COP), e.g., SPCHSCI 701 - Dysphagia for Speech Language Therapists

Research interests open for exploration include:

• Audiology
• Communication disorders in children or adults
• Linguistics
• Research methods for communication and swallowing
• Speech and language development and disorders
• Swallowing/dysphagia
• Voice and fluency