Speech and Language Therapy

Explore the science behind language, and learn how to diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders.

Language is at the heart of human life. Its study is crucial to our understanding of ourselves as individuals, as members of society and as a species. At Reading, ranked 4th in the UK for Speech & Language Therapy (Complete University Guide, 2025), we offer you the opportunity to study all aspects of this most complex form of human behaviour.

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) assess and treat people who have speech, language and communication problems. They also help people who have difficulty eating or swallowing. SLTs work in a range of settings, including hospitals, schools, community health centres and clients' homes.

We are a research-led School with academic staff actively engaged in world-class research in a wide range of topics. This provides our students with access to current thinking and ground-breaking research which will inform their practice. You will benefit directly from leading discoveries made in areas such as child development, Down syndrome, linguistics, psychology, language development, language pathology and bilingualism/multilingualism. Additionally, a high proportion of staff are practising speech and language therapists, giving you a direct insight into the latest developments in clinical practice.

You will be able to take advantage of our in-house speech and language therapy clinic, observational facilities, speech research laboratory and new sound recording room. Our purpose-built NHS speech and language therapy clinic is open to adult and paediatric client groups with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties. You will be involved in all aspects of the day to day running of the clinic, including telephone triage, assessment, providing therapy and running training workshops under supervision of experienced speech and language therapists.You will also spend time observing, treating and working with children and adults in the Clinic. You will benefit from being involved in our in-house clinic from the moment you arrive at university which offers a fantastic opportunity to begin to develop your clinical practice. You will also benefit from the study spaces we offer which include, a computer lab, common rooms, Resources room, assessment library and testing cubicles that are open to all students within the School.

Read more about our clinic on our website.

You will be part of a dynamic and collaborative teaching environment as our students are actively involved in research studies, as participants, organisers and collaborators within the School, allowing them to grow into evidence-based practitioners of the future. These courses are ideal if you have an interest in psychology and communication.

Our MSci Speech and Language Therapy degree is an exciting four-year pre-registration programme for those wishing to qualify as speech and language therapists. Alternatively, if you don't necessarily want to become an SLT, our BSc in Language Sciences and Psychology will enable you to explore the human mind and communication.