Research Degrees in

Speech and Language Therapy

in the Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care

Overview

Do you want to advance or change your career, deepen your expertise in a topic, or expand your research and practical skills?

With a PhD or other postgraduate research degree in Speech and Language Therapy you will:

  • Work with leading experts in the field. We are a renowned centre for the study of health. In the most recent national research evaluation, 73% of our Allied Health research was rated world leading or internationally excellent (REF2014).
  • Choose from our flexible study pathways. You can pursue research as a full-time or part-time student. We offer PhD, MPhil and MSc by research programmes, with different pathways to reflect your academic and professional background.
  • Join a thriving intellectual community. Our new Health, Psychology and Communities research centre brings together researchers across a number of disciplines with the aim of improving the future health and wellbeing of local, national and international communities.
  • Benefit from our impressive facilities to support your research. Our specialist speech and language facilities include two speech pathology laboratories and specialist Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) resources.
  • Undertake tailored personal and professional development training. You can build your own programme of training to enhance your academic knowledge, expand your research skills, and/or prepare you for practice in the health and social care sectors.

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Areas of supervisory expertise

We can supervise a broad range of projects within Speech and Language Therapy. Our areas of expertise include:

  • Adolescence and language and communication delay
  • Aphasia
  • Assistive Technology
  • Autism Spectrum Condition
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • Clinical decision making
  • Dysphagia
  • Early language development
  • Hearing impairment and memory
  • Language development and temperament
  • Language development in the early years educational context
  • Service user involvement in research and clinical care
  • Profound and multiple learning disabilities
  • Communication disability in under-served communities, including in low and middle income countries.

Find out more about our staff's expertise

Research culture

We have a strong track record of working together with service users and practitioners, as well as with other academics in order to maximize the life participation of people who experience communication disability and their families/carers. We collaborate with universities both nationally and internationally, and with external partners, particularly from the NHS, social care and the third sector. These networks ensure our research is at the cutting-edge of issues faced by service users and practitioners.

More about our research culture

Our Health, Psychology and Communities research centre includes a Communications and Disability Research Group. This group brings together world-leading researchers from disciplines including speech and language therapy, psychology, and linguistics. The group undertakes applied research that focuses on the practical and policy context around communication disability.

Our community of postgraduate researchers are a core part of our research culture. We will encourage you to take part in conferences, seminars and engagement events at Manchester Met and beyond. We will also support you to develop the technical and research skills necessary to excel in your studies. At the centre of our calendar is the annual Faculty Research in High Summer conference which brings together leading researchers and practitioners to discuss the major issues in health and social change.

Courses offered, duration, and start dates

Programmes offered

Find out more about the different research degrees we offer

Start dates

The majority of our students enrol in October. We offer further enrolment points in January and April.

Career prospects

A research degree in Speech and Language Therapy equips you with the skills necessary to go on to support children and adults in health, social care, or educational settings.

You will also develop higher-level skills in research and practice to equip you to go onto careers in academia, practice, or in a range of other professions.

Course structure

This course is research based. You will independently conduct research into your own topic or a topic that we advertise. Your supervisory team will offer expert guidance throughout your studies and review work in progress.

Each year, you will follow a programme of training and development to enhance your research methods, subject-matter expertise and professional skills.

Fees and funding

Find out more

Postgraduate Research Degrees Fees

Please refer to our Fees page for more information about tuition fees.

Loans for research degrees

Many of our PhD and Professional Doctorate programmes are eligible for the government's Doctoral Loan Scheme. MPhil and MA/MSc by Research degrees are eligible for a Postgraduate Loan.

Find out more about tuition fees and financial support

Scholarships

Each year we offer a number of competitive scholarships to support high quality research projects. Current scholarship opportunities in Health and Social Care are advertised on our site.

Sign up to be notified when relevant scholarships are advertised

Entry requirements

Find out more

You should, as a minimum, have a first or 2.1 honours degree or an equivalent qualification.

International students must demonstrate a sufficiently high standard of English language ability.

In order to enter most postgraduate courses the English requirements are IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 575, and TOEFL computer-based 230.

We welcome interest from applicants from non-standard backgrounds. We will take subject knowledge, professional experience, publications, or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment into consideration.

See more about our standard entry requirements.

Enquiries

Before applying for a research degree, you should have a preliminary discussion with a member of staff about your project and ideas. To arrange this, please email Professor Julie Marshall (j.e.marshall@mmu.ac.uk), the Research Degrees Co-ordinator for the Department of Health Professions.

For further information on the application process, contact the Admissions team pgradmissions@mmu.ac.uk, +44 (0)161 247 2966

How to apply

Apply now

To apply for this degree, please select one of the study options below to begin your application.

Before you apply, you should discuss your project with a member of academic staff. You should also complete the postgraduate research degree thesis proposal form, which you will need to upload as part of your application. The document can be attached at the final checklist section after you’ve submitted your application.


Postgraduate Study