Programme Specification
A statement of the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin a
taught programme of study leading to an award from
The University of Sheffield
1
Programme Title
Speech and Language Sciences
2
Programme Code
HCSU02
3
JACS Code
B600
4
Level of Study
Undergraduate
5a
Final Qualification
Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc Hons)
5b
QAA FHEQ Level
Honours
6
Intermediate Qualification(s)
None
7
Teaching Institution (if not Sheffield)
Not applicable
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Faculty
Medicine, Dentistry and Health
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Department
Human Communication Sciences
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Other Department(s) involved in
teaching the programme
Psychology
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Mode(s) of Attendance
Full-time
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Duration of the Programme
3 years
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Accrediting Professional or Statutory
Body
None
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Date of production/revision
Revised February 2013
15. Background to the programme and subject area
The BSc in Speech and Language Sciences provides students with a knowledge and skill base that is
particularly relevant in a society where communication forms an essential component of every-day and
professional life. Graduates with a strong understanding of how and why people communicate have a valuable
contribution to make in an economy whose growth industries include the service delivery and information &
communication technology sectors. The BSc course gives comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the nature
of human communication and how it may be impaired. It is an inherently multi-disciplinary degree, taught by
experts in linguistics, phonetics, psychology, language pathology, education and neuroscience. Communication
topics are approached from the perspectives of the behavioural, cognitive and medical sciences with strong
emphasis on research.
The BSc in Speech and Language Sciences differs from most comparable degrees in the UK in that it
addresses the nature of human communication and its impairments in their own right, together with emphasis on
how the study of communication disorders enables a deeper understanding of the communication process itself.
Some of the main issues addressed through the course are:

How are speech and language used by humans to communicate?

How are speech and language acquired and processed by the human mind?

What are the cognitive and social determinants of speech and language?

Why do some children fail to acquire certain speech and language abilities?

How is communication impaired by factors as diverse as brain damage, autism and dyslexia?

How can the study of speech, language & their disorders inform our overall understanding of
communication?
The course prepares students for careers in fields where in-depth knowledge of human communication,
combined with a broad background in the social sciences, is required. Graduates of the course have taken
employment or embarked on postgraduate degrees in a variety of disciplines including teaching/training,
educational psychology, professions allied to medicine and psychology (e.g., speech therapy, nursing,
audiology, clinical psychology), teaching English as a foreign language, human resources, marketing, and law
enforcement.
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16. Programme aims
The following aims of the BSc in Speech and Language Sciences are consonant with the Mission Statement of
the University of Sheffield:

Provide students with comprehensive, detailed and in-depth understanding of human communication and
how it may be impaired.

Provide students with the knowledge and skills to observe and analyse human behaviour in communicative
contexts.

Provide an engaging and stimulating learning environment that includes high-quality learning resources and
a research-based curriculum.

Enable students to review and critically appraise research.

Enable students to plan and undertake research at an appropriate level.

Train students to use a range of analytical methods, both qualitative and quantitative, in the field of human
communication sciences.

Equip students with the academic and professional skills needed to foster a positive attitude towards lifelong
learning.

Develop a range of subject-specific and transferable skills to prepare graduates for employment in a wide
range of jobs and postgraduate studies.
17. Programme learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding – Students will have a:
K1
Sound knowledge and critical understanding of the characteristics that comprise both typical and
disordered communications from a range of theoretical perspectives;
K2
Practical knowledge to identify and classify communication impairments;
K3
Sound knowledge and critical understanding of the impact that communication disorders have on
individuals and society;
K4
Practical knowledge to enable thorough observation and reporting (see S1) of human communication and
related behaviour in both adults and children;
K5
Knowledge of speech and language within the broader spectrum of cognitive and behavioural science, in
particular, psychology and linguistics;
K6
Reflective understanding of one’s own communication in the context of personal and professional life.
Skills and other attributes – Students will be able to:
S1
Observe, report and comment on human behaviour as it relates to communication;
S2
Demonstrate effective use of written and oral modalities to discuss, describe and evaluate concepts,
theories and information in the subject area;
S3
Acquire additional in-depth knowledge on specialist subjects through self-directed learning and
independent project work;
S4
Plan and undertake a small-scale research project;
S5
Acquire study skills, including use of information technology, analysis, exposition and argument,
necessary for employment and future learning;
S6
Interact with others in a manner that reflects a knowledge and understanding of speech and language
science and an awareness of communication disorders.
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18. Teaching, learning and assessment
Development of the learning outcomes is promoted through the following teaching and learning
methods:

Induction procedures: Students receive preparatory notes and reading lists prior to the course to orient
entrants to the subject area and core modules in Level 1. A welcome day event is held during Intro Week
where students have a chance to meet the Course Director, year tutors, academic staff. The event also
allows students to tour the department, meet their peers, and sign up for tutorials.

Lectures: Lectures are used widely across all levels of the course to disseminate information on human
communication and related topics. Many lectures include in-class exercises and discussion to allow
structured practice in applying concepts conveyed in lectures. (K1 – K6).

Tutorials & Practical workshops. These involve a range of small-group teaching methods customised to
the particular needs of each module. Formats include question/answer sessions, discussions, practical
exercises, and computer based demonstrations. (K2 – K4).

Independent Study. Independent study is a critical aspect of learning. In addition to tutorial support and
training in effective research and study skills, the department provides resources and facilities to enhance
self-directed learning. These include two in-house suites of IT equipment and PCs, a library of books,
behavioural and language tests, an onsite clinic with video and audio recording equipment. (K1 – K6).

Project work. One-to-one supervision is used together with small-group tutorials and seminars to support
the planning and implementation of the final year research project. (K1 – K6).
Opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes are provided through the following
assessment methods:
A range of assessment methods is used in the degree with a mix of formal examinations, essays, project work
(including portfolios) and practical examinations. The type of assessment is matched to the requirements of the
material being taught. A combination of formative assessment (which does not count towards a final mark, but
which contributes to the process of learning new skills and information) and summative assessment (which
counts towards the final grade for a module).

At Level 1, a variety of formative coursework including guided reading, tutorial presentations, essays and lab
practicals is assessed by tutors during the semester and is followed by a formal summative written
examination or submission of written assignments (e.g., portfolios of the semester’s work are used as the
assessment for Research Methods modules). (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6) + (S1, S2, S5, S6).

At Level 2, the varied pattern used at Level 1 continues, but with particular subject areas and skills being
assessed in more specific ways (e.g. Practical Phonetics: Oral examination; Syntactic Analysis: Workbook
exercises followed by summative formal test.) (K1 – K6) + (S1, S2, S3, S5, S6).

At Level 3, where students take greater responsibility for their own learning, there is an increasing emphasis
on project work. (K1 – K6) + (S1 – S6).
19. Reference points
The learning outcomes have been developed to reflect the following points of reference:
Subject Benchmark Statements
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Subject-benchmarkstatements.aspx
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/The-framework-for-higher-educationqualifications-in-England-Wales-and-Northern-Ireland.aspx
Although there is no single Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Benchmarking Statement applicable to the BSc
(HCS), both the QAA Benchmarking Statements for Linguistics and for Psychology are relevant, and the BSc
programme has been developed with reference to both of them where appropriate
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/Subject-benchmark-statementLinguistics.aspx).
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The learning outcomes for the BSc in Speech and Language Sciences were also developed with reference to
the University Strategic Plan (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ourplan/), and the Learning and Teaching Strategy of
the University of Sheffield (http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/staff/lts)
20. Programme structure and regulations
Detailed information about the structure of programmes, regulations concerning assessment and progression
and descriptions of individual modules are published in the University Calendar available on-line at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/govern/calendar/regs.html.
21. Student development over the course of study
At Level 1, students complete core modules in human communication, psychology and research methods, to
acquire the foundation knowledge and skills needed to undertake in-depth study of speech and language as a
science. Students may individualise their course of study by selecting up to 20 credits from related disciplines.
At Level 2, a more advanced study of communication is undertaken through a required set of modules in human
communications and psychology. Emphasis at Level 2 is on (1) acquiring specialist knowledge of
communication and its disorders; (2) developing practical observation skills through the study of behaviour,
speech signals and language structure; and (3) learning to acquire information through the scientific literature.
Students individualise their course of study by selecting up to 30 credits from related disciplines.
At Level 3, knowledge and skills obtained at Levels 1 and 2 are put into action as students take a greater
proportion of credits that require independent project work, essays and oral presentations. At Level 3, students
have acquired expertise in a range of analytic techniques that they can apply to the final year research project.
The final year projects allow students the opportunity to work with external institutions (e.g., schools) and
develop their interpersonal and professional skills through supervised interaction with the public in a research
setting. Students may individualise their course of study by selecting up to 20 credits from related disciplines.
Graduates of the course possess a wealth of knowledge and skills that will enable them to continue in
postgraduate education in related disciplines. Alternatively, graduates are qualified to undertake employment in
a wide range of jobs that involve communication, speech and language disabilities, or the understanding of
human behaviour in general.
22. Criteria for admission to the programme
Detailed information regarding admission to the programme is available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/study
Admissions Criteria - BSc (Speech and Language Sciences)
For 2012-13
BBB – Based on 18 Units at GCE Advanced Level (may include VCE A levels)
BB + BB – Based on 12 Units at GCE Advanced level (may include VCE A levels) and 6 Units at Advanced
Subsidiary Level
From 2013-14
ABB – Based on 18 Units at GCE Advanced Level (may include VCE A levels)
AB + BB – Based on 12 Units at GCE Advanced level (may include VCE A levels) and 6 Units at Advanced
Subsidiary Level
Additional Requirements
Satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau Check.
Key Skills are desirable but not mandatory.
23. Additional information
The Department of Human Communications Website (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hcs/prospective_ug/courses)
provides further information about the BSc (Speech and Language Sciences) and about the department in
general.
This specification represents a concise statement about the main features of the programme and should be
considered alongside other sources of information provided by the teaching department(s) and the University. In
addition to programme specific information, further information about studying at The University of Sheffield can
be accessed via our Student Services web site at http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid.
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