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UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Template 2: Qualification Change -2013
Proposal Description
R
Purpose of the proposal
To introduce a compulsory course structure for the BSLP(Hons) Intermediate Year and make changes to the courses in
the professional years following the UC internal programme review and external review by the accreditation panel of
the New Zealand Speech Therapy Association.
Justification
The current BSLP(Hons) degree enables graduates to practice as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), as will the revised
BSLP(Hons) degree. Currently, students usually enrol in the BSLP(Hons) at UC and complete an Intermediate year
consisting of a mix of introductory courses in psychology, linguistics, statistics, biology/anatomy & physiology, and an
introduction to communication disorders. Entry to the Intermediate year is not restricted. At the end of the
intermediate year, students apply for entry to the BSLP(Hons) professional years (Levels 200-400), and the 40 most
promising students are accepted (i.e. there is restricted entry). Students not admitted to the first professional year
commonly continue their studies in Psychology, Health Sciences, Linguistics, Science or Arts degrees. On occasion
students who have completed the Health Sciences First Year at Otago University are accepted.
1. The proposed revised BSLP(Hons) still contains an intermediate year (Level 100), but eight courses are compulsory.
The purpose is to ensure that all applicants to the first professional year are fully and adequately prepared for success in
the professional years. Entrance to the Intermediate year will remain unrestricted. At the end of first year, students can
still choose whether to apply for entry to the first professional year, or to enrol elsewhere, for example, Psychology etc.
The first professional year will remain as restricted entry. Students applying from outside of UC will have to take
additional courses in order to meet the prerequisites of subsequent courses.
The revisions aim to update the degree to meet national and international standards of practice for Health Professionals
of the future. Specifically, there is:
2. An increased focus on research skills to enable effective evidence-based practice and the translation of research to
clinical practice. STAT101 is made compulsory in the Intermediate year, which meets UC's increasing focus on graduates'
numeracy skills. Beyond STAT101, an existing course at Level 400 is frontloaded to Level 200 (CMDS263 Evaluating
Research for Clinical Practice) alongside CMDS282 Clinical Practice 2 to better prepare students for evidence-based
clinical practice. An empirical case study is embedded into CMDS381 Clinical Practice 3 and the course is renamed as
CMDS381 Applied Research and Clinical Practice 3. Finally, students undertake a critically appraised report of a clinical
issue in the now mandatory course CMDS491 Capstone Project.
3. A more direct focus on cultural issues, with a compulsory course on Maori culture in the Intermediate year. Students
choose their own focus, on Maori language, engagement with Maori, Maori culture, science or health.
4. An earlier focus on the relationship between language, brain and behaviour, by re-titling the Level 200 course
CMDS262 Neuroscience to CMDS162 Neuroscience of Communication & Swallowing and frontloading the course to the
Intermediate year. This shift is in line with emerging international trends to embed knowledge of human neuroscience
into health science degrees early in the programme structure.
5. A tighter integration of the topics of audiology and aural rehabilitation by merging the content of the existing
CMDS242 Introduction to Audiology with CMDS442 Aural (re)Habilitation into a Level 200 course CMDS243 Introduction
to Audiologic Assessment & Management.
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6. Better integration of the Dysphagia courses (swallowing disorders) by following CMDS365 Dysphagia & Related
Disorders - Diagnosis, first semester with CMDS366 Dysphagia and Related Disorders - Management in second
semester, by moving the course forward from the current location at Level 400 (CMDS465). This ensures better
preparation for clinical practice, especially during community block placements, in Level 400.
7. A stronger focus on the importance of students developing knowledge of issues critical to performance as Health
Professionals, and the skills to implement that knowledge. This is achieved by extracting some of the content that is
currently covered in the Clinical Practice courses into two new courses, CMDS368 Professional Studies 1 and CMDS468
Professional Studies 2. These courses will allow for an in depth appraisal of counselling in SLP, family systems, conflict
resolution, workplace structures, curriculum adaptation, etc.
8. A more concise introduction to the study of communication disorders in the Intermediate year, with a merger of
CMDS111 Introduction to Developmental Communication Disorders and CMDS112 Introduction to Acquired
Communication Disorders to CMSD113 Introduction to Communication Disorders.
9. With frontloading of some critical courses, more advanced courses have been placed at Level 400, including CMDS461
Complex Communication Disorders (was CMDS461 Advanced Topics), and CMDS420 Spoken and Written Language
Disorders in Educational Settings (was CMDS320).
10. Finally, the following courses have been deleted, and the content integrated into the existing courses: CMDS442
Aural (Re)habilitation and CMDS410 Cultural and Ethical Issues. Cultural and ethical issues are now covered in an
iterative, developmental approach across the four years of the degree, beginning with a MAOR course in the
Intermediate year, and continuing with the topics of ethics in clinical practice in Years 2, 3, and 4, and the topics of
multicultural and inter-disciplinary practice in Years 3 and 4.
In the revised degree we have implemented the recommendations of the two recent reviews of the BSLP(Hons), the
internal review and the review by the NZSTA accreditation panel. Therefore, we have sought consultation from within
UC (Departments and UCSA), and from the New Zealand Speech Therapy Association.
Calendar Form
Regulations
The changes to the BSLP(Hons) will be introduced incrementally as follows:

2014 Changes to the degree regulations

Schedule to the Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours
o 2014 Intermediate Year Programme of Study
o 2015 First Professional Year
o 2016 Second Profession Year
o 2017 Third Professional Year.
Summary of regulation changes
 Regulation 3 (b), (c), (f), and (g) are the only regulations which have been modified and are shown below.
UC Calendar 2013 Page 380
The Degree of Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology BSLP(Hons)
See also General Course and Examination Regulations.
*The BSLP(Hons) degree was subject to a review in 2012 that has resulted in some amendments to the degree regulations and programme of study.
Changes to the programme of study only affect student s enrolling in the Intermediate Year from 2014 onwards.
The overarching goal of the BSLP(Hons) is to produce graduates ready for entry-level clinical practice as a speechlanguage pathologist. The programme will meet both national and internationally-recognised standards regarding the
development of academic knowledge and clinical skills.
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Regulation 3
(b) To be eligible for admission candidates must have completed the eight compulsory courses of the Intermediate Year
(or equivalent) totaling 120 points. Selection is based on academic merit, a statement of interest, and an interview.
(c) Candidates admitted to the first professional year on the basis of course equivalence are required to complete any
outstanding prerequisites concurrently with the first professional year courses. Prospective students who are seeking
entry but have not completed the compulsory courses are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with the Head of
Department.
(f) The selection into the degree programme is by the Admissions Committee of the Department of Communication
Disorders who have been delegated authority by the Academic Board. The Admissions Committee normally meets
during the second week of December following the publication of grades.
(g) Exemption from the Intermediate Year may be granted to individuals with qualifications and, where appropriate,
relevant work experience, approved by the Head of Department. Students admitted under this clause may be required
to take additional qualifying courses.
Schedule to the Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology with Honours
For full course information, go to www.canterbury.ac.nz/courses
Intermediate Examination
[Introduction UC Calendar 2014]
A candidate's course of study for the Intermediate Year will consist of 120 points made up of the eight compulsory
courses (or equivalent).
Intermediate Year
Course Code
LING 101
CMDS 161
PSYC 105
MAOR***
(choose one)
CMDS 113
CMDS 162
Course Title
The English Language
Anatomy & Physiology for the Speech & Hearing
Mechanism
Introductory Psychology - Brain, Behaviour &
Cognition
MAOR 172 Science, Maori and Indigenous
Knowledge
Pts
15
15
2014
S1
S1
P/C/R/RP/EQ
R: ENGL 123
15
S1
R: PSYC 103, PSYC
104
15
S1
R: SCIM101
HLTH 106 Nga Take, Te Wero – Maori Health
Issues and Opportunities
15
S1
TREO 110 Conversational Maori for Absolute
Beginners
15
Summer
S1, or S2
TREO 111 Te Reo: Te Kakano – Introductory
Language 1
15
S1
MAOR 165 He Timatanga: Engaging with Maori
15
Summer
Introduction to Communication Disorders
Neuroscience of Communication & Swallowing
15
15
S2
S2
3
R: MAOR 105,
MAOR110,
MAOR111,
MAOR112,
MAOR115,
MAOR124,
MAOR125,
TREO111, TREO112
R: MAOR105,
MAOR110,
MAOR111,
MAOR115,
MAOR124,
MAOR125
R:CMDS667
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Course Code
STAT 101
Course Title
Statistics 1
Pts
15
2014
S2
PSYC 106
Introductory Psychology - Social, Personality &
Development
15
S2
P/C/R/RP/EQ
R: STAT 111, STAT
112
EQ: STAT 111, STAT
112
R: PSYC 103, PSYC
104
1. Students who have not completed the Intermediate Year at the University of Canterbury and are admitted to the first
professional year under equivalent status are required to pass any remaining pre-requisite courses concurrently with the
first professional year programme.
2. Students from other universities should contact the College of Science Student Advisor for information on equivalent
and acceptable courses.
First Professional Year
[Introduction into UC Calendar 2015]
Candidates for admission to the First Professional Year must have passed courses totaling at least 120 points equivalent
to the Intermediate Year
All courses are compulsory.
Course Code
Course Title
Pts
2015
CMDS221
Linguistics and Language Acquisition
15
S1
P/C/R/RP/EQ
C: CMDS 231 or LING 207
R:CMDS661
CDMS231
Clinical Phonetics
15
S1
C: CMDS221
R: CMDS661
CMDS281
Observation & Clinical Practice 1
15
S1
R: CMDS668
CMDS243
CMDS263
CMDS222
Introduction to Audiologic Assessment & Management
Evaluating Research for Clinical Practice
Language Disorders in Children
15
15
15
S1
S2
S2
R: CMDS663
R: CMDS668
P: CMDS 221
R: CMDS665
CMDS232
Speech Sound Disorders
15
S2
P: CMDS 231
R: CMDS665
CMDS282
Clinical Practice 2
15
S2
P: CMDS281/ CMDS221/CMDS231
P: CMDS222/CMDS232
R: CMDS668
Notes:
1. Entry to the First Professional Examination is limited to 40 students, and selection is based on fluency in English and
suitability for training as a Speech and Language Pathologist. Candidates must submit an enrolment application and a
separate application form to the Head of the Department of Communication Disorders by 1 November.
2. Students who have not completed the intermediate year at the University of Canterbury and are admitted to the first
professional year are required to complete and pass CMDS 161 concurrently with the first professional year programme.
Second Professional Year
[Introduction into UC Calendar 2016]
All courses are compulsory.
Course Code
CMDS368
CMDS369
Course Title
Professional Studies I
Aphasia & Related Disorders
Pts
S15
S15
2016
S1
S1
CMDS365
Dysphagia and Related Disorders - Diagnosis
S15
S1
CMDS381
Applied Research & Clinical Practice 3
S15
Summer, S1
4
P/C/R/RP/EQ
R: CMDS664
P: CMDS162
R: CMS670
P: CMDS162
R: CMDS669
P: CMDS282/CMDS263
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R: CMDS671
CMDS367
Voice Disorders
15
S2
P: CMDS162
R: CMDS666
CMDS363
CMDS366
Motor Speech Disorders
Dysphagia and Related Disorders - Management
15
15
S2
S2
P: CMDS1162
P: CMDS365
R: CMDS674
CMDS382
Clinical Practice 4
15
Summer, S2
P: CMDS381
R: CMDS676
Third Professional Year
[Introduction into UC Calendar 2017]
All courses are compulsory.
Course
Code
Course Title
Pts
2017
P/C/R/RP/EQ
CMDS451
Fluency Disorders
15
S1
P: CMDS162
R: CMDS662
CMDS491
CMDS420
Capstone Project
Spoken and Written Language Disorders in Educational
Settings
15
15
S1
S1
P:CMDS263 CMDS382
R: CMDS672
CMDS482
Clinical Practice 5
15
Summer,
S1
CMDS468
CMDS461
Professional Studies II
Complex Communication Disorders
15
15
S2
S2
CMDS484
Clinical Practice 6
30
Summer, S2
P: CMDS 381 (SPTH381) and CMDS 382
(SPTH382)
R: CMDS676
R: CMDS675
P: CMD 381, CMDS382.
COURSE PRESCRIPTIONS - all of the learning outcomes have been updated.
There are 6 sections to the prescriptions.
1. These course prescriptions remain unchanged (as in the 2013 Calendar):
CMDS 161 Anatomy & Physiology for the Speech and Hearing Mechanism
CMDS 221 Linguistics and Language Acquisition
CMDS 231 Clinical Phonetics
CMDS 281 Observation and Clinical Practice 1
CMDS 282 Clinical Practice 2
CMDS 222 Language Disorders in Children
CMDS 232 Speech Sound Disorders
CMDS 363 Motor Speech Disorders
CMDS 369 Aphasia and Related Disorders
CMDS 365 Dysphagia and Related Disorders – Diagnosis
CMDS 367 Voice Science and Disorders
CMDS 382 Clinical Practice 4
CMDS 482 Clinical Practice 5
CMDS 484 Clinical Practice 6
2. These course prescriptions remain unchanged but the courses have been made compulsory:
LING 101 The English Language
PSYC 105 Introductory Psychology - Brain, Behaviour & Cognition
PSYC 106 Introductory Psychology - Social, Personality & Developmental
STAT 101 Statistics 1
One of: MAOR 165/ MAOR 172/TREO 110/TREO 111/HLTH 106/:
MAOR 165 He Timatanga: Engaging with Māori
TREO 110 Conversational Māori for Absolute Beginners
TREO 111 Te Reo: Te Kakano – Introductory Language 1
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HLTH 106 Nga Take, Te Wero – Maori Health Issues and Opportunities
MAOR 172 Science, Maori and Indigenous Knowledge
3. These courses have been re-sequenced within the programme, and learning outcomes updated:
CMDS 462 (Evaluating Research for Clinical Practice) is moved to level 200 (CMDS263)
The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the principles and methods of evidence-based clinical practice so that
you can apply those methods to assessing and treating communication disorders in children and adults. This course will
develop your knowledge and skills in this area by introducing you to ways of judging the value of assessment procedures
and intervention practices in speech and language sciences.
CMDS 351 Fluency Disorders is moved to level 400 (CMDS451)
Introduction to the clinical management of adults and children who stutter, including the clinical measurement of
stuttering, the design of stuttering treatments, and the application of empirical and theoretical literature to clinical
practice.
CMDS 465 (Dysphagia & Related Disorders – Management) is moved to level 300 (CMDS366)
In this course students extend their prerequisite knowledge of swallowing biomechanics and pathophysiology to the
management of swallowing impairment. Students examine practices for rehabilitation and compensation of swallowing
disorders in adults and children. On completion of the course, students will be equipped to make a professional
contribution to the multidisciplinary management team for swallowing disorders in medical and educational settings.
CMDS 320 Spoken and Written Language Disorders in Education is moved to level 400 (CMDS420)
In this course students examine theories, causes and characteristics of school-aged language disorders, including
discussion of cultural variation in approaches to education and language exposure. There is a focus on the assessment
and treatment of school-aged children with spoken and written language impairment across cultures. Students
problem-solve case data and devise case-specific interventions on the basis of research into language and learning.
CMDS 461 is re-titled from Advanced Topics in Speech and Language Disorders to Complex Communication Disorders
and is moved from Semester 1 to Semester 2.
In this course, students undertake advanced study with a focus on the management of more complex and multifaceted
cases. Discussion topics include the management of clients for whom there is more than one key issue influencing their
management (e.g. more than one communication disorder, bilingualism, psychosocial issues, multicultural background)
and for clients in specialist areas of speech-language therapy (e.g. neurodevelopmental and cognitive communication
disorders). Students explore knowledge which enables them, on the basis of a range of novel and complex case studies,
to compare and contrast appropriate assessment procedures, to differentially diagnose the presence, extent, and
nature of the communication disorder, to establish appropriate goals for intervention and to plan an appropriate
intervention programme.
4. These courses are the results of merging:
CMDS 113 Introduction to Communication Disorders
This course is designed to introduce students to the professions of speech-language therapy and audiology. The course
provides an overview of the types of communication and swallowing problems seen in children and adults. This course
will also include case presentations, videotaped examples, as well as equipment demonstrations to assist students in
comprehending and engaging with the subject matter.
CMDS 243 Introduction to Audiologic Assessment and Management
This course provides students with foundational knowledge in audiology and of the role of the audiologist in the
diagnosis and management of hearing and balance disorders, as well as a thorough understanding of how to develop
and implement aural rehabilitation plans for children and adults and their family members. Skills acquired include
competence in hearing screening audiometry and the interpretation of basic audiometric data in paediatric and adult
audiology.
5. Other:
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CMD 262 is moved to level 100, re-titled (from Neuroscience) to CMDS 162 Neuroscience of Communication &
Swallowing.
In this course, students develop an understanding of the major structures and functions of the nervous system,
particularly in relation to communication and swallowing. Students also examine the underlying etiology and main
characteristics of a variety of neurological conditions associated with communication and swallowing disorders.
CMDS490 Research Project is made compulsory, retitled to CDMS491 Capstone Project, and the requirements have
changed. The Capstone Project is a challenging and independent research project that aims to consolidate your learning
by drawing together the main strands of your academic and clinical undergraduate programme into a clinically-relevant,
evidence-based, written report. This report will take the form of a critically appraised topic (CAT) arising from a clinical
question posed by you in consultation with your project supervisor. The CAT will require you to construct a structured
clinical question, search for relevant sources of evidence addressing your question, critically appraisal the evidence and
draw a conclusion based on the highest-quality evidence available
Following discussion, it was agreed a new course proposal will be submitted prior to the introduction of the course in
2017.
CMDS381 Applied Research & Clinical Practice 3 has a new title and new course content
In this course students will establish the links between theory and practice. Students will further develop professional
and clinical competency in managing a client caseload in an on-campus clinic. Students will successfully apply research
skills of planning and executing a case study that includes a critical appraisal of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches,
methods for data collection, analysis and interpretation.
6. These are the two new courses:
CMDS 368 Professional Studies 1
This course offers students the opportunity to develop emerging clinical skills in speech-language pathology through
observation and engagement in clinical practice. Students will engage in clinical practice in a variety of settings, working
alongside supervisors and senior speech-pathology students. The accompanying lecture programme focuses on specific
areas of professional practice.
CMDS 468 Professional Studies 2
This course offers students the opportunity to consolidate their skills as speech-language pathologist and demonstrate
clinical competency in a range of settings. Students will also analyse workplace practices and design a quality
innovation project related to a specific area of clinical practice.
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