Bachelor of Speech and Language Sciences/Master of Speech Pathology

VU course code:HCSPLevel of study:Undergraduate

Domestic only

ATAR

Lowest selection rank: 88.15*

Duration

4.5 years full time

Delivery mode

In Person

Fees

Commonwealth supported place

Location

Footscray Park Campus

Intakes

View all intakes

Overview

Turn your passion for social equity and health science into an exciting profession in the field of speech pathology, sometimes referred to as speech therapy.

This dual degree will prepare you to support those with communication and/or swallowing challenges.

As a speech pathologist, you’ll play a crucial role in enabling communication and improving swallowing function to enhance quality of life for those experiencing these difficulties, as well as supporting their families and broader community.

With plenty of opportunities for practical learning throughout your degree, you’ll be prepared for work in the speech-pathology field across complex and diverse settings.

The course combines the practical and theoretical study of communication and swallowing disorders with human development, biomedical sciences, human rights and principles of social justice to enable you to graduate as a well-rounded practitioner.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Exemplify readiness to enter the profession for speech pathology practice in Australia;
Conceptually map a comprehensive, multidimensional understanding of the reciprocal impact of communication and swallowing difficulties for individuals and their families, friends, colleagues, and communities; as well as institutions and society at large, in terms of day-to-day activities; and participation in educational, vocational and recreational pursuits;
Elucidate a complex and multifaceted understanding of the interaction between communication and swallowing skills and the various determinants such as physical, linguistic, social, culture, spiritual, emotional and psychological factors; the physical and built environment and economic conditions;
Advocate for the learning needs of individuals across the speech pathology domains with respect to facilitating their goals;
Exhibit a complex and multifaceted understanding of professionalism—ethics, adherence to regulatory and professional standards, the need to reflect on lifelong learning—evidenced in accurate delivery of a range of speech pathology practices as appropriate and relevant to the context;
Verify the cognitive, technical, research and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and apply established theories to different contexts evinced in evidence-based practice;
Substantiate culturally responsive and safe practices, value diversity among individuals and engage in decolonising practices that acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as Traditional Custodians of Australian lands; and
Adapt and contextualise communication conventions for diverse contexts.
: During your degree you will have the opportunity to complete extensive supervised professional practice in a range of real workplace settings including education, health and community contexts. Work-based placements are required by Speech Pathology Australia in order to demonstrate the minimum skills, knowledge base and professional standards required for entry to practice in Australia.
Our on-campus health science simulation labs will also offer you the ability to develop your skills in treating patients in realistic clinical scenarios.

Entry requirements

When assessing your application, we consider your educational achievements and work experience, as well as your skills and personal attributes (where relevant).

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

You may also be eligible for course ‘credits’, where you are granted a unit or units towards your qualification for equivalent previous study or work experience, so you can graduate sooner.

ATAR requirements

Minimum ATAR: 88.15*

ATAR related adjustments

A study score of 30 in Biology, Chemistry, English (any except EAL) Mathematics (any), Psychology, Sociology, Texts and Traditions, Health and Human Development, or LOTE (any), or a study score of 35 in English (EAL) equals 5 aggregate points. Overall maximum of 20 points.

This course has a minimum ATAR entry requirement. This means you’ll need to achieve a certain ATAR, along with other criteria, to be considered for this course.

The following table shows the ranking results of our current student intake and is an indication of the ATAR you’ll need to successfully apply.

*Minimum ATAR is based on the lowest selection rank (ATAR plus adjustments) that received an offer for the Semester 1, 2026 intake. Use as a guide only.

VU course code: HCSP

VTAC course code: 4301011051

Campus: Footscray Park

ATAR profile of people who received an offer for the Bachelor of Speech and Language Sciences/Master of Speech Pathology.
	ATAR (Excluding adjustment factors)	Selection Rank (ATAR including adjustment factors)
Highest rank to receive an offer	93.95	98.30
Median rank to receive an offer	84.60	93.40
Lowest rank to receive an offer	68.95	88.15

Learn more about ATAR

What is ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) compares the results of final-year school students, with adjustments made for factors such as hardship. The ranking is expressed as a number between 0 and 99.95. ATAR minimum entry requirements are not usually essential entry criteria for applicants who have completed secondary education more than 2 years ago.

Minimum entry criteria include:

English-language requirements
academic requirements.

Your work and life experience will also be considered.

To find specific entry requirements for this course, please select the section below that is most relevant to you.

Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry into this course.

: This information is relevant if, in the 2 years prior to studying with us, you have completed (or will complete) one of the following:
Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (e.g. VCE)
an Australian or overseas equivalent to VCE
an International Baccalaureate (IB).
Admission criteria
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in any other English.
PLUS
A study score of at least 20 in two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics (any), Psychology, Sociology, Texts and Traditions, Health and Human Development, or LOTE (any).
: This information is relevant if you have completed an accredited award (such as a certificate or diploma) at an Australian Registered Training Organisation (usually a TAFE, polytechnic or other registered VET institute).
Admission criteria
Completion of a relevant Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent) in the Health, and /or Community Services pathways or similar.
: This information is relevant if you’ve previously completed all or part of a university or other higher-education course.
Admission criteria
Completion of one full year of study (or equivalent) in an Australian Higher Education award (or equivalent) in Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Education or a related discipline or an Australian Higher Education-related course.
OR
Completion of an Australian Higher Education award (or equivalent) in Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Education or a related discipline.
Applicants will be competitively ranked based on their course WAM.
Second year entry:
Successful completion of eight first year Higher Education units in one of the following courses at Victoria University:
Bachelor of Health Science (HBHL)
Bachelor of Applied Movement Sciences/Master of Physiotherapy (HCPT)
Bachelor of Nursing (HBNB)
Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery (HBMA)
Bachelor of Human Nutrition (HBNT)
Note: Meeting the minimum requirement for entry to second year does not guarantee entry. Places are limited and applicants will be competitively ranked based on their course WAM in their first two semesters of Higher Education study.
: This information is relevant if you left secondary school more than two years ago and haven’t studied since.
Admission criteria
Applicants that completed an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate more than two years ago including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in any other English.
PLUS
A study score of at least 20 in two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics (any), Psychology, Sociology, Texts and Traditions, Health and Human Development, or LOTE (any).
: Take a look at a student profile to get an overview of students who have previously enrolled in this course.
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Past Higher Education Study
(includes a bridging or enabling course) 21 51.2%
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study <5 <5
(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
(regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)
NP NP
(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
(e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
NA NA
(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
(e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
NA NA
(D) Work and Life experience 0 0.0%
International students 0 0.0%
All students 41 100%
"<5" – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.
N/P – Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students.

Applicant background	Number of students	Percentage of all students
(A) Past Higher Education Study (includes a bridging or enabling course)	21	51.2%
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study	<5	<5
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)	NP	NP
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)	NA	NA
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)	NA	NA
(D) Work and Life experience	0	0.0%
International students	0	0.0%
All students	41	100%

Special entry programs

Special admission programs

If you are from a disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic or cultural background, you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. These programs are designed to help you access education more easily.

Learn more about special admission programs

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

You should carefully consider the inherent requirement statement as a:

guide for your learning during the course
way for you to identify challenges you may have in studying this course.

Learn more about inherent requirements

Additional information

Students are notified at enrolment of professional practice requirements, including: appropriate uniform/attire, equipment, travel, 'Police Check' and 'Working with Children Check', First Aid certificate, record of immunisation, and a signed agreement to nominate oneself as fit for practice. Students must pass essential pre-requisite units before undertaking professional practice placements. Students are required to attend Professional Practice placements, which are an assessed part of the course, additional to timetabled workshops and self-directed study time.

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Speech and Language Sciences/Master of Speech Pathology, students will be required to complete:

432 credit points of Core studies.

After you are accepted into your course, you will need to enrol in your course units.

During enrolment, use your course delivery plan to understand the structure and requirements of your course.

Fees & scholarships

University fees vary, depending on how much the government contributes towards course costs (if anything).

Read below to find out about the fee ‘type’, the estimated yearly tuition costs for this course, and the financial support on offer (including our generous scholarship program).

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is subsidised by the government, reducing it to the amount listed here. Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens will qualify for a CSP place. If your course is not Commonwealth supported, or you don't qualify, you'll pay full fees.

Learn more about Commonwealth Supported Places

Careers

With both a bachelor and masters qualification, you’ll be prepared for work in the rapidly growing speech pathology industry.

Speech Pathologists are in increasing demand for work in the following fields:

government and non-government organisations
education
health
disability
welfare
community-based organisations
health promotion
policy development
academic teaching and research
private practice in speech pathology (also known as speech therapy).

Speech pathologists can also work with professional voice users such as auctioneers, teachers, actors and singers, coaching them on how to use their voices safely.

The course has been designed to meet the accreditation standards of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) and is currently in the qualifying phase of accreditation. VU will seek accreditation of the award courses prior to the first cohort of students graduating to enable graduates to be eligible for membership with Speech Pathology Australia, in line with the SPA accreditation process for new courses.

Salaries

Find the average salary for a graduate speech pathologist at PayScale.

Intakes

Melbourne

On campus – Melbourne Footscray Park Campus

Semester 1 - Block 1

Course starts 15 February 2027

Applications close07 February 2027

Apply via VTAC if you are:

in Year 12 or
applying to multiple universities

VTAC course code 4301011051

VTAC late applications are due by 30 October 2026

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information on this page, please note that dates are subject to change. Some courses may close early due to an earlier start date or there being limited places available.