Università degli Studi di Parma

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First cycle degree

Speech and Language Therapy

COD. 3043
WEBSITE
A.Y. 2015/2016
CLASS:
L/SNT2 - Classe delle lauree in Professioni sanitarie della riabilitazione
Years of study: 3
Credits (CFU): 180
Mode of study: full-time
DEGREE COURSE WITH NATIONAL ADMISSION TEST

Places available: 16
Admission test: September 4th
All the information about the admission test is available in the Admission Test page.

COURSE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM WITH CREDITS

CORSO GENERICO (curriculum)

Year of study: 1

Year of study: 2

Year of study: 3

Profile of the programme

The programme of the First Cycle Degree Course in Speech and Language Therapy (leading to the professional qualification of Speech Therapist) is designed to train health professionals specialized in the prevention and rehabilitation of language and communications disorders in children, adults and the elderly. The work of the Speech Therapist involves the education and re-education of all those pathologies that create disorders affecting the voice, speech, oral and written language as well as communication disabilities. Accordingly, during the three-year course, students attending the First Cycle Degree Course in Speech and Language Therapy will acquire:
-sound knowledge of the fundamentals of the background disciplines (physics, statistics, computer science, sociology and general pedagogy), of bio-molecular sciences and of the biological functions of organs and body systems (biochemistry, biology, anatomy, general and specific physiology);
- in-depth knowledge of the core disciplines of the speech therapy profession (medical and applied technical sciences, child neuropsychiatry, linguistics and glottology, theories and philosophy of language and communication, general and clinical psychology, ENT, audiology and phoniatrics, and neurology);
- in-depth knowledge of disciplines related to the physiology, aetiology and pathology of language, communication and swallowing in children, adults and the elderly, of neurological and degenerative disorders of cognitive and language functions, of linguistics and theories of language development, of philosophy of language and of the methodologies applied to speech therapy assessment and rehabilitation;
- the ability to work independently in the areas of prevention, assessment and functional rehabilitation of communication, linguistic and cognitive disabilities by applying different assessment and therapy methodologies, estimating the length of therapy and verifying outcomes; the ability to prepare a rehabilitation setting suitable to the therapy, designed to ensure the best possible conditions for both the patient and the therapist;
- the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, to interact with colleagues and other professionals, both within and outside the medical field, to work with defined levels of autonomy and to fit in quickly in the workplace.
In this Degree Course, priority is given to the theoretical and practical study of Speech and Language Therapy Sciences, both through lectures, exercises, teaching laboratories and through professional work experience in areas involving Speech and Language Therapy, such as the assessment and functional recovery of communication, language, and swallowing in all age brackets and in all rehabilitation contexts. Teaching activities are organized in modules and are carried out through lectures, exercises in classrooms and laboratory activities. Learning outcomes are assessed with possible self-evaluation tests during the course and with a final oral, practical or written examination, individual and contextual for each subject, to test the achievement of objectives and through which course credits are gained. The number of students attending the Course in recent academic years has been constant. The course syllabus is, pursuant to the law, programmed at national level and the average ratio of demand (D) and places (P) available at admissions tests was 10.6, with a stable trend, representing one of the most significant figures amongst Health Profession degree courses. On average, 83% of students come from outside the province of Parma and 36% from outside the region. In the last three academic years, the percentage of students abandoning the degree course totalled 3.7% in 2009/10 and 4.5% in 2011/12. The average score in course examinations was 28.5/30 and the percentage of students graduating within the scheduled timeframe of the course totalled 82%, above the University average. The average Degree grade is 108/110. At present, the Degree Course has numerous agreements for theoretical-practical internships with Local Health Authorities and re-education and rehabilitation Organizations and Centres: this experience is fundamental for the acquisition of the necessary skills new professionals must hold to match the profile demanded by the workplace.

Admission requirements

In order to gain access to the First Cycle Degree course, applicants must have a secondary school leaving diploma or other qualification obtained abroad recognized as suitable in accordance with the regulations in force (article 6 paragraph 2 of Ministerial Decree. 270/04); they are also required to have a suitable background, and to have achieved a suitable ranking in the admission exam. According to the Ministerial Decrees issued each year for admission purposes, the University of Parma checks to ensure that the general knowledge and logical reasoning skills are of a sufficient standard, along with theoretical and practical skills and knowledge required by the specific rules in force within the field and pertinent to subsequent professional application. The University also checks scientific and mathematical knowledge, as well as grounding in statistics, computing, English and human and social sciences. For access purposes, other academic and professional qualifications possessed by candidates are also considered. Acknowledgement of studies conducted in Degree Courses in other Italian Universities, and the credits obtained there, may be recognised upon examination of the curriculum sent by the University of origin and the programmes of the Courses accredited in that University. The documentation needed for the application is submitted by the student to the Students' Registry Office which, after verification and running administrative checks on taxes, transfers etc, sends the documentation to the President of the Degree Course. The recognition of the credits acquired by the student in another course of the same University or other University, including when transferring or changing Study or Department Course, is under responsibility of the President of the Course selected by the student, and is performed in accordance with pre-established and suitably publicised rules. After assessing the student’s application and the number of recognised credits achieved, the President of the Course consults the Course Council before authorising enrolment of the student in the course. Enrolment in a given year of the course is in any case subject to the availability of places, the number of which is fixed. Activities which have already been recognised for the purposes of awarding university training credits for first level medical profession courses cannot be recognised as training credits again for second cycle study courses in the medical professions.

Key learning outcomes

The First Cycle Degree Course in Speech and Language Therapy (leading to the professional qualification of Speech Therapist) is designed to achieve the following training objectives: Speech and Language Therapy graduates are medical professionals who work to prevent and rehabilitate illnesses affecting language and communication in children, adults and the elderly. The work of the Speech Therapist involves the education and re-education of all those pathologies that create disorders in the voice, speech and oral and written language as well as communication disabilities. Accordingly, during the three-year course, students attending the First Cycle Degree Course in Speech and Language Therapy will acquire:
- sound knowledge of the fundamentals of the background disciplines (physics, statistics, computer science, sociology and general pedagogy), of bio-molecular sciences and of the biological functions of organs and body systems (biochemistry, biology, anatomy, general and specific physiology);
- in-depth knowledge of the core disciplines of the speech therapy profession (medical and applied technical sciences, child neuropsychiatry, linguistics and glottology, theories and philosophy of language and communication, general and clinical psychology, ENT, audiology and phoniatrics, and neurology);
- in-depth knowledge of disciplines related to the physiology, aetiology and pathology of language, communication and swallowing in children, adults and the elderly, of neurological and degenerative disorders of cognitive and language functions, of linguistics and theories of language development, of philosophy of language and of the methodologies applied to speech therapy assessment and rehabilitation;
- the ability to work independently in the areas of prevention, assessment and functional rehabilitation of communication, linguistic and cognitive disabilities by applying different assessment and therapy methodologies, estimating the length of therapy and verifying outcomes; the ability to prepare a rehabilitation setting suitable to the therapy, designed to ensure the best possible conditions for both the patient and the therapist;
- knowledge of the human and psycho-pedagogical sciences to understand, establish and maintain relations with patients, family members and the social context;
- the capacity to conduct health education work for individuals and the community, as well as prevention, care and self-management of the disability;
- knowledge of the health management sciences and corporate organisation, as well as inter-disciplinary and clinical sciences;
- familiarity with the scientific method, and the ability to apply clinical recommendations to tangible situations, with sufficient knowledge of regulations, ethical and bioethical issues;
- the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, to interact with colleagues and other professionals, both within and outside the medical field, to work with defined levels of autonomy and to fit in quickly in the workplace.
- the knowledge needed to use methods and instruments for controlling, assessing and reviewing quality;
- the knowledge needed to take part in various forms of professional training and to participate in research conducted in various fields of application, as well as conducting educational activities and professional consultancy;
- the ability to use English in the specific field of competence and for exchanging information of a general nature;
- knowledge of instruments for communicating and managing information as well as proposing the adoption of aids, training people involved to use them, checking to ensure they are effective, and demonstrating the ability to draft technical and scientific reports.
As regards career-oriented and internship activities, the objectives refer to the Professional Profile and course regulations, and are described on the Internship documentation, as well as being approved by the Degree Course Council. The laboratory and internship activities are conducted under the supervision and guidance of professional tutors appointed specifically based on key communicative skills and are assigned to each student. The course is continually structured, monitored, validated and optimised to ensure it provides the competences, knowledge and skills of the academic profile established by the regulations currently in force and the specific objectives of the Course itself. These specific training objectives are backed by a teaching body which is aware of the need to harness all the institutional instruments activated by the relevant authorities, for the purposes of attaining accreditation of the quality of its teaching.

Final examination, if any

For the final examination (in accordance with article 7 of Ministerial Decree 19 February 2009 and subsequent amendments), students enrolled in the degree course are entitled to 6 University credits for the purpose of drafting the Degree Thesis. In order to be accepted for the final exam (Degree exam), the students must have attended the course regularly for the number of hours set for the individual combined courses, and they must also have passed the exams set after having performed all the required training internships, the positive outcome of which must be duly certified. The final exam consists of a practical test, through which the student must prove he/she has acquired the theoretical, practical, technical and operative skills required by the professional profile. It also involves drafting a thesis and its dissertation. The thesis must be produced and drafted by the student in original form under the guidance of a supervisor. The oral examination of the thesis will take place before a Board appointed by the competent Academic Authority which is made up as required by law, in compliance with the University, Department and Course Regulations. The experimental thesis of a theoretical and applied nature is presented orally before the Board by using multimedia and digital devices. This presentation-dissertation entails the final assessment of the acquisition of skills for analysing, planning assistance and communication geared towards acquiring professional responsibility and autonomy. The final exam is divided into two sessions organised at a national level: the first in October-November and the second in March-April.