Speech and language therapist

Career path and progression

With experience, you could specialise in working with:

• children with special educational needs
• people who have eating, drinking and swallowing disorders (dysphagia)

After further training, you could move into teaching and research. You could also become self-employed and run your own business.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of English language
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• to be flexible and open to change
• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of psychology
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

For some roles you'll need to visit clients in their homes, so you'll need a driving licence.

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Biology - Speech and language therapists need a thorough understanding of human anatomy, particularly the structures involved in speech, swallowing, and hearing – such as the mouth, throat, larynx, and brain. They also work with patients recovering from strokes or brain injuries, so understanding the nervous system and how the body functions is essential.
• Psychology - Speech and language therapists use psychological principles to understand how people learn, process language, and develop communication skills. They also need to understand conditions like autism, developmental delays, and the emotional impact of communication difficulties to tailor their therapy effectively.
• English Language - Speech and language therapists work directly with how language is structured, produced, and understood – including phonetics, grammar, and meaning. A deep understanding of how English works helps them assess speech and language difficulties and design targeted therapy programmes.

Also relevant

• Sociology - Speech and language therapists work with people from diverse backgrounds and need to understand how social factors like culture, education, and family environment affect communication development. This awareness helps them provide inclusive, person-centred care.
• Physics - Speech and language therapists benefit from understanding the physics of sound – how sound waves are produced, travel, and are perceived. This knowledge underpins their work with voice disorders and helps them understand how hearing difficulties affect speech.
• Mathematics - Speech and language therapists use data to assess patients, track progress, and measure outcomes of therapy programmes. Understanding statistics helps them interpret standardised assessment scores and evaluate whether a patient's development falls within expected ranges.
• Modern Foreign Languages - Speech and language therapists often work with bilingual or multilingual children and families, and studying another language builds awareness of how different languages are structured. This understanding of phonology, grammar, and how languages are acquired is directly useful when assessing communication in diverse populations.