The Division's popular and dynamic postgraduate programmes are research driven and aim to produce new and relevant knowledge, which will help to transform and develop the practices of Speech-language Pathology and Audiology.

The Division invites enquiries from prospective students wishing to carry out research in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Three degree Programmes (by dissertation) are offered:

  • MSc. in Audiology (by dissertation)
  • MSc. in Speech-Language Pathology (by dissertation).

PhD in Speech-Language Pathology / Audiology (by dissertation).

Prospective students are invited to consult UCT's Postgraduate Handbook and UCT's postgraduate pages. To apply online please click here.

Potential applicants should consider the research interests of the Division and contact potential supervisors based on the staff research interests listed. 

Entrance Requirements (MSc Programmes)
An applicant must have a BSc (Speech-Language Pathology), BSc (Audiology), or BSc (Logopaedics) from the University of Cape Town or hold an equivalent qualification from any other university recognized by the Senate. Applicants with other qualifications will only be considered at the discretion of the Head of Division and Senate. If conducting data collection in South Africa, you must be registered (or eligible to register) with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

Application
Applications are online and can be accessed here. The Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders will review all applications prior to acceptance. For further information please email DHRS Application Enquiries.

Registration
Registration is managed and undertaken by the Postgraduate Office in the Faculty of Health Sciences. For more information on Fees, please visit the UCT Fees page. Please note that the fees are applicable to the current year of study.  Please be aware that an annual increase is usual.  For Post-graduate funding opportunities, please visit the Postgraduate Funding page. 

Pre-requisites
For both the MSc. in Audiology and the MSc. in Speech-Language Pathology: the student is required to complete a general postgraduate level research methodology course by the end of the first year of study.  Supervisors may also recommend specific courses to scaffold students’ learning and development.

Research course
Students may wish to register for the Research Methodology module offered in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation. However, if a student is unable to take this module, they may register for an equivalent tertiary level module which covers qualitative and qualitative research methods at Masters' level.

Research supervisor
Each student will be required to have a primary supervisor. The student can discuss supervision possibilities with staff members and make their preferences known. The University of Cape Town's requirement is that the supervisor is in full-time employment at the university. You will have opportunities to meet staff members during the orientation period and during the programme to help you make choices. Please read through the profiles of staff members to assist you in making your choices about the area of research and supervision.

Description of Degree Programmes
Preliminary Requirements:

Students interested in obtaining their Master’s should submit a letter of intention to study to the Head of Division, Dr Michal Harty or Postgraduate Convenor, Christine Rogers. Your letter of intention to study must indicate your area of interest, and preferred primary supervisor. In addition to the primary supervisor, you will also be allocated a co-supervisor. The role and responsibilities of supervisors and procedural issues will be made available to you during the orientation and a memorandum of understanding is completed with your supervisor.

Programme Schedule
Your closest link to the Programme is with your primary research supervisor, and you will design a research plan with them, which will include how often you should meet.  Staff have experience in managing ‘distance learning’ and so location in Cape Town is not necessary.  In your first year of study, you are advised to join the Orientation Programme which occurs during the first quarter of the academic year.  Other opportunities for interaction with staff and peers include activities such as Writing Workshops and meetings with group/year cohorts which are held periodically.

Continuing Professional Development 

The Division offers a varied Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists. Activities range from special interest groups and workshops, which meet to discuss evidence-based practice and new developments, to formal post-graduate courses which result in additional qualifications.

The Division is an accredited service provider recognised by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Planning, presentation and review of CPD activities occurs regularly and the Division is always open to suggestions regarding topics and the format of activities (workshops, seminars, master classes etc).

All Speech-language pathologists and Audiologists working in South Africa must carry out CPD activities in order to maintain their registration with the HPCSA. Teachers and other professionals working with individuals with speech, language and communication difficulties may also find courses run by our division that meet their CPD requirements.

For further information please contact Christine Rogers. Information regarding other CPD events which may be of interest to professionals can be obtained from the professional societies' websites including SASHLA & South African Association of Audiologists.