Macquarie University
4 years full-time (or equivalent part-time)
Combine Australia's only integrated speech and hearing sciences degree with psychology to unlock diverse career paths in clinical practice, research, audiology, speech pathology, and mental health. Perfect for students passionate about communication, human behaviour, and evidence-based practice.
Applicants must achieve a selection rank of 80 (ATAR or equivalent plus adjustment factors). HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent is recommended. English language proficiency is required, with IELTS minimum overall band 6.5 (reading, writing, listening, speaking all 6.0). Alternative entry pathways are available for non-Year 12 applicants with work and life experience, TAFE/college qualifications, or through recognition of prior learning (RPL). No assumed knowledge is required.
Speech and Hearing Sciences Core (160 credit points): Australia's Indigenous Languages, Language and Cognition, Meaning and Language Use, Sounds of Language, Language and Society, Syntax, Foundations of Sound and Hearing, Speech/Hearing/Language Science in Practice, Speech Production, Child Language Acquisition, Speech Perception and Hearing Science, Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan, Speech Acoustics and Perception, Big Ideas in Speech/Hearing/Language Sciences, Phonology and Morphology, and Capstone unit. Psychology Core (160 credit points): Professional Practice, Psychology in Context (Foundations and Applications, Health/Development/Well-Being), Foundations of Linguistics, Language Myths and Realities, Evidence-Based Practice in Health, Lifestyle Factors for Health and Wellbeing, Health/Society/Culture, Social and Personality Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Perception and Cognition, Design and Statistics, Psychopathology, Biopsychology and Learning, and Capstone unit.
Macquarie University is Sydney's #1 university for undergraduate coursework (QILT 2024) and offers a unique health precinct home to renowned research centres and clinics. Students learn from clinically active lecturers and researchers with expertise in mental health, cognition, and behaviour, connected to major organisations like the Australian Defence Force and elite sporting clubs. The university provides access to world-leading equipment including phonetics labs, anechoic chambers, and cutting-edge technology (AI, VR, robotics, EEG, MRI), ensuring learning is tied to real-world insight and innovation.
Graduates can pursue diverse careers across allied health, research, and industry. Immediate opportunities include clinical administration, management, marketing, speech technology, language revitalisation in Indigenous communities, and language support for multicultural communities. With further study, graduates can become speech pathologists, audiologists, counsellors, or forensic linguists. The psychology component, when followed by an honours year, provides a pathway to postgraduate study leading to qualification as a psychologist. Employers include aged care facilities, hospitals, government agencies, NDIS providers, mental health organisations, and universities.