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Master of Science Speech & Language Pathology

The Master of Science Speech & Language Pathology is a master's programme offered at Kenyan universities. This postgraduate degree prepares professionals for advanced practice and research careers in health sciences.

Duration
1-2 years
Public, up to
Ksh 295,800
Private, up to
Ksh 463,200
Job market
Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode
Full-time, Part-time
Attachment
0 months
Average class
15 students
Award
Masters

What you study

10 subjects
  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Health Systems Management
  • Public Health Research Methods
  • Health Policy and Planning
  • Clinical Research Methods
  • Health Economics
  • Disease Control
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Healthcare Ethics

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Speech and Language Development

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Normal development of speech, language, and communication from infancy through adolescence and factors affecting development

  • Speech Sound Disorders

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Assessment and treatment of articulation and phonological disorders in children

  • Language Disorders in Children

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Assessment and intervention for developmental language disorders including specific language impairment and language disorders associated with other conditions

  • Fluency Disorders

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Assessment and treatment of stuttering and other fluency disorders across the lifespan

  • Voice Disorders

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Assessment and management of voice disorders including vocal hygiene, voice therapy, and collaboration with ENT specialists

  • Neurogenic Communication Disorders

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Aphasia and cognitive-communication disorders following stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological conditions

  • Motor Speech Disorders

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Assessment and management of dysarthria and apraxia of speech in adults and children

  • Dysphagia and Swallowing Disorders

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Assessment and management of swallowing disorders across the lifespan including clinical and instrumental assessment

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Communication systems for individuals with severe communication impairments including technology-based solutions

  • Audiology for Speech Pathologists

    Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore

    Understanding hearing assessment and the relationship between hearing impairment and communication disorders

  • Clinical Methods and Professional Practice

    Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore

    Clinical practicum providing supervised experience in assessment and treatment across different disorder types and settings

  • Thesis

    Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore

    Original research on a speech-language pathology topic addressing communication disorders in Kenyan populations

Specialisations

  • Dysphagia and Swallowing Disorders

    Focus on assessment and management of swallowing disorders across ages

  • Voice and Fluency Disorders

    Focus on voice disorders and stuttering

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication

    Specialisation in communication systems for individuals with severe communication impairments

  • Adult Neurogenic Communication Disorders

    Specialisation in aphasia, motor speech disorders, and cognitive-communication disorders in adults

  • Paediatric Speech and Language Disorders

    Focus on communication disorders in children from birth through adolescence

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending public health lectures, analysing epidemiological data, participating in field visits, reviewing medical literature, presenting at journal clubs, and meeting with supervisors to discuss research projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Extreme shortage of speech pathologists in Kenya means excellent employment prospects with growing demand
  • Work directly improves communication, quality of life, and social participation for individuals with communication disorders
  • Diverse work settings from hospitals and schools to private practice and community programmes

Against it

  • Clinical work can be emotionally demanding working with individuals with severe communication impairments and their families
  • Limited professional infrastructure including few qualified supervisors and limited therapy resources in many settings
  • Speech pathology is a relatively new profession in Kenya with ongoing work needed to establish professional recognition and regulation

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses
Public187k to 296k
187k at Moi University296k at Kenyatta University
Private149k to 463k
149k at Mount Kenya University463k at Aga Khan University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 295,800/yr (mawese.com). Moi 187,200/yr. AKU 463,200/yr (aku.edu PDF). MKU unverified.

WHO, KEMRI, and AMREF offer research grants. HELB provides postgraduate loans. CDC, NIH, and Fogarty International support health research in Kenya.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    Loan

    Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited postgraduate programmes

  • WHO Research Grant

    Grant

    Public health researchers in WHO priority areas

  • KEMRI Research Grant

    Grant

    Health researchers affiliated with KEMRI

Scholarships

4 recorded

  • DAAD In-Country Scholarship

    FellowshipKsh 500,000

    Strong academic record in health sciences, education, or communication disorders

  • Ministry of Health Allied Health Scholarship

    SponsorshipKsh 300,000Kenyan

    Students pursuing training in critically understaffed allied health professions

  • Kenyatta University Health Sciences Scholarship

    GrantKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Outstanding academic achievement and commitment to speech-language pathology

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan citizen enrolled in accredited Masters programme

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Upper Second Class Honours or equivalent in Education, Linguistics, Psychology, Health Sciences, or a related field
Alternative entry
Candidates with Lower Second Class Honours may be admitted with at least two years of professional experience in special education, speech therapy assistance, or a related field

  • Education

    Upper Second Class

  • Linguistics

    Upper Second Class

  • Psychology

    Upper Second Class

How you are assessed

5 components

  • Supervised Clinical Practicum

    Practicum15% of the mark

    Intensive supervised clinical practice across different disorder types meeting required clinical hours

  • Thesis

    Research25% of the mark

    Original research on a speech-language pathology topic examined by oral defence

  • Clinical Case Reports and Portfolios

    Project25% of the mark

    Documentation of clinical cases including assessment reports and treatment plans

  • End of Semester Examinations

    Exam20% of the mark

    Formal written examinations at the end of each taught semester

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Cat15% of the mark

    Tests on communication disorders theory, assessment, and intervention

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Health programmes are also regulated by KMPDC, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Nursing Council of Kenya, or Clinical Officers Council as applicable.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education

    NationalRequired

    All university degree programmes in Kenya must be accredited by CUE

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

  • Speech Pathology Lecturer

    High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 150,000

    Teaches and supervises clinical training in speech-language pathology programmes at Kenyan universities

  • Rehabilitation Speech Pathologist

    High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 150,000

    Provides speech, language, and swallowing therapy to adults in hospital and rehabilitation settings

  • Speech and Language Pathologist

    High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 150,000

    Assesses and treats communication and swallowing disorders in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, or private practice in Kenya

  • School Speech Pathologist

    High demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 120,000

    Provides speech and language services to children in special education programmes and inclusive schools

  • Early Intervention Specialist

    Medium demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 130,000

    Works with infants and young children with communication delays in early intervention programmes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as public health officers, clinical specialists, health programme managers, medical researchers, and health policy advisors in Kenya's health sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Related courses

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Fees and entry marks for Master of Science Speech & Language Pathology are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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