Speech Science

Speech science is a large and complex field spanning many disciplines. Speech science includes many areas such as language disorders, diagnosis of speech, speech language therapy, speech perception, acoustic analysis and speech recognition.

Many departments at The University of Auckland, including the Department of Psychology, Audiology and Engineering, are engaged in speech science research. Staff in the speech science group are involved in a range of research activities, but are particularly interested in auditory processing disorder, speech and language development in monolingual and bilingual children and acquired communication disorders in adults. Students research projects also span the same areas, as well as dysphagia, fluency disorders, brain injury, language processing in normal aging and speech and language therapy for children with hearing loss.

The Speech Science Laboratory is adjacent to the speech language therapy clinics and audiology research and clinical facilities in the Population Health complex. The Speech Science Laboratory houses a 64-channel neuroscan auditory evoked potential system, a comfortable reclining chair, a DVD player and a good selection of toys, books and DVDS for the children and adults participating in our research.

The Speech Science Laboratory also has equipment for electropalatography, treatment of speech disorders, altered auditory feedback, treatment of stuttering and surface electromyography and biofeedback treatment for dysphagia. The clinic houses a Kay Elemetrics CSL 4300 and also has a portable Sona-Speech device for voice analysis.

The Discipline of Speech Science offers two Masters degree programmes:

• Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice MSLTPrac – an intensive programme of full time study over two years for students wishing to become clinical speech language therapists
• Master of Science in Speech Science MSc (SpchSci) – a one year full time or two year part time programme of study for students and practising clinicians wishing to do research in Speech Science (possible research thesis topics span a wide range of areas in adult and paediatric speech language therapy)

Additionally we offer:

• Postgraduate Diploma of Science in Speech Science PGDip (SpchSci) – a one year full time or up to four years part time programme of study for students and practising clinicians wishing to do advanced study in Speech Science. Possible courses include the speech science courses excluding the clinical practicum courses, as well as courses in Psychology, Physiology, Audiology, Linguistics, Computer Science or Engineering. There is considerable flexibility in this course so that people completing the PGDip (SpchSc) can have a programme of study that suits their specific interests.
• Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) - This is available for Speech Language Therapists wishing to further their professional development or update their study in a particular area of Speech Language Therapy. You can take one or more individual papers from the speech science courses on offer.
• SPCHSCI 721: Dysphagia (e-learning course): Speech Science at The University of Auckland offers an e-learning course on dysphagia that meets NZSTA requirements for dysphagia training. This one-semester course is designed as a professional entry-level qualification covering all aspects of swallowing and feeding rather than a professional development course for dysphagia-trained therapists.

Find more information about the Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice (MSLTPrac)

Find more information about the Masters (by thesis only) in Speech Science and the Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Speech Science

An important research area in speech science is the study of aphasia. Dr Clare McCann is currently investigating language processing in people with aphasia after a stroke. She is particularly interested in nouns and verbs and how differently these are processed in aphasia.

If you have aphasia and you would like to know more about this work, or you would like participate in one of our aphasia studies, please contact:

Dr Clare McCann
Email: c.mccann@auckland.ac.nz

A study is currently underway in Speech Science, funded by the Auckland Medical Research Foundation that is investigating brain responses to words in people who have aphasia after a left hemisphere stroke. More information about this study is available by downloading the document below.

If you would like to volunteer for research at the Centre for Brain Research, you can do so by visiting: Research Volunteer Register.