Massey's Speech Language Therapy staff.
It’s an exciting time for Speech Language Therapy (SLT) at Massey, as the undergraduate bachelor’s programme has recently earned professional accreditation – a significant milestone for a programme that addresses a key workforce shortage within Aotearoa New Zealand.
Accreditation for the Bachelor of Speech Language Therapy with Honours (BSpchLngThHons) was achieved following an arduous week for staff involved in the programme. This included compiling a report that detailed the programme’s academic standards, how tauira (students) reach clinical competency to graduate and how graduates are prepared to be Speech-language Therapists in New Zealand.
As Speech Language Therapy in New Zealand is not regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association performs regulatory duties such as issuing annual practicing certificates and accrediting tertiary programmes that prepare therapists for the workforce.
The accreditation panel included representatives from Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga Ministry of Education, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and Charles Sturt University (Australia). The panel spent four days at Massey, interviewing the teaching team, field educators who support students on placement and students from different stages of the programme.
It is the second accreditation in two years for the programme, following the course moving completely online in 2023 to increase accessibility for students around the motu, and to help combat the dire shortage of Speech-language Therapists in New Zealand. The change to having the programme completely online meant that re-accreditation was required as it was considered a new programme.
Work-Integrated Learning Coordinator and Co-President of the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association Emma Quigan, Kāi Tahu, says when the option to study by distance was initially offered in 2021, there was an immediate change in the makeup of students.
“The average age went up by about seven years and students who joined the programme were telling us things like, ‘I’ve wanted to study this for years and years but had no intention of moving to Auckland or Christchurch. I’m finally getting to study what I’ve always wanted’.”
Massey is one of three providers of Speech Language Therapy education in New Zealand. As the course can be done online from anywhere in the country, current students are based from Kerikeri to Dunedin. The BSpchLngThHons is also the only bachelor’s level distance SLT programme in the world.
Ms Quigan says accessibility is a key value of the programme and its staff.
“Many of our tauira have young children to care for and other whānau commitments. Accessibility is one of our key strategies to address this country’s workforce challenge. From a Te Tiriti o Waitangi lens, the mode of learning is incredibly important too. If we want more diversity in the field, we needed to change our curriculum and how it was delivered.”
New Zealand has about 20 Speech-language Therapists per 100,000 people. They work with individuals who have communication challenges with their speech, language or voice or swallowing disorders, often as a result of brain injury, stroke, degenerative disease or diagnosis of autism. They also work with transgender clients, helping their pitch align with the gender they identify with.
Programme Director Dr Mershen Pillay says the recent accreditation is a testament to the team’s hard work and innovative approach.
“Our distance learning option is truly groundbreaking, making SLT education more accessible across Aotearoa. We’re not just addressing workforce shortages; we’re reshaping the profession to be more diverse and inclusive. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi principals and our goal of better serving all communities in New Zealand.
“We can look forward to seeing the continued growth and impact of our programme in the years to come. What an exciting time!”
Kaiakiaki Māori Advisor and Speech-language Therapist Tracy Karanui-Golf, Te Rarawa, says the accreditation is recognition of the unique programme Massey offers.
“We have continued to develop a kaupapa that challenges the status quo and builds a profession of clinicians who can safely and responsively provide service to those in Aotearoa who need specialists in swallowing and communication – two of the things that sustain life and hauora. We are the only bachelor’s level distance SLT kaupapa in the world – how absolutely pioneering is that.”
College of Humanities and Social Science Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Cynthia White says, "I would like to congratulate the Speech Language Therapy team for their ongoing innovation within the programme to meet the needs of all of Aotearoa in terms of access to training and registration as a therapist. The current national shortage of speech language therapists means significant challenges within many communities, and Massey University appreciates the strong support for the programme by the Speech-language Therapists’ Association and other professional bodies.”
The Bachelor of Speech Language Therapy with Honours accreditation is valid for seven years.
Interested in a career in Speech Language Therapy?
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