MASTER'S DEGREE IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY

Speech-Language Pathology is an autonomous profession that addresses disorders of human communication, swallowing, and related functions. Speech-language pathologists can integrate educational teams for children and young people, rehabilitation teams for children and/or adults, and various other work contexts, encountering complex challenges throughout their careers. The Master's program in Speech-Language Pathology seeks to respond to the desire for more solid and reflective knowledge, manifested by speech-language pathologists motivated for their professional and academic progression.

The Master's program has existed at ESS-P.Porto since 2017 and was revised in 2024/25 to respond to new professional challenges and adopt a more flexible, blended learning pedagogical model adapted to the needs of working students. Thus, in the first year, students have classes after working hours for 10 of the 15 weeks of each semester. At the same time, the remaining 5 weeks are predominantly practical, concentrated on 3 days (generally Thursday afternoon, Friday and Saturday all day). These intensive weeks are held only once a month, allowing students to more easily coordinate their studies with their professional activities. This model has proven successful, making it easier to accommodate working students and students from various parts of the country.

It lasts 2 years, with the first year dedicated to the curricular component and the second to applied research. This study plan clearly invests in the development of reflective and evidence-based professional practices, as well as family-centered practices and collaborative approaches, reinforcing the paradigms advocated by the WHO and scientific and professional associations in the field at the national and international levels. Innovative themes such as project management, multimedia activities, and telehealth in speech-language pathology are also present. This master's program is also characterized by a strong versatile component (20 ECTS credits), so that the 3 elective specialization courses are determined annually, according to the profile and choices of each class. Students can also select a curricular unit of interest from other postgraduate courses offered at ESS.

In the 2nd year (60 ECTS credits), students dedicate themselves fully to developing and presenting their dissertation. Students wishing to begin or redirect their professional practice can also benefit from the internship report or project options. Throughout the year, students benefit from guidance, support classes, and periodic presentations of their research progress. Research will be conducted within the research lines defined by ESS, promoting integration into associated research centers and/or interaction with foreign universities and other research groups. International mobility is encouraged whenever possible to broaden students' experiences and diversify their professional skills profile.