Speech and language therapists in Finland

Speech and language therapists are professionals responsible for the prevention, assessment, treatment and scientific research of human communication disorders. Communication deficits include dysfunctions in language, speech and voice. These can be attributed to structural lesions to the speech and voice organs (e.g. cleft palate) or to the nervous system (e.g. cerebral palsy or stroke), as well as to impaired hearing or cognitive dysfunctions, or to the habitual misuse of the vocal apparatus. Communication disorders involve problems in speaking, writing, reading, using gestures and comprehending linguistic content, and they may appear at any stage in a person's life, for example delayed or deviant language development in children or aphasia in adults.

Speech and language therapists work, for example, at public health centres, hospitals, family counselling and rehabilitation centres, day care centres, schools and at institutions for people with intellectual impairments. They may also run a private practice.

Permission to practice in the speech and language therapy profession is granted by the National Authority for Medicolegal Affairs to a person who has completed the adequate training. Speech and language therapists are accountable for their professional actions within the Act on Health Care Professionals.
 
Qualifications
Master's Degree in Humanities, education programme in logopedics (speech and language pathology), at the University of Helsinki, University of Tampere, University of Turku, University of Oulu or Åbo Akademi University

Qualification awarding body
The National Authority for Medicolegal Affairs as office acting under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health grants the right to practise as speech therapist upon application.

Period of education
Approximately five years (300 ECTS)

Educational organisations
University of Helsinki, University of Tampere, University of Turku, University of Oulu and Åbo Akademi University

Contents of education
The education programme consists of studies in humanistic, behavioural and medical sciences with the main subject being logopedics. Secondary subjects are psychology, medicine and linguistics including phonetics plus basic studies in languages and communication. Theoretical and clinical as well as basics in scientific methodology all of which, closely relate to each other. Lectures, seminars, exercises in small groups and case studies are used, as well as written examinations and essay writing. The students are supervised by qualified speech and language therapists in planning and executing therapeutic interventions.

During their clinical practice the students work as team members and contribute to the clients' rehabilitation process.

In order to graduate, the students carry out a scientific research project completed as the Master's Thesis.