Cognitive Communication Impairments

This course aims to develop your knowledge of the impact on communication skills of a variety of neurological and cognitive impairments. It will encourage you to evaluate a range of relevant recent research findings and determine the implications of different cognitive communication impairments for assessment, differential diagnosis and intervention. In addition, you will learn about current theories of relations between cognition and language in different clinical populations.

Critical and reflective thinking will be promoted, both with respect to the literature and to clinical practice.

Who is it for?

The course is ideally suited to students and practitioners with experience of and a keen interest in cognitively based communication impairments. The topics covered will be relevant to practitioners who work with children or adults.

Timetable

Term 2

Jan: Wednesday 31 January 2024
Feb: Wednesday 7, 14, 21 and 28 February 2024
Mar: Wednesday 13, 20 and 27 March 2024
Apr: Wednesday 3 and 10 April 2024

Benefits

The key takewaway of this course is the development of an in-depth understanding of cognitively based communication impairments.

This short course module is designed to be flexible in allowing you to study and reach your goals at your own pace. Our health CPD courses are credit-bearing modules that contribute to a University degree or award.

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

As a health care professional, once you've completed this course you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

This course will deepen your knowledge and understanding of:

• the cognitive processes involved in language and communication
• the impact of cognitive deficits on language and communication
• the interface between cognition and language processing in children and adults with language impairments
• methods to assess cognition in relation to language and communication
• current approaches to intervention for deficits in cognition that are responsible for or related to language and communication.

Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the impact on communication skills of a variety of neurological and cognitive impairments
• Evaluate a range of relevant recent research findings
• Determine the implications of different cognitive communication impairments for assessment, differential diagnosis and intervention.

Skills

• Critically evaluate and synthesise relevant research from a range of sources
• Synthesise relevant research publication with your clinical experience
• Demonstrate critical appraisal skills
• Engage confidently in academic and professional communication.

Values and attitudes

• Demonstrate sensitivity to issues of human diversity including culture, ethnicity and disability and act accordingly
• Show an insight into and respect for the experience of service users and participants in research.

Indicative topics may include

• Acquired language impairment: cognitive processing and implications for intervention
• Head injury: assessment and intervention
• Dementia: assessment and intervention
• Down’s Syndrome and Williams Syndrome
• Autism
• Developmental language impairment: cognitive processing, social communication and the implications for intervention.

Methods of teaching will include lectures, in-depth reading and interactive discussion.

The final assessment will consist of a 3,000-word written assignment.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Psychological Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Course Requirements Include:

• First or second-class honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate subject
• The Licentiate Diploma of the Royal college of Speech and Language Therapists is also accepted.

Individuals with less than a second class degree will be considered where they have substantial relevant experience (Clinical, teaching or other relevant professional experience).

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.