MSc SLS Career Bio Emma Cowpe

I graduated from the UCL MSc Speech and Language Sciences course in 2012. My first degree was in Philosophy and I had been working in Health and Social Care, primarily with children with Learning Disabilities and Autism, for a number of years before applying to UCL.

I loved the variety offered by my adult placements and found the workload fascinating, so decided to switch things up and apply for adult posts upon graduating. I was fortunate in securing a Band 5 post at the Regional Rehabilitation Unit at Northwick Park Hospital, and spent four days a week working in Neurorehabilitation and one day a week writing up my MSc project for publication with supervision from my UCL MSc project supervisor.

Since moving on from the RRU I have worked as a Specialist SLT in general acute, elderly care, stroke, neurology, and more recently in critical care. I have recently moved back to neuro rehab as a Highly Specialist SLT at The Wolfson Neurorehabilitation Unit, St George’s Hospital. My current role is part time, four days a week. I am a qualified yoga teacher and I teach a few classes a week locally which is a lovely adjunct to my SLT role; I have a pretty busy home life with an active toddler and dog keeping me on my toes so it’s a great reminder to take some time out now and then!

Every role and every day as an SLT are different, and having one qualification that has enabled me to work in so many different areas, with so many different patient and client groups, has been amazing. I’ve crossed paths with some incredibly inspiring patients and therapists along the way; my MSc project supervisor at UCL in particular (Christina Smith) has supported me to complete further research and presentation work, and has been a fantastic mentor to me since my time on the course.