We are delighted to introduce a guest blog post by lecturer Maria Cairney celebrating the history of Speech and Language Pathology teaching at Strathclyde.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of our Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) programme at the University of Strathclyde. Founded in 1935 by Anne McAllister DSc FRCSLT OBE as the Glasgow School of Speech Therapy (GSST), it was one of only four programmes in the UK at the time, and it has continued to run as an accredited programme ever since. This brief overview of the programme’s history is based on McCartney (1996), a former director of GSST.
A Look Back: The Origins of the SLP Programme
The founder, Anne McAllister, was a distinguished scholar and practitioner from Glasgow. She pioneered the application of phonetic knowledge in supporting children with speech difficulties in the 1920s, while also lecturing Phonetics at the Jordanhill College of Education from 1919. Early on she established a collaboration with the cleft palate surgeon Matthew White, which continued throughout both of their careers. This collaboration established the importance of including a medical approach in speech therapy, going beyond the pedagogical tradition, which was widespread at the time.
Did you know?
Our current SLT team also maintains strong teaching and research collaborations with the SLT cleft team at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, pioneering the use of ultrasound biofeedback speech interventions for children with cleft.
The Glasgow School of Speech Therapy has changed affiliations over the years, reflecting its varied content and the development of the profession. In its early years it was associated with Jordanhill College thanks to McAllister’s work at the college, but it soon moved its affiliation to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow. This affiliation was maintained until 1963 when the GSST merged back with Jordanhill. Prior to merging with the University of Strathclyde in 1993 degrees were awarded from the University of Glasgow. The BSc Honours Speech and Language Pathology programme is currently part of the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health at Strathclyde.
Did you know?
Ten years after founding the Glasgow School of Speech Therapy in 1935, Anne McAllister became one of the founding members of the College of Speech Therapists (CST) and in 1965 she became the first President of CST, demonstrating the importance she held within the professional community in the UK. The CST is now called the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and it is currently celebrating its 80th anniversary),
The Programme Today: Excellence in Teaching and Research
Currently our programme is ranked 1st in Scotland for Speech & Language Therapy in 2025 and it was ranked 1st in the UK in 2022 by the Complete University Guide. The Speech and Language Therapy programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, and it is accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). In addition, 95% of the research in our department has been rated outstanding or world-leading, as rated by expert panels in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 - the UK-wide system for measuring excellence in research.
Our team maintains strong ties with the NHS, offering varied clinical placements. We are one of the few programmes in the UK to offer a dedicated placement focused on supporting people with Eating, Drinking and Swallowing disorders. One of our student-favourite modules “The Impact Project” allows students to tailor their own work experience with the aim of producing tangible impact with social benefit in their chosen host organisation. For example, some of our current students are helping to organise the VoiceBox 2025 competition of RCSLT Scotland. Our undergraduate students have also contributed to the team’s research projects, for example, a clinical trial of a new treatment for people with Ataxia called Clear Speech Together.
Our programme has a key role in training the future SLTs of Scotland and the UK. Some of our graduates are also currently contributing to our cutting-edge ESRC-funded research on the Variability in Child Speech project. Members of our team are also collaborating with clinicians to enhance our online resource of ultrasound and MRI videos for teaching and practicing speech therapy: SpeechSTAR.
Looking Ahead: The Future of SLP at Strathclyde
We are excited about the future of our programme, driven by our ambitious, curious and caring students and our dedicated and highly experienced teaching team. Thanks to the collaborations between students and staff we are currently exploring the inclusion of Virtual Reality simulation-based learning, as well as spreading the use of student-led Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP) among our placement partners. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary we are also looking ahead with hope for our continued excellence, innovation and impact in the profession.
We are delighted to introduce a guest blog post by lecturer Maria Cairney celebrating the history of Speech and Language Pathology teaching at Strathclyde.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of our Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) programme at the University of Strathclyde. Founded in 1935 by Anne McAllister DSc FRCSLT OBE as the Glasgow School of Speech Therapy (GSST), it was one of only four programmes in the UK at the time, and it has continued to run as an accredited programme ever since. This brief overview of the programme’s history is based on McCartney (1996), a former director of GSST.
A Look Back: The Origins of the SLP Programme
The founder, Anne McAllister, was a distinguished scholar and practitioner from Glasgow. She pioneered the application of phonetic knowledge in supporting children with speech difficulties in the 1920s, while also lecturing Phonetics at the Jordanhill College of Education from 1919. Early on she established a collaboration with the cleft palate surgeon Matthew White, which continued throughout both of their careers. This collaboration established the importance of including a medical approach in speech therapy, going beyond the pedagogical tradition, which was widespread at the time.
Did you know?
Our current SLT team also maintains strong teaching and research collaborations with the SLT cleft team at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, pioneering the use of ultrasound biofeedback speech interventions for children with cleft.
The Glasgow School of Speech Therapy has changed affiliations over the years, reflecting its varied content and the development of the profession. In its early years it was associated with Jordanhill College thanks to McAllister’s work at the college, but it soon moved its affiliation to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow. This affiliation was maintained until 1963 when the GSST merged back with Jordanhill. Prior to merging with the University of Strathclyde in 1993 degrees were awarded from the University of Glasgow. The BSc Honours Speech and Language Pathology programme is currently part of the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health at Strathclyde.
Did you know?
Ten years after founding the Glasgow School of Speech Therapy in 1935, Anne McAllister became one of the founding members of the College of Speech Therapists (CST) and in 1965 she became the first President of CST, demonstrating the importance she held within the professional community in the UK. The CST is now called the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and it is currently celebrating its 80th anniversary),
The Programme Today: Excellence in Teaching and Research
Currently our programme is ranked 1st in Scotland for Speech & Language Therapy in 2025 and it was ranked 1st in the UK in 2022 by the Complete University Guide. The Speech and Language Therapy programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, and it is accredited by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). In addition, 95% of the research in our department has been rated outstanding or world-leading, as rated by expert panels in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 - the UK-wide system for measuring excellence in research.
Our team maintains strong ties with the NHS, offering varied clinical placements. We are one of the few programmes in the UK to offer a dedicated placement focused on supporting people with Eating, Drinking and Swallowing disorders. One of our student-favourite modules “The Impact Project” allows students to tailor their own work experience with the aim of producing tangible impact with social benefit in their chosen host organisation. For example, some of our current students are helping to organise the VoiceBox 2025 competition of RCSLT Scotland. Our undergraduate students have also contributed to the team’s research projects, for example, a clinical trial of a new treatment for people with Ataxia called Clear Speech Together.
Our programme has a key role in training the future SLTs of Scotland and the UK. Some of our graduates are also currently contributing to our cutting-edge ESRC-funded research on the Variability in Child Speech project. Members of our team are also collaborating with clinicians to enhance our online resource of ultrasound and MRI videos for teaching and practicing speech therapy: SpeechSTAR.
Looking Ahead: The Future of SLP at Strathclyde
We are excited about the future of our programme, driven by our ambitious, curious and caring students and our dedicated and highly experienced teaching team. Thanks to the collaborations between students and staff we are currently exploring the inclusion of Virtual Reality simulation-based learning, as well as spreading the use of student-led Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programme (ICAP) among our placement partners. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary we are also looking ahead with hope for our continued excellence, innovation and impact in the profession.
Before you go
Follow our social media channels on @Strath_SLT on X and @Strathclyde_SLT on Instagram to keep up to date with news about upcoming celebrations of our anniversary.
Reference
McCartney, E. (1996). The Glasgow School of Speech Therapy. In M. Harrison & W. Marker (Eds.), Teaching the Teachers: The History of Jordanhill College of Education 1828-1993. John Donald Publishers.