The European Stuttering Specialization Course (25 ECTS)
ESS is a one-year program for speech-language therapists wanting to specialize in stuttering and cluttering.
Graduates of this course will distinguish themselves by their outstanding ability, in-depth knowledge and expertise in the field of fluency disorders. The program provides specialist knowledge and skills, that are recognized by the CESS board and several local professional bodies as important criteria leading to clinical specialization.
The ESS course, because of its high quality, was developed with the support of several European funds.
The curriculum, compatible with your current workload as an SLT, consists of two modules: theoretical knowledge and specific therapeutic skills (15 ECTS); along with specialized clinical training and the development of a portfolio (10 ECTS).
The modules encompass a well-designed combination of face-to-face lectures, workshops, webinars, clinical training and home assignments. Lectures are provided during two intensive weeks, scheduled during the academic year. The location of the intensive weeks rotates each course cycle, with the second intensive week always taking place in Belgium. The specialized clinical training, under supervision of a stutter specialist, can begin after the first intensive week. Preparatory reading and home assignments form an integral part of the course.
Moreover, these modules are combined with coaching and mentoring sessions in the home country of the participant, outside the intensive weeks. The (external) mentor is a senior professional taking the participant under his wings and providing guidance and counsel. The coach is a member of the ESS consortium guiding the participant throughout the different learning opportunities.
Since this program leads to certification, the different course modules are evaluated. Evaluation is based on permanent evaluation and portfolio.
The different lecturers, all faculty members of the participating EU and non-EU institutes, were selected based on their expertise. All have numerous years of experience in the field of fluency disorders.
Structure
Student enrolment
Entrance levels
Applicant’s home country
Preparatory readings
& assignments
Guided independent study
Intensive Week 1
Home assignments, webinars, coaching & mentoring
Guided independent study
Preparatory readings
& assignments
Guided independent study
Intensive Week 2
Home assignments, webinars, coaching & mentoring
Guided independent study
Case study presentation
Portfolio submission & evaluation
Guided independent study
Modules
Theoretical knowledge & specific therapeutic skills
Clinical training and portfolio
- Clinical training
A minimum of 20 hours of observation
A minimum of 100 hours of therapy - Portfolio
Competencies
Prevention
- Detecting high risk in an early stage, by means of screening.
- Carrying out, processing, interpreting appropriate detection instruments.
- Giving relevant information concerning speech-language development and disorders.
- Coaching, training or advising individuals or groups.
- Increasing public awareness on stuttering.
Assessment
- Planning, executing, evaluating and adjusting various assessments of the client and client system using standardized procedures where possible.
- Processing, analyzing and interpreting qualitative and quantitative information.
- Formulating, adjusting and reporting on the (differential) diagnosis and referral to appropriate services.
- Assessing complex cases.
- Acting as a consultant on assessment to other speech-language therapists and other professionals.
Intervention
- Developing an intervention plan, adapted to the needs of the client and client system.
- Applying appropriate interventions, based on available evidence, in a systematic way, following methodological procedures, evaluating and adjusting appropriate.
- Reporting on the intervention outcomes, future management and prognosis.
- Intervening therapeutically in complex cases.
- Working with groups.
- Acting as a consultant on intervention to other speech-language therapists and other professionals.
- Self-evaluation and discussion of one's own professional acts.
- Participation on a regular basis in professional development opportunities.
- Cooperating with colleagues and working in a multidisciplinary context.
- Scientific reading of clinical and research literature.
- Contributing systematically to knowledge enhancement and knowledge translation.
- Keeping updated on current information (LLL) and related interdisciplinary developments.
- Teaching (workshops) and supervising students.
- Contributing to research (such as contributing to data collection, applying creative ideas, etc.)
Faculty & Partners
Faculty
Our faculty members were selected by their university (college) or centre of excellence based on their clinical and/or research expertise in the field of stuttering and cluttering.
All faculty members are well-respected specialists in the field and have numerous years of experience in the assessment and treatment of stuttering and cluttering.
In addition, world experts may be invited as guest lecturers.
Partner institutions
External mentors
An ESS Mentor is a speech-language therapist with significant professional experience in treating people who stutter/clutter.
ESS Mentors have documented evidence of continued professional development in the area of fluency disorders.
Most ESS Mentors are Certified European Stuttering Specialists and/or ESS alumni.
Assessment
Portfolio
Student’s evaluations are based on the submitted portfolio and an orally presented case-study.
Portfolios, for one, have been promoted as the instrument par excellence to enhance integrated, self-reflective, self-directed, longitudinal learning. A portfolio is a collection of documents demonstrating acquired competencies. It is commonly used in educational environments and has been promoted as a tool for capturing students’ learning in action.
Like many complex skills, self-reflection is probably best learned by doing and preferably over an extended period of time. Self-reflection is best assessed by monitoring actual skill performance and its development over time. A portfolio holding collections of self-reflections on a series of activities and experiences can give a realistic picture of the progress of your reflective skills.
The portfolio is used as the basis for evaluating the learning process through an assessment of professional actions as a stutter therapist. It includes case studies, papers & assignments, reflection reports, media & evidence.
In addition, the evaluation of the progress in the specialization course will include ongoing evaluation assessments of written papers and other assigned tasks.
The evaluation is done by the ESS instructors and the portfolio coach.
Exams
The student has 2 submission opportunities: June and August. Exam regulations of Thomas More apply.
ESS regulations in specific situations:
- The student submits their portfolio in June and fails: The student has the opportunity for one resubmission in August with an additional fee of €300. If the student fails in August, re-registration is only possible after positive advice of the consortium with full registration fee.
- The student does not submit their portfolio in June (postponed): The student thus loses one exam opportunity but can submit their portfolio without additional cost in August. If the student fails in August, re-registration is only possible after positive advice of the consortium with full registration fee.
- Absence during IW1 or IW2 with official doctor’s note: The student can participate at IW1 or IW2 of the following course cycle with an additional fee of €300 and the student must finalize the program in this course cycle.
- Based on a written, well-documented request by the student, the consortium can allow in exceptional circumstances the spreading of the program over 2 years
Certification
Graduates receive an official postgraduate certificate.
Country-specific addenda could specify the legal status of the course in your country (e.g., continuing professional education).
Application & Fees
Entry requirements
The ESS course is open to candidates with a bachelor or master degree in speech-language therapy (or related degree) who are qualified to work as a speech-language therapist in their home country.
- All documentation needs to be completed in English.
- Applicants of non-EU countries need to document their knowledge base with a transcript of records and a Zoom-based interview.
- Selected candidates will receive an invitation to officially register for the course.
- Two months before the start of the first intensive week, participants will receive the course manuals, access to the online learning platform, a list of selected candidates, and accommodation information.
Application process
Click "Start your application"
ESS will confirm the successful receipt of the application.
Participants are selected on a first come first served basis.
Step 2: Candidate selection
Selected candidates (up to 24 students per cycle) will receive an invitation to officially register for the course.
Step 3: Entrance fees
The enrolment is finalised once the entrance fee is paid.
The entrance fee is not refundable.
The entrance fee includes all lecturing, follow up sessions, evaluations, two course dinners, and social activities. Students have online access to the major scientific journals.
Students receive an official student card, with student benefits.
Overnight stays during the intensive weeks are not included.
Funding opportunities
ESS supports the training of speech-language therapists in underdeveloped countries.
ESS provides funding in the form of a highly reduced registration fee for individuals in countries where the cost for the specialization course is prohibitive. The applicant needs to provide a letter with the request for funding as well as additional documentation of the current (or anticipated) monthly income.
A maximum of 2 grant requests are eligible per course cycle.
