BSc in Audiology

This programme will not be running in 2011/12 academic year.

Aston University is developing a new programme in Audiology / Neurosensory Sciences in line with the new with the Department of Health’s NHS Practitioner Training Programme which is anticipated for 2012. Interested candidates should register their interest by email to w.zaman1@aston.ac.uk and further details will be posted before January 2012.

Key facts

4 years full-time with an integrated placement year

UCAS Code: B610

Typical offers:
A Levels: ABB from 3 A level subjects
IB: NA
BTEC, Access & other: Students applying with BTEC or Access qualifications are considered on an individual basis.

Specific subject requirements: One science A level is required – either Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Mathematics or Physics. Two or more sciences are encouraged, but not essential.

GCSE: English and Maths grade B.

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

CRB & Fitness to Practise Information

Please note: Due to planned Department of Health changes to the training routes for all Healthcare Scientist Professions, the School is unable to accept deferred entry applications to the BSc Audiology course.

Audiology virtual tour

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Course outline

The BSc (Hons) in Audiology is designed to prepare students for careers as professional audiologists, working in the National Health Service (NHS). It is a four-year programme, with the third year mainly spent working within the Health Service in clinical practice. You will become competent in many areas of audiological practice during the third and fourth year allowing you to register and work in the NHS when you graduate.

Key benefits

Highly ranked in the Times and Guardian league tables in 2008
Research in the School ranked 3rd out of 63 universities in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)
Leads to professional qualification as a graduate audiologist in the NHS
Covers the professional, as well as the theoretical aspects of hearing, balance and associated disorders
NHS bursaries available
Includes clinical practice placement in the third year

Subject guide & modules

The programme aims to provide you with the opportunity to develop the ability to apply theory to practice. It does this through formal teaching sessions; skills laboratory sessions; and practice placements. These will enable you to develop problems solving, critical thinking and reflective skills so that you will become a competent practitioner.

There are a number of different strands running through the programme, which year on year will enable you to develop your competencies, knowledge and skills. These are:

Skills and practice – This focuses on your skills development and the integration of your knowledge into practice
Science in audiology – This provides you with the underpinning theory that you will need to learn to enable you to work effectively in practice
Populations and interventions in audiology – This will enable you to recognise the needs of the different populations you will work with in audiology and provide them with evidence based interventions
Research in healthcare – This strand will enable you to provide evidence-based services to the populations you will work with in audiology

Year 1

Clinical Practice I – This module will provide you with an opportunity to learn about audiology practice (Strand 1)
Clinical Skills Laboratory I – This practical-based module aims to develop skills in audiological assessment procedures, following British Society of Audiology (BSA) and British Academy of Audiology’s (BAA) recommended procedures (Strand 1)
Adult Auditory Assessment – This module aims to provide you with a theoretical and practical understanding of audiological test procedures and related clinical issues in adult auditory assessment (Strand 2)
Auditory Sciences & Ear Pathology – This module aims to provide you with a thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the ear and the auditory system and a thorough understanding of the clinical and practical aspects of ear diseases (Strand 2)
Signals & Systems & Calibration – This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the physics of mechanical systems and an understanding of the general principles of signals and the systems that process them (Strand 2)
Introduction to Lifelong Learning – This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the development of children and the acquisition of the new skills needed to adapt to hearing loss and hearing aids in the populations involved in audiology (Strand 3)

Year 2

Clinical Practice II – This module will provide you with an opportunity to further develop your clinical Audiology and professional skills (Strand 1)
Clinical Skills Laboratory II – This practical-based module aims to further develop skills in audiological assessment and rehabilitative procedures, following BSA/BAA recommended procedures (Strand 1)
Speech, Language & Auditory Perception – This module aims to provide you with an introduction to the perception of sounds, including speech, as well as an introduction to speech production and speech perception in quiet and in the presence of competing sounds (Strand 2)
Quality in Healthcare – This module will enable you to consider what is required to deliver patient-centred care in audiology by gaining an understanding of patient perspectives and how to improve services (Strand 3)
Introduction to Specialist Audiological Assessment – This module aims to provide you with a detailed theoretical understanding of vestibular function, vestibular assessment and paediatric behavioural testing. To include an introduction to newborn hearing screening and specialist objective paediatric testing (Strand 3)
Hearing Aids – This module will provide you with an understanding of routine hearing aids systems and how to select and fit them and verify, evaluate and modify their performance (Strand 3)
Statistics and Research Methods – This module covers the different types of research methods used in audiology. It will introduce you to definitions and descriptive statistics, probability and statistical inference. You will learn how to conduct a variety of statistical tests and when it is appropriate to use them (Strand 4)

Year 4

Clinical Practice IV – This will provide you with an opportunity to maintain and further develop clinical audiology skills, particularly in specialist areas (Strand 1)
Specialist Intervention in Hearing Loss – This module will provide you with a deep understanding of central auditory and multisensory processing mechanisms and their effects on brain variability and brain plasticity in selected disorders. It will also provide a thorough knowledge about the role of implantable auditory prostheses (cochlear implants, bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA), and brainstem implants) in the rehabilitation of hearing impaired people (Strand 2/3)
Patients with Complex Needs – This module will enable you to develop an understanding of the complexities of care management options for different groups of adult audiology patients, and to be able to select the appropriate interventions (Strand 3)
Paediatric Management – This module will provide you with an understanding of hearing screening and its place amongst other screening programs (Strand 3)
Dissertation in Audiology – This module will provide you with the experience of planning, executing, and formally reporting a piece of audiological research with the support and guidance of a supervisor (Strand 4)
Evidence Based Practice – This module will provide you with a theoretical and practical understanding of evidence-based practice in relation to Audiology (Strand 4)

Learning, teaching & assessment

A wide range of teaching methods are used within the course. These include traditional lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work and problem-based learning – all utilising an interactive virtual learning environment. In Year 4, you will undertake a research-based project to develop skills in this area.

You will have access to a clinical skills laboratory and a computerised patient – this will allow you to develop your clinical skills and familiarise yourself with clinical situations.

Assessments are varied and include exams, essay writing, practicals, report writing, seminars and presentations.

Placement year

You will be provided with placement opportunities in each academic year. The third year is mainly spent in clinical practice in an NHS audiology department to help you become competent in audiology procedures. The placement year is also very important for the development of interpersonal skills such as working in clinical teams and managing time. We have partnerships with a wide number of departments across England who have experience in training students and are able to provide a high quality placement. All our students in practice are supported by regular contact and visits from the Director of Practice Learning to ensure successful completion of all competency requirements.

Please note that students who enter placements in the NHS may be required to pay for CRB checks and occupational health checks.

Find out more about placement years in the Life & Health Sciences.

Professional accreditation

Successful completion of this course provides eligibility for graduates to apply for registration with the following bodies:

The Registration Council for Clinical Registration if employed in the NHS as an Audiologist
The Health Professions Council if employed in the private sector as a Hearing Aid Audiologist. It is a legal requirement that anyone who wishes to practice using a title protected by the Health Professions Order 2001 is on the HPC Register. For more information, please see the HPC website

Career prospects

The recent emergence and growth of the profession within the NHS and high demand for qualified audiologists mean that our graduates will be well placed to enter careers in hospitals, community-based practice and within audiological and neurosciences research.

The programme is designed to formally meet the requirements of the profession and builds on Aston’s established links and extensive experience of health education. The UK and Aston awarded its first cohort of Audiology graduates in 2007 and graduate employment in the sector has been excellent.

Personal development

It is important that students working in healthcare have a wide range of interpersonal skills. These include communication and presentation skills, team working, report writing, negotiation and IT skills. The course aims to help students recognise this need and develop the appropriate skills.

Facilities & equipment

Students are primarily taught in recently refurbished lecture theatres, which make use of latest AV technology
The audiology Clinical Skills laboratory is equipped with the latest audiometric instruments, identical to those used in the NHS
The virtual learning environment, Blackboard, is used throughout the course in all areas of teaching - from revision to assessment
Students can obtain course texts and relevant journals from the library, either electronically or in book form.

Teaching staff

Mr Wahid Zaman, Admissions Tutor

Further information

Email us

Tel: 0121 204 4097