Undergraduate programmes
BSc (Hons) Audiology (B610)
Please note that we are no longer accepting any applications for the BSc Audiology course for October 2010 entry.
We will not be considering any late 2010 applications
(received by UCAS after 22nd January '10)We are not currently considering any applications or deferrals to 2011 entry.
The NHS-funded BSc Audiology degree programme is a four-year undergraduate programme that combines science and health care. It is the pre-registration entry route for undergraduates. The programme provides you with the clinical and scientific skills needed to commence a dynamic and successful career in audiology.
What are the aims of the programme and who is it for?
The BSc Audiology course provides you with clinical training underpinned by a strong foundation in the fundamental sciences. We also aim to develop your capacity for independent learning, critical thinking, and reflective and evidence-based practice, as well as problem solving and teamwork.
The course is aimed at those who haven’t yet studied at degree level. We accept a variety of students, from those who have just completed their A-Levels, BTEC’s or International Baccalaureates to mature students who are considering a career change.
How many places are there on the programme?
We usually accept 30 students per year and receive approximately 120 applications. All applications must be received through the UCAS system. Please note applications are now closed for 2010 and 2011 entry.
How long is the programme and what does it involve?
The programme is a four-year full time course, comprising of three years academic study, in years 1, 2 and 4, and one-year clinical placement in Year 3. We currently do not offer part-time or distance learning options.
Learning activities during years 1,2 and 4 include clinical practicals, lectures, laboratories, seminars, discovery-based learning, case presentations, problem-based learning, tutorials, individual and group projects, as well as independent study sessions. You will also study Inter-Professional Learning modules during which you will work on a variety of projects alongside students from other health care programmes, including medicine, nursing, podiatry, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
In year one, you will learn about sound, the auditory system, hearing loss, hearing aids and the basic of rehabilitation.
In year two, you will learn about complex hearing aids, rehabilitation strategies, balance assessment and rehabilitation, paediatrics and cochlear implants. Both years also cover modules common to health care courses at Southampton, including biology, health and ethics.
In year four, you will choose areas for in-depth study, such as the management of dizzy patients, the effects of noise on hearing or advanced paediatrics, as well as learning about the development of clinical services.
You will embark on group and individual research projects in year 2 and year 4, respectively.
Approximately one-third of your time in years 1, 2 and 4 consists of clinical practicum in our in-house skills laboratory and audiology clinic. Here, you learn clinical skills – and practice them on each other! Short external visits are also arranged in local NHS audiology clinics. The bulk of your clinical experience comes from the clinical placements in year three.
What does the programme give me and what can I do next?
The programme gives you a BSc (Hons) science degree and a clinical qualification that enables you register as an audiologist and to work as in the NHS or the independent sector. The robust scientific training we provide means you have a variety of options open within and beyond audiology. Previous graduates have also gone on to the MSc Audiology, to study towards PhDs at Southampton, Oxford and Cambridge, to take the fast-track medicine programme and to other health care programmes and careers.
Who teaches on the programme?
We have been teaching audiology at university level since 1972. Although few of us have survived since then (!), most of our young and dynamic staff have studied at ISVR at some point in their careers.
Our dedicated team of audiology lecturers are experienced in teaching and research, with many having worked within the NHS. We also have ENT Surgeons, Teachers of the Deaf, Audiologists and Speech and Language Therapists who lecture on the course.
Where is the programme held?
During years 1, 2 and 4, most learning activities are based on Highfield Campus at the University. You will get to broaden your horizons during inter-professional learning and the short placements as you visit a wide range of NHS departments within audiology and beyond.
Year 3 consists of two six-month clinical placements in our placement centres in the South and South East of England, and Jersey.
What are the financial arrangements?
Your tuition fees will be paid for you by the NHS, subject to satisfying the eligibility criteria set down by the NHS.
UK and EU residents are elibigle for a funded place on this programme. Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents are eligible for a place on the programme although must secure their own funding separately (e.g. from the local government or parents!).
UK and EU residents might also qualify for an additional means-tested bursary, which is an additional supplement to help with your study and living costs. A bursary calculator is available on the NHS bursaries website. As the additional bursary is income assessed, eligibility for the tuition fees does not automatically mean you entitlement to an additional bursary.
Whilst we make every effort to ensure applicants are eligible for a place, or funded place, on the programme before we make an offer, in making an offer we in no way imply that a funded place is guaranteed. This is because the eligibility for a place on the programme is not determined by us. If you are deemed by the NHS Student Bursaries agency to be ineligible for a place on the programme, you will be unable to enrol on the course even if you have received an offer from the University of Southampton.
What are the entry requirements?
Please note applications are now closed for 2010 and 2011 entry.
Please check our programme lising in the online prospectus for a summary of our entry requirements.
We are committed to fair, transparent and evidence-based treatment of our applicants. Consequently, we have published the *full* details of our entry requirements. The various stages of application assess the following areas:
- Your likely eligibility for an NHS-approved (and funded) place on the course
- Your academic and personal details
- Your status on an Enhanced-Disclosure Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check and occupational health check. Please find our full CRB policy on the right menu.
You must apply through UCAS. See our FAQs page for more information, including information for folk with non-standard academic backgrounds.
If you would like to discuss your application in more depth, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Alternative programmes
If you already have a science degree, you might be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma in Audiology or MSc Audiology.
Student profile
"I enjoyed studying psychology and biology at A Level, and audiology is a fantastic way of combining the two subjects in a specialised health care profession. Studying at Southampton is great, and everyone here is so friendly. The facilities are amazing!"
| Key Facts | |
|---|---|
Who is it for? |
The BSc (Hons) Audiology programme is the pre-registration entry route for those who have not studied at university before |
Duration |
Four-years full time, including a guaranteed clinical placement in year 3 |
Outcome |
BSc (Hons) Audiology degree which enables you to work as an Audiologist |
| Funding | Tuition Fees are paid for by the NHS for eligible applicants. An additional NHS means-tested bursary is also available. |
News feeds