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Healthcare Science (Audiology) BSc (Hons)

Audiology is a rewarding and exciting profession which assesses and treats patients with hearing and balance conditions. Our BSc Healthcare Science (Audiology) programme develops you as an independent clinician, equipped to empower and support patients in their daily life. 

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Overview

Sara Coulson, Associate Professor and Programme Lead in Healthcare Science (Audiology) speak about what Audiology at DMU has to offer.

Audiology is a rapidly expanding field, requiring practitioners to apply their specialist knowledge to assess, manage and support the rehabilitation of those with hearing and balance problems and their associated symptoms. It is a rewarding profession in which clinicians use a combination of technology, assistive devices and support to help improve the lives of patients. 

Qualified professionals can expect to find work in a variety of settings – such as hospitals, private practices, research groups and the education sector.  Clinicians frequently work alongside multi-disciplinary teams, including teachers, psychologists and other healthcare staff.

Our work placements and work-based learning opportunities mean that you will be developing these collaborative professional skills throughout your degree course.

At DMU, you will study a range of topics including auditory diagnostics and rehabilitation, anatomy and pathophysiology of the ear, methods to assess hearing, the science around dizziness, and paediatric audiology, amongst others. Our programme is designed to equip you to assess and treat a breadth of conditions, including embedding problem-solving skills for the unexpected that patients can present with. Our aim is that graduates feel empowered to be successful in their chosen roles, whether that be as an audiologist, hearing aid dispenser, in further study or research. 

 

Key features

  • This course is accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, meaning graduates are eligible to work as an audiologist in the NHS and across the private sector as a hearing aid dispenser.
  • Career opportunities are varied and include roles within the NHS, the private sector and with hearing aid and audiology manufacturers in the UK and beyond.
  • Our teaching is delivered by expert academics and practitioners who bring a variety of experience and skills to the teaching and learning experience.
  • We offer a range of assessment styles across the programme, including practical skills exams, problem-based learning, case studies, presentations, exams, essays  and hands on experience through practicals and (placement).
  • Our integrated work placements take place over all three years of your degree, enabling you to put theory into practice and build the skills that graduate employers are looking for.
  • Our students have benefitted from international experiences through our DMU Global programme, which allows students to utilise skills around the world. Previous activities have included student connections with universities in Poland and Belgium, supporting and managing clinics in under-served communities in India, performong hearing screening at the Special Olympics and attending international conferences such as the ‘World Congress in Audiology’ held in Canada and South Africa.

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  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: B61A

Duration: Three years full-time

Start date: September 2023

Location: De Montfort University, Leicester UK

Fees and funding: 

2023/24 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Additional costs: You may incur additional costs for this programme, including the cost of travelling to and from project/placement locations.

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Book an Open Day

Submit a study-related enquiry

This programme is not currently available to international students

Entry criteria

GCSEs

  • Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including: English and Maths

Plus one of the following:

A Level

  • A minimum of 128 points from 2 or more A levels, with a science subject at grade B or above in one of the following -  Psychology, Biology, Human Biology, Physics, Chemistry or Maths / Further Maths

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma in Science at DDM
  • BTEC Extended Diploma in Science at DDM

Access course

  • Access to Science with 45 level 3 credits at Distinction.

English and Maths GCSE required as separate qualifications. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification.

We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

International Baccalaureate: 30+ with six higher level points in a science subject

English language requirements:

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 7 or equivalent (with no component below 6.5) when you start the course is essential. English language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning (CELL), is available both before and during the course.

Please visit dmu.ac.uk/international for more information.

Interview: We may require to interview you for consideration on this course.

Personal statement selection criteria:

Please ensure your application indicates your interest in the programme and any experience of the field you may have, either through work or life experience. We encourage that your personal statements includes: 

  • Information relevant to why you are choosing audiology
  • Interest in the course demonstrated with explanation and evidence
  • Any relevant work or life experience relating to our profession
  • Clear communication skills, including appropriate grammar and spelling

Work experience: 

Not essential, but to strengthen your application, experience with working directly with the public is positive.

Non-academic requirements

As well as academic requirements, you will also be required to meet and fulfil non-academic requirements which are stated below:

  • Self-Declaration Form clearance
  • Occupational Health clearance
  • Enhanced DBS disclosure clearance
  • Placement form

Your entry onto the programme is subject to an occupational health check, declaration form and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service application form before starting the course, which needs to be cleared in accordance with DMU's admission policy.

Covid-19 vaccination requirements

This course includes compulsory clinical placements, therefore placement providers may require you to provide evidence of full vaccination against Covid-19 (unless medically exempt).

Find out how to book your vaccinations.

You must meet and fulfil all non-academic requirements before 18th July 2022. 

As soon as you register with any health professional course you have to ensure that patient safety and welfare are central to anything that you do. Hence you need to be aware that the university has ‘Fitness to practise’ regulations that are in line with our course accreditation. This means that you have to abide by these regulations, including those that relate to personal health and well being when you enrol on the course, please refer to the HCPC ‘Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics’.

You need to inform the university if you have any additional support requirements for the placement component of the course such as a disability (in particular related to communication), medical condition or a mental health issue. This will then enable us to ensure that you are able to fully engage with the learning experience of the placement. If you have any concerns regarding this then you should seek advice before applying, as our placement providers may not be able to support you and hence the university may not be able to find a suitable placement for you.

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

Academic expertise and accreditations

 

 

First Year

  • Professional Healthcare Science Practice 1 
  • Medical Sciences for Audiology
  • Scientific Basis of Healthcare Science
  • Physics for Clinical Measurement
  • Neurosensory Physiology and Pathophysiology 
  • Clinical Measurement and Treatment and Work-based Learning 

Second Year

  • Auditory Science 1
  • Professional Healthcare Science Practice 2 
  • Adult Aural Rehabilitation 
  • Applied Physiological Measurement and Instrumentation
  • Research Methods
  • Clinical Practice Year 2

Third Year

  • Clinical Practice Year 3
  • Professional Healthcare Science Practice 3 
  • Auditory Science 2 
  • Paediatric Audiology 
  • Balance Science
  • Final Year Project 

Click here for more detailed module information


Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Teaching sessions include:

  • Formal and interactive lectures
  • Staff and student seminars
  • Tutorial discussions
  • Practical and clinical based workshops
  • Inter-professional (IP) learning with students from other healthcare professions

Assessment Methods includes: 

  • Written exams
  • Coursework (essays, posters, wikis)
  • Presentations
  • Dissertation
  • Practical and clinically-based assessment activities

Teaching contact hours

Contact hours in a typical week vary from year to year. However, typically you will have up to 15 contact hours of teaching, as well as time spent on placement or in practical sessions and this will break down as:

Personal tutorial/small group teaching: approx. 1 hour of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week

Medium group teaching: approx. 10 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Large group teaching: approx. 10 hours of lectures each week

Personal study: 25 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

Academic expertise

The academic team have a range of backgrounds and specialist areas, including balance, paediatrics, specialist populations such as tinnitus and research. This combination of clinical and academic background facilitates high quality teaching and learning, which we are proud of and use to support you in your development and future career. We are all approachable and students feel able to reach out to staff for help and support, both during their degree and once graduated. 

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). 

Students are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct published by HCPC, and ensure they are fit to practise.

 

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Hawthorn Building

Substantial investment in Health and Life Sciences has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you apply your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

We have four dedicated audiological teaching suites to enhance your learning – two diagnostic and rehabilitation labs, a balance suite and a new paediatric suite. These purpose built and designed areas allow you to learn using the latest equipment and in a safe environment.

Students can readily access the facilities during non-teaching times, to develop and practice their clinical skills and also to develop their final year projects. Our facilities, in terms of space and equipment are amongst the best in the UK and have been used by the prestigious international  ‘Leicester Balance Course’ for a number of years. 

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Blackboard, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Clinical Placement and Careers

You will undertake compulsory work placements mostly in the NHS, working with a range of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, developing your clinical and professional skills. Placements are spread across the country and we try to ensure that you are placed where you will have the best chance of development.

You will have a 30 to 40 week placement which will usually start in the middle of your second year and end in the middle of your final year.

During your 30 to 40 week placement you will be supported by a clinical educator in practice, a university appointed clinical lecturer and your personal tutor. Throughout your placement we will maintain contact and support you in developing your clinical skills and acumen.

Study time are built into the placement to ensure that you can reflect on your learning and recap how theory links to practice.

Placements will allow you to develop your professional skills, time management, team working, leadership and management qualities. They will also instil a work ethic and help you develop your overall readiness for whichever career destination you choose.

You should be aware that any disclosure on your DBS, or disclosed health issues or learning differences will be discussed with placement providers prior to placement allocation. It is important to note that placement providers may not be able to take a student depending on what is disclosed on their DBS – if this may affect you please seek advice before accepting a place on the course.

Whilst on placement, students must adhere to the uniform and dress code policy of the placement provider. NHS Trusts and other placement providers have given careful consideration to cultural and religious needs relating to uniform policies / dress codes. These policies/codes have been developed in conjunction with local and national cultural and religious bodies to ensure that local and national infection control guidance is adhered to. Whilst every attempt has been made to accommodate individual needs, there are some areas where the need to fully comply with infection control guidance has overridden religious requirements.

There is no guarantee that a placement will be near Leicester or your family home address. We can only allocate placements that meet our criteria and that are available at the time that you are due to start your placement. You will always be notified in advance of your placement allocation.

If you decline your allocated placement this could result in a delay in allocating you an alternative placement, which in turn will impact on when you complete your programme and are able to graduate.

Typically placements mimic the typical working week of the placement provider. You must complete 30 - 40 weeks on placement, excluding any annual leave and sickness, within a period of 48 weeks.

NHS placement are unpaid and while on placements you are likely to incur additional travel and accommodation costs compared with a regular student attending university and requiring student accommodation. The university consider financial support on an individual basis, depending on placement location and circumstances.  

Healthcare Science Audiology BSc Hons Degree

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DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Students on this course have previously undertaken DMU Global trips to India and the Special Olympics in Belgium, where they provided hearing tests. They’ve also been on trips to New York to consider the health risks of biological hazards in the city, taught science classes in Bermuda and helped refugees in Berlin.

Layla-Graduation-Audiology

Graduate careers

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of roles for the NHS, including working with adults, paediatric and specialist populations. Graduates are also eligible to work as a hearing aid dispenser, with a significant number of our graduates progressing to manage or become partners of their own branches.

Opportunities are available outside the clinical arena and some of our graduates have been employed with hearing aid and audiology equipment manufacturers.

Healthcare Science (Audiology) graduate Layla Mohamed is now working at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth as a qualified clinical audiologist. She said: “The DMU Audiology course ticked a lot of boxes for me in terms of working in the health sector, and job prospects were high.

It is the greatest feeling when a patient comes back to me saying how much their life has improved and how much they have benefited from the treatment you have provided.”

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