BSc Healthcare Science (Audiology) / Course details

This unit covers the clinical principles and theoretical basis behind a range of Audiological assessment procedures, including a basic understanding of the principles of vestibular assessment.

The unit aims to:

• To provide students with the foundations of the scientific and theoretical bases of adult hearing loss, and balance disorders and their clinical assessment and rehabilitation.

Students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Explain the fundamental principles of audiological assessment and demonstrate their application.
• Explain the principle causes and pathophysiology of adult hearing loss.
• Clinical assessment of auditory function, appropriate selection of test strategy, test procedures and interpretation of results according to recommended clinical procedures including BSA/BAA recommended procedures. Test procedures include: tuning fork tests; pure tone audiometry; uncomfortable loudness levels; Stenger test; acoustic admittance tests; speech audiometry; otoacoustic emissions and evoked response audiometry.
• Describe the basic physiology and principles of normal balance function including the common causes of balance disorders.
• Describe the routine tests used in assessing balance disorder including: methods of monitoring eye movement during vestibular testing, including electronystagmography and video nystagmography; oculomotor testing; static and dynamic position testing; caloric testing; and basic 'bedside' testing and 'office' testing.
• Describe the range and scope of national and international standards relevant to physiological measurements.
• Describe the basic principles of calibration associated with physiological and psychophysical measurements.

Intellectual skills

• Make use of current research by evaluating it and applying it to clinical practice.
• Critical thinking and analysis.
• Enhancement of evaluative and interpretive skills.
• Develop team-working skills.
• Develop the ability to think critically and question received information.

Practical skills

• Enhancement of presentational skills.
• Enhancement of writing skills.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

• The ability to work as a team as well as independently.
• Use of blackboard to enhance learning.

• Otoscopy.
• Tuning fork tests.
• Applied anatomy & physiology.
• Pure tone audiometry - air and bone conduction.
• Masking in pure tone audiometry.
• Tympanometry and stapedius reflex measurements.
• Diagnostic audiometric tests.
• Clinical applications of evoked response audiometry.
• Common disorders of the external/middle ear.
• Tinnitus.
• Cochlear and retro-cochlear pathology.
• Non-organic hearing loss.
• Special populations.
• Genetics / Noise induced hearing loss.
• Basic functioning and assessment of the vestibular system.
• Standards & Calibration.

Lectures, demonstration, practical and self-learning.

1. Example essay questions, group presentations/PBL/Tutorials
2. Semester 1 mid-point exam (1.5 hours, 30%)
3. Semester 2 end-point exam (1.5 hours, 30%)
4. Semester 2 assignment (2000 words, 40%)

Formative feedback on outline exam question answers, group presentations/PBL sessions and on exam and assignments.

RCCP Website
Type: Website; Source: http://www.rccp.co.uk/. 

Basic audiometry learning manual
Author: DeRuiter, Mark; Ramachandran, Virginia; Type: Book; Publication Date: c2010; Publisher: Plural Pub; ISBN: 1597563714 9781597563710; Place of publication: San Diego, Calif; Tags: Essential; Notes: This book contains tutorials which you can use to ensure you understand Audiometry and other core tests. It is particularly useful for learning about masking. However, it is important to note that the book is American of origin. The Audiometry symbols and specific test protocols are not always identical to British Society of Audiology protocols which are mandatory in the UK.; Available At: Main Library Blue Area Floor 3 617.8075 DER.

Speech audiometry
Author: Lawson, Gary; Peterson, Mary; Type: Book; Publication Date: c2011; Publisher: Plural; ISBN: 1597563706 9781597563703; Place of publication: San Diego, Calif Abingdon; Tags: Essential; Available At: Main Library Blue Area Floor 3 617.8 LAW.

BSA Recommended Procedures.

Essentials of audiology
Author: Gelfand, Stanley A.; Type: Book; Edition: 3rd ed; Publication Date: c2009; Publisher: Thieme Medical Publishers; ISBN: 9781604060447; Place of publication: New York; Tags: Essential; Notes: Essential book from year one undergraduate level.  Some chapters contain essential test information not in the main book Katz.; Available At: Main Library Blue Area Floor 3 617.8 GEL. 

British Academy Of Audiology - BAA | British Academy of Audiology
Type: Website; Source: http://www.baaudiology.org/.

Handbook of clinical audiology
Type: Book; Edition: Seventh edition; Publication Date: 2014; Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; ISBN: 9781451191639; Place of publication: Philadelphia; Tags: Core; Notes: 7th Edition of Handbook of Clinical Audiology.   6th or 7th edition is acceptable.; Available At: Main Library Blue Area Floor 2 371.9202 K33. 

Clinical audiology: an introduction
Author: Stach, Brad A.; Type: Book; Edition: 2nd ed; Publication Date: c2010; Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning; ISBN: 0766862887 9780766862883; Place of publication: New York, N.Y.; Tags: Essential; Notes: Chapter 4 - Causes of Hearing Disorders might help with some of the content contained in Soumit's Lectures; Available At: Main Library Blue Area Floor 3 617.8 STA. 

Type: Book Chapter; Book Title: Katz Bone Conduction (Digitised Chapter, HCDI20020); Source: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=ecaa86f8-baa1-e711-80cb-005056af4099; Notes: This is a digitised chapter from Katz and is essential reading.