Healthcare Science (Audiology): Degree Apprenticeship

Course overview

Healthcare scientists in audiology work in hospitals and health clinics, assessing and managing conditions including hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders. They deal with people from all walks of life and all ages, from new-born babies to elderly people, so enjoying interaction with people and having excellent communication skills are essential for the role.

Audiology Degree Apprentices at Aston University range from new employees who have no previous experience in healthcare, to existing staff who are looking for career development and register as a healthcare scientist in the field of audiology. You’ll study and learn as you work in healthcare.

"Developing my skills and knowledge further has been great. I’m enjoying the challenges of education and I know my apprenticeship will give me the ability to help my patients even more than I can now.”

Liz Barker

Healthcare Science Practitioner

at Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Why choose Aston University?

Gold standard teaching

Aston University was awarded Triple Gold - the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF, 2023)

Accredited programme

Accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science, allowing students who successfully complete the course to register and work as healthcare scientists in audiology

HCPC approval

Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, which enables graduates to be eligible to apply to register as hearing aid dispensers

Earn a salary while you study

Gain workplace experience as a full-time employee, as you study for degree

Hear from Aston Audiology student Yousaf Amjad

Aston Audiology student Yousaf Amjad talks about the best bits about studying BSc Audiology

Course description

Healthcare Science Practitioner: Audiology Degree Apprenticeship BSc

You’ll gain a qualification alongside your full-time job by combining online learning with leading expertise, facilities, and technology.

What will we provide
On this four-year course you will study healthcare science, audiology, clinical practice and research methods while putting your knowledge and skills into practice on a daily basis.
We will provide you with mentorship and guidance from experienced professionals and lecturers, sharing theory and practical knowledge.
On successful completion of this apprenticeship, you will gain:
•   a BSc (Hons) in Healthcare Science (Audiology)
•   An apprenticeship certificate
•   The opportunity to register as a Healthcare Scientist in the field of Audiology.

What will you provide
As an apprentice, you will be required to balance academic work, full-time employment, and on-the-job training. You will be expected to engage with teaching materials, online lectures, and in-person sessions. You will need to submit coursework and other assessments in a timely manner.

What skills will we teach
Throughout the apprenticeship, you’ll likely to develop a diverse range of skills including being able to prioritise own workload as appropriate, excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills, be self-motivated and using your own initiative and prioritise workload.

Also develop customer service skills, sensitivity and understanding, be thorough and pay attention to detail, thinking and reasoning skills, knowledge of psychology, having an active listening and a non-judgemental approach, the ability to work well with others and to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device.

Career prospects
The audiology Degree Apprenticeship provides a pathway to become a healthcare science practitioner in audiology. Healthcare scientists in audiology work in hospitals and health clinics, assessing and managing conditions such as hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders.

How you will learn

Apprenticeships are structured differently to a traditional degree; you'll spend the majority of your time working full time in your clinical job but will be released for study time to complete your academic learning.

You will study through a combination of online learning resources and sessions on campus where you will learn through tutorials, lectures, and practical sessions. You will attend campus for several blocks of study (usually two to three days at a time) in each year, plus assessments and/or exams. It is a great opportunity for you to meet face-to-face with your peers and our academics.

Your off-campus distance learning teaching will be delivered via our virtual learning environment, Blackboard. You will access theoretical learning materials for general study, revision and assessment. This platform allows you to access a comprehensive range of study materials, recorded lectures, online tutorials, scientific journals, e-journals, databases and much more.

What you will learn

You will learn essential skills in diagnosing and treating hearing and balance disorders. You will gain expertise in audiometric testing, patient care, and advanced technology, preparing you for careers as skilled audiologists while simultaneously gaining practical work experience through apprenticeships.

Facilities

At Aston University, apprentices enjoy full access to all the facilities available to regular students. This inclusive approach ensures that apprentices can take advantage of the university's library, labs, study spaces, cafes and more. By providing equal access to these facilities, Aston University supports apprentices in their educational journey, enabling them to thrive in both academic and practical aspects of their chosen fields.

Course objectives

Support students to develop their communication and reflective practice skills in order to implement patient-centred care.
Develop the underpinning theoretical knowledge and the use of critical thinking, within healthcare science, to inform clinical experiences.
Promote a research culture amongst staff, students, and external stakeholders to inspire and inform student learning.
Provide collaborative opportunities for interprofessional learning within healthcare and patient and public involvement.
Create learning opportunities to promote personal and professional development.

Modules and learning outcomes

Stage 1 modules

In stage one, you will study the following modules:

Module title	Credits
Healthcare study skills	15
Audiological procedures and professional skills 1	30
Introduction to healthcare and professional practice	15
Total	60

Stage 1 outcomes

Upon completion of stage one, you will be able to:

Identify personal learning needs to support academic study and professional development and describe key concepts for literature navigation and comprehension.
Interpret key findings from various literature sources and present learning from the module through individual and group working.
Identify the expectations of professional behaviour of a healthcare practitioner including HCPC standards of conduct, performance, and ethics.
Demonstrate basic skills in audiology clinical practice required for a hearing assessment and identify basic skills of patient centred care.
Reflect on the role of healthcare professionals and remits of practice and compare patient perceptions and experiences in healthcare.
Investigate the factors that affect health across the life course and analyse approaches that aim to reduce health inequalities across populations.

Stage 2 modules

In stage two, you will study the following modules:

Module title	Credits
Sensory sciences	30
Auditory sciences	30
Total	60

Stage 2 outcomes

Upon completion of stage two, you will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the nervous (peripheral and central), hearing and vision systems, including their structural organisation and function.
Discuss the pathophysiological processes affecting these neurosensory systems and identify any common causes and symptoms of affecting pathologies.
Relate the areas of vision, hearing, and the nervous system with other body systems.
Describe how ear conditions and other body systems may be affecting the patient and their impact on patient care and management.
Describe the physics of sound in relation to physiological measurement and calibration of equipment in the clinical environment.
Illustrate the principles and applications of biomedical imaging techniques and explain the general principles of signals and systems.
Discuss how the physical characteristics of data affect the quality of measured data, and use appropriate units, prefixes and exponential notation when describing and manipulating data.

Stage 3 modules

In stage three, you will study the following modules:

Module title	Credits
Psychoacoustics and speech	15
Diagnostic audiology	15
Audiological procedures and professional skills 2	30
Research methods	15
Auditory management and devices	30
Auditory rehabilitation	15
Total	120

Stage 3 outcomes

Upon completion of stage three, you will be able to:

Explain how the perceptual limits of hearing affect detection and discrimination of speech and other sounds.
Describe speech production and perception, examine the psychophysical impact of hearing loss and recruitment, and interpret how sound perception affects hearing aid prescription.
Exercise professional behaviour including HCPC standards of conduct, performance, and ethics.
Demonstrate enhanced knowledge and skills in audiology clinical practice as introduced in HS1AP1 whilst ensuring patient safety.
Apply the skills of patient centred care including shared decision making as identified in HS1AP1..
Evaluate a range of diagnostic audiological measurements and their theoretical scientific principles.
Relate essential anatomical structures of the auditory hearing pathway to different types of patient recordings in routine and advanced testing.
Apply clinical reasoning skills and the published guidelines in the process of patient assessment and management.
Identify and critically evaluate research methods commonly used in healthcare and describe research tools and techniques for data collection and analysis.
Evaluate the scientific method in improving health outcomes and analyse the importance of research, innovation and audit across the NHS and in healthcare science in particular to improve quality and patient care.
Demonstrate their knowledge of hearing aids, including how to select, fit, verify, evaluate, and modify their performance.
Explore the impact of a hearing loss on a patient and their family accounting for their healthcare needs.

Stage 4 modules

In stage four, you will study the following modules:

Module title	Credits
Dissertation	30
Paediatric audiology foundations	15
Vestibular foundations	15
Advanced audiology investigation and rehabilitation	30
Audiological procedures and professional skills 3	30
Total	120

Stage 4 outcomes

Upon completion of stage four, you will be able to:

Evaluate the role of evidence-based practice in healthcare and investigate the processes involved to plan a research project.
Generate a research question and apply a specific technique or mode of enquiry to address the question.
Disseminate research findings to peers and determine appropriate assessment strategies in relation to the development of the child.
Analyse results from behavioural and objective testing and evaluate the importance of multi-professional working within health and education for a family-centred approach.
Determine appropriate assessment strategies in relation to a vestibular case history and analyse results from vestibular testing.
Evaluate the importance of multi-professional working within vestibular clinics, and the technological requirements of different auditory implant devices and relevance of technological improvements in the auditory management of different patient populations.
Demonstrate ability to consider a range of information when considering the appropriateness of auditory implanted devices.
Investigate the role of multidisciplinary teamwork in the management of potential auditory implant candidates.
To demonstrate professional behaviour including HCPC standards of conduct, performance, and ethics.
To Lead non-complex appointments in a clinical setting and recognise and demonstrate assessment of patients in specialised areas of Audiology and effectively evaluate scope of practice to ensure patient safety is paramount.

Course outline

By studying at Aston University, you gain a qualification alongside your full-time job by combining online learning with leading expertise, facilities, and technology.
On this four-year course you will study healthcare science, audiology, clinical practice and research methods while putting your knowledge and skills into practice on a daily basis.

You will:

• Learn all about how the structure and function of the ear is affected by different problems.

• Learn about the eyes and the nervous system and how people can be protected from disease.

• Learn how to test patients hearing by looking at their brain waves.

• Learn how to select, fit, and verify hearing aid systems, as well as evaluate and modify how well they are performing.

• Learn how hearing loss in children affects their physical and mental development.

•   The structure and function of the eyes and nervous system.
•   The structure and function of the body and how disease affects it.
•   The structure and function of the ear, and how this can be affected by different ear problems.
•   Introduction to working in a clinical setting, including hearing tests.

• The distribution of health disorders in the general population, public health medicine, protecting people from and screening for disease.
• The theory and technology used in measuring sensory functions.

•   Methods of hearing assessment.
•   Developing audiology skills in a clinical setting, including hearing aid fitting.
•   Method of managing hearing loss.
•   Physical and mental development in children.
•   Methods of carrying out research, including data analysis and reporting.

•   Sensory signal processing in the brain and how this can be affected by different health conditions.
•   Testing and treating children's hearing and balance disorders.
•   Work-based project designed to use the research skills learned in Year 3.
•   Using patient-centred skills, to test and treat people in the audiology workplace.

Entry requirements

You will need to apply for a degree apprenticeship role or already be employed in a job within an audiology department that can provide the clinical experience required for this post.

Entry requirements are set by the hiring business and not Aston University so they vary between organisations. Apprentices are selected based on their applications, an interview and an assessment process which is tailored to your apprenticeship position.

Indicative entry requirements are given below, but please note that each employer may set their own criteria.

Please note that your employer may have additional requirements.

DBS and fitness to practise

As this course includes clinical placements where students interact with members of the public we are required to ensure that students have completed the following checks:

Disclosure and barring service enhanced check

These should be completed by your employing NHS trust. Documentary evidence of this will be requested during the application process.

DBS check guidance

Occupational health check

This should be completed by your employing NHS trust. Documentary evidence of this will be requested during the application process.

Three A Levels are required and must include one science subject from Biology, Chemistry or Physics (Biology preferred). A typical minimum offer would be ABB at A Level.

At least Grade 4 or C GCSE Maths and English Language or English Literature.

You will also need to meet the government's eligibility criteria:

Have been a UK/EU/EAA resident for the past three years or more prior to starting the course
Have left full time education when the apprenticeship you are applying for is due to start
Be aged at least 16 years old to meet government funding criteria.

Course fees

You will not have to pay tuition fees as a degree apprentice as the costs are met by the UK government and your employer*. In addition to your fees being paid, you will also earn a salary while you study, so there is no need to apply for Student Finance.
The funding band for this degree apprenticeship is £27,000. This is the full cost of your apprenticeship which will be paid for using your employer's apprenticeship levy.

*Employers may require students to pay the fees for resits.

Assessment

We use a wide variety of assessment types, including essays, practical assessments, portfolios of written work, exams, and online tests. Clinical assessments are carried out in our fully-equipped audiology clinical skills laboratories at Aston, or in the workplace.

Throughout each stage of the programme, we will use various mechanisms to monitor successful development of your clinical and academic skills. We will regularly discuss your progress with yourself and your employer. This is essential in order for you to meet the apprenticeship funding rules and be eligible to undertake your end-point assessment at the end of the programme.

“Audiology sees a wide variety of patients with hearing, balance, and tinnitus problems, right from initial referral, to diagnostics, to treatment and rehabilitation. At Aston we also get to see how hearing and balance are linked to the brain (neurophysiology) and the eyes (optometry).”

Wahid Zaman

Programme Director and Senior Teaching Fellow in Audiology

Career prospects

The audiology Degree Apprenticeship provides a pathway to become a healthcare science practitioner in audiology. Healthcare scientists in audiology work in hospitals and health clinics, assessing and managing conditions such as hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders.

Frequently asked questions

How is an apprenticeship degree different?

Apprenticeships are structured differently to a traditional degree. You'll spend the majority of your time working full time in your clinical job but will be released for study time to complete your academic learning. You will study through a combination of online learning resources and sessions on campus where you will learn through tutorials, lectures and practical sessions. You will attend campus for several blocks of study (usually two to three days at a time) in each year, plus assessments and/or exams. It is a great opportunity for you to meet face-to-face with your peers and our academics.

How is off-campus teaching delivered?

Off-campus distance learning teaching will be delivered via our virtual learning environment, Blackboard. You will access theoretical learning materials for general study, revision and assessment. This platform allows you to access a comprehensive range of study materials, recorded lectures, online tutorials, scientific journals, e-journals, databases and much more.

What facilities will I have access to when I am on campus?

This course is delivered in block learning sessions, during which you will benefit from our specialist on campus facilities, including:
•   A clinical skills laboratory which is equipped with the latest audiology equipment.
•   Simulated patients, where you practise your clinical skills on real people and gain confidence before going out into clinics.
•   Refurbished lecture theatres and seminar rooms.

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