Healthcare Science (Audiology) BSc (Hons)

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. Graduates of this programme find fulfilling careers in private, public or research sectors.

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That鈥檚 why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You鈥檒l benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you鈥檒l build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Overview

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

At 麻w豆传媒, you will study anatomy and pathophysiology of the ear, how to test a baby’s hearing, managing someone with dizziness and how to best help adults with hearing loss. These practical skills sit alongside a strong scientific foundation, such as research and the properties of sound, all of which are strengthened by a mandatory clinical placement.

Our course utilises a 6-week block-teaching model, in which you will learn one content area at a time. This means the knowledge and skills you learn with us help you to become the best practitioner you can be, whether an audiologist, hearing aid dispenser, in further study or research, putting the patient at the heart of everything you do.

Our graduates progress to work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, private practices, research groups and the education sector. They frequently practice alongside multi-disciplinary teams, including doctors, psychologists and other healthcare staff.

Key features

Our course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council and accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science; this means that our graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the Academy of Healthcare Science and the Health and Care Professions Council.
You’ll use four dedicated and specially designed clinical teaching spaces, equipped with the latest technology and training and teaching aids.
You’ll learn with and from an experienced teaching, research and support team, alongside external industry, those with lived experience, and clinical experts.
You’ll study one topic area at a time, each for six weeks (block teaching model); this means you can focus your learning in that area, maximising your understanding of one aspect before progressing to the next.
Assessment styles will vary across the programme: practical exams, problem-based learning, case studies, presentations, written exams, written pieces and placement.
Your mandatory 30 weeks work placement spans from spring in year 2 until autumn of year 3- this includes the summer period.
The work placement enables you to put theory into practice and build the skills that graduate employers are looking for, which leads to a high proportion of our students gaining job offers prior to graduation.
Our students have benefitted from international experiences through our 麻w豆传媒 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, performing 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

Start date: September

Duration: Three years full-time

Location: 麻w豆传媒, Leicester UK, and on work-based placements which are spread across the country. We try to ensure that you are placed where you will have the best chance of development.

Fees and funding:

2025/26 fees: £9,535* per year

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs: You may incur 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 UCAS 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

T Level

Distinction in Healthcare Science or Science (with optional module of Laboratory Science or Metrology Sciences not Food Science)

BTEC

BTEC National Diploma in Science at DDM

BTEC Extended Diploma in Science at DDM

Access course

Access to HE Diploma ‘Science’ or ‘Medicine & Healthcare Professions’ 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.

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

You submit an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure application form before starting the course (if you are overseas you will also need to submit a criminal records certificate from your home country), which needs to be cleared in accordance with 麻w豆传媒’s admissions policy. Contact us for up-to-date information.

We strongly advise that you opt for the DBS update service as it is possible that future placement providers may request a recent DBS and not one from the start of the programme. If you decide not to opt for this service then you will have to pay for the DBS again if requested by your placement provided – the university will not cover this cost.

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 ‘’.

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.

You must meet and fulfil all non-academic requirements before 18 July 2025. Failure to meet this deadline may result in your offer being withdrawn.

UCAS Tariff changes

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

Structure and assessment

First Year

Introduction to Audiology
Sound, Hearing and Hearing Development
Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation and Therapy
Clinical Audiology 1

Second Year

People and Data
Diagnostic Audiology- objective testing and balance
Clinical Audiology 2
Placement and Professional Practice 1

Third Year

Placement and Professional Practice 2
Advanced Audiovestibular Assessment and Management
Advanced Rehabiliation, Paediatric Assessment and Management
Enquiry-based Project

See 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.

Our programme utilises block-teaching, in which you will learn one topic at a time, for 6-weeks each. This allows you to have an in-depth focus, ensuring you have the best opportunity to grow in your knowledge and skills. We use a mix of teaching and assessment methods to reflect the dynamic and people focussed nature of our field.

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 staff team have a range of professional backgrounds, such as private, charity sector and public healthcare. Specialist areas of interest include balance, paediatrics, 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 have an ‘open-door’ approach and always welcome interaction with students.

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 , and ensure they are .

Facilities and features

Click on an image to learn more.

Facilities

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

You’ll get hands-on training in our specially designed clinical teaching spaces; from learning how to safely look in an ear, how to test an adults’ hearing through to how to test young babies or treat dizziness.

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. Our dedicated facilities are some of the best for Audiology teaching and training in the UK, we would strongly urge you to visit one of our open days to see these in action.

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 , 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 the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, 麻w豆传媒 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 , online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our , 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 ‘麻w豆传媒 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-week placement which will usually start in the spring term of your second year and end in the autumn term of your third-year (including across the summer).

During your 30-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 weeks on placement, excluding any annual leave and sickness, within the placement period.

NHS placements 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

麻w豆传媒 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 麻w豆传媒 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 麻w豆传媒 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.

Graduate careers

Our course equips graduates for the ever-changing world of work, ready to adapt and problem-solve healthcare decisions of today and tomorrow. Our graduates are in high demand, with many securing employment prior to graduation.

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of roles, including within the NHS as an Audiologist and in the private sector as a Hearing Aid Dispenser. Clinical roles include working with adults, paediatric and specialist populations. A number of graduates also progress to manage or become partners of their own branches, developing their managerial and leadership skills.

Graduates can also opt to work in settings such as in research or with hearing aid and audiology equipment manufacturers. Some choose to progress to further study, such as the NHS Scientist Training Programme, where they develop their clinical and research skills in audiology even further.

Healthcare Science (Audiology) graduate Layla Mohamed is now working at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth as a qualified clinical audiologist.

She said: “The 麻w豆传媒 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.”

Take your next steps

Nine halls of residence and around 2,300 rooms, all of which are within easy walking distance of the campus.

Run by students for students, DSU offers more than 150 societies and almost 40 different sports clubs for you to get involved in.

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