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The Audiological Science with Clinical Practice MSc is designed to train students from other disciplines as audiologists. This two-year programme includes a clinical placement, which usually takes place over 11 months (900 hours minimum) and provides the core knowledge, skills and clinical competencies necessary for employment as an audiologist and/or hearing aid dispenser.
Key information
Programme starts
September 2021
Modes and duration
Application dates
Tuition fees (2021/22)
Note on fees:
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees. Full-time students undertake 180 credits in year one and 120 credits in year two. As such, the fee in year one will be £12,500 (UK/EU) / £28,500 (Overseas) but the fee in year two will be approximately two thirds of that in year one (subject to UCL's annual fee increase). For part-time students, the full-time fee indicated will be pro-rated based on module selection.
Entry requirements
A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Candidates who do not meet this requirement but have a minimum of five years’ relevant clinical experience may also be considered.
Students will be expected to meet the requirements of the clinical placement’s human resource department (including satisfactory health clearance and Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check).
Progression to the clinical placement (second) year will be based on satisfactory academic performance and there being no fitness to practise issues.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Advanced
UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
International students
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.
Select your country:
About this degree
The programme provides a detailed study of the hearing and balance mechanisms, their structure, function, pathology and assessment.
The successful student will become competent in a wide range of adult hearing assessments and adult hearing amplification and aural rehabilitation. In addition, students will acquire skills that will allow them to assist in specialist areas, specifically balance and paediatric hearing assessments.
Students undertake modules to the value of 300 credits.
The full-time two-year programme consists of eight core modules (120 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits) in the first year, and four core clinical modules (120 credits) in the second year.
The postgraduate diploma two-year programme consists of eight core modules (120 credits) in year one, and four core clinical modules (120 credits) in year two.
Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Audiological Science with Clinical Practice. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Audiological Science with Clinical Practice.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.
Year one compulsory modules
Please note: only first-year modules can be taken in flexible mode. The in-service clinical placement modules need to be completed in one year - equivalent to year two of the full-time programme.
- Signals, Systems, Acoustics and the Ear
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Audiovestibular System
- Balance
- Clinical and Professional Practice
- Diagnostic Audiology
- Introduction to Amplification and Aural Rehabilitation
- Paediatric Audiology
- Research Methods and Statistics
Year two compulsory modules
- Clinical Adult Audiovestibular Assessment and Paediatric Hearing Assessment (30 credits)
- Clinical Adult Diagnostics and Auditory Rehabilitation (60 credits)
- Integrative Audiology (15 credits)
- Living with Hearing Loss (15 credits)
Research project/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 –12,000 words and poster presentation. This is submitted at the end of year one.
Placement
EARI00013 - Clinical and professional practice module (15 credits) includes 15 to 20 days of observation in audiology departments within the Greater London area.
EARI0015 & EARI0016 - Clinical modules (90 credits). Clinical training within accredited audiology departments (NHS and /or private sector), mainly within London area but also in home counties surrounding Greater London area.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, case presentations, tutorials, enquiry-based learning, practical demonstrations and in-service clinical placements within accredited audiology departments in the NHS or private sector.
Assessment (formative and summative) is by essays, case presentations, mini -tests, final written and practical examinations, and dissertation.
YEAR 1
Term 1: 50% of week lectures / tutorials; 20% practicals; 30% independent study
Term 2: 40% of week lectures / tutorials; 40% clinical placement; 20% independent study / research project
Summer term: Time working on independent project; primary contact with project supervisor
YEAR 2
Term 1: 15 days of lectures and tutorials over the term (20 to 25%); 65 to 70% of week clinical training placement and workshops; 10% independent study.
Term 2: 90% clinical practical training and workshops; 10% independent study.
Rest of year from October to September: 90% of week clinical practical training. workshops and final clinical practice examinations; 10% independent study.
25 days of non-study leave and bank holidays.
Additional costs
Transport costs depend on home and placement locations but expect to pay £5 to £10.20 each day for attending placements (15 to 20 days in year 1 & 42 weeks in year 2). A few students may be placed in locations outside London (year 2) & additional transport costs are £20 to £50 per day for attending lectures / exams at the Ear Institute (max 20 days).
Occupational health screen cost met by UCL but cost of necessary vaccinations met by students (TB immunity; hepatitis B; measles, mumps, rubella; chickenpox - cost dependant on current levels of immunity - up to £700 for all).
This programme requires a completed DBS check for some compulsory modules. You will receive more information from UCL on how to complete the check once you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer for the programme. The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £12.75. The offer holder is also required to arrange and pay for any overseas police check that may be necessary; costs vary by country. For more information about the DBS application process, please contact the Admissions team.
For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
Funding
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
It is anticipated that the majority of students will seek employment as audiologists within the UK, in both the NHS and private sector. The main area of activity is adult hearing assessment and rehabilitation. As experience is acquired, audiologists might develop an interest and expertise in balance assessment and rehabilitation, paediatric audiology, tinnitus, cochlear implants, middle ear implants and bone-anchored hearing aids.
With further experience, it is anticipated that graduates might also move towards management, research or teaching.
Employability
Although the programme is vocational and career-specific (audiology), some of our graduates have pursued academic careers, completing PhDs and taught doctorates. International students have used the knowledge and skills gained to promote and develop audiological services in their home countries. Graduates will also acquire many transferable skills, for example, excellent communication skills, the ability to work under pressure, the ability to work independently and in teams, and excellent interpersonal and research skills.
Why study this degree at UCL?
The UCL Ear Institute is a recognised international centre of excellence for research and training and is associated with the Royal National ENT Hospital which houses the largest clinical audiology unit in the country, and works closely with NHS audiology departments to provide placement and observation opportunities for students.
Our programme aims to ensure that graduates are scientifically literate at postgraduate level and clinically competent within an audiology setting, and that graduates from a relevant discipline acquire the knowledge and skills to practise as an audiologist and/or hearing aid dispenser or pursue a research career.
Our programme allows students the opportunity to network with a variety of different professionals, particularly audiologists, and doctors with specialist interests in ENT or audiovestibular medicine.
Department: Ear Institute
Application and next steps
Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
This programme requires two references. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.
There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.
Who can apply?
This MSc is suitable for students with a first degree in a relevant subject (e.g. biomedical science, physics, engineering, speech and language therapy, psychology, allied healthcare professions). It is particularly suitable for those who are new to audiology.
Application deadlines
- Visa nationals
- 31 May 2021
- Non-visa nationals
- 30 July 2021
For more information see our Applications page.
Apply nowWhat are we looking for?
When we assess your application we would like to learn:
- why you want to study Audiological Science with Clinical Practice at graduate level
- why you want to study Audiological Science with Clinical Practice at UCL
- what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
- how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
- where you would like to go professionally with your degree
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate clearly, sympathetically, and in a friendly and professional manner with people of all ages and from all backgrounds.
- Enjoys working collaboratively with other people.
- Excellent communication skills – with patients, clients and other healthcare professionals.
- Interest in science and technology and life-long learning.
- Able to think in a logical manner and interpret complex information.
- Has a scientific but holistic and person-centred approach to work.
- Comfortable in using complex equipment and modern technology.
- Ability to work under pressure, with effective workload management and very good attention to detail.
- Able to work in isolation and also in multi-disciplinary teams.
UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.
Page last modified on 28 August 2021
