The University of Western Australia offers a 2-year Master of Clinical Audiology degree and a 4-year Masters/PhD course. Enrolments will only be accepted every second year (2006, 2008, 2010, etc.). Course fees for local Australian students will be about $13,500 per year. Assistance in the form of a student loan can be obtained via the FEE-HELP scheme. Teaching contact (other than clinical placements) occurs over two intensive 5-week academic semesters per year, plus 2 weeks of intensive in-house UWA practicals in each semester. Semester 1 occurs in February and the first weeks of March, and semester 2 occurs in July/August. This frees more time for clinical placements and part-time employment, making the course more cost-effective. Exams occur months later. State Government scholarships are available for students willing to work for a period in rural areas after graduation. All course graduates have so far found positions as audiologists with local and interstate employers, even before graduation. There is no indication that this will change. We have also developed a UWA's Practising Student Audiologist Scheme to allow students to work in audiology and the hearing aid industry while studying.
What is Audiology? Audiology is a paramedical scientific discipline concerned with sound and its various effects on humans. Audiology as a profession is extremely diverse, and a well-trained audiologist should be equipped to choose from a number of possible career paths. A major role that audiologists play is in the health care sector, both public and private. In this arena, audiologists are the highly trained personnel responsible for the accurate testing of hearing function in both adults and children, the diagnosis of hearing disorders and the prescription of appropriate rehabilitative measures. However, audiologists can also pursue careers in environmental aspects of the effects of sound and its measurement: for example in industrial and workplace environments, as government advisers dealing with the issues of noise effects and noise control. Audiologists are also trained in aspects of speech and communication and can be valuable members of teams dealing with the needs of disabled and special needs groups in the community. Audiologists are also trained in various aspects of hearing aid instrumentation and other hearing technologies and can work with private companies in this capacity. Finally, audiologists should be in a position to pursue research careers in many important aspects of hearing science, ranging from fundamental to applied clinical research.
Entry into UWA Audiology:
(i) good grades in any undergraduate university degree,
(ii) a pass in an entrance examination, based on prescribed pre-reading in the audiological area (available soon),
(iii) an interview to determine if the student has a good grasp of the requirements for the profession of audiology and our course.
Entry into the combined Masters/PhD course requires:
(i) the same requirements for the Masters course, but with an Honours degree giving a good background into research,
(ii) a supervisor and area of research acceptable to The University of Western Australia and the audiology course co-ordinator.
(iii) studying for a PhD requires a great deal of forward planning and discussions with the course co-ordinator and a prospective supervisor.
Physiology in the School of Biomedical and Chemical Sciences
The Master of Clinical Audiology at The University of Western Australia is hosted and co-ordinated by the staff of Physiology. Physiology is part of the School of Biomedical and Chemical Sciences, and is the home of The Auditory Laboratory that has been renowned for over 30 years for the excellence of its research into the fundamental physiological processes of both normal hearing and hearing impairment. Much of the current understanding that is found in text books today is based on the ground-breaking work of various members of The Auditory Laboratory. The staff of the laboratory are not only internationally recognized researchers in this field, but have a great deal of experience in teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students taking the Master of Clinical Audiology at UWA will therefore be taught by staff with first hand experience of the latest developments in hearing science. All students will have the opportunity to carry out audiological research in this exciting environment.
Fees and International Student Enrolments Australian students enrolling in the 2 year Master of Clinical Audiology must pay an up-front fee before each semester of the programme. The fee is about $13,500/year (but check at your time of application). Part time enrolments are NOT permitted. For international students, check with UWA's International Centre for the applicable fees for the Master of Clinical Audiology. Australian students enrolled in the combined in the Masters/PhD course do not pay course fees, and maybe be eligible for a range of scholarships. Be warned that the PhD is not for the faint hearted. Students must appreciate that the work load on PhD students is far greater than that on other students.Both courses (Masters/Masters & PhD) are open to application for enrolment by international students on a full fee paying basis. There is no plan to allow mid-year enrolment. Information about The University and its environs, and links to enrolment and other information can be obtained from The University of Western Australia . Further Information contact:
Physiology
Fax: (08) 6488 1025 Tel: (08) 6488 3313 Email: ophysiol@cyllene.uwa.edu.au.
Postal address: Audiology
Discipline of Physiology M311
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley 6009
 
Webmaster: The ever-resourceful Dr. Robert Patuzzi (rpatuzzi@cyllene.uwa.edu.au). |  |
