Master of Audiology

THE QUALIFICATION
Master of Audiology
University of Auckland Tamaki Campus
Phone: 09 3737536
Course costs: approximately $5,000 a year
Starting annual salary: around $42,000


As our aging population grows, so does the need for hearing experts - audiologists. The commitment to establish newborn hearing screening in New Zealand will only further increase demand.

Audiology is only taught at master's level in New Zealand. Auckland University runs a 24-month Masters of Audiology that includes a nine-week summer clinical placement.

Subjects include anatomy, physiology and diseases of the ear, physics of sound, diagnostic tests of hearing loss and hearing aid and cochlear implant technologies. The rehabilitation of hearing-impaired people is another important area, along with the clinical practice of audiology which includes diagnostic testing, communication skills, ethics and management of hearing loss.

Applicants need a bachelor's degree, preferably in physiology, psychology, physics or speech therapy. However, applicants with high grades in other majors may be accepted on condition they do prerequisite science and psychology papers. The mix depends on their earlier degree.

Applications for the course close on November 1. University of Auckland has 12 places available each year. The only other New Zealand course recently opened at Canterbury University where they take eight to 10 students a year. It is also a Master's level course.

Employment opportunities are high nationally and globally, particularly for clinical audiologists. Graduates can practice as an audiologist in a public hospital or private practice but must complete a further year of supervised clinical practice to obtain membership to the Audiological Society. Those who don't want to work in a clinical environment find sales and management positions roles in hearing aid and instrumentation companies. There are also opportunities for PhD study and research.


THE GRADUATE
Letitia Wylie
Audiologist at Bay Audiology Clinic, Christchurch

I graduated in 2004 and now work in private practice at Bay Audiology. Most of our clients are adults with hearing loss who need aids fitted. I also deal with the profoundly deaf and am involved with the switch on and mapping of cochlear implants.

Mapping involves both finding the electrical current needed to produce a sound and the amount needed to produce a loud sound. This aspect of my job is rewarding.

I entered the Master's after completing a bachelor of science in psychology at Canterbury University. I was looking for something connected to science that would lead to working with people. Audiology also appealed because we have a family history of hearing loss.

The course prepares you really well. I entered the Masters knowing little about audiology and graduated competent in all areas. The lecturers and clinical staff are very supportive and approachable which helps a lot too.

The papers give the theoretical basis while the clinical component provides the practice. We had to do 360 hours of clinical. I worked for the National Audiology Clinic and the university clinic which gave me a variety of experiences with hearing aids and diagnostic hearing tests.

While I think my science degree was really helpful, others in my class came from other backgrounds such as music and did equally well.


THE EMPLOYER
Stephanie Mears
Associate director, Bay Audiology

We are generally looking for someone with great communication skills, empathy and maturity. Letitia had all these attributes as well as excelling academically during her studies. We look for motivated people keen to further their career in audiology and it was clear Letitia was eager to continue to expand her knowledge and take on more responsibilities.

The degree has a large practical component which helps students become comfortable dealing with patients. The basis of the degree is "evidence based practice". Clinical protocols are based on a good understanding of the physiology of the hearing system and are constantly updated to accommodate new research findings. Students contribute to this research by completing a Masters dissertation in their final year. Audiologists such as Letitia with excellent theoretical knowledge and practical skills are essential in helping our company provide top quality audiology services.

There is a general shortage of audiologists in New Zealand and public hospitals and private practices can have difficulty attracting staff, particularly to smaller centres. Only a small number graduate each year and many younger audiologists leave to work overseas. At times our company has had to recruit from countries such as North America, Australia and Britain. Private practices can offer slightly better salaries; however graduating audiologists are generally encouraged to work in public hospitals where they get broader experience. Private practice tends to focus on diagnosing hearing problems and rehabilitating hearing problems in adults.