Audiology

Audiology is the healthcare profession concerned with assessing, diagnosing, and managing disorders of hearing and balance. Audiologists work with people of all ages, from newborn babies screened for congenital hearing loss to older adults experiencing age-related hearing deterioration, as well as people with tinnitus, balance disorders, and other audiological conditions. The profession is central to quality of life for the millions of people who live with hearing difficulties, and it sits at an interesting intersection of clinical science, technology, and person-centred care.

At the University of Southampton this three-year full-time programme trains you to become an audiology healthcare professional, developing the clinical and professional skills the role demands. Southampton is the only UK university with in-house audiology and auditory implant clinics, which means you will have access to clinical facilities and patient contact that are unusually integrated into your training from an early stage. You will learn to perform audiological assessments, fit and programme hearing aids and other assistive devices, manage tinnitus and balance disorders, and work with adults and children across the range of audiological conditions.

You will also develop the communication skills, professional ethics, and clinical reasoning that direct patient care requires.

Qualifying as an audiologist makes you eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council, which is required for independent practice. Audiologists work in the NHS, private audiology practices, charitable hearing organisations, and hearing aid manufacturers. Some specialise in paediatric audiology, auditory implants, or vestibular disorders.

Others move into research, technology development, or the growing hearing technology industry. Some graduates pursue postgraduate study to develop specialist clinical or research expertise within the profession.