Clinical

SPHSC 491 – Audiology Practicum in the Schools (2 cr)

Postbac students interested in gaining hands-on clinical experience and exposure to the public school setting have the option of registering for SPHSC 491 during Autumn quarter.

During this 2 credit experience, students conduct hearing screenings with children in a public school setting and obtain clinical clock-hours which can apply toward their ASHA certification requirements during graduate school. Students are each assigned to a specific audiologist in a school district and have opportunities to be involved with audiometric testing, record keeping, follow-up testing, case conferences, etc.

The practicum occurs throughout the month of September, during the break between Summer and Autumn quarters. Students are assigned to a school district and typically work 10-15 days during the month. The hours of testing varies, but on averages students obtain 20-40 direct patient contact hours for this experience.

Research

SPHSC 499 – Undergraduate Research / Independent Study (variable credit)

Postbac students interested in research are able to complete one or more Independent Studies (IS) with SPHSC faculty on a topic of interest.

For the IS opportunity, students work with a faculty mentor for 1-2 quarters completing a small-scale investigation into an agreed upon topic with a specific scholarly output. Students register for SPHSC 499: Undergraduate Research credits during the quarter(s) they participate.

This type of experience is appropriate for students who:

  • Are interested in gaining exposure to research
  • Want to gain greater depth of knowledge in a particular topic area that cannot be met through regular coursework

IS experiences can take several formats, but typically involve meetings with the faculty member directing the project, a literature review and/or completion of assigned readings, and some type of final product that is evaluated (e.g., paper, report, participation in a faculty publication, presentation at a conference, etc.).

The assignments and outcomes for each IS are closely tied to the expected hours of effort dictated by credits. Every 1 credit of IS is equivalent to 3 hours of work per week. A 2 credit commitment, therefore, would require 20 hours of work per quarter, 3 credits would be 30 hours, etc.