Students enrolled in the major have the option of completing two types of electives; clinical and research. Both electives are included in the program tuition rate and do not result in additional costs to students.

Clinical

SPHSC 391 – Practicum in Audiology (2 cr)

Students interested in a guided experience in audiological assessment and aural rehabilitation for children and adults have the option of registering for SPHSC 391 during Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters. The goal of the practicum is to introduce students to a range of clinical environments in which audiologists work, thereby helping students decide if audiology is the career path for them. Students will have a mixture of hands on experience and guided observation.

During this 2 credit experience, students work with ASHA-certified Audiologists in audiology assessment and treatment and obtain some clinical clock-hours which can apply toward their ASHA certification requirements during graduate school. Students are placed in different clinical sites around the city each week, such as the UW Speech and Hearing Clinic, the UW Medical Center, CHDD, Harborview, or private practices. Each weekly clinic visit ranges from 2 to 4 hours.  Students are also required to attend three group meetings during the quarter. The clinical schedule varies, depending on the clinic placement for that week and the student’s schedule.

Priority is given to SPHSC students who have completed SPHSC 371. Lower division and/or pre-majors students will be taken on a space available basis.

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

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.

Independent Study

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

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.).