CD 630 FOUNDATIONS OF AUDIOLOGY

Credits: 3 credits
Course Builder: This course was created by Maryam Salehomoum.
Course Facilitator: The course facilitator’s name and contact information (including virtual
office hours) will be shared with you at the start of the semester. Meeting
days/times for the course will also be shared with you.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION

Course Description
This course provides students with an introduction to the field of audiology and how the hearing
system functions. It includes a review of basic anatomy and physiology of the ear, with an
overview of the physics of sound. Course discussions and activities cover hearing assessments
(including pure tone and speech audiometry), audiogram interpretation, and identification of
common disorders of the ear. In addition, students will be introduced to current medical and
clinical management of hearing loss. Overall, the course covers the foundations of what speech-
language pathologists should know in collaborating with an audiologist and working with
individuals with hearing loss.
Course Objectives
Students will gain an understanding of:
● The history of the field of audiology
● Sound and its measurement
● Basic anatomy and physiology of the auditory system
● Various types of hearing disorders
● Various hearing assessments
● Interpretation of audiometric results
● Common disorders and pathologies of the ear
● Intervention and counseling
● Amplification and assistive listening devices
● Common treatment components for adults and children with hearing loss

Student Learning Goals

At the end of the course, students are expected to:

1. Describe the physical and psychological properties of sound

2. Recall basic anatomy and physiology of the auditory system

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 3. Identify and describe basic assessment procedures of the auditory mechanism
4. Interpret basic audiometric assessment findings
5. Identify certain specialized tests in audiology (e.g., used for diagnosis of auditory
neuropathy)
6. Classify and describe various auditory and related disorders
7. Explain basic approaches to managing auditory and related disorders, for the adult and
pediatric populations (e.g., amplification, counseling, speech and auditory training,
signed and spoken communication modalities)

Required Reading and Course Material

1. Martin, F. N., & Clark, J. G. (2018). Introduction to audiology. New York: Pearson
Education Incorporated. ISBN-13: 9780134695563
Additional articles, video, and digital links have been made available on the course site.
Course Calendar
Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement,
this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice. The following
is a tentative outline of the course content and readings. As with any course, the order of the
topics and the pace at which they are presented are subject to change, should the instructor deem
such a change to be useful. Assigned readings are expected to be completed before the live
session for the week. Assignment due dates are presented within the outline.

Week Topics Reading Assignments

1 Introduction Text: chap. 1-2 Assignment 1, Week 1:

Questions
Course Expectations
Assignment 2, Week 1:
The Profession of Case Study
Audiology
These assignments are
The Human Ear due 48 hours before the
live session for the week.
Sound and Its
Measurement

2 Pure Tone Audiometry Text: chaps 3, 4, and pp. Assignment 1, Week 2:

133-138 of chap. 5 Questions
Speech Audiometry
You are not expected to Assignment 2, Week 2:
Masking learn the means of Case Study
determining the correct

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 intensity of sound used for These assignments are
masking or the methods due 48 hours before the
used to present masking. live Session for the week.
You are asked to
understand the following
about masking:
1. What is masking?
2. Why is it necessary?
3. When is it necessary?
4. How does it improve
accuracy of hearing loss
diagnosis?

3 Physiological Tests Text: chaps. 6 pp. 160- Quiz 1

186, chap. 7
Pediatric Audiology This assignment is due
You are not required to 48 hours before the live
read content related to session for the week.
AMLR, ALRs, or
Intraoperative Monitoring.

4 Hearing Disorders: The Text: chaps. 8, 9, and 10

Outer, Middle, and Inner
Ear

5 The Auditory Nerve and Text: chaps. 11 and 12 Quiz 2

Central Auditory
Pathways In chapter 12, the authors This assignment is due
discuss multiple tests that 48 hours before the live
Nonorganic Hearing may be used to assess session for the week.
Loss suspected nonorganic
hearing loss. Only some
(of the more reliable
and/or useful tests) are
included in the slides.

6 Amplification/Sensory Text: chap. 14 Written reflection about

Systems the sign language debate,
Article: Mellon et al. as presented in Mellon et
Cochlear Implants (2015) al. (2015) Commented [A1]: Share this cool article and video about
the tonotopic organization of the cochlea and implications
for CI: https://blog.medel.pro/synchrotron-imaging-
This assignment is due human-cochlea-rask-
48 hours before the live andersen/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic
session for the week. &utm_content=12-04-2021

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7 Audiologic Text: chap. 15 Quiz 3
Treatment/Patient
Management Review the Martin & This assignment is due
Clark’s (2015) notes on 48 hours before the live
Family-Centered treatment considerations session for the week.
Intervention for your self-selected case
study subject in
Cultural Diversity preparation for this
week’s live session.

Article: Moeller et al.

(2013)

Assignments
1. Quizzes
a. Quiz 1
i. Students will be presented with a series of questions related to assigned
readings from Weeks 1 and 2.
ii. Questions will include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching,
true/false, and short-answer format.
iii. The quiz will be accessible within 3 hours following the Week 2 live
session.
iv. Once the quiz is opened, students will have 120 minutes to respond.
Students are expected to submit their completed quiz, via the course site,
48 hours before the scheduled live session for Week 3.
b. Quiz 2
i. Students will be presented with a series of questions related to assigned
readings from Weeks 3 and 4.
ii. Questions will include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching,
true/false, and short-answer format.
iii. The quiz will be accessible within 3 hours following the Week 4 live
session.
iv. Once the quiz is opened, students will have 120 minutes to respond.
Students are expected to submit their completed quiz, via the course site,
48 hours before the scheduled live session for Week 5.
c. Quiz 3
i. Students will be presented with a series of questions related to assigned
readings from Weeks 5 and 6.
ii. Questions will include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching,
true/false, and short-answer format.
iii. The quiz will be accessible within 3 hours following the Week 5 live
session.

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 iv. Once the quiz is opened, students will have 120 minutes to respond.
Students are expected to submit their completed quiz, via the course site,
48 hours before the scheduled live session for Week 7.

2. Student responses to questions

a. Week 1 Questions (see assignment posted on the assignment submission page of
the course site)
i. Choose two questions from a series of choices.
ii. Questions are related to the Week 1 assigned reading (i.e., chaps. 1–3).
iii. Compose written responses, ranging 100–300 words per question, to the
two questions.
iv. Submit your written responses, via the course site, 48 hours before the
scheduled Week 2 live session.
b. Week 2 Questions (see assignment posted on the assignment submission page of
the course site)
i. Choose two questions from a series of choices.
ii. Questions are related to the Week 2 assigned reading (i.e., chaps. 4–6).
iii. Compose written responses, ranging 100–300 words per question, to the
two questions.
iv. Submit your written responses, via the course site, 48 hours before the
scheduled Week 2 live session.

3. Evolving case studies

a. Evolving case study: Week 1 (see assignment posted on the assignment submission
page of the course site)
i. Review the case studies presented at the end of chap. 2, pp. 24–25 (Martin
& Clark, 2015).
ii. Choose one case study to follow for the remainder of the term. You can
choose any, except the non-organic case (case 5).
iii. Compose two questions and/or comments that demonstrate your curiosity,
background knowledge, or lack of clarity about a concept related to the
case you have selected (see assignment, posted on the LMS, for more
detailed instructions).
iv. Submit your written response, via the course site, 48 hours before the
scheduled Week 1 live session meeting.
v. Be sure to identify the case study you chose within your written response.
b. Evolving case study: Week 2 (see assignment posted on the assignment submission
page of the course site)
i. Considering your case study subject’s characteristics (e.g., age, type of
hearing loss), find a video demonstration of a commonly used hearing
assessment.
ii. View the video assessment.

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 iii. Compose a written summary of the assessment (e.g., testing environment,
instructions to patient or parent, testing procedure, and the patient’s
response), ranging 100–300 words.
iv. Submit your written response, via the course site, 48 hours before the
scheduled Week 2 live session meeting.

4. Written reflection
a. Compose a written reflection, ranging 350–500 words, in response to the assigned
article by Mellon et al. (2015).
b. You can write a critical response to the entire piece or choose a segment (e.g., one
of the arguments) for your response.
c. A critical reflection should consist of (i) identification of an argument, (ii) your
agreement or disagreement with this argument, and (iii) your rationale/support for
your stance (which should include reference to other published literature or
reference to one of the two videos on cochlear implantation available on the course
site). Review the written reflection rubric for detailed information about grading
criteria.
d. Submit your written reflection, via the course site, 48 hours prior to the scheduled
Week 6 live session.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend live sessions regularly and promptly and are responsible for
discussion and all work done in their classes if they are absent. Students are responsible for
notifying the instructor in advance of all foreseeable absences and conflicts with course
requirements. Attending an out-of-class activity or event for another course is not considered an
excuse to disregard a given class’s attendance policy. The instructor will attempt to accommodate
students’ requests for religious accommodations but will grant only reasonable requests that do
not unduly interrupt or interfere with the college’s policies or a course’s requirements or
curriculum. Students’ absences for religious observance are counted toward the total number of
absences that the instructor permits under the attendance policy. Students are allowed only one
absence from the series of live session meetings for this course; absence from more than one live
session is grounds for withdrawal from course. Each live session attendance will be credited one
point. Total points will account for 10% of course grade.
Participation in Online Forum
1. Each student will be expected to participate in the online forum a total of three
times throughout the course.
2. You are free to choose when and how often to participate.
3. Only one entry per week will be credited (i.e., though students are welcome to
participate multiple times each week, the expectation is participation during three
different weeks).
4. Students may initiate questions, respond to questions, post a comment, or share
resources relevant to topics under discussion.

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 5. Posts will be evaluated based on whether they show thoughtfulness (i.e., responses
such as “I agree,” “Thank you for sharing,” and “You bring up a good point” are
welcome but do not earn points).
Evaluation
Your grade will be determined as follows:
● Three quizzes 45%
● Two response-to-questions assignments 20%
● Two case study assignments 10%
● One written reflection assignment 10%
● Attendance during live session 10%
● Participation in online forum 5%

Grading

93 - 100 A 77 - 79 C+
90 - 92 A- 73 - 76 C
87 - 89 B+ 70 - 72 C-
83 - 86 B 60- 69 D
80 - 82 B-
Late Assignment Policy
Make-up exams are not provided unless exceptional circumstances occur. An assignment that is
submitted later than the due date and time is subject to deductions; i.e., 1-point deduction if late
by (up to) 12 hours, 2-point deduction if late by 24 hours. Assignments submitted any later than
24 hours after submission time will receive a 0.

Support for Individuals Impacted by Discrimination, Harassment, or Sexual Violence

If you have been impacted by discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence, the Office of Equal
Opportunity (oeo@emerson.edu; 617-824-8999) is available to meet with you and discuss options
to address concerns and to provide you with support resources. Please note that because the
instructor is an Emerson employee, any information shared related to discrimination,
harassment, or sexual violence will also be shared with the Office of Equal Opportunity. If
you would like to connect with a confidential resource, please contact the Healing & Advocacy
Collective (advocate@emerson.edu, 617-824-8857), the Emerson Wellness Center
(emersonwellnesscenter@emerson.edu, 617-824-8666), the Center for Spiritual Life
(spiritual_life@emerson.edu, 617-824-8036), or Student Care & Support (care@emerson.edu).

Support for Students with Accessibility Needs

Emerson is committed to providing equal access and support to students with disabilities, through
the provision of reasonable accommodations, to allow them to fully participate in Emerson

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programs and activities. If you have a disability that may require accommodations, please contact
Student Accessibility Services (SAS@emerson.edu; 617-824- 8592) to make an appointment with
an SAS staff member.

Students are encouraged to contact SAS early in the semester. Please be aware that
accommodations are not applied retroactively.

Plagiarism
It is the responsibility of all Emerson students to know and adhere to the College’s policy on
plagiarism, which can be found at emerson.edu/policies/plagiarism. If you have any questions
concerning the Emerson plagiarism policy or about documentation of sources in work you
produce in this course, speak to your instructor. Additionally, The Working with Research and
Avoiding Plagiarism (WRAP) Quiz is available to all students through the Writing and Academic
Resource Center's self-enrollment Canvas course (WRAP quiz). One-on-one consultations are
available (emerson.mywconline.com).

Participation and Interaction Civility

The course structure will assume that the student, as an adult, is responsible for his or her own
learning. Your presence and participation during the synchronous component of the course is
highly encouraged. It will be taken into consideration for those on the cusp of one grade or
another.
Please treat your professor and fellow classmates with the utmost respect. Please refrain engaging
in off-task activities during class meetings.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Every student in this class will be honored and respected as an individual with distinct
experiences, talents, and backgrounds. Students will be treated fairly regardless of race, religion,
sexual orientation, gender identification, disability, socioeconomic status, or national identity.
Issues of diversity may be a part of class discussion, assigned material, and projects. The
instructor will make every effort to ensure that an inclusive environment exists for all students. If
you have any concerns or suggestions for improving the classroom climate, please speak with
your course instructor or contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 617-824-8528 or by e-
mail at diversity_inclusion@emerson.edu.
Academic Support
The Writing and Academic Resource Center, https://www.emerson.edu/writing-academic-
resource-center/writing-center, is a free resource available to all Emerson students to facilitate
academic success. Writing consultants, Academic Success consultants, and English Language
Learning consultants are available for all students.
The Emerson Student Success office, https://www.emerson.edu/student-success, is also available
as a free service to help ensure that all Emerson students have a positive and successful
experience.

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Communication
Communication will occur via your Emerson e-mail address and the course site. Please be sure to
check your Emerson account frequently. It is utilized for all departmental electronic
communication. If you use another e-mail platform (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.), you can configure
your Web CT to forward class e-mail to your preferred account.
Students are expected to initiate communication with the course instructor as needed (e.g., when
experiencing difficulty with comprehension of certain concepts, when unclear about expectations
for an assignment, etc.).
In general, the course instructor will be checking e-mails on a daily basis and, in most cases, will
respond to a student inquiry within 24 hours.