Department of Linguistics
Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Changes to BSpHSc Program from 2010
This FAQ page is designed for students who first enrolled in the BSpHSc program before 2010 and explains the changes that have occurred in both the degree structure and in some of the units in this degree from 2010. This page is designed to assist existing (pre-2010) students to transition to the new degree. Full details about the new degree structure can be found on this web page (click here).
Detailed information about Undergraduate Rules is published in the 2010 Handbook of Undergraduate Studies which is now available online. Any amendments to the Rules will be published on the University's website as they occur. Information on the website supersedes the information in the printed Handbook. It is your responsibility to make yourself familiar with the Undergraduate Rules.
Changes in certain units from 4 Credit Points to 3 Credit Points
From 2010 all 4 credit point undergraduate units offered by the Department of Linguistics and the Department of Psychology (this includes LING, SPH and PSY units) have been changed to 3 credit point units. In most cases such units have not changed their names but in ALL CASES these units have changed their codes. Listed below are core BSpHSc units as well as some additional units sometimes taken by BSpHSc students as electives. The units of relevance to the BSpHSc are:-
| OLD 4 CREDIT POINT UNITS | NEW 3 CREDIT POINT UNITS | |||||
| LING210 | Phonetics and Phonology | LING217 | Phonetics and Phonology | |||
| LING211 | Grammar and Meaning | LING218 | Grammar and Meaning | |||
| LING216 | Introduction to Sociolinguistics | LING219 | Introduction to Sociolinguistics | |||
| LING322 | Australian English | LING333 | Australian English | |||
| LING323 | Child Language Acquisition | LING334 | Child Language Acquisition | |||
| SPH301 | Acoustics of Speech | SPH399 | Acoustics of Speech | |||
| SPH302 | Speech Physiology | SPH308 | Speech Physiology | |||
| SPH304 | Introduction to Audiology | SPH309 | Introduction to Audiology | |||
| SPH305 | Developmental Speech and Language Disorders | SPH310 | Developmental Speech and Language Disorders | |||
| SPH306 | Acquired Speech and Language Disorders | SPH311 | Acquired Speech and Language Disorders | |||
| SPH307 | Auditory Physiology and Psychoacoustics | SPH312 | Auditory Physiology and Psychoacoustics | |||
| PSY303 | Cognitive Processes II | PSY335 | Cognitive Processes II | |||
| PSY315 | Perception II | PSY342 | Perception II | |||
| PSY321 | Neuropsychology | PSY344 | Neuropsychology | |||
It should be noted that the unit content of a 4 credit point unit and its new 3 credit point equivalent is very similar but that there will be some decrease in the workload of each unit to compensate for the change in credit points awarded.
Is a new 3CP unit equivalent to its old 4CP version for the purposes of the degree rules?
When you transfer to the new program each old 4CP unit will count as equivalent to its new 3CP version for the purpose of the degree rules. (The same is true for the new 3CP units taken as part of an old program).
Note that 4CP units taken before 2010 will continue to count as 4CP units for the purpose of adding up how may credit points you have completed.
Changes to overall BSpHSc program
In 2009 there were four possible coherent study programs offered in the BSphSc. They were:-
- SPH10 - Audiology
- SPH11 - Cognitive Psychology
- SPH12 - Speech and Language Pathology
- SPH13 - Speech Research
Prior to 2009 there were also four very similar coherent study programs. For example, an older version of Audiology was SPH02 and an older version of Speech and Language Pathology was SPH07. The vast majority of students are currently enrolled in either Audiology or Speech and Language Pathology.
The new rules for the BSpHSc from 2010 only define a single program for all people enrolled in the BSpHSc. It must be stressed, however, that internal choices that can be made in this program still permit people to have a particular focus on Audiology, Speech and Language Pathology or Speech Research.
From 2010 it will not be possible to complete a Cognitive Psychology program in the BSpHSc, although it will still be necessary to take certain psychology units in the program (for example Cognitive Process II is a 300 level option). Students who commenced the BSpHSc before 2010 who were intending to do a Cognitive Psychology program should seek advice from one of the degree convenors (Felicity Cox or Robert Mannell) about how this affects you, but the short answer is that students should be able to complete a program that they have already commenced (see below, section "Should I transition...").
People and Planet Units
New students who first enrol in 2010 will be expected to complete 2 units, one of which is designated a "People" unit and the other of which is designated a "Planet" unit.
Continuing students who first enrolled before 2010, but who have not completed their studies by the end of 2012, will be transferred into the new program. However these transferred students are exempt from People and Planet units until the end of 2013. That is, there is a 4-year time limit on the People and Planet exemption for continuing students.
When you see references to these units on the main BSpHSc FAQ page you need not worry about them as they don't affect you.
Capstone Unit
Every program in the new curriculum has a "capstone unit" that is taken by all students in the final year (and most often the final semester) of their program. A program's capstone unit is a compulsory unit that must be taken by all students who transition to the new program. For the BSpHSc the new capstone unit is SPH399 Acoustics of Speech. As SPH301 has changed only marginally to become SPH399 the two units are designated NCCW ("not counted for credit with"). This means that they are regarded as equivalent for the purposes of the degree rules and so if you have already done SPH301 you will be deemed to have already completed the Capstone unit for the new program. As SPH301 was already the only compulsory 300 level unit for all students in the BSpHSc, then this is only a minor change for this degree. SPH399 will be offered every year, in Semester 2, from 2010.
100 level statistics unit
In the old curriculum students were required to complete STAT170. In the new curriculum we are instead requiring students to do a new statistics unit. That new unit is PSY122 Design and Statistics I. It has a PSY unit code but it is still a statistics unit which is similar to STAT170, but which includes more examples that are meaningful to psychology (and also speech and hearing) students. If you have already done STAT170 in 2009 or earlier then you are deemed to have completed the 100 level statistics requirement for the new BSpHSc curriculum.
How do these changes affect my BSpHSc program?
The new BSpHSc program is compatible with the old BSpHSc coherencies, SPH10, SPH12 and SPH13 (but not SPH11, see above). In particular, changes to the degree between 2009 and 2010 are fairly minimal and consist mainly of changes in the credit point load for some 200 and 300 level LING, SPH and PSY units.
The old 4CP units count towards the new program and are treated as equivalent to the new 3CP unit. The reverse is also true. That is, if you stay with the old curriculum, you will be able to substitute the new 3CP units to meet the requirements of the old program.
Do I have to do more units?
The BSpHSc was, and still is, a 72 credit point degree. The main consequence of many units changing from 4 CP to 3 CP is that this will mean that you will require more units to complete 72 CP.
Should I transition to the new curriculum at the start of 2010?
Current students have the option to either transition into the new curriculum or to stay with the current curriculum. If you don't change to the new curriculum then you must complete your program by the end of 2012. If you stay in the old curriculum and don't finish by the end of 2012 you will then be automatically transferred to the new curriculum at the start of 2013.
We recommend students who have only completed the first year of the program to transition to the new curriculum at the start of 2010, as the first year of the new and old programs are almost identical for continuing students (see the note on 100 level statistics, above). We also encourage students who have more than a few units left to make the change at the start of 2010.
We strongly advise students currently doing the coherent study SPH11 - Cognitive Psychology (or older equivalent coherency) to NOT CHANGE to the new curriculum as the equivalent of a Cognitive Psychology coherent study is only available in the old curriculum. If you do change to the new curriculum you will no longer be able to complete the equivalent of a Cognitive Psychology coherency in the BSpHSc. If you don't change, then you will be able to complete your current program (as long as you complete it by the end of 2013).
If you have any doubts or questions about whether or not to transition to the new program, you should seek academic advice from Robert Mannell or Felicity Cox. If you decide to change to the new program, you will not be able to go back to your previous program if you change your mind.
How do I transition to the new version of my degree?
Requests for first half-year transition to new curriculum version of your degree will be accepted from 21 December online. You will know your exam results by then and whether or not you have completed your current degree. Requests to transition will be handled in the order in which they are received, so if you are planning to enrol into your units and classes in the new curriculum degree in January 2010, you should make sure you submit your request before the Christmas break (24 December 2009). The final date for first half-year transition requests is 29 January 2010.
What is the structure of the new BSpHSc program?
Click here to go to a BSpHSc FAQ page that outlines the new structure of the BSpHSc degree.