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Overview

Course Prescription

Anatomy and physiology of speech, language and hearing, including the respiratory, phonatory, articulatory, auditory and peripheral and central nervous systems underlying spoken communication. Application of this knowledge is through manipulation of human models and supported computer laboratories.

Course Overview

This introductory course in the neuroscience of speech, language, swallowing and hearing provides a foundation in the necessary neurosciences for graduate studies in speech-language therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand. The course requires some basic knowledge of human biology and human anatomy, particularly anatomy of the brain. Due to the varied backgrounds of students, the material presented will increase in complexity over the semester as each new topic is covered. 


The course is taught through a combination of weekly lectures, tutorials and labs at the Grafton Campus. Labs are designed to supplement lecture content and provide practical experience including brain anatomy, cranial nerve examination and an introduction to audiology methods. It includes an opportunity to observe a laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy in the operating theatre at Starship Children's Hospital.

Key Topics

  1. Introduction to anatomy, physiology and genetics 
  2. The nervous system
  3. The vascular system
  4. The pharynx
  5. The larynx
  6. Anatomy of swallowing
  7. Neuroanatomy of speech and language
  8. Neurophysiology of speech and language
  9. Auditory anatomy
  10. Auditory physiology
  11. Central auditory system

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in. For each week of this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, a 2-hour tutorial or lab, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and up to 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Grafton

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

  • The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable. 
  • Lectures will be available as recordings, but this should not be relied on. Other learning activities including tutorials and labs will not be available as recordings. 
  • The course will include live events including group discussions/tutorials.
  • Attendance is required on campus at scheduled activities including lectures, tutorials and assessments. 

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Recommended Texts:

  • Seikel, J.A., Drumright, D.G., & Hudock, D.J. (2019). Anatomy and Physiology for Speech, Language and Hearing. (6th ed.). New York: Plural Publishing
  • Bear, M.F., Connors, B.W. & Paradiso, M.A. (2020) Neuroscience. Exploring the Brain. (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • Bhatnagar, S.C. (2017). Neuroscience for the Study of Communicative Disorders. Baltimore, Maryland: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Health and Safety

A separate information sheet is provided in Canvas for the observation at Starship Children's Hospital (including how to prepare, where to go, what to wear and emergency contact details).

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Special Requirements

Students are required to attend all lectures and tutorials for this course.
The course requires you to participate in clinical practicum experiences and/or visit clinical settings (e.g., hospitals, clinics). NZ Police Vetting and Immunisations are required. Please contact your Course Director if you have not already completed both of these tasks. The observation of an operation at Starship Children's Hospital is optional. Students should not feel any pressure to undertake this observation if they do not wish to. 
Confidentiality Clause requirement This course uses client materials including assessment/therapy plans, photographs and videos to enhance your learning. Students must take all reasonable steps to protect against inadvertent disclosure of this information to people who are not enrolled in this course. This includes not sharing materials and being aware of one’s environment when watching or discussing class materials online.
Students must pass this course to be eligible to progress to semester 2 of the MSLTPrac degree.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type1234567

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Following student feedback, we have changed the weighting of the assessment to more accurately reflect the number of classes related to that content. Each assignment is now worth 25% which matches the weighting of the taught content.  

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Additional Information on Tuākana

Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at 

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html  

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html

This course is supported by the Tuākana in Science Programme, which began almost 30 years ago and facilitates the success and wellbeing of our Māori and Pacific students. The foundation of the Tuākana Programme is the tuākana-teina principle an integral relationship in which older or more expert tuākana (traditionally brother, sister or cousin) guides a younger or less expert teina (traditionally younger sibling or cousin). This is a reciprocal relationship which fosters safe learning and teaching environments. The Tuākana Programme values manaakitanga (kind and caring interactions), tautoko (support), mana (reciprocal respect), ako (learning and teaching), whanaungatanga (relationship, kinship, sense of family connection) and hononga (connection). We encourage all Speech Science students to engage in the Tuākana Programme through shared tutorial support with your classmates. Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-and-pacific-at-the-faculty/tuakanaprogramme.html

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.