Hearing Instrument Specialist

Winter 2018

Enrollment:

Fall only

Degrees and Certificates

Program Website:

View the program website

Tuition and Fees

http://www.ccs.spokane.edu/TuitionFees

Additional Costs

Books$1082-1304
Supplies and Equipment$635
Misc. Fees*$30
* Estimated cost of books and supplies for six quarters. Misc fee includes: liability insurance.

Program Description

Spokane Falls Community College offers a two-year program to prepare hearing instrument specialists for immediate employment in hearing health care establishments. The program includes study in physiology and anatomy, social science and technical hearing instrument courses. The Hearing Instrument Specialist program is primarily an online low residency program, meaning students complete coursework online with occasional meetings on-campus to verify skills and competencies.

Hearing instrument specialists find a variety of professional experiences available to them, including independent contracted employment, professional consulting, establishment ownership and technical support of related professions. After successful completion of the program, all educational requirements of the state (Washington State Department of Health) will have been satisfied, pursuant to state licensing as a duly authorized “Hearing Instrument Fitter/Dispenser.”

Non-Local Students: Students who reside in Spokane have weekly on-campus labs. Students who live outside of the Spokane area work with mentors who are licensed hearing instrument dispensers. These mentors assist the students in weekly lab activities.  Close communication between the mentor, student and faculty is important in order for a student to succeed in this challenging program.
Admission Requirements:

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, degree graduates will be prepared to:

  1. Assess the presenting problems and needs of hearing aid patients.
  2. Test and analyze hearing.
  3. Prescribe and analyze hearing aids.
  4. Fit, adjust and service hearing aids.
  5. Educate patients and maintain professional relationships.

Nationally, job placement opportunities for this program’s graduates are excellent. This field lacks a source of formally educated and trained professionals in the field of “hearing instrument specialist technologies”. Currently, only two programs offer a college degree in hearing instrument sciences in the state of Washington. These programs have been developed with the guidance of a cooperative government and industry published skills standards study. This field’s need for our students is considered to be statistically high both in the state of Washington and throughout the nation. The continued growth in an ever-increasing aging population suggests an increasing need for hearing health care professionals well into the future.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can expect that employment opportunities will be readily available, though relocation will be necessary. National multi-cultural employment/population trends also speak well of all students’ employment opportunities regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. While Washington State’s licensing requirements are among the nations most rigorous, additional education requirements may be required outside of Washington. Students are encouraged to contact the state certification/licensure boards in the state where they are seeking employment for additional requirements.

AAS - SFCC

Offered at Locations:  Spokane Falls Community College

First Quarter

ENGL&101English Composition I 15
HIS  101Basic Hearing Instrument Sciences 4
HIS  104Hearing Physiology and Anatomy 4
HIS  106Healthcare and Business Ethics 4
17

Second Quarter

HIS  123Basic Audiometrics 5
HIS  125Auditory Disorders 4
HIS  127Hearing Healthcare Management I 4
Computation Related Instruction Requirement 15
18

Third Quarter

HIS  134Advanced Audiometrics 5
HIS  136Hearing Instrument Technologies 4
HIS  138Ear Couplers and Assistive Technologies 5
Human Relations/Leadership Related Instruction  15
19

Fourth Quarter

HIS  201Hearing Healthcare Management II 4
HIS  206Hearing Instrument Specialist Laboratory I 4
HIS  250Perspectives on Disabilities 4
12

Fifth Quarter

HIS  210Clinical Methods I 5
HIS  213Marketing/Sales 4
HIS  215Hearing Instrument Specialist Laboratory II 5
14

Sixth Quarter

HIS  205Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 5
HIS  222Clinical Methods II 6
HIS  266Cooperative Education Seminar 1
HIS  267Cooperative Education Work Experience 5
17
97 credits are required for the AAS

Computation Related Instruction Requirement 

BUS  123Practical Business Math Applications 5
MATH 100Vocational Technical Mathematics 5
MATH&107Math in Society 5

Human Relations/Leadership Related Instruction  

BUS  280Human Relations in Business 5
HS   136Improving Interpersonal Communication 5
1Must choose 5 credits in each of the following areas of related instruction: Communications, Computation and Human Relations/Leadership. A class cannot be used to fulfill more than one area. Students intending on transferring to another institution should consult with a faculty academic adviser prior to selecting these courses.

Disclaimer: The college cannot guarantee courses will be offered in the quarters indicated. During the period this guide is in circulation, there may be curriculum revisions and program changes. Students are responsible for consulting the appropriate academic unit or adviser for more current and specific information. the information in this guide is subject to change and does not constitute an agreement between the college and the student.