Bachelor of Speech and Hearing (BSH)
Role of Speech and Hearing
Speech and Hearing is a specialized allied healthcare profession dedicated to the prevention, identification, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals with communication, speech, language, hearing, voice, swallowing, and balance disorders. Speech and Hearing professionals play a vital role in improving communication abilities and enhancing the overall quality of life for individuals across all age groups, from newborns to the elderly.
Communication is fundamental to education, social interaction, emotional well-being, and independent living. Disorders affecting speech, language, hearing, or swallowing can significantly impact an individual’s personal, academic, social, and professional life. Speech and Hearing professionals work collaboratively with physicians, ENT specialists, neurologists, pediatricians, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, educators, and rehabilitation teams to provide comprehensive patient-centered care.
The profession encompasses a wide range of clinical services including hearing assessment, speech and language evaluation, newborn hearing screening, hearing aid selection and fitting, cochlear implant rehabilitation, voice therapy, fluency therapy, management of speech and language disorders, swallowing rehabilitation, auditory training, and counseling for patients and caregivers.
Students receive comprehensive education in human anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms, acoustics, audiology, speech-language pathology, linguistics, neuroscience, psychology, communication disorders, rehabilitation techniques, assistive hearing technology, pediatric and adult communication disorders, and research methodology. Equal emphasis is placed on clinical reasoning, ethical practice, patient counseling, evidence-based care, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The curriculum integrates classroom teaching with laboratory training, simulation-based learning, and supervised clinical practice in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, special schools, hearing clinics, and community health settings. Students develop competency in conducting audiological evaluations, speech and language assessments, hearing aid programming, auditory rehabilitation, speech therapy, voice therapy, swallowing assessment, and communication counseling using modern diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
Patient and family education forms an integral part of Speech and Hearing practice. Professionals educate individuals and caregivers regarding early identification of communication disorders, hearing conservation, speech and language stimulation, hearing aid maintenance, communication strategies, and long-term rehabilitation plans to promote independence and social participation.
Graduates have excellent career opportunities in multispecialty hospitals, ENT hospitals, audiology and speech therapy clinics, cochlear implant centres, rehabilitation hospitals, child development centres, special schools, educational institutions, hearing aid industries, research organizations, government healthcare services, non-governmental organizations, and private practice. Opportunities also exist in academic teaching, clinical research, hearing conservation programmes, corporate healthcare, and entrepreneurship.
With increasing awareness of early intervention, advances in hearing technology, cochlear implantation, digital hearing aids, and rehabilitation sciences, Speech and Hearing has emerged as one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions. It offers a rewarding career for individuals dedicated to helping people overcome communication challenges and achieve their full potential through compassionate, evidence-based, and technology-driven rehabilitation.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifying Examination
Candidates must have passed the two-year Pre-University Examination conducted by the Department of Pre-University Education, Karnataka State, or an equivalent examination recognized by the University with English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Marks
Minimum 45% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology taken together.
Minimum 40% aggregate marks for SC/ST/Category-I candidates, as per Government norms.
Age Limit
Candidate must have completed 17 years of age on or before 31st December of the year of admission.
Course Duration
The Bachelor of Speech and Hearing (BSH) is a 4-year undergraduate programme, comprising:
3 Years of Academic Study
1 Year Compulsory Clinical Internship
The programme follows a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare students with the knowledge, clinical skills, and professional competencies required to assess, diagnose, manage, and rehabilitate individuals with speech, language, hearing, voice, and swallowing disorders.
Course Curriculum
First Year
Human Anatomy
Human Physiology
Biochemistry
Psychology
Linguistics
Basic Acoustics
Communication Skills
Medical Ethics
Second Year
Audiology
Speech-Language Pathology
Anatomy & Physiology of Speech and Hearing
Hearing Assessment Techniques
Speech and Language Development
Hearing Science
Clinical Psychology
Research Methodology
Third Year
Pediatric Audiology
Adult Audiology
Hearing Aids & Assistive Listening Devices
Voice Disorders
Fluency Disorders
Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)
Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation
Community-Based Rehabilitation
Evidence-Based Practice
Internship
After successfully completing all academic requirements, students must undergo a compulsory one-year clinical internship in a recognized teaching hospital, audiology and speech clinic, rehabilitation centre, or educational institution.
During the internship, students receive supervised clinical training in:
Audiology Clinic
Speech-Language Pathology Clinic
ENT Department
Pediatric Speech and Hearing Services
Adult Hearing Assessment Unit
Cochlear Implant & Auditory Rehabilitation Centre
Voice and Swallowing Disorders Clinic
Community-Based Rehabilitation Programmes
Special Schools & Early Intervention Centres
The internship provides comprehensive clinical exposure in conducting hearing assessments, speech and language evaluations, hearing aid fitting and verification, auditory rehabilitation, speech and language therapy, voice therapy, swallowing assessment, patient counseling, clinical documentation, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Students develop professional competence while working closely with audiologists, speech-language pathologists, ENT specialists, pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists, and rehabilitation professionals. Successful completion of the internship is mandatory for the award of the Bachelor of Speech and Hearing degree.