Course Catalogue

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The hearing mechanism is essential for speech communication. This course introduces students to the neurophysiology and psychology underpinning audition and the human ability to perceive speech signals. We will review and employ experimental methods used to study speech perception and examine topics such as: auditory illusions (e.g. the McGurk effect, "Yanny or Laurel"), categorical perception, prediction in speech perception (e.g. phoneme restoration, speech segmentation, or using social information), and speech perception under cognitive load.

6 × 1-hour lecture

7 × 2-hour laboratory practical class (workshop)

This is one of the options and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Standard entry to Masters at College level.

None

None

2 × laboratory report (written assignment) - 1,000 words each, equivalent to 1,500 words with data handling, 40% each for a total of 80%)

1 × online test (set exercise) - 20%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Reassessment will not be available for the online test.

This course aims to:

■ introduce basic acoustics as needed to undertake the course,

■ describe anatomy and explain the capabilities and limits of the hearing system,

■ present the neurophysiological and psychological basis of speech perception,

■ review and employ experimental methods used speech perception research.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ explain the structure and function of the human auditory system,

■ explain the basic neurophysiological and psychological principles of speech perception,

■ critically appraise methods used to investigate speech perception,

■ design and execute their own experimental research in the areas of hearing and speech perception.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.