Beginning a career as an Audiologist
A Master of Audiology Degree and a Certificate of Clinical Competence is required for entry into the New Zealand Audiological Society. This involves two years of postgraduate training and a further year of supervised clinical practice.
The New Zealand Audiological Society formally endorses the Masters in Audiology programmes of the University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury. Graduates of endorsed programmes are accepted as provisional members of the New Zealand Audiological Society with Full membership granted on successful completion of a minimum of 11 months of supervised clinical practice and a clinical exam.
The process of Programme Endorsement was developed in collaboration with the two New Zealand based audiology programmes at the Universities of Auckland and Canterbury.
The key purpose of endorsement is to allow providers to engage in critical self-reflection with a view to considering forward-looking improvements and innovations, and to assure the NZAS that the graduates from the postgraduate programmes meet the expectations of the profession.
Current Hearing Care Professionals
The equivalent of the New Zealand Master of Audiology (MAud) Degree is required for consideration of membership in the New Zealand Audiological Society. The current criteria requires that your degree includes a minimum of two years of fulltime graduate level study in audiology, at least 200 hours of supervised experience, and coursework that covers similar topics as the New Zealand MAud Degree. You will need to provide evidence in your application to confirm this including transcripts, evidence of clinical hours, and course descriptions.
Overseas applicants must also have their qualifications reviewed by either the New Zealand Qualifications Authority or Double Check to confirm that they are valid.
The New Zealand Audiological Society recognises some countries as having equivalent CCC requirements. If you meet the above criteria and also have a current ASA-CCP, BAA-CAC or ASHA-CCCA, you will be eligible to apply as a fast track Provisional Member, meaning that you will not be subject to the same supervision requirements as those going through the full CCC process. You will also be eligible to sit the clinical exam as soon as you have completed the requirements of this process and are ready to take the exam.
Those that do not hold a recognised CCC, but meet all other criteria, will be eligible for provisional membership. They will need to complete a minimum of 11 months supervised clinical practice, as well as other requirements, prior to being eligible to sit the exam.
All candidates must pass a clinical exam to demonstrate competency in paediatric and adult diagnostic testing as well as rehabilitation before they become full members of the NZAS.