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2018-2019 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) - Program Description

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Health Professions section in this catalog.

Website: www.gvsu.edu/csd

An audiologist is a licensed allied health practitioner focused on the ear and hearing. The entry-level degree to practice as an audiologist is the doctorate. A Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) is a professional who specializes in diagnosing, managing, and treating hearing- and balance-related disorders, treating patients from birth through adulthood.

Accreditation

The accrediting body for programs in audiology is the Council for Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), which is affiliated with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The entry-level for practitioners of audiology is a doctoral degree, and only doctoral-level programs are accredited by CAA. Programs desiring accreditation must first apply for candidacy status, which must be granted prior to enrolling students. Candidacy is a "pre-accreditation" status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of five years. The rationale for the candidacy program is because CAA standards include a number of student outcome measures that would be impossible to demonstrate without any students. Applicant programs must be able to demonstrate sufficient resources and commitment on behalf of the institution, and a plan must be in place for complying with all of the standards. During the candidacy period the program demonstrates that the plan has been implemented and that students are achieving the required outcomes. At that point, a program needs to apply for full accreditation status.

The profession of audiology is a licensed field of practice that requires completion of a doctoral degree from an accredited institution. It is not possible to become licensed as a new audiologist without the doctoral degree. Professional certification is available to practitioners, which demonstrates to the public that the audiologist has completed rigorous academic and clinical preparation and is considered competent to practice the profession. The Doctor of Audiology degree program at GVSU will prepare students to qualify for licensure and validates that students have completed all academic preparation to qualify for national certification.

Minimum Number of Hours in Program: 84

Admission Requirements

All admissions materials, with the exception of the personal interview, must be received prior to the application deadline of February 15. Applications will be reviewed in accordance with slots that may be available. Using the submitted material, the programs admissions committee will rank eligible candidates for a limited number of admissions. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have:

  1. Completion of a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
  2. Successful completion of at least one course in each of the following: biological sciences, physical sciences, behavioral sciences, and statistics.
  3. General GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and writing).
  4. Professional vita or resume.
  5. Names and contact information for three individuals willing to serve as a reference.
  6. Personal interview; interviews are scheduled upon invitation by the program, not the applicant, after the application deadline.
  7. Applicants must be able to perform all essential functions specified by the program. A copy of the essential functions document will be provided to all prospective applicants and will be found on the program website.
  8. Foreign born applicants must demonstrate sufficient mastery of English proficiency to be able to succeed as a graduate student and to practice the profession of audiology. Minimum score on the TOEFL of 610 (253 on computer-based). Scores must be received by the institution prior to the admission deadline.

Students applying for admission to the Doctor of Audiology program should be aware that some of the clinical placement sites in which students are required to complete clinical practica will require the student to produce a current criminal background check. It is the student's responsibility to arrange for the check, to keep it current in order to comply with the requirements of the various clinical sites, and to advise the university and program if the status of the student's criminal record changes at any time during the student's program of study. Applicants should also be aware that clinical practica will require travel.

The following program is available:

Doctor in Audiology


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