Advisor: Gary D. Lawson,
Room 4488, CHHS Bldg.

A four-year post baccalaureate program in audiology provides academic and practicum experiences leading to the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) Degree. The program prepares practitioners in audiology and meets the accreditation standards of the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Students who complete the program will meet the standards for certification of clinical competence by ASHA. The Au.D. program consists of a minimum of 118 credit hours. Supervised clinical practice is required during every term of full-time registration and includes at least four assignments to off-campus sites in addition to assignments in the Charles Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic. Assignment to at least one off-campus site is for full-time clinical practice. 

Admission Requirements

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Students are typically admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall semester. The application deadline is February 1 of the year in which the student wishes to enroll for the fall semester; applicants are advised to complete the application process as early as possible. Not every applicant who meets minimum admission requirements can be admitted; the department reserves discretion in admission of the most highly qualified applicants. Specific admission requirements are outlined below:

1. A grade point average of at least 3.00 in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study
2. Undergraduate preparation including completion of:
   1. course work or transcript credit in each of the following areas: the life sciences, the physical sciences, mathematics; and the behavioral sciences);
   2. course work or transcript credit that provides information on basic human communication processes (coursework or transcript credit in speech and language development and the science of speech and hearing); and
   3. course work or transcript credit in speech, language, and hearing disorders.

   Note: The course work noted above is typically included in undergraduate degree programs in audiology and speech-language pathology. Students with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines are encouraged to apply and may be able to include some of this preliminary course work in their graduate programs. Previous volunteer or practicum experience in a health care setting is recommended.

3. A grade point average of at least 3.00 in all undergraduate audiology and speech-language pathology course work.
4. Competitive scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination.
5. Evidence of personal and professional qualifications considered necessary for successful completion of a doctoral program and for successful professional practice, as reflected in:
   1. three letters of recommendation from individuals able to comment on the applicant’s achievements and potential; and
   2. statement of purpose for seeking the graduate degree.

For applicants holding a graduate degree with emphasis in audiology from an accredited college or university.

1. Grade point average of at least 3.0 in the previous graduate work.
2. Competitive scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination.
3. Evidence of personal and professional qualifications considered necessary for successful professional practice, as reflected in:
   1. three letters of recommendation from individuals able to comment on the applicant’s achievements and potential for successful graduate work and professional practice in audiology; and
   2. the applicant’s responses to a departmental questionnaire-application.

Applicancy Requirements

Applicants must submit official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work, scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination, three letters of recommendation, evidence of any professional certification or licensure, and written responses to a departmental questionnaire-application. Admission is based on evaluation of the requested credentials, the availability of doctoral committee members, and availability of practicum. Not every applicant who meets minimum admission requirements can be admitted; the department reserves discretion in admission of the most highly qualified applicants.

Although applicancy status is typically determined before students begin graduate study at Western Michigan University, the audiology faculty will conduct regulars reviews of all doctoral students in audiology to monitor progress toward completion of the program. Any student not making satisfactory progress may be dropped from the program with the approval of the department’s Academic and Clinical Education Committee. The faculty review will consider grades, practicum performance, progress toward completion of the scholarly project, and demonstration of personal and professional characteristics suitable for professional practice in audiology.

Candidacy Requirements

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Doctoral students should submit a permanent program of study form to their advisor prior to beginning the fourth year externship. At the beginning of the externship the student should have successfully completed the research tools requirement, all required course work, and the scholarly project, including the project defense. Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis. To be admitted to candidacy, the student must have satisfactorily earned or completed the following:

1. An overall grade point average of 3.0 or better;
2. Approval of the scholarly project. (The project advisor will award a final grade of credit or no credit for the project. In the event of failure, the project may be revised and re-evaluated once, and this must be done within one term, following the end of the externship);
3. All research tool requirements;
4. All course requirements other than professional field experience, and independent research;
5. A passing score of formative assessments associated with academic courses and practica;
6. A summative examination to be determined by the faculty (Examination for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology and/or an examination administered by the department with a passing score); and
7. A three-year residency (three years of full-time study).

For applicants holding a graduate degree with emphasis in audiology from an accredited college or university: Candidacy requirements will be similar to those for applicants with a bachelor’s degree, but the practicum requirements and the examination for the CCC-A will typically have been completed prior to enrollment in the Au.D. program.

Graduation Requirements

Most students will enter the program with a bachelor’s degree. These students must complete 118-122 semester credit hours, including a minimum of 64 semester hours of classroom instruction, the specified credits in independent research (typically six credit hours), and 48-52 semester hours of practicum. Students must successfully complete the academic and practicum requirements and the examination for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology as part of the Au.D. program.

A shorter program leading to the Au.D. is possible for students holding a master’s degree earned from an accredited college or university and ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) or state licensure in audiology. Students who hold the master’s degree will already have successfully completed the course and practicum requirements and have received a passing score on the examination for the ASHA CCC-A. The length of this shorter degree program, typically at least 40 and not more than 50 semester hours beyond the master’s degree, will be determined by the advisor in consultation with the student and will depend upon the content and currency of the course work taken for the master’s degree and the needs of the student. The typical program includes credits covering professional practice, research tools, independent research, and at least four credit hours of practicum.