An audiology concentration in the B.S. in Interdisciplinary Health Services (IHS) program is available for Western Michigan University undergraduate students who wish to apply for the professional doctorate in audiology through an accelerated graduate degree program (AGDP). Undergraduate students with senior standing can take up to 12 credit hours of designated 5000 and/or 6000 level courses for graduate credit which can be counted toward both the Bachelor’s degree and the graduate degree. The 12 credit hours in the AGDP would count toward the B.S. in IHS and toward the Au.D. program at Western.

The following graduate courses represent 12 credit hours to be taken in the fourth year of the IHS program by students in the AGDP, as well as by first year graduate students from other programs:

• SPPA 6030 - Anatomy of Audition and Balance   Credits: 2 hours
• SPPA 6210 - Diagnostic Audiology I   Credits: 4 hours
• SPPA 6220 - Hearing Aids   Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 5801 - Pediatric Audiology   Credits: 3 hours

Another course in the Au.D. program, will be taken by undergraduates for 3 credit hours of undergraduate credit, counting toward the 122 hours required for the B.S. degree:

• SPPA 5800 - Psychoacoustics   Credits: 3 hours

Admission to the AGDP may occur during the third year of undergraduate study; students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA throughout their baccalaureate program. Application must be made through the Graduate College and the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology during the Spring Semester of the third year of undergraduate study so that students will be eligible to take specified graduate courses in the following Fall Semester. Admission to the AGDP is competitive and is limited to the most qualified applicants. Students must complete the GRE and submit scores, as well as a personal statement and three letters of recommendation. Students must achieve a grade of “B” or above in each of the graduate courses being counted for the undergraduate degree. Students who successfully complete only the undergraduate portion of the AGDP will receive undergraduate credit for the 12 credit hours of 5000 and/or 6000 level courses selected for the AGDP. Students who successfully complete the Au.D. program will also receive graduate credit for those courses.