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. At least two assignments to off-campus sites are for full-time clinical practice. A list of required courses is available from the department.

Admission Requirements

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

1. A grade point average of at least 3.0 in the last sixty credit hours of undergraduate study
2. Undergraduate preparation including:
   1. at least 15 semester credit hours (or equivalent) in courses providing basic information underlying human communication processes (at least nine semester credit hours including one course in the biological sciences, one course in the physical sciences, and one course in mathematics; and at least six semester credit hours in the behavioral and/or social sciences);
   2. at least 15 semester credit hours (or equivalent) in courses that provide information on basic human communication processes (at least one course in phonetics, one course in speech and language development, and one course in the science of speech and hearing); and
   3. at least 12 semester credit hours (or equivalent) of course work in audiology and speech and language 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. Volunteer or practicum experience in a healthcare setting is recommended.

3. A grade point average of at least 3.0 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. the applicant’s responses to a departmental questionnaire-application.

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

1. Grade point average of at least 3.25 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, every spring semester the audiology faculty will review all doctoral students in audiology for satisfactory progress toward completion. 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, 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. A candidate for the Au.D. degree must, prior to the semester in which the doctoral project is to be defended, have received approval from the department to continue study toward the Au.D. degree and have satisfactorily earned or completed the following:

1. An overall grade point average of 3.25 or better;
2. Appointment of a scholarly project committee and formal approval by the committee of the scholarly project proposal;
3. All research tool requirements;
4. All requirements other than three or fewer courses, professional field experience, and independent research;
5. A summative examination (Examination for the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology) with a passing score; and
6. 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 the same as for applicants with a bachelor’s degree, but the practicum requirements and the examination for the CCC-A will 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, six hours of independent research, 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.