Please note the importance of advising. The information provided in this brochure and in the accompanying links below is not a substitute for conversations with your advisor! consult the Health Professions Center to develop a plan that suits your own strengths, interests, and background for the pre-health profession of interest, this will include the examination the pre-requites for the pre-health program of choice. Note that the stronger you perform in your undergraduate prerequisite coursework, the more competitive you will be for graduate school (This brochure is provided as a guide and given that its details may vary, students are advised to contact respective program’s website or resources from the respective associations).
“Audiologists are the primary health-care professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders in individuals of all ages from infants and teens to adults and the elderly.” – American Academy of Audiology
Audiologists work in many types of settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Private practices
- ENT offices
- Universities
- K-12 schools
- Government
- Military Veterans’ Administration (VA) hospitals
Audiologists are educated and trained to evaluate, diagnose, treat, prevent, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders, as well as program hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, bone-anchored hearing aids, and more.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, "Employment of audiologists is projected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Hearing loss increases as people age, so an aging population is likely to increase demand for audiologists." The early identification and diagnosis of hearing disorders in infants also will impact employment growth.
To become an audiologist, a student must earn a bachelor's degree first before pursuing an AuD, PhD, or combination AuD/PhD degree. While there is no specific bachelor’s degree a student must receive, many times students choose undergraduate majors such as communication disorders, or other related area, to prepare them for a required three- or four-year audiology program.
Students may choose to pursue an AuD program, PhD program, or a combination AuD/PhD program. The AuD is an entry-level degree needed for the clinical practice of audiology. Students who choose to pursue an AuD degree will be prepared for independent clinical practice areas of auditory and vestibular assessment and treatment and reimbursement from third-party payers. Completion of the degree typically requires four years of full-time study. Students who want to pursue this degree should check in with the AuD program of their choice to learn more about any specific prerequisite coursework that needs to be completed during their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, once the AuD program is completed, students will be required to hold a license in the state they wish to practice in.
If you are looking to pursue one of these doctoral program types, take a look at the Doctoral Programs in Audiology List; you may also view the Audiology Doctoral Programs List by State,
Audiologists typically do the following:
- Examine patients who have conditions related to the outer, middle, or inner ear
- Assess the results of the examination and diagnose problems
- Create treatment plans to meet patients’ goals
- Provide care for routine procedures, such as testing
- Fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive listening devices
- Counsel patients and their families on ways to listen and communicate, such as by lip reading or through technology
- Evaluate patients regularly to monitor their condition and modify treatment plans, as needed
- Record patient progress
- Research the causes and treatment of hearing and balance disorders
- Educate patients on ways to prevent hearing loss
Audiology Programs in California
California State University, Los Angeles Department of Communication Disorders Contact: Dr. Peter Ivory - [email protected] Cal State LA’s clinical doctoral program in Audiology prepares audiologists to be highly skilled, independent practitioners and leaders in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients with hearing loss and balance disorders.
This AuD degree program is designed to prepare students with a strong background in the scientific basis of audiology, evidence-based practice, and clinical competencies. The educational objectives of this program are to provide the knowledge base required to better prepare audiologists to competently meet the demands of increasingly complex diagnostic questions, and to learn to use more complex equipment in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of hearing loss and balance disorder patients of all ages. Students who complete this four-year AuD curriculum will be well prepared to pass the national examination in Audiology, as well as to fulfill the didactic and clinical clock hour requirements for licensure and national certification. The doctoral degree in Audiology at Cal State LA requires the completion of a minimum of 111 semester units of graduate coursework and clinical practicum over 11 terms.
Complete List of Required Coursework
Cal State LA also has an active Student Academy of Audiology Chapter
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San Diego State University / University of California San Diego SDSU/UCSD AuD Joint Doctoral Program San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) offer a joint doctoral program (AuD) in Audiology. The AuD program is a four-year graduate degree program designed for individuals who intend to specialize in clinical practice and to meet current professional standards requiring a clinical doctorate as the entry-level degree for a certified/licensed audiologist. It is expected that students will come into this program from a variety of different science backgrounds, including speech, language, and hearing sciences, biological and physical sciences, engineering, psychology, nursing, or a pre-med curriculum.
California State University, Northridge Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program at CSUN is a clinical doctorate, which emphases both academic instruction and clinical instruction, as well as being practice oriented. The Doctor of Audiology program provides academic instruction, clinical instruction (assessment, treatment, rehabilitation) and participation in research investigations in the areas of normal hearing and balance, as well as disorders of hearing and balance. The program progresses students’ knowledge and skills for patient-centered care for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hearing, balance and a range of auditory disorders that occur in people across all ages of life. The program also emphasizes advancement of students’ knowledge and skills for existing and emerging technologies that are associated with the field.
San Jose State University Department of Audiology The SJSU AuD program emphasizes clinical proficiency that is informed by scholarly research and evidence-based practice. The program is a four-year course of study that includes academic courses, clinical rotations, and a doctoral research project.
California State University, Sacramento Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree is offered through the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSAD) in the College of Health and Human Services at Sacramento State. The Au.D. program at Sacramento State is a four-year clinical doctorate that is designed to prepare students for professional practice of audiology. The Au.D. program provides coursework in the theoretical foundations of audiology practice and evidence-based practice, as well as varied clinical training experiences in the Sacramento community and surrounding areas. The program requires full-time study for 11 consecutive semesters (including summer).
University of the Pacific Department of Audiology Pacific's doctor of audiology (AuD) program is the only three-year accelerated program in California. Students with a bachelor's degree in any major and an interest in the profession of audiology are encouraged to apply. While in the program, students will gain rich and diverse clinical experiences through the onsite audiology clinic, nearby medical and audiology centers as well as the audiology clinic in Stockton. This program is offered at Pacific's new state-of-the-art campus in the SoMa district of San Francisco.
Taking the Next Step
Application Process and Academic Requirements
Doctor of Audiology programs require completion of an undergraduate degree. Additional requirements will vary depending on the program. Many programs require an application using CSDCAS (Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service). CSDCAS is administered by an independent third-party provider and is not associated with any specific program. Some programs require a CSDCAS application along with an additional university application (check each program’s requirements).
Below is an example of Cal State LA admission requirements. Requirements for admission to the Audiology Doctoral program include the following:
Completion of a baccalaureate degree in audiology or communication sciences and disorders. If the baccalaureate degree is not in the area of audiology or communication sciences and disorders, applicants should have completed six courses in the following content areas prior to the first semester of the program (or their equivalents, as determined by the AuD Program Director)
- COMD 4000 (Hearing Science)
- COMD 4020 (Audiology and Audiometry)
- COMD 4200 (Rehabilitative Audiology)
- COMD 4630 (Neuroscience of Communication)
- a course in Statistics
and at least one course from among the following:
- COMD 4220 (Advanced Audiology)
- COMD 4560 (Language Development)
- COMD 4610 (Descriptive Phonetics)
- COMD 4620 (Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism)
- A minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) in undergraduate coursework
- A minimum 3.0 GPA in undergraduate or prerequisite audiology and communication sciences coursework
- Completion of an on-campus interview, if selected for an interview
Achievement of minimum criteria does not guarantee admission to the AuD program. Admission to the program is a competitive process whereby a committee composed of faculty evaluates the credentials of all applicants.
Helpful Links
The Health Professions Center - Cal State LA
We encourage all pre-health students, whether you're just starting out or you're ready to apply, to frequently visit Health Professions Center. The office offers one-on-one advising that's tailored to pre-health students. You can get advising on prerequisite courses, extracurricular opportunities, and personalized help throughout the entire application process. You are encouraged to join the HPC Pre-Health Organization Club where you will meet with students of the same career persuasion.