Doctoral in Audiology (Au.D.)
Our Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program is a four-year, postbaccalaureate program consisting of three years of coursework, on-site clinical practice, and off-site clinical rotations, followed by a full-time external placement in the fourth year.
Clinical experiences at the USD Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic and its affiliates include comprehensive behavioral and physiologic diagnostic and rehabilitative audiologic services with individuals aged infant through elderly, as well as specialized clinic rotations in areas including but not limited to:
- Central auditory processing disorders
- Audiology electrophysiology
- Fetal alcohol syndrome and autism spectrum disorders
- Occupational hearing services
- Service to underserved populations in rural areas, including American Indian reservations
Students also complete a clinically applied research project in their third year of study. The Au.D. program provides students with the scientific and clinical knowledge and skills needed for the practice of audiology in an environment that values teaching and clinical excellence and mentorship. Admission into the program is competitive and is capped at five students per year to allow for intensive one-on-one interaction with faculty members. Applications are due February 1 each year for admission into the fall semester.
If you have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than Communication Disorders, you will need to take these prerequisites for entry into our Au.D. program:
| DCOM 131 | Introduction to Communication Disorders |
| DCOM 211 | Phonetics |
| DCOM 212 | Language Development |
| DCOM 221 | Intro to Audiology |
| DCOM 224 | Speech Science |
| DCOM 421 | Hearing Science |
| Biological Science, Physical Science, Mathematics |
Required Courses for Au.D. Degree
|
Prefix/ Number |
Description |
Credit Hours |
| DCOM 422/522* | Audiologic Assessment I | 3 |
| DCOM 423/523* | Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| DCOM 428/528* | American Sign Language | 3 |
| DCOM 432/532* | Disorders of Phonology/Articulation | 3 |
| DCOM 435/535* | Language Disorders in Children | 3 |
| DCOM 595 | Clinical Practicum (on-campus) (6 terms) | 2-3 each; 14 total |
| DCOM 710 | Professional Issues I | 1 |
| DCOM 711 | Professional Issues II | 1 |
| DCOM 713 | Psychoacoustics | 3 |
| DCOM 714 | Signal Encoding | 2 |
| DCOM 715 | Audiology Practice Management | 2 |
| DCOM 716 | Advanced Topics in Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| DCOM 717 | Genetics of Hearing Loss | 2 |
| DCOM 722 | Amplification I | 3 |
| DCOM 723 | Hearing Conservation | 3 |
| DCOM 724 | Advanced Communication Science | 3 |
| DCOM 725 | Otoacoustic Emissions and Balance Function | 3 |
| DCOM 726 | Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing | 3 |
| DCOM 727 | Pediatric Audiology | 3 |
| DCOM 728 | Central Auditory Neurophysiology and Electrophysiology | 3 |
| DCOM 729 | Pathologies of Hearing | 3 |
| DCOM 730 | Central Auditory Processing Disorders | 3 |
| DCOM 740 | Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Devices | 3 |
| DCOM 786 | Advanced Research Methods in Audiology | 3 |
| DCOM 787 | Theories and Methods of Grad Study | 3 |
| DCOM 788 | Individual Research in Audiology (2 terms) | 2 each; 4 total |
| DCOM 794 | Clinical Internship (off-campus practicum, 2 terms) | 6 each; 12 total |
| DCOM 796 | Field Experience: Externship in Audiology (3 terms) | 9 each; 27 total |
*unless taken at undergraduate leve
Electives
Nine (9) credit hours of outside area electives also are required, allowing for individualization of each student's academic program depending on interest areas. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be selected from non-required DCOM courses; the remainder must be from outside the department.
Focused Workshops
In addition to the coursework delineated above, all audiology students are required to participate in planned focused enrichment workshops throughout the graduate program. The purpose of these workshops is to provide additional information and training in areas that are within the scope of practice of the audiologist but that do not fit neatly into the course curriculum or for which clinical exposure may occur prior to formal coursework. Attendance at and participation in these workshops is reflected in the student's clinical practicum grades for the pertinent semester. Topics covered in these workshops include, among others:
- Calibration
- Cerumen Management
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Diversity
- Supervision Skills
- Tinnitus Management
- Balance Function Testing
- Electrophysiologic Testings
Au.D. Sequence (students entering in odd-numbered years)
Year One
|
Fall 1 (odd) *DCOM 522 Audiologic Assessment I - 3 Total: 15 |
|
Spring 1 (even) *DCOM 523 Aural Rehabilitation - 3 Total: 13 |
|
Summer 1 (even) DCOM 717 Genetics of Hearing Loss - 2 Total: 8-11 |
Year Two
|
Fall 2 (even) *DCOM 528 ASL I -3 Total: 14 |
|
Spring 2 (odd) *DCOM 535 Language Disorders Children - 3 Total: 14 |
|
Summer 2 (odd) DCOM 715 Audiology Practice Management - 2 Total: 8-11 |
Year Three
|
Fall 3 (odd) *DCOM 532 Disorders of Phonology/Articulation - 3 Total: 14 |
|
Spring 3 (even) DCOM 716 Advanced Topics in Aural Rehabilitation - 3 Total: 14 |
|
Summer 3 (even) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
Year Four
|
Fall 4 (even) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
|
Spring 4 (odd) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
*unless taken at undergraduate level
Au.D. Sequence (students entering in even-numbered years)
Year One
|
Fall 1 (even) *DCOM 522 Audiologic Assessment I - 3 Total: 15 |
|
Spring 1 (odd) *DCOM 523 Aural Rehabilitation - 3 Total: 14 |
|
Summer 1 (odd) DCOM 715 Audiology Practice Management - 2 Total: 8-11 |
Year Two
|
Fall 2 (odd) Total: 14 |
|
Spring 2 (even) DCOM 716 Advanced Topics in Aural Rehabilitation - 3 Total: 13 |
|
Summer 2 (even) DCOM 717 Genetics of Hearing Loss - 2 Total: 8-11 |
Year Three
|
Fall 3 (even) Total: 14 |
|
Spring 3 (odd) DCOM 723 Hearing Conservation - 3 Total: 14 |
|
Summer 3 (odd) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
Year Four
|
Fall 4 (odd) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
|
Spring 4 (even) DCOM 796 Field Exp: Externship in Audiology - 9 |
*unless taken at undergraduate level