About Audiology, Au.d. in San Diego State University

San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) offer a joint doctoral program (AuD) in Audiology. The AuD Joint Doctoral Program includes faculty from the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services at SDSU, and from the Division of Surgery (Otolaryngology) in the School of Medicine at UCSD. The joint doctoral program in audiology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA).

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.  For more details, see the AuD Student Handbook (pdf).

Accreditation

The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) education program (residential) at San Diego State University and University of California-San Diego is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071, 301-296-5700.

Mission Statement

The SLHS mission statement encompasses all programs in the School.

The professional programs of the School are designed to prepare individuals to serve the communication needs of children and adults from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds; to meet state credential and licensure requirements in each of the areas of specialization; to meet the highest professional standards and criteria set by accrediting bodies; and to prepare graduates to serve in a variety of interdisciplinary setting as clinicians, consultants, educators, resource and program specialist, researchers, and speech and hearing scientists.

Audiology Program Mission Statement

The mission of the SDSU/UCSD AuD Joint Doctoral Program (AuD) is to prepare graduates who will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to practice as doctoral-level audiologists; who will be thoroughly prepared to enter the work force and to meet the current and future needs of our culturally and linguistically diverse communities; who are knowledgeable of scientific inquiry; and who are capable of undertaking the future challenges of the profession. (rev 7-12-17)

AuD Program Learning Goals

1. Adopt an interprofessional perspective in evaluating and treating hearing and balance disorders across the lifespan
2. Apply the understanding of the influence of culture and linguistic background on human communication, hearing, and balance.
3. Use a wide range of techniques to evaluate, treat, and manage hearing and balance disorders.
4. Apply critical thinking and the principles of evidence-based practice to audiological services.

AuD Degree Learning Outcomes (DLOs) (SLHS-CHHS)

1. Apply foundational knowledge about the anatomical and physiological basis of hearing and balance and apply knowledge about psychological and sociological bases of human communication.
2. Apply theory and research to the diagnosis, management, and prevention of hearing, balance, and communication disorders.
3. Demonstrate professional oral and written communication skills.
4. Plan, implement, and modify clinical services across a wide range of populations including individuals from culturally- and linguistically-diverse groups.
5. Acquire the professional knowledge and skills needed to be eligible for state licensure and professional certification in audiology.

AuD Program Goals

1. To provide graduate education culminating in a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree and to prepare students to meet the current professional standards for clinical certification and licensure.
2. To utilize multidisciplinary faculty to provide an educational framework of patient-centered, culturally competent, interprofessional practice for the diagnosis and treatment of hearing and balance disorders. 
3. To provide students with a wide range of clinical experiences with culturally and linguistically diverse populations in a variety of settings.
4. To provide integrative learning experiences that foster the development of clinical decision-making skills. 
5. To provide research experiences that will enable graduates to apply principles of evidence-based practice and to contribute to ongoing advances in the field. 
6. To provide academic and clinical experiences that will foster a life-long commitment to professional development.

Enrollment

The target enrollment for the AuD program is 10 students per year. Students must be enrolled full-time (12-15 units/semester) for four years (including some summer enrollment). Students will complete about 134 semester units, over 11-12 academic terms. The begins in Fall term, and graduation occurs spring or summer of 4th year depending on when the externship ends. Students participate in the graduation ceremony in May.

English Proficiency

The academic and clinical components of the AuD program are based on proficiency (understanding and use) of English, in oral and written forms. Students enrolling in the Joint SDSU/UCSD Doctor of Audiology Program must satisfy the English proficiency requirements of both universities.

For admission to the Joint AuD Program, students applying from an international institution must submit one of the following as proof of English proficiency:

1. TOEFL
2. IELTS
3. Transcripts indicating that the student has studied full-time for one uninterrupted academic year at a university-level institution where English is the language of instruction and in a country where English is the dominant language.

Scores must be from within the past two years.

English Language Proficiency Requirements for SDSU and UCSD:

• English Language Proficiency Requirements for SDSU
• English Language Proficiency Requirements for UCSD

Structure

The program is comprised of the following six components (see the AuD Student Handbook (pdf) for details).

• Academic Component
  (required didactic courses: Years 1 and 3 at SDSU, Year 2 at UCSD)
• Research Component
  (a research methods course, a research methods lab, and a doctoral research project)
• Clinic Component
  (clinical staffing courses, clinical methods lab, supervised clinics at both campuses, and field work at community agencies; ~900 hours prior to the Clinical Externship)
• Full-time Clinical Externship
  (A 12 month, full-time, clinic placement at an approved agency; at least 1850 hours of clinical experience)
• Exams
  (First and Second Year Qualifying Exams; Third Year Exam)

Licensure

Successful completion of the SDSU/UCSD program will allow students to meet the prerequisite requirements for licensure in the state of California. Although most externships are in California, occasionally students elect to complete the externship in another state. No determination has been made about whether the program meets the licensure requirements in states other than California.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Grade transcripts for each grade(9th-12th or 10th -12th grade) Examination Certificates- (either mailed from exam board or secondary institution to SDSU)

English language requirements

• TOEFL
  • Score of at least  80 (iBT).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
  • Overall band score of the academic test of at least 6.5. 
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)
  • Score of at least 58.

San Diego State University Highlights

San Diego State University Annual Cost to Attend

California Resident Tuition-$5,742

Out of State Resident Tuition- $17,622