Audiology

Audiologists are healthcare professionals who provide patient-centered care in the prevention, identification, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of hearing, balance, and other auditory disorders for people of all ages. Responsibilities of an audiologist include: 

  • Screening newborns for hearing loss in the hospital
  • Exploring the potential use of cochlear implants for children and adults who are not benefiting from hearing aids
  • Helping students with hearing loss participate in classroom activities using amplification technology to listen to the teacher and other students
  • Evaluating balance disorders in patients 

If you are interested in becoming an audiologist, head over to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and American Academy of Audiology for more information. 

Students who are interested in learning about the differences in scope of practice for Audiologists, Otolaryngologists, and Hearing Instrument Specialists are welcome to check out the American Academy of Audiology: Audiologists vs. Hearing Instrument Specialists vs. ENTs.

Audiology Preparation

  • Timeline

  • 1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree and complete all pre-audiology requirements, including prerequisites, GRE (if applicable), and experiences (4+ years)
    NOTE: some prerequisites needed for a doctorate audiology degree are not offered at UC Davis. Students may have to complete communication science disorder (CSD) prerequisites at other institutions in order to be eligible to apply to audiology doctorate programs (AuD). This may be completed through a (1) 2nd bachelor’s degree in CSD, (2) certificate or post-baccalaureate program (some institutions may also refer to this as leveling programs), or (3) direct-entry doctorate audiology programs that do not require CSD prerequisites for admission, but instead integrate the prerequisite coursework into the graduate curriculum.

    2. Attend an accredited audiology program (3-4 years) and earn a Doctor of Audiology degree (AuD) 

    3. Pass the Praxis Exam in Audiology 

    4. Become licensed in the state you wish to practice
    Optional: Students have the option to obtain additional certificates from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Board of Audiology (ABA). 

    Upon matriculation into a doctorate audiology program, there are additional steps students must complete in order to obtain licensure or professional certification. These steps vary by field and by program, and may include board examinations, supervised clinical hours, background checks, or other program-specific milestones. Once you are in your program, your program advisor will provide guidance on the post-graduation next steps.

    For more information about the timeline, visit American Academy of Audiology: Become an Audiologist and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Planning Your Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

  • Pre-Requisites

  • Prerequisite courses are the academic foundation that most programs require students to complete before beginning an audiology program. No matter which major you choose, you will need to fulfill the specific science and non-science prerequisites set by each program. Always review and cross-check the requirements of your major with the prerequisite coursework for your chosen audiology programs to ensure you are completing both UCD requirements as well as the requirements of the intended audiology programs.

    While HPA has developed a suggested prerequisite chart from a sample of doctorate audiology programs as well as referencing ASHA’s Standards for Certification, prerequisite coursework and entrance requirements will vary by program, hence it is important to check individual programs' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisites.

    Program Prerequisites1

    Courses to Take at UC Davis

    Most schools require (per ASHA guidelines):2

    		 

    1 course in Biological Sciences 

    BIO 1 AND BIO 1L

    1 course in Physical Sciences (chemistry or physics) 

    Chemistry: CHE 2A OR CHE 4A

    Physics: PHY 7A OR PHY 9A

    1 course in Statistics

    STA 13 OR STA 100

    1 course in Social Sciences and Behavioral Sciences

    Social Sciences: 

    • Anthropology: ANT 1 OR ANT 2
    • Economics: ECN 1A OR ECN 1B
    • Communications: CMN 10 OR CMN 114

    Behavioral Sciences: 

    • Psychology: PSC 1 OR PSC 132
    • Linguistics: LIN 1
    • Cognitive Science: CGS 1 

    Some schools may require:

    		 

    Human Anatomy with Lab

    (EXB 106 & EXB 106L) OR (CHA 101 & CHA 101L)

    Human Physiology with Lab

    (NPB 101 & NPB 101L) OR (NPB 110C & NPB 101L)

    English

    Combination of writing-intensive ENL and UWP courses

    Lifespan Human Development

    HDE 100ABC

    Phonetics

    LIN 112 

    American Sign Language3 

    Course not offered at UC Davis 

    Hearing Science3

    Course not offered at UC Davis 

    Anatomy/Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism3

    Course not offered at UC Davis

    Audiology3

    Course not offered at UC Davis

    Aural/Audiology Rehabilitation3

    Course not offered at UC Davis

    Prerequisite Chart Footnotes: 

    1. While some 2nd bachelors in CSD, direct-entry doctorate audiology, and certificate/post-bacc programs follow the ASHA’s Standards for Certification as a baseline in establishing prerequisite coursework, some programs may have additional prerequisite coursework and admissions requirements. Students are encouraged to research their programs of interest for further information on possible requirements. To learn more about the ASHA’s prerequisites for the Standards for Certification, visit ASHA: Prerequisites Course Content Areas related to SLP Certification Standards. 

    2. While most ASHA’s prerequisites for the Standards for Certification only require 1 course for each subject in biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics, and social sciences/behavioral sciences, upper-level science courses and major requirements may require completion of the course sequence. 

    3. CSD prerequisite courses that are not offered at UCD may be taken at another institution, 2nd bachelor’s degree in CSD, certificate or post-baccalaureate program, or direct-entry doctorate audiology program that incorporates the prerequisite coursework in the graduate curriculum. If you decide to pursue a leveling or post-baccalaureate program, HPA recommends that you review the prerequisites for the programs that you are interested in applying to. 

    HPA recommendations: 

    1. Complete all prerequisite courses for a letter grade, not P/NP. 

    2. Earn a “C” or higher in all prerequisite coursework. Some programs may require no lower than a B in any of your prerequisite courses. 

    3. Maintain a minimum undergraduate and science GPA of 3.0 or higher. A competitive GPA will likely be higher for most programs. 

    Please note that audiology programs do accept community college work in varying degrees, some accept all transferable work, some a certain amount of units, and others accept a very limited amount. If you have any questions about your major, prerequisite courses, or grade/GPA concerns, you are encouraged to make an appointment with one of HPA Staff Advisors.

  • Exam

  • The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) may be required by some audiology programs and it is strongly recommended to be taken prior to applying. You can speak with a HPA Staff Advisor about your specific timeline. Check each individual program’s admissions webpage that you are applying to to see if they require it.

    Please note: The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is not a course-dependent test, meaning there are no specific UCD courses you need to take to prepare. The best way is to give yourself time to study the test by buying test prep books or taking a test prep course.

    To learn more about the standardized exam and preparing for it, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Standardized Exams and HPA’s Test Prep Events & Resources.

Applying to Audiology Programs

  • Choosing Programs

  • There are over 70 audiology programs in the U.S. Check out the Association of Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)’s list of accredited U.S.programs and American Academy of Audiology (AAA)’s Audiology Doctoral Programs By State.  

    There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which audiology program to apply to, including degree awarded, location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching programs online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. On average, pre-audiology students apply to 3 to 4 audiology programs. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your school list.

    To learn more, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Creating a School List.

  • Application System

  • Applicants typically apply the year before they matriculate into the doctorate audiology program and Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) is a centralized application system that is used by most doctorate audiology programs. To learn more about CSDCAS, visit the CSDCAS webpage. Students are encouraged to refer to the CSDCAS Applicant Help Center for additional guidance on how to complete their applications. Some programs will have applicants participate in CSDCAS and will also have applicants complete an application through their own internal graduate school applications, while other programs do not use CSDCAS at all. HPA recommends for applicants to carefully review the application process of each individual program that they are applying to.

    The CSDCAS opens in mid-July and closes early July of the following year; these dates may vary for programs who are not utilizing the CSDCAS. While CSDCAS closes in early July of the following year, participating programs of CSDCAS may have earlier deadline dates, which are the deadlines applicants should be submitting by. These deadlines may also vary by program or some may admit students on a rolling basis; please check your individual programs for specific dates. If that is the case for your program of choice, be sure to submit your application early, but only when you are ready. Come see an advisor at Health Professions Advising to review your application.

    For pre-audiology students who are planning to complete the audiology prerequisite coursework, that is not offered at UC Davis, at another institution through a certificate, post-baccalaureate, or 2nd bachelor’s program in Communicative Science and Disorders (CSD), most of these programs have their own unique application that can be found on the programs’ admissions page. If students plan to complete these coursework via a certificate or post-baccalaureate program, the CSD coursework may be offered through Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) or CSD certificate or post-baccalaureate programs. Students are welcome to check out the certificate programs listed on HPA’s SLP Programs in California.

    Programs and application systems may have specific guidelines about what is considered a completed application, and these components may vary based on the application system and/or individual program. Some examples include but are not limited to submitting the application fee and receiving letters of recommendations and official transcripts. Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete, submitted, and verified by the application deadline.

    To learn more about applications and application timeline, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications and Application Timelines.

  • Personal Statement

  • The prompt and/or character or word count may vary per year. HPA recommends applicants  begin drafting their personal statement in advance of the application opening. It is very common for applicants to write multiple drafts before they finalize their personal statement. To learn more about approaching personal statements, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Personal Statements.

  • Experiences and Activities

  • Experiences and activities help students learn more about their motivations, interests, and goals, and to explore the field of audiology. What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and understand your motivation for pursuing it. It is important that you balance your co-curricular activities with your academics to ensure you are maintaining strong academic performance while still engaging meaningfully outside the classroom.

    A minimum amount of volunteer or observation hours under the supervision of a licensed audiologist may be required for admissions. Programs may ask students to submit proof of volunteer/observations hours as part of their application materials. Please check each program you plan to apply to for their specific requirements on experiences and volunteering/observation.

    To learn more about experiences and various on- and off-campus opportunities, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Experiences. UC Davis students are also encouraged to subscribe to HPA Today (HPA’s newsletter).

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Letter of recommendation requirements vary by health professional programs. For many health fields, HPA recommends two lecture-based science instructor recommendations (this excludes research PI), one lecture-based non-science instructor, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences. This can include a research PI, mentor, volunteer coordinator, professional you shadowed, etc. Your specific program list will determine what letters you may actually need.

    Some audiology programs may require or recommend that one of your references is from a licensed audiologist.

    To learn more about the etiquettes for letters of recommendation, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Letters of Recommendations.

  • Supplemental Applications

  • Supplemental applications (or secondaries) may be required for some audiology programs and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the programs they are applying to. Supplemental/secondary applications may include additional fees and/or essays. To learn more about supplemental applications, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications.

  • Interviews

  • Interviews may be required for some audiology programs and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the programs they are applying to. To learn more about preparing for interviews, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Interviews and HPA’s Interview Week.

More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.