Louisiana Tech University has received approval from the Louisiana Board of Regents to offer the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.).   The program began admitting students in the Fall of 2004.

The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree offered by the Louisiana Tech University College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Speech is a newly established program to replace the Master of Arts concentration in audiology. The Au.D. program is in response to the new standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) promulgated by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to be implemented in 2007. The 2007 Standards for the CCC-A are intended to make the scope and level of professional education in audiology consistent with the scope
of practice of the profession.

Salient features of the new standards for entry-level practice include the following:

• Applicants for certification in audiology must have a minimum of 75 semester credit hours of post-baccalaureate education culminating in a doctoral or other recognized graduate degree. The course of study must address the knowledge and skills pertinent to the field of audiology.
• The graduate degree must be granted by a regionally accredited university and the graduate education in audiology must be initiated and completed in a program accredited by the CAA of the ASHA.
• The requirement for a doctoral degree is mandatory for persons who apply for certification (CCC-A) after December 31, 2011 .
• The standards do not stipulate the specific courses or practicum experiences that are required. The educational program granting the post-baccalaureate degree must be able to demonstrate assessment of the acquisition of pre-determined knowledge and skills for the practice of audiology.
• Applicants for certification must be able to document practicum experience that is equivalent to a minimum of 12 months of full-time, supervised experience.
• Applicants for certification must demonstrate skills in oral and written communication and knowledge of ethical standards, research principles, and current professional and regulatory issues.

The Au.D. degree provides an academic and clinical foundation for professionals who provide a wide range of services to children and adults with auditory impairments. Although the Au.D. is not a research-oriented degree, students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to critically evaluate clinical research and assess intervention outcomes. These skills will be developed through courses in research methodology and through the development of original research activities.

The Au.D. at Louisiana Tech may be earned by following a Post-Baccalaureate or a Post-Master’s track.

The Post-Baccalaureate Au.D. is a clinically-focused professional doctoral program. In addition to completing a rigorous academic curriculum, the candidate completes an extensive clinical experience in a variety of settings. Individuals who qualify for this program are those who hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution in Communication Disorders or in disciplines other than Communication Disorders. The curriculum includes study areas in anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, audiological assessment, vestibular measures and rehabilitation, hearing science,   hearing disorders,  psychoacoustics,   instrumentation and calibration,   pediatric audiology, aural rehabilitation, research methodology, amplification, hearing conservation,   physiological   testing,  auditory    processing,    professional    seminars    in audiology, and rehabilitative audiology. The curriculum will also include a minimum of nine semester hours of related course work that will be chosen from, but not restricted to, areas such as Counseling, Statistics, Professional and Technical Writing, Biomedical Engineering, or Educational Psychology. Clinical practicum experiences in audiology are integrated into the curriculum in a logical sequence culminating in a full-time clinical residency in audiology. Completion of comprehensive examinations and a dissertation is required.

The Post-Baccalaureate student will typically require four years to complete all degree requirements for the Au.D. The Au.D. will be awarded upon successful completion of course work, clinical practica, comprehensive examination, a dissertation, and clinical residency requirements. By fulfilling university and departmental requirements, this Au.D. graduate will meet all the academic and clinical practicum requirements for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology and Louisiana licensure for the practice of audiology.

The Post-Master’s Au.D. is for the individual who holds a master’s degree in audiology and who can document professional certification and licensure in audiology and at least two years of audiology work experience. The Post-Master’s degree requirements will vary based on the student’s clinical experience and prior academic course work. The program of study, while individualized, will typically require courses in advanced audiological assessment, vestibular measures and rehabilitation, rehabilitative audiology, and professional seminars. The curriculum will also include a minimum of nine semester hours of related course work that will be chosen from, but not restricted to, areas such as Counseling, Statistics, Research Design, Biomedical Engineering, and Educational Psychology. The Post-Master’s student should be able to complete all degree requirements for the Au.D. in two calendar years. The Au.D. will be awarded upon successful completion of coursework, a comprehensive examination, and a dissertation.