Are you passionate about helping people with hearing and balance disorders? A career as an Audiology Doctor offers a rewarding path to make a significant impact on people’s lives. The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree is the essential qualification for practicing as an audiologist, and Wayne State University provides an exceptional program to help you achieve this goal. Our Au.D. program is meticulously crafted to provide students with unparalleled clinical education and a comprehensive academic curriculum, ensuring you meet licensure requirements and exceed the rigorous standards set by the Council on Academic Accreditation. For those aspiring to become certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), our clinical curriculum is perfectly aligned to guide you toward this prestigious credential.
The Au.D. program at Wayne State University is specifically designed as the entry-level degree necessary to practice as a licensed audiology doctor. Our curriculum is structured to comprehensively prepare students to fulfill Michigan state licensure requirements, paving the way for a successful entry into clinical practice as a qualified audiologist. This intensive four-year program, spanning 11 consecutive semesters and totaling 122 credits, is a full-time commitment combining rigorous academic study with extensive clinical experience. While many applicants typically possess introductory coursework in speech-language pathology and audiology, it is not a mandatory prerequisite for admission. If you’re exploring career options in audiology, resources are readily available from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, offering detailed insights into the profession.
Admissions: Stepping Stones to Becoming an Audiology Doctor
Admission to our Au.D. program is competitive and holistic, based on a thorough evaluation of your academic achievements, insightful letters of recommendation, and a compelling personal essay that showcases your passion for audiology and your vision as a future audiology doctor. To be considered for admission, it’s essential to submit complete transcripts, standardized test scores (if required), and a fully filled application. Following the initial application review, the department will invite promising candidates for a personal interview, providing an opportunity for us to learn more about you and for you to explore our program in greater depth.
For individuals interested in our Au.D. program who may not currently hold an undergraduate degree in communication sciences and disorders, we offer a comprehensive post-bachelor program. This program is specifically designed to provide you with the necessary prerequisite knowledge and skills required for successful application to the Au.D. program, ensuring a smooth transition into your journey to become an audiology doctor.
Curriculum: Comprehensive Training to Excel as an Audiology Doctor
Our integrated four-year curriculum is meticulously structured to cover all essential facets of audiology. You will engage in comprehensive coursework encompassing acoustics, hearing science, various hearing disorders, advanced instrumentation, and foundational clinical audiology practices. For a detailed list of courses, please refer to the university’s Graduate Bulletin for AUD courses. The program is led by our dedicated full-time on-campus faculty, experts in their respective fields, ensuring you receive high-quality instruction and mentorship. Furthermore, Wayne State University’s advantageous location in Metropolitan Detroit allows us to leverage the extensive expertise of numerous local professionals in audiology, speech-language pathology, deaf education, and related disciplines. This rich network of experts provides invaluable insights and real-world perspectives, enhancing your learning experience and preparing you for the complexities of a career as an audiology doctor.
The initial two years of the Au.D. curriculum are focused on building a strong foundation in the core principles of audiology. You will delve into basic coursework covering acoustics, the science of hearing, a wide range of hearing disorders, the sophisticated instrumentation used in audiology, and fundamental clinical audiology techniques. As you progress into the third and fourth years of the program, the curriculum advances to explore specialized and complex topics. You will study advanced areas such as cochlear implants, intra-operative monitoring to protect hearing during surgery, vestibular electrodiagnosis for balance disorders, and central auditory processing disorders. This progressive curriculum ensures you are well-versed in both the foundational and cutting-edge aspects of audiology, making you a highly competent and sought-after audiology doctor.
Clinical Practicum: Real-World Experience to Become a Skilled Audiology Doctor
Wayne State University’s Au.D. program places a strong emphasis on practical clinical training, recognizing its vital role in shaping proficient audiology doctors. A significant collaboration with Henry Ford Health System, initiated in 2011, substantially enhances the clinical training opportunities available to our audiology students. Under the expert guidance of Brad Stach, Ph.D., and the distinguished faculty and staff of the Division of Audiology within the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford, our students receive unparalleled clinical training and supervision. Henry Ford’s audiology team works closely with our WSU clinical faculty, including Mary Kassa, Au.D., to ensure seamless administrative management of the clinical program and to provide students with the most enriching and effective clinical education experience possible.
Your journey into clinical practice begins in your first year at the Wayne State University Audiology Clinic. This on-campus clinic provides a supportive and structured environment where you will learn essential clinical skills under close supervision. Outside of scheduled clinic hours, the clinical space is utilized for valuable laboratory exercises, designed to reinforce your theoretical knowledge and refine your practical skills. Clinical competency examinations are conducted to rigorously assess your preparedness to advance to more complex and demanding clinical training settings. In your second year, you will expand your clinical horizons by rotating through the diverse audiology clinics within the Henry Ford Health System. These rotations expose you to a broad spectrum of patients from various economic and cultural backgrounds, enriching your experience and broadening your understanding of diverse patient needs as a future audiology doctor.
During your third year, while engaging in advanced audiology coursework, you will participate in rotations through specialized clinical facilities. These include rotations in pediatrics, focusing on hearing healthcare for children; adult geriatrics, addressing the unique audiological needs of older adults; and private practice settings, providing insights into the business and patient care aspects of audiology practice. You will dedicate 20 hours per week at each site per semester, gaining in-depth experience in these specialized areas. The culmination of your clinical training is the fourth-year immersive, 12-month, full-time clinical externship. This intensive experience allows you to progressively develop independence under the mentorship of experienced clinical educators, preparing you for autonomous practice as a confident and competent audiology doctor.
Externship Opportunities: Diverse Settings to Launch Your Audiology Doctor Career
Wayne State’s audiology program distinguishes itself by offering a wealth of diverse and enriching clinical experiences across a multitude of settings. As an audiology student, you will benefit from part-time clinical externships during your second and third years, culminating in a comprehensive full-time 12-month externship in your fourth year. These externships provide invaluable real-world experience and networking opportunities, setting the stage for a successful career as an audiology doctor.
Our extensive network of externship sites includes:
- Henry Ford Health – Division of Audiology
- Henry Ford Medical Center (Fairlane) – Dearborn, MI
- Henry Ford Hospital – Detroit, MI
- Henry Ford Medical Center (Pierson) – Grosse Pointe, MI
- Henry Ford Medical Center (Lakeside) – Sterling Heights
- Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital – West Bloomfield, MI
- Henry Ford Medical Center (Templin) – Wyandotte, MI
- Michigan Medicine
- C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital
- John D. Dingell Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Ann Arbor V.A. Medical Center
- Michigan Ear Institute
- Children’s Hospital of Michigan
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Consultants
- Beaumont Hospital
- And numerous other diverse medical and private practice clinical rotations!
This wide array of externship opportunities ensures you gain exposure to various patient populations, clinical settings, and audiology specialties, making you a versatile and highly competitive candidate in the job market after you graduate as an audiology doctor.
Career Insights: A Fulfilling Path as an Audiology Doctor
A degree in audiology opens doors to a diverse range of fulfilling career paths. As an audiology doctor, you can choose to specialize in various areas and work in different settings, making a tangible difference in people’s lives. Here are a few of the many career opportunities available in this dynamic and growing field:
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Audiologist | $87,000 |
| Educational Audiologist | $87,000 |
| Public Health Specialist | $49,000 |
Please note: This salary data is intended to provide a general overview of potential career paths associated with this major and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of employment. Some careers may necessitate further education, specialized skills, or specific competencies. Actual salaries can fluctuate significantly based on employer, experience, and location, and may change by the time of graduation. Employment opportunities and job titles are also subject to change.
Accreditation: Ensuring Excellence in Audiology Doctor Education
The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) education program in audiology at Wayne State University holds accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This accreditation signifies our program’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence in audiology education, assuring you are receiving a top-tier education to become a highly qualified audiology doctor.
Complaints Regarding Accreditation Standards
Wayne State University maintains a transparent and accountable process for addressing any concerns related to accreditation standards. Any student, faculty member, speech-language pathologist, audiology doctor, or member of the public has the right to submit a complaint to the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) concerning the M.A. and Au.D. programs. For comprehensive details on how to formally submit a standards-related complaint to the CAA, please consult Section XIII of the CAA Accreditation Manual.
CAA Accreditation Manual – Complaint Information
Non-Discrimination Policy: Inclusivity and Equal Opportunity
Wayne State University is steadfast in its commitment to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity across all facets of its operations, including employment, educational programs, and related activities. The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders fully embraces and adheres to this policy, ensuring equitable treatment for faculty, students, and clients within the department’s clinics. We uphold a nondiscriminatory environment, where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship, or veteran status. This commitment to inclusivity ensures a welcoming and supportive learning environment for all aspiring audiology doctors.
Contact
For more information about the Au.D. program and how to embark on your journey to become an audiology doctor at Wayne State University, please do not hesitate to contact the department’s admissions officer at [email protected]. We are here to answer your questions and guide you through the application process.
