Clinical Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.)
Bloomsburg University's Clinical Doctorate of Audiology is a four-year program placing major emphasis on clinical training and the practical application of research, theory, and technology into clinical practice. The first two years of the program emphasize didactic instruction and laboratory class work combining theory, practicality and emerging technology. The emphasis in the final two years is on combining the theory with clinical learning experiences. The fourth year is a full year externship with monitoring and advisement by the faculty and staff.
The audiology program includes:
- academic and clinical training in diagnosis
- amplification
- electrophysiological testing
- aural rehabilitation
- educational audiology
- assistive devices
- cochlear implants
- industrial audiology and private practice
Both academic and practicum experiences focus on the prevention, identification, evaluation and treatment of individuals with disorders of the auditory, balance and related systems.
Clinical Doctorate of Audiology
Au.D. Program Coordinator
Mohsin A. Shaikh Ph.D., CCC-A | mshaikh@bloomu.edu
570-389-3880
Fax: 570-389-2035
Audiology Doctorate Program
- Audiology Recommendation Form
- Audiology Curriculum
- Course Sequence/Descriptions
- Faculty and Staff
- Audiology Research Practicum
Audiology Program Admission
Admission to the Doctorate of Audiology program is on a competitive basis. Interested students are encouraged to apply early (application deadline is Feb. 1).
Prerequisite coursework and requirements
The graduate school's general admission criteria and the following specific criteria must be met for unconditional admission.
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00
- Three academic letters of recommendation ALONG WITH the Audiology Recommendation Form
- GRE: Quantitative, Verbal and Analytical Writing.
- A minimum of three semester hours in each: life sciences, physical sciences, behavioral sciences, mathematics, written and oral communications
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- TOEFL scores for international students
- One-page, typed letter detailing their professional background, experience and rationale for wanting to be admitted to the program in audiology
- Current Resume
Individuals not meeting all requirements: Conditional admission is considered upon recommendation of the faculty.
Audiology (Au.D.) Student Achievement Data
A student must maintain a QPA of 3.0 with no more than two grades lower than a B- throughout the doctoral audiology program. A grade of B- or lower in any clinical experience will necessitate repeating the course to achieve a grade of B or higher.
Knowledge and Skills Assessment (KASA): Students will have regular and ongoing opportunities to assess their knowledge and skills acquired in the academic and clinical program. Standard 5.3. The results of this assessment will be used to plan and implement program improvements. Students track their progress in achieving certification standards by completing a form (KASA) every semester so that progress can be reviewed with the faculty and with the academic advisor.
Program Completion Data
| Period | Number completing on time | Number Completed later than on time | Number not completing | Total |
| 2016-17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2015-16 | 12 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2014-15 | 7 | 1 | 2 | |
| Three year average | 75.7576% |
Employment Rate
| Academic Year | Number of graduates employed | Number of graduates not employed | Percent of graduates (%) |
| 2016-17 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2015-16 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2014-15 | 12 | 0 | |
| Three year average | 100% |
PRAXIS Pass Rate
| Period | Number of test-takers taking the exam | Number of test-takers passed | Pass rate (%) |
| 2016-17 | 6 | 6 | |
| 2015-16 | 11 | 10 | |
| 2014-15 | 5 | 4 | |
| Three year average | 90.9091% |
Audiology student provides aid to Third World countries
Soon Bethany Noll, a hearing patient herself, will be a clinical audiologist. However, the third-year Bloomsburg University doctorate student has already put her knowledge and training to good use in helping Third World countries through the assistance of Entheos Audiology Cooperative — an audiological cooperative that promotes best practices and giving as a part of modern hearing healthcare delivery.
Noll, a student in the Clinical Doctorate of Audiology program, began her charitable passion two years ago in Haiti. She has since made several other overseas trips to Guatemala and Zambia.
“I became involved with Entheos through my boss at A&E Audiology,” Noll said. “I began working for her in 2012, and I have been a patient for her since I was 12. She became a member of Entheos and invited me to go with her in 2015 to Haiti. Since that first trip, I have been hooked.”
Accreditation Status
The doctoral (Au.D.) program in Audiology at Bloomsburg University has been placed on probation 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 or 301-296-5700. A program on probation is not currently in full compliance with the accreditation standards.
Programs on probation remain accredited but must demonstrate compliance with the standards within one year.
The CAA found the program to be in partial compliance with the program completion rate. For the complete report, see the CAA Accreditation Decisions website.
ASHA evaluates completion rates in three-year increments, and therefore, these rates have included weaker on-time program completion rates for students enrolled in previous years of the program dating back to 2012. At that time, students were required to complete a thesis, which often delayed their graduation. Over the last 3 years, our program completion rates have increased dramatically since incorporating an optional thesis. As an example, our 2016 Au.D. completion rate was 86% and we fully anticipate a continuation of these strong completion rates in the upcoming years. We fully anticipate that the information we will provide in upcoming reports to ASHA will result in a removal of this probationary status in the very near future.
Our Au.D. graduates meet requirements for licensure as audiologists by the Pennsylvania State Board of Examiners in Speech, Language and Hearing.
Academic and Clinical Remediation
Bloomsburg University Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology is committed to preparing clinicians who are ready to enter the workplace. The process of learning the necessary skills for this outcome may vary student by student. The purpose of remediation is to provide students with opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and skills in both academic and clinical areas. Remediation is intended to facilitate student success and assist with progress toward meeting degree requirements. Both summative (final, at the conclusion of a course/program) and formative (during, periodically throughout a course/program) assessment are used in evaluating students’ progress. Students whose academic or clinical performance falls below graduate expectations will be provided with remediation opportunities as part of formative assessment.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of remediation opportunities to avoid academic consequences such as course repeats or recommendations for dismissal from the program. Remediation may include, but is not limited to a clinical skills development plan, revision or completion of equivalent academic coursework, re-examination, or other methods as stipulated by instructional faculty and, where necessary, in conjunction with clinical staff. Students requiring remediation will complete and sign a remediation plan form which will be retained in their academic file. Remediation plans may be developed by faculty and/or clinical supervisors together with students.