Audiology (Au.D.)

HPSH 7390 Clinical Practicum may be offered in the summer prior to First Year Fall on a limited basis.

Career opportunities include diagnosing and treating individuals with hearing or balance problems and working in prevention and field research. Professional work environments are varied, including hospitals, schools, private practices, industry, medical offices, and universities. In these environments, audiologists work with patients from birth throughout adulthood.

Our graduates work in clinical experiences all across the United States in local school districts, major medical centers, in conjunction with physician practices, in independent private practices, and in industrial settings.

• With the demographic shifts of an aging population and the hearing-related issues that often brings, the need for trained, licensed audiologists is increasing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook projects that employment of audiologists will grow 21% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.
• Although specific licensing requirements vary by state, you must have a doctoral degree and be licensed to practice as an audiologist.
• For more information about a career as an audiologist visit the ASHA website.

Application/Admissions Process

What are the admission requirements for the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program?
Class enrollment is limited each year. Minimum admission requirements include:

• An earned baccalaureate degree in the area of speech, language, and hearing sciences or a related field from an accredited institution
• A cumulative and major GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Three letters of recommendation
• Demonstration of superior oral and written communication skills
• Completion of the online application
• Completion of an interview with the Admissions Committee (if eligible)
• Proof of appropriate immunizations against infectious diseases
• TOEFL or IELTS scores, if English is the second language

When are the deadlines for applying to the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology Program?

Do I need to write a personal statement or turn in a resume?
No. A personal statement is not required.

Is a bachelor’s degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences (SLHS) absolutely required for admission?
A bachelor’s degree is required. The bachelor’s degree can be in speech, language, and hearing sciences or a related field.

Does observation or work experience increase my chances of admission?
The TTUHSC Department of SLHS does not endorse or require student volunteer hours at particular facilities prior to admission into graduate school. Thus, no paperwork/formal documentation is required. However, we strongly encourage students to independently seek volunteer opportunities that will expose them to the professions of speech-language pathology, audiology, and related health care or educational disciplines.

Is every applicant required to have an interview?
All applicants who are ultimately admitted into the program will have an interview. Some applicants do not have GPAs that are sufficiently competitive with the applicant pool to qualify for an interview. Applicants who do qualify will be notified via email or telephone to schedule their interview. Interviews are via video conferencing.

Are GRE scores required for admission?
No, GRE scores are not required.

What GPA is expected in order to be competitive for admission to the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology program?
For competitive admission, GPA should be above average. The chart below shows the average and range of GPAs of students recently admitted into the program:

If offered admission to the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology program, can I defer my acceptance to the next year?
No, the offer of admission is only good for the year in which you applied. If you are unable to attend that year, you must repeat the application process and be considered with another year’s applicant pool.

About the Program

What size is the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology program?
We admit 12-14 students per year.

Do you offer a part-time or distance learning graduate program?
No. Our program is lock-step, meaning you are required to take a predetermined set of courses each semester as a full-time student.

Is the Au.D. program offered on all TTUHSC campuses?
The Au.D. Program is only offered on the Lubbock campus.

How long is the TTUHSC Au.D. Program?
The Doctor of Audiology degree is four years (10-11 semesters) of graduate work. Three years are in didactic, laboratory, and clinical experience, with one clinical externship year.

Are graduate assistantships available in the SLHS department?
Once accepted to the program, graduate students are given the opportunity to apply for a graduate assistantship. A limited number of assistantships are available. Graduate assistants work approximately 10 hours per week in the SLHS Department. Additional information about financial aid can be found here.

When do I need to be in compliance with all of my immunizations?
Your immunization records must be in compliance 10 days prior to the first day of class each semester. Information regarding immunization requirements will be sent electronically to students who are accepted into the program. If you have any questions about immunization requirements or the status of your immunizations, please contact the Office of Institutional Health at 806-743-3019.

What does an average day in the program look like?
The schedule varies by semester. Graduate students typically attend class 2 days a week and have clinic 1-2 days a week in the first three years of the program. The fourth year consists of a full-time externship experience.

Are all courses offered during the normal workday, or are some scheduled in the evening?
Classes typically are scheduled between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, although evening classes may be scheduled some semesters.

Are course electives available? Is the curriculum organized into different “tracks”?
There are no course electives available to specialize in a particular area or track. Our program is lock-step, meaning that you are required to take a predetermined set of courses each semester. The opportunity to pursue a particular area of interest comes with a choice of placement for clinical practicum experiences.

Is it possible to be involved in an extracurricular activity (e.g., track, band) or work while I am enrolled in the TTUHSC Doctor of Audiology program?
The workload of classes and clinical practicum is comparable to a full-time job. Based on graduate student experience, 10-15 hours a week of work and/or extracurricular activities is all that can be handled. Although it will depend on the requirements of the job or activity, it is possible to be involved in extracurricular activities if you are a good time manager.

May I tour the TTUHSC to see where the department and clinic are and where my classes will be held?
On mandatory orientation day (typically held the day before class begins), you will receive a tour of the entire TTUSHC building. Appointments may also be set up through the School of Health Professions Office of Admissions if you would like to tour the campus prior to August.

How does clinical practicum work in your graduate program?
Students take part in clinic within the on-campus clinic in the first year. The second year of the program consists of local externships, with summer of the second year being outside of Lubbock in a full-time summer externship. The third year clinic consists of either on-campus clinic or travel to surrounding areas. The fourth year clinic is a full-time externship experience, typically outside of Lubbock.

What kind of dress is expected?
You may wear casual clothes to class. When you observe or participate in clinic, you are expected to wear business casual attire that is both comfortable and modest or clinical scrubs as allowed by the program.

Is a thesis required?
A clinical research project is required.

Are comprehensive exams required at the end of graduate school, and what form do they take?
Yes, each student will be required to pass comprehensive examinations. Comprehensive exams are usually in January of your third year of the program.

Are faculty members actively engaged in research? Is it possible for a graduate student to gain research experience, assist in a lab, etc.?
Our department currently houses the following research labs:

• Auditory Processes (Gustafson)
• Noise Exposure and Hearing Conservation (Reel)
• Auditory Perception (Donai)
• Pediatric Audiometric Science (Hicks)
• Vestibular/Auditory Integrated Biomedical Lab (Zupancic)
• Social Media and Auditory Rehab Technology (SMART) (Choudhury)
• Speech Production (Yi)
• Voice and Swallowing (Van Sickle)
• Adult Neurogenic Language Disorders (Corwin)
• Cognitive/Behavioral Linguistics (Kroll)
• Pediatric Speech Sound Disorders (Lee)

Graduate students in good standing will have opportunities to volunteer in research labs, participate in active research, complete part-time paid employment in a lab, and/or complete clinical research project. For more information, see the Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (CSLHR) website.

How can I get involved in the field of speech and hearing during graduate school?
Upon entering graduate school, you will have the opportunity to join the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA). There are opportunities to volunteer and attend events hosted by SAA throughout the year. 

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic serves the general population of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. The Clinic is a primary training site for graduate students in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.  Graduate students provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services to individuals with speech, language, and hearing disorders under the direct supervision of faculty who are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the State of Texas as speech-language pathologists and audiologists.