About

The Profession

Audiologists are health care professionals who are experts in the non-medical management of the auditory and balance systems. Audiologists evaluate hearing and hearing loss; recommend, fit, and verify personal amplification systems; and assist in school-based amplification decisions as well as many other activities. Graduates of this program are prepared for positions in a variety of professional settings including hospitals and private clinics; private practice; community speech, language, and hearing centers; college and university programs; rehabilitation centers; residential institutions; school systems; and industrial settings.

The Program

The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree program is a unique educational model that combines the academic and clinical resources of a major health sciences campus located in the Little Rock metro area of Central Arkansas. It is a full-time four-year program with one cohort of students beginning each fall semester, and consists of a total of 11 semesters including three summers. The Au.D. program’s mission, goals, and objectives can be found in the Au.D. Academic Handbook located on the program’s website.

Post-Bachelor’s Track: Students must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university. This track is designed to be completed in 4 years (including three summers with a common entry point in the fall). Exceptions to these timelines may occur on an individual basis. All work must be completed within 6 calendar years of initial admission. A minimum of 104 semester credit hours is required for completion of the program.

Successful completion of all program requirements for either track qualifies the student as eligible for audiology licensure in all 50 states and to sit for the Praxis Examination in Audiology, a key component of the ASHA certification standards. Successful completion of the program does not itself ensure licensure and/or certification. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with state licensure and national certification requirements.

Admission Factors

Admission to the program is competitive and based on the following criteria:

  • Academic achievement
  • Academic aptitude
  • Leadership and professionalism
  • Written and oral communication