Full Description

The Doctor of Audiology degree is a professional doctorate that prepares students to be licensed clinical audiologists. The program emphasizes the principles and practices underlying evaluation, treatment and provision of hearing care services. Graduates are independent professionals who specialize in the diagnosis, management and treatment of hearing and balance disorders.

The Au.D. degree is a full-time, continuous, 45-month, post-baccalaureate course of study designed to integrate classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences, culminating in the qualification for national certification and state (Ohio) licensure as an audiologist. All students attend full-time and take a fixed sequence of classroom- and clinic-based courses.

This program may be undertaken sequentially with Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

The Au.D. degree in Audiology is offered in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic and the University of Akron.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

Applications to the Northeast Ohio Audiology Consortium through Kent State University needs to be submitted through the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Services (CSDCAS) by the application deadline.

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university (not necessarily in speech-language pathology and audiology)
• Minimum 3.000 GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official college transcript(s)
• GRE scores (starting with fall 2025 admission term, the GRE will no longer be required)
• Goal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• Starting with fall 2025 admission term: Interview during NOAC Visitation Day or remote videoconference when unable to attend this event
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 65 PTE score
  • Minimum 120 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Priority deadline: January 15
    Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a broad-based knowledge of the foundations, theories and application of audiology.
2. Demonstrate clinical competencies in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hearing and balance disorders.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of research principles and their integration into evidence-based clinical practice in audiology.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in the principles and practices of patient and family-centered care.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical standards and conduct expected in the profession of audiology.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Accrue 2000 clock hours of clinical experience
• Meet the requirements for conditional Ohio licensure in audiology
• Pass academic and clinical competency-based examinations

Clinical Setting

For any clinical practicum (on campus or off campus) in speech pathology or audiology that requires candidates to be placed within the on-campus speech and hearing clinics. school or agency setting, candidates are required to complete Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCII) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks and submit the results to authorized personnel at their assigned clinic/school/agency before the beginning of their placement or the first day of the semester in which the practicum will take place. Authorized school/agency personnel will determine whether a candidate may participate in practicum in the off-campus setting. The BCII and FBI background checks are good for one year, and the candidates will need to complete one each year that they are in the Au.D. degree.

Electronic fingerprinting is available for BCII and FBI in 221 White Hall and should be completed one month prior to clinical practicum. Candidates are responsible for fees incurred for this requirement. For more information on this policy, contact the clinical coordinators for the Speech and Hearing Clinics. Visit the Ohio Department of Education website for more information about background check requirements for those wishing to hold pupil personnel licenses in Ohio. Contact the Office of Professional Conduct at the Ohio Department of Education for specific information about the results of the background check.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

The Doctor of Audiology degree in Audiology (residential) at Kent State University is accredited 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.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university (not necessarily in areas of speech-language pathology and audiology)
• Bachelor's degree (not necessarily in areas of speech-language pathology and audiology)
• Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale (minimum 3.500 GPA is recommended)
• Official transcript(s)
• Goal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 65 PTE score
  • Minimum 120 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Funding deadline: January 15
    Applications must be submitted by this deadline to be considered for an assistantship or any other funded position.
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Summer Term
  • Rolling admissions

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Develop, implement and evaluate a line of individual and collaborative research.
2. Teach within a clinical and/or didactic context.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Concentration Area of Study: This collection of coursework relates to the students' main areas of interest. It must consist of a combination of lecture classes or seminars, courses in grant or manuscript writing and independent studies and/or research. These courses are meant to build upon the students’ interests in a selected major area of study, and courses may be taken in other program areas (such as psychology, English, business, biology, counseling, special education, computer science, etc.); within speech-language pathology and audiology; or from an affiliated medical school. With the exception of allowed transfer credits, all courses must be taken at the doctoral 7/80000 level. Additional prerequisite coursework may be required at a lower level; this coursework would not count towards the 24 credit hours.

²

Electives: Included within the 12 credit hours may be courses or independent studies related to student interests, including additional (non-concentration) academic or clinical areas of interest, interprofessional or cross-disciplinary topics and/or additional training in research methods, statistics or writing.

³

Statistics and Research Methods: Each doctoral candidate must register and complete no less than two graduate-level statistics courses and no less than one advanced research methods course. Required statistics courses should include a focus on inferential statistics, including regression. Advanced research methods should include an advanced research methods course that covers both quantitative and/or qualitative approaches.

⁴

Upon admission to candidacy, each doctoral candidate must register for SPA 84199. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I each semester (fall, spring) for a total of 30 credit hours, and thereafter will register for SPA 84299, each semester (fall, spring) until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Graduation Requirements

• Students may graduate with the Ph.D. degree with fewer than 75 total credit hours but no fewer than 60 total credit hours. Students may receive permission by graduate faculty to waive coursework if supported by the appropriate and recent coursework.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus