Doctor of Audiology Degree to be Offered by Kent State University and The University of Akron in Unique Joint Program

In order to prepare students for new professional standards, Kent State University and The University of Akron are offering a joint doctorate in the field of audiology. The Ohio Board of Regents approved the program yesterday, and applications from students are now being accepted for classes that begin in the Fall 2003 semester.

The Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium (NOAC), a joint effort of the two universities, coordinates the four-year post-baccalaureate program, leading to the degree of Doctor of Audiology (designated Au.D.). Plans call for 16 students to be enrolled per year, eight from each school.

The program will prepare students for new standards set by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which has mandated the doctoral degree as the entry level for professional practice in audiology by 2007. It will be a professional degree, rather than a research Ph.D., similar to the doctorate awarded in optometry.

"Audiologists are hearing care specialists who provide evaluation and treatment for individuals with hearing and balance impairments. The Au.D. is designed to educate audiologists for professional practice," according to Dr. Sharon Lesner, coordinator of NOAC and a professor in the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at The University of Akron.

There are only about 40 schools in the country currently offering the Au.D., and this will be among the first in Ohio. It is the only joint four-year program, a distinction that allows for a great wealth of expertise and facilities.

"The students can enter from either institution, and will have the opportunity to take classes and use facilities at both campuses," said Dr. Peter Mueller, professor and director of the School of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Kent State. "The program is aimed at graduates of speech and hearing programs, but could also be a good option for pre-med or other life science majors who are making career decisions," he said. The Au.D. will prepare students not just as clinical practitioners, but also for positions as department heads and directors in health care settings, Mueller added.

For more information, call The University of Akron at (330) 972-6118 or Kent State University at (330) 672-2672 or visit https://www.kent.edu/aud.