Audiology (Au.D.)

Your CSDCAS application materials will include the following:

• Transcript(s)
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation

You may be required to submit your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.

Get more information about CSDCAS application materials and requirements.

For technical assistance or further information, please visit CSDCAS Help.

CSDCAS Application

The NIU Graduate School application comes with a nominal application fee (separate from those imposed by CSDCAS). You only need to include the following on this application:

• Program of study (Au.D.)
• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Unofficial transcript

Note: The Graduate School requires that you upload a copy of your unofficial transcripts with your graduate school application. These can be the same transcripts that you uploaded to CSDCAS. You do not need to upload any other materials (statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, etc.) to the NIU Graduate School application.

Graduate School application

Our Au.D. cohorts frequently include individuals with a mixture of educational backgrounds, i.e., both with and without communication sciences and disorders (COMD) degrees. As such, to ensure all incoming students have solid foundational knowledge to build upon as they progress through the program, we strongly recommend completion of coursework in the following areas prior to beginning the Au.D. program:

• Audiology related courses (e.g., speech and hearing science, introduction to audiology, aural rehabilitation, anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism)
• Biological sciences (e.g., biology, human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, human genetics)
• Mathematics beyond college algebra (e.g., trigonometry, calculus, finite math)
• Phonetics
• Physical sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics, acoustics)
• Psychology (e.g., general psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, physiological psychology)
• Research methods
• Statistics

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity university and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic offers a wide range of hearing aids and assistive listening devices. Our clinical faculty members are dedicated to providing and teaching best practices in hearing health care. We adhere to the national guidelines for hearing loss management, including providing devices from several manufacturers, electroacoustic device function verification, real-ear measurement of audibility status, and outcomes assessment pre- and post-fitting.

In addition to comprehensive technology management, students learn post-fitting rehabilitative techniques for children and adults. Our clinic’s adult group audiologic rehabilitation program has helped many patients overcome communicative challenges. This faculty-led, student-facilitated program holds multiple sessions a year.

The Northern Illinois University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic provides cochlear implant candidacy assessment and programming services. We work in cooperation with otologists from the greater Chicago area to provide excellent care for patients in the far west and north central Illinois areas.

Patients are referred to the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic for evaluation of their central and peripheral vestibular mechanism after experiencing instability, dizziness, head injury or illness. Tests may include:

• Videonystagmography (VNG)
• VORTEQ (for high frequency headshake and VOR)
• vHIT (vestibular head impulse test)
• oVEMP (ocular vestibular myogenic evoked potentials to assess utriclar function)
• cVEMP (to evaluate saccular function)
• Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) which can determine what part of the balance/vestibular system is compromised

We are pleased to work in close consultation with area physical therapists, otologists and neurologists to provide comprehensive care. Our faculty also provides expertise to the NIU Concussion Management Team.

Tinnitus—or sound heard in the absence of a physical sound source—is experienced by an estimated 30 million U.S. residents. In our clinic, we use best practices in assessment and treatment techniques for patients with bothersome tinnitus. Our model of care is:

• Holistic — including cooperation with colleagues from otology, neurology and mental/emotional care provision when indicated
• Patient-centered — not linked to any one manufacturer or treatment technique
• Financially feasible — with sound therapy plans using existing home technology when possible, and lower-cost options available when needed

We recommend baseline hearing evaluations for all adults, and regular reassessments to monitor for early changes for those with noise exposure or medical conditions. A comprehensive hearing evaluation is the first step in understanding listening difficulties, or to evaluate for potential changes in hearing related to noise exposure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or chemical exposure.

Comprehensive evaluations of hearing are available to persons of all ages and stages of development. Our audiologists and supervised doctoral students will perform a number of thorough diagnostic tests to identify the source of your hearing problems. We are pleased to meet the needs of even the youngest patients, with family-friendly audiologists and play-based testing.

Before hearing is evaluated, we carefully examine the external ear, and are able to complete removal of cerumen (earwax) if needed to ensure an accurate evaluation.

The evaluation may include a combination of audiometry, tympanometry, measures of listening to speech with or without background noise, and checks of the hearing nerve's function. These evaluations help us determine from which part of the ear your difficulties might arise. Following the evaluation, we will help you determine the best course of action.

During your first year you will shadow an advanced student mentor. As you learn skills and procedures, you’re encouraged to become more independent and take on more responsibility.

You’ll start seeing adult and pediatric patients without the assistance of a classmate. You will also take on roles in vestibular and electrophysiology testing and begin rotations through the adult audiologic rehabilitation program. You’ll also continue to master your core clinical skills and work at local, external locations in preparation for your externship.

In your last year, you’ll work more independently through a local or national externship. Our recent graduates have landed competitive placements such as the Veteran’s Administration, U.S. Army, Loyola University School of Medicine and the UIC Medical Center.

NIU was an award-winning first model program for training audiologists in hearing aid dispensing in 1978. We continue to honor that heritage. Our clinical/professional and research faculty members work collaboratively to ensure program cohesion and optimal student training. Our program is clinically intensive, with an unparalleled clinical training facility housed in the same building as the academic classrooms, and an excellent network of diverse external rotation sites. We emphasize accountability, and carefully track our students’ skill development through in-house and external clinical rotations. Students are assigned to clinical advisers each year who monitor their progress and suggest goals for more intensive work.

Please see the Office of the Bursar website on graduate tuition and fees for the most current information.

The Au.D. is a very challenging and time-consuming program of study. Many classes are scheduled in the evenings, and clinical rotations vary by semester. Some students choose to maintain employment through their studies, but are encouraged to limit their work to less than 20 hours per week, and to inform employers of their schedule variations and educational demands.

Graduates of the Au.D. program are eligible for the voluntary Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Though not required for licensure in any state but Alaska, the CCC is used by many states as a means of simplified transportability of credentials. The American Board of Audiology also offers voluntary national Board Certification in Audiology, typically completed within the first year following graduation from an Au.D. program. Every state requires licensure or registration of audiologists; specific requirements vary by state but NIU Au.D. graduates are eligible to apply in all states.

The Au.D. (Doctor of Audiology) is an entry-level professional, clinical degree, for students whose intended career path involves direct patient care. The Ph.D. prepares students for careers in research and academia. NIU does not offer a Ph.D. at this time.