Au.D Program Requirements
Clinical Competence
In addition to meeting academic requirements, students specializing in audiology must demonstrate satisfactory competence in diagnosis and treatment of hearing and balance disorders across the lifespan. Refer to course description for additional information. No student in CSD may participate as a primary clinician in the clinic or on an internship/externship until cleared by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Federal Bureau of Investigation via a background check. Clearance is valid for specified time frames.
Procedure and fee information are provided to students upon acceptance into the graduate program. At times, the requirements for the completion of clinical practicum courses may fall outside the regular University calendar. Contact the department for further details.
Professional Certification Requirements
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) requirements for Certification of Clinical Competence in Audiology stipulate the completion of 1,820 clock hours of supervised clinical experience obtained at the graduate level. The certification standards also require mastery of specific knowledge and skills. During fall graduate program orientation sessions we will review how we foster, assess and track mastery of knowledge and skills. Specific learning objectives related to ASHA certification standards are printed on the syllabus of each graduate course. Consult the ASHA website and Certification Handbook for details.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception and is an educational objective of Western Washington University. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism and sharing unauthorized information regarding any coursework. Please consult the current Western General Catalog for specific information about academic dishonesty and the consequences of such actions.
CSD policies for dealing with student complaints, concerns, and grievances
In some cases a student may disagree with a faculty member or clinical educator to the extent that the situation warrants communication and action to reach optimal resolution. The following policies and procedures have been established to guide students and CSD Department members in such situations:
Depending on the nature of the complaint, the student is encouraged to meet with the faculty member/clinical educator who is directly involved in the situation. Both parties will discuss the complaint and attempt appropriate way(s) of managing the identified concern(s).
If the issues cannot be addressed at that level, the student should meet with the AuD program director to discuss concerns related to the academic program. For concerns related to the clinic program, the student should consult with the clinic director whenever possible. If the student has complaints or concerns regarding the internship, the student should consult with the internship/externship coordinator. In any academic or clinic program cases, the student may consult with the department chair as well.
In all cases, the student may seek the advice of the graduate program director. The graduate program director is to be informed of major student complaints. The graduate program director will keep a written record of major complaints and how they were addressed. The clinic director and internship coordinator will keep a record of complaints and how they were addressed at their levels.
The program chair will keep a record of major complaints that are addressed at the chair level.
University policy is followed in cases regarding equal opportunity, sexual harassment, and reasonable accommodation. We also follow the University Academic Grievance and Appeal Policy and Procedures. This information is posted in the online and print copies of the College Catalog.
Records Retention Policies
The CSD Department maintains records in accordance with Western's standards. Please see the following links for additional information.