Towson University in Towson, Maryland will begin accepting students into a new Au.D. program in the fall of 2001 with an initial enrollment of ten students. The Au.D. program will focus on rigorous coursework in diagnostics, hearing aids and rehabilitation. In addition, the program will require students to study health care financial management, ethics, and counseling. The 93-credit curriculum can be completed by post-bachelor's degree students in 3½ to 4 years (including summers; based on successful progress through course work and demonstrated competency in clinical practicum) and includes a one-year, full time clinical externship in addition to two on-campus and three off-campus clinical rotations.
The focus of Towson's program will be on the post-bachelor's graduate with a strong background in audiology, speech-language pathology, behavioral and social sciences, and natural and mathematical sciences. The specific prerequisites for the program include successful completion of introduction to biology, behavioral statistics, introduction to psychology, counseling, speech and language development, phonetics, hearing science, speech-language science, anatomy and physiology of the auditory and vocal mechanism, phonology, language and introduction to audiology. There are no immediate plans to develop distance education for post-master's audiologists. Although accessible and affordable distance Au.D. programs for post-M.S. graduates are essential to transition the field of audiology to a doctoral level profession, there are sufficient, high-quality distance-education programs to meet the current market demand.
Towson has a long history of training audiologists for professional practice. For 25 years, Towson's M.S. programs in audiology and speech-language pathology have prepared students for national certification and state licensure for employment in public schools, clinics, hospitals, government, industry and private practice. Changes in the health care professions and in the scope of practice of audiology required a complete re-tooling of the graduate educational program in audiology. The Au.D. program at Towson University was developed by incorporating feedback from Towson University alumni, audiology professionals in the community, site visitors and academic consultants in audiology, as well as ASHA and AAA standards and position papers.
While the faculty at Towson University are well aware of the political issues among the various professional associations (i.e. ASHA, AAA, AFA, ADA), the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is committed to continuing as an ASHA CAA accredited program. The accreditation process established by the CAA requires upholding specific and rigorous standards within the doctoral program. The Towson University Au.D. program requires students to demonstrate competency via formative and summative assessment in oral and written communication, scientific and research foundations of practice, prevention and identification of communication disorders, and evaluation and treatment of disorders of auditory and auditory-related disorders. Students must complete extensive clinical work under the supervision of certified practitioners and pass the national certification examination prior to graduation. The location of Towson University, just North of Baltimore, MD and within 50 miles of Washington, D.C., provides for diverse off-campus experiences following successful completion on on-campus practicum in an active university speech-language-hearing clinic. Following successful completion of Towson's Au.D. program, students will be eligible to apply for ASHA certification. We feel strongly that a student should have the right to choose certification in addition to licensure at the end of the clinical training program. The ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence is a valuable commodity based on the portability of the credential (it is easily recognized by state licensure boards) and the recognition by second party payers.
The Au.D. faculty at Towson University includes Dr. Barbara Laufer (chairperson), Dr. Diana Emanuel (Audiology Graduate Program Director), Dr. Wendy Hanks, Dr. George Lindley, and Mr. Stephen Pallett.
The Au.D. program at Towson University will prepare graduates to enter the field of audiology as competent and independent practitioners. The expectation is that students will not only develop a broad knowledge base, solid oral and written language skills, and technical and professional skills, but will develop critical thinking and information gathering abilities that will prepare them to be life long learners.
For more information on the Au.D. program at Towson University, contact Dr. Diana Emanuel, Audiology Graduate Program Director, demanuel@towson.edu, or Dr. Barbara Laufer, Department Chairperson, blaufer@towson.edu. Additional information about Towson University can be obtained by visiting the University web site www.towson.edu.
Towson University Launches Au.D. Program
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