Doctor of Audiology Preparatory Coursework
Overview
The following courses provide foundational knowledge for Audiology and are available in many undergraduate university programs. If you do not have this required preparatory coursework prior to enrollment, we will discuss options with you for integrating it into your schedule without extending your program. It is possible to add the required preparatory coursework and complete the program in 4 years, but is not guaranteed. Completing the recommended preparatory coursework before starting the program is helpful, but you do not have to take it to be admitted or begin the program.
You do not need a particular undergraduate major to apply or be accepted. We encourage interested applicants without Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences or Communication Disorders degrees to apply.
Required Preparatory Course Content Areas
| Required Course | University of Minnesota Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing - 1 Full Semester Course Required | SLHS 3302: Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech & Hearing Mechanisms | Only speech and hearing focused coursework will be accepted. General Anatomy and Physiology, while valuable, will not count. |
| Hearing Science - 1 Full Semester Course Required | SLHS 3306: The Sense of Hearing | Combined Speech and Hearing Science coursework is also acceptable |
| Statistics - 1 Full Semester Course Required | Multiple Options | As long as coursework covers key topics in descriptive and inferential statistics, methods courses from other disciplines, such as psychological statistics, are acceptable. |
Recommended Preparatory Course Content Areas
| Recommended Course | Example Subjects |
|---|---|
| Social/Behavioral Sciences | Anthropology, Education, Psychology, etc. |
| Biological Sciences | General Biology, Physiology, Neuroscience, etc. |
| Physical Sciences | Physics, Chemistry, etc. |
Course Substitutions
Courses with equivalent content taken at other institutions can be substituted for these courses. In some cases, the content of a course may have been distributed across two courses or more in the student’s undergraduate program. The determination of equivalence rests with the director of graduate studies in consultation with relevant faculty.
Any coursework taken prior to enrollment may be taken for a letter grade (A-F) or Pass/Fail. Grades of Pass, C-, or higher must be obtained in all preparatory courses. All courses must be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level at an accredited institution, and must appear on your undergraduate or graduate transcripts. Classes taken at the high school level are not eligible to meet this requirement, with the exception of advanced placement (AP) courses that appear for credit on your college/university transcript. Coursework from massive open online courses (MOOCs) are not accepted. Examples of MOOCs include, but are not limited to: Educause, MOOC.org, edX, Coursera, and Khan Academy.
If you are unsure if a course you have taken will count, please contact [email protected].
Additional Coursework
In addition to the above courses, our department offers SLHS 3401: Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology every fall and spring semester. It is not required to complete the Audiology AuD program, but it is a valuable experience for the students who take it. Beyond providing an overview of Audiology, the class also includes guest speaker Audiologists and in-class discussions about career paths within the profession. Both of those are very helpful if you are interested but are not sure if the field is right for you or if you want a better understanding of the different career options you'll have with a Doctorate in Audiology.