Doctor of Audiology (AuD) Program

The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program at California State University Northridge is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE), 11480 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 220, Reston, VA 20191  (703) 226-1056  https://acaeaccred.org/ for the period of February 7, 2023, to February 28, 2027.

Persons seeking to express a concern about the accreditation of the graduate program in audiology may direct their concerns to the department chair, Dr. Patricia J. Seymour, Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330 (Tel:  818-677-2852), or to Dr. Farrell J. Webb, Dean, College of Health and Human Development, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330 (Tel:  818-677-3001).

A doctoral degree is the entry-level requirement for employment as an audiologist. Doctoral degrees for audiologists are categorized as either a clinical doctorate or doctorate in philosophy. The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program at CSUN is a clinical doctorate, which emphases both academic instruction and clinical instruction, as well as being practice oriented.

The Doctor of Audiology program provides academic instruction, clinical instruction (assessment, treatment, rehabilitation) and participation in research investigations in the areas of normal hearing and balance, as well as disorders of hearing and balance. The program progresses students’ knowledge and skills for patient-centered care for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hearing, balance and a range of auditory disorders that occur in people across all ages of life. The program also emphasizes advancement of students’ knowledge and skills for existing and emerging technologies that are associated with the field.

Because the scope of practice for audiologists emphasizes treatment rehabilitative services, counseling and guidance to patients, the program’s pedagogy heavily emphasizes skill discovery and skill practice. This pedagogy is emphasized in both academic instruction as well as clinical instruction.

The program’s philosophy and curriculum are constructed to align with the Standards of the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) which is associated with the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), as well as with the Preferred Practice Patterns for the Profession of Audiology identified by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (CAA) which is associated with the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).

Students will:

1. Communicate in a professional, culturally sensitive and effective manner through spoken and written modalities within settings for clinical consultation, education, administration and providing client advocacy.
2. Plan, conduct and interpret assessments of individuals with suspected disorders of the auditory, vestibular and communication systems.
3. Plan, conduct and interpret interventions of individuals with suspected disorders of the auditory, vestibular and communication systems.
4. Conduct clinically relevant research to support evidence-based practice, including evaluation and interpretation of current literature, planning hypothesis-based research and executing hypothesis-based research.

Students of the Doctor of Audiology program (Au.D.) in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences must possess the capability to complete, with or without reasonable accommodations, the entire clinical curriculum.  Students must have skills and attributes in five areas: sensation/observation, communication, motor strength and coordination, intellectual-cognitive sensory, and behavioral-social-comportment.   The attached document provides elaboration of Essential Functions and Technical Standards for the Doctor of Audiology at CSUN.

Essential Functions and Technical Standards for the Doctor of Audiology at CSUN

Once admitted to the department’s graduate programs, a student must attain classified graduate status, submit a department-approved plan of study (i.e., the doctoral’s degree formal program) to the graduate school for review and approval, satisfactorily complete all courses on the plan and pass a final, comprehensive examination. It is noted that for state licensure, and professional certification, additional graduate courses are taken as part of the course of study.

You may download the Curriculum Roadmap for the incoming Cohort 4, entering Fall 2022 using the following link:

Cohort 4, entering Fall 2022 and graduating Spring 2026, Curriculum Roadmap

You can find a listing of courses, clinical practica and their descriptions using the following link:   
https://catalog.csun.edu/academics/cd/programs/aud-audiology/

The Doctor of Audiology requires that students enroll and complete the PRAXIS examination during their third year of academic studies.  Most students register for the PRAXIS during the month of May of their third year (of study) just prior to beginning their fourth year CD776A.

Applications for the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) Program for Graduate and International students can be found at the following link: 

Accessing the Department Graduate Au.D. Application

The Department accepts applications October 1^st to January 5^th annually. 

For additional information outside of the application dates, you will find a list of documents to have ready for October 1^st when applications open, for example transcripts, GRE scores, names and email addresses for recommenders.

Full Time Audiology Faculty

Dr. SuHyun Jin, Ph.D.
Dr. Yugandhar Ramakrishna, Au.D./Ph.D.
Dr. Karen Spayd, Au.D.

Full Time Clinic Coordinator for Audiology Services

Dr. Lindsay Cockburn, Au.D.

Part Time Audiology Faculty

Dr. Delia Karahalios, Au.D.
Dr. Mary Frintner, Au.D.
Dr. Lisa Guerette, Au.D.
Dr. Stephen Kirsch, Au.D.
Dr. John Malan, Au.D.
Dr. Stephen Sinclair, Ph.D.

To access the Au.D. FAQ's please click the link below:

Doctor of Audiology (Au.D) FAQ's