Admission
The admissions committee will make a holistic judgment of applicant qualifications. Admission to study at the doctoral level requires acceptance by the Graduate School and the department. The application for admission to the Graduate School and official transcripts from each college or university attended must be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Applicants seeking admission to doctoral study should have completed a well-integrated program of study that includes course work in biological and physical sciences and mathematics, behavioral and/or social sciences, and human communication sciences and disorders.
Admission Requirements
1. Bachelor’s or master’s degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution in speech-language pathology, audiology, communication sciences or related area, with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 (on a scale of A=4.0).
2. The following undergraduate course prerequisites are required: life sciences (6 s.h.), physical sciences (3 s.h.), behavioral sciences (6 s.h.), English (3 s.h.), mathematics (3 s.h.), statistics (3 s.h.), anatomy and physiology (3 s.h.), introduction to audiology (3 s.h.), speech and hearing sciences (3 s.h.), language development (3 s.h.). Other courses in communication sciences and disorders are strongly encouraged.
3. Graduate Record Examination within five years. Recent applicants have had mean GRE scores of 150 for verbal, 150 for quantitative, and 4.0 for analytic writing. The GRE is waived as an entrance requirement for EC Scholars at East Carolina University if other criteria are met.
4. ECU students accepted in the Early Assurance program are guaranteed entry upon completion of their undergraduate degree provided they satisfy program requirements.
5. Three (3) letters of recommendation, at least two from faculty of the college(s) or university(s) previously attended.
6. A statement that summarizes reasons for pursuing a clinical doctorate in audiology.
7. Telephone, online video chat, or face-to-face interview.
Baccalaureate admission: The post-baccalaureate audiology degree program consists of a minimum of 99 graduate credit hours to include broad-based knowledge in areas of applied clinical audiology, structure and development of hearing and communication disorders, speech and hearing sciences, statistics, computers and instrumentation, and research design.
Post-Master’s admission: Students with a master’s degree may seek admission to the audiology program. Admission decisions will be made on an individual basis with review of the educational background as well as the admissions requirements. Individuals seeking post-master’s entrance will be required to complete the minimum 99 graduate semester hours. Those hours may include up to 20% of approved transfer graduate credit hours.
Degree Requirements
The doctor of audiology degree program includes the following minimum required credit hours: a science core curriculum (12 s.h.), a support core taken across disciplines (4 s.h.), a statistics core (5 s.h. in statistics and research design), clinical audiology course work (38 s.h.), clinical experience/residency (36 s.h.), and capstone (4 s.h.).
Clinical Residency
The clinical residency will be the final clinical placement in audiology that may range from half-time to full-time and that allows for the development of comprehensive clinical knowledge, skills and abilities.
Examination
Following completion of the first year, audiology students must pass the Gateway examination. The examination format is written. Faculty will rate the responses as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Faculty will inform students of their performance on the examination within one-month of completing the exam. If the student receives unsatisfactory for any part of the Gateway examination, the student must meet with the faculty to discuss areas of weakness prior to retaking those portion(s) of the exam. The student must re-write the unsatisfactory portion(s) of the comprehensive examination. Rewrites and final decisions are made prior to the start of the student’s second year of the audiology program. Failure to do so will result in termination of the student from the program.
Capstone Project
The capstone project is designed for the student to demonstrate his/her ability to analyze and synthesize clinical and research knowledge in audiology. The project will be a research project completed over multiple semesters.
Termination or Continuance of Graduate Study
Graduate School regulations for most academic issues are utilized and can be found in the Academic Regulations section of this catalog. For the purposes of retention in the audiology degree program, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has developed and adopted stricter standards than the Graduate School.
The Graduate School requires a 3.0 GPA for retention and graduation. In addition, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders requires that students earn no less than a grade of “B” in more than 1 course during their degree program. This includes all departmental courses including didactic, clinical, or research taught by any delivery method.
Upon receipt of the second grade of less than a “B,” a review of the student’s academic and clinical progress will be conducted by the student’s advisor, the Director of Doctoral Education, and the Department Chair. Recommendations for continuance or termination will be made to the Doctoral Education Committee for consideration. If the decision of the Doctoral Education Committee is for termination, this will be communicated by the Director of Doctoral Education to the student and the Graduate School. If the decision is for continuation, this will be communicated to the student.
Upon the 3rd course with lower than a “B” grade, the Director of Doctoral Education shall notify in writing the student and the Graduate School that the student’s degree program is terminated. The student can appeal this termination by writing a letter to the Director of Doctoral Education and asking the Doctoral Education Committee for reinstatement. The Director of Doctoral Education will convey the decision of the committee to the student and the Graduate School. If allowed to continue in the program, the student may not earn any additional credit hours of less than a “B” grade. If terminated at this point the student may appeal the decision through the ECU School Appeals procedure. (Rev. September 2011).
Time Limits for Completion of Degree Requirements
A doctoral degree program must be completed before the end of the twelfth semester, excluding summers, following initial enrollment. With endorsement of the student’s major professor and program committee and also the departmental chair, a student may request one extension of not more than two semesters, summers included.
East Carolina University