Why Sacramento State?

• Contemporary curriculum grounded in our department’s mission to provide theory before practice.
  • Classes include
    • amplification
    • central auditory processing
    • genetics
    • practice management
    • diagnosis and management of the vestibular system
    • pharmacology and ototoxicity
    • aging and the auditory system
    • pediatric and educational audiology
    • billing and coding
    • research methods
    • aural rehabilitation
    • and more!
  • See the Au.D. program catalog for a list of courses and descriptions.
• State-of-the-art clinic in Folsom Hall that serves our community and provides on-site training for our Au.D. students.Across our clinic space and five booths, we have:
  • full audiometric suites
  • hearing aid software and instrumentation
  • electrophysiology equipment
  • a rotary chair
  • simulation head manikins,
  • ample space for students to learn and train
• Interprofessional education activities for students from other health-related degree programs.
  • The rich multidisciplinary environment in Folsom Hall includes physical therapy,and nursing. In addition, students have participated in interprofessional education with students from gerontology, nursing, and speech-language pathology.
• Various off-campus placements within and outside the Sacramento area.
  • Placement types include private practices, medical centers, and local school districts.
• Small classes that emphasize support.
  • With a low student-to-teacher ratio, faculty can provide instruction in the classroom, clinic, and outside of class time.
• Knowledgeable, engaged, and caring teaching faculty who are passionate about audiology.
  • Faculty actively participate in the academic and clinical training of Au.D. students through their teaching and research.
• Diverse student body that is committed to achieving their professional goals.
  • Classes and clinic are designed to foster communication and collaboration throughout the program.
  • Students have been recognized at the state and national level for their leadership, academic and clinical excellence, and service. See our department Facebook page for announcements about scholarships and awards.
  • A white coat ceremony is held in the third year of the program to recognize students as they leave for their externships.
• Opportunities to engage in research with faculty through a doctoral research project.
  • Students work with a committee of faculty on a project of interest and present their work at a symposium at the end of the third year.
  • Students have attended professional conferences to present their projects, network, and engage with the field.
• Developing Status award from ACAE and a Candidacy award from CAA.
  • Both pathways allow for greater opportunities for students pursuing careers in audiology.
• Diverse community to engage with in the Sacramento area.
  • In addition to the clinic, our Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) chapter volunteers in the campus and local community. To learn more about SAA, visit their website at the end of this page.

Our Faculty

For contact information and additional faculty listings, please visit the CSAD Meet Us Page.

Admissions and Application Instructions

Thank you for your interest in the Doctor of Audiology program at California State University, Sacramento! The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree is offered through the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSAD) in the College of Health and Human Services at Sacramento State. The Au.D. program is designed to prepare students for clinical practice in audiology. The program requires full-time study for 11 semesters (i.e., fall, spring, and summer). There is only one application cycle per year for the Au.D. program.

Information about admissions and the application process is provided below. Please read through the Admissions and Application Instruction page, linked in the table below, in its entirety before applying. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete application. Admission to the Au.D. program is determined by the Au.D. Program Admissions Committee.

Au.D. Doctoral Research Projects

In the second year of the program, students undertake a doctoral research project, which is an independent research study conducted by the student under the supervision of members of the faculty. Students work steadily on the projects across five semesters, culminating in a paper and presentation at the end of the third year. At this time, we celebrate the students completing their comprehensive exams, doctoral research projects, and pre-externship requirements with a white coat ceremony.

Current Doctoral Research Topics:

• Music based auditory training for people with cochlear implants
• Caregiver decision-making factors for choosing a spoken language over a signed language for their deaf and hard-of-hearing child
• Assessing the native speaker effect on speech perception
• Relationship between follow up appointments and hearing aid user satisfaction
• Usefulness of amplification among people with normal hearing and perceived hearing handicap
• Evaluating middle ear and cochlear status with high-frequency otoacoustic emissions
  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need to have taken physics or chemistry to apply to the Au.D. program?
   No, but you must have taken a course in a physical science. We strongly recommend physics to students deciding between physical science courses.
2. What if I don’t have the CSAD pre-requisites for applying to the Au.D. program?
   If you have a Bachelor’s in another field (i.e., a major other than CSAD) and wish to take the pre-requisites at CSUS, you can apply to the CSUS College of Continuing Education (CCE) program. The six CSAD-prefix courses are offered through this program.
3. Is advising for prospective students available?
   Yes. You can make an appointment for office hours by emailing the Au.D. Program Director, Laura Gaeta, Ph.D., or you can attend the information/advising sessions posted on the department calendar.
4. When should I take the GRE?
   The GRE is optional in the 2023-24 cycle. GRE scores must be reported by the application deadline. We recommend that students take the GRE in the summer before applying to the program to allow time for a retake (if necessary). Scores are valid for five years.
5. Do I need to have completed all of the pre-requisites before applying to the program?
   No, but all pre-requisites must be completed by the program start date. At the time of applying, you must indicate that pre-requisite completion is in progress and will be completed by program start date. Students who do not have pre-requisites completed at the time of application may be conditionally admitted to the program.
6. Do I need to have an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders?
   No, a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSAD) is not required, but you must have completed the pre-requisites listed on this webpage, including those in CSAD, before starting the program. We have many students who have degrees in other fields, and we value the diversity these experiences and backgrounds bring to the program.
7. How are applications evaluated?
   We consider all aspects of the application, including but not limited to:
   • academic performance and potential (e.g., pre-requisites, GPA, GRE scores, transcripts, written essays)
   • letters of recommendation
   • observation hours
   • related experiences (e.g., employment, pre-clinical courses, research, community service)
   • diversity (e.g., personal statement, essay, CV/resume, volunteer and/or work history)
   • interpersonal skills (e.g., personal statement, letters of recommendation)
   • clinical potential.
8. How are classes and clinics scheduled?
   The CSUS Au.D. program is designed so that the early semesters have more didactic classes than clinical coursework. Later in the program, this ratio changes to fewer didactic classes and more clinical coursework in order to prepare students for the full-time externship in the fourth year.
9. Does the program offer any specializations?
   The Au.D. is a generalist degree, meaning that students will learn about and gain experience in all areas of audiology. We have a wide range of classes and internships available so that students can explore all of these areas through coursework, clinical practica, and research projects. We can take student interests and goals into account when assigning clinical rotations as long as minimum requirements are still achieved. Our program partners with our interprofessional education center, so opportunities to learn from and work with students in other health fields are available and embedded within the curriculum.
10. Do I need to find clinical placements on my own?
    No. The program will coordinate off-campus clinical placements, including the externship year. Internship placements around the greater Sacramento area are assigned by the Clinical Education Coordinator. Students must apply and be accepted to an externship for the final year of the program.
11. What kinds of placements are available?
    For the first four semesters, students will complete rotations in our Maryjane Rees Language, Speech, and Hearing Center in Folsom Hall. In the second and third years, students will be enrolled in off-campus practica, such as private practices, medical centers/hospitals, and schools.
12. Is research a part of the program?
    Yes. Although the Au.D. is a clinical doctorate (i.e., it is not a Ph.D. or a research doctorate), research is incorporated in all courses and clinics through learning outcomes, assignments, and evidence-based practice. Students are also required to complete a doctoral research project starting in the second year and culminating in a paper and presentation in the third year. Each project is developed and supervised by a committee of faculty. Students will identify faculty as committee chairs and members based on their interests and the research interests of the faculty.
13. What support is available for students with disabilities?
    As part of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Au.D. program is committed to supporting all students. Students with a disability are encouraged to contact DAC (Disability Access Center) at the start of the Au.D. program.
14. Are there comprehensive exams?
    Yes. There are two exams that students must pass in order to continue in the program; CSAD 510 is a progress exam at the end of the first year, and CSAD 520 is a comprehensive exam near the end of the third year.
15. When does the externship begin?
    The externship begins in semester 9 and continues through semester 11. Students must complete all on-campus and degree requirements up to that point, including the comprehensive exam and defense of their doctoral research projects. A symposium and white coat ceremony is held at the end of semester 8 to recognize the milestone of completing these requirements and beginning the externship experience.
16. Is there a student organization?
    Yes! We have a chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) at CSUS. More information about SAA and its activities is available below.

17. Are there any requirements related to starting clinical practica?
    Yes, requirements to begin clinic in the first semester are outlined during admissions and clinic orientation. Internships and externships may have additional requirements.

18. Is there an on-campus clinic? Where are classes held?
    Yes. Classes and on-campus clinical practica are in Folsom Hall, which is located at 7667 Folsom Blvd.
    For more information and direction, please see the Maryjane Res Center-Audiology Clinic webpage.

19. What do students wear in the clinic?
    For on-campus clinic, students are required to wear black scrubs that have an embroidered CSUS Au.D. Program mark. For off-campus clinic, most sites request that students wear their CSUS scrubs or business casual attire.
20. What financial assistance is available?
    Information about financial aid can be found on the Sac State Financial Aid & Scholarships website. A limited number of assistantships are available for the 2023-24 cycle and will be offered at the time of admission. Au.D. students are also eligible for department scholarships available to Au.D. students. Current students have been successful in receiving scholarships from state and national organizations to support their studies.

Contact

Thank you for your interest in the Au.D. program at Sacramento State! If you would like to learn more about our program, please complete our online form to request more information.

If you would like to speak with the Program Director directly by phone, Zoom, or email, please contact Dr. Laura Gaeta at l.gaeta@csus.edu or 916-278-4701.