Audiology and Speech Pathology

A master's degree from an accredited speech-language pathology program is required to enter the field.
Forty-seven states require licensure or certification of speech pathologists and forty-one states require continuing education.
Obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
A passing score on the national examination and post-graduate supervised clinical experience are required for certification.
Some states may require additional certification to work with special education populations in public schools.
Medicaid, Medicare, and private health insurers require a practitioner to be licensed for reimbursement of fees.
Approximately one half of speech-language pathologists work in schools and another half are employed in healthcare institutions.
A doctorate is required for university teaching and research positions.
Speech pathologists may work closely with physicians, social workers, psychologists, and other therapists in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Supplement coursework with classes in anatomy, physiology, psychology, and personal communication.
Maintain a high grade point average and seek related experiences to be competitive for graduate school.

Prevention
Screening
Diagnosis
Assessment
Treatment Including:
- Dispense Hearing Aids
- Fit and Program Cochlear Implants
Follow-up
Administration
Supervision
Teaching
Research and Development

Most states require a Master's degree in audiology to be eligible for licensure. Eight states require a doctoral degree.
Doctoral degrees are becoming more crucial for clinical practice opportunities.
All fifty states require licensure or certification of audiologists to practice. Forty-one states require continuing education.
Most insurance companies require licensure for reimbursement of fees.
Twenty states require audiologists to have a Hearing Aid Dispenser license to dispense those devices. The other states accept an audiologist license.
Obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Certification is also offered through the Board of Audiology.
A passing score on the national examination and post-graduate supervised clinical experience are required for certification.
Doctoral degree required for university teaching and research positions.
Supplement coursework with classes in science, math, physics, genetics, and normal and abnormal communication development.
Learn to work well on a team as most audiologists collaborate with physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists.

Join the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association while in school.
Volunteer in a healthcare setting to gain experience working with people in all age groups.
Display a desire to help and work with people who have disabilities.
Patience is necessary as rehabilitation may progress slowly.
Develop excellent communication and computer skills.
Learn about communication among various cultures.
Earn excellent grades and obtain strong recommendations for graduate school admission.
Attend one of 230 universities accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

* Original content provided by The University of Tennessee