AuD Academic and Clinical Progression and Counseling Policies

Academic and Clinical Progression and Counseling Policies

Academic Counseling Criteria

The AuD curriculum is designed in a lock-step structure which is different in some ways from a traditional format. Students are required to take classes in a set schedule of semesters that are fixed at the start of the program. Unless they intend to withdraw or take a leave of absence from the program, students are not permitted to vary from this schedule.

Each term, the faculty will review students’ performance at mid-semester. If there are concerns about a student’s academic or clinical work, the student will receive a letter from the Program Director, instructing him or her to meet with the Instructor(s) to discuss the concerns and to determine what measures the student needs to take to return to good academic standing. Copies of all warning letters will be placed in the student’s file. (The TTUHSC SHP academic counseling policy can be accessed via: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/policies.aspx)

Length of Program

The program is designed as a four-year program. Different circumstances may prolong the program. In the case that a program is prolonged, the total length of the program will not exceed 6 years. Course credit will not be counted toward the graduation requirement if the course credit was obtained more than 6 years prior to the anticipated graduation date. In order to ensure the student has current knowledge related to the field at the time of graduation, such courses (credit obtained > 6 years prior to graduation) must be taken again for credit to meet graduation requirements. Clinical skills may also be affected and have to be demonstrated again, under this guideline. Students whose program exceeds 6 years due to medical leave may apply for exemption by requesting a review of knowledge and skills before the curriculum committee.

Clinical Progression

Clinic will consist of 4 different CATEGORIES OF PLACEMENTS:

Students will progress through each of the tracks as he/she proceeds through the audiology program.

Category 1: TTUHSC SLHC

Students will be assigned clinic at TTUHSC SLHC. *If a student has not obtained the required 15 hours of observation in audiology, they will need to be enrolled in HPSH 7321 (Clinical Observation) before enrolling in the first semester of clinical practicum. Students must meet all admissions requirements, including proof of immunizations, criminal background check, etc., prior to beginning their first clinical enrollment. These requirements must be maintained to be eligible for all future clinical placements, both internal and external.

Category 2: Local Externship

A student becomes eligible for a local externship placement based on completion of extern requirements as listed below. In addition, students may also be placed concurrently at TTUHSC SLHC. The earliest that a student can be eligible for this type of placement is Year 1 Summer.

Local Externship Eligibility:

1. Be in good academic standing. If a student is not in good academic standing at midterm or receives 2 or more course midterm letters for academic performance, a placement will not be sought until class averages are verified to be in good standing. This may delay the start of the student’s clinical externship and may result in a placement other than your requested site.
2. Completed a minimum of 50 contact hours at TTUHSC SLHC.
3. Obtains an overall rating of 1.8 on the Professional Attributes Rating Scale in the semester prior to extern and does not have any skill rated as inappropriate.
4. Meet the minimum criteria of “Developed” on 80% of the Audiological Evaluation skills from the Fundamental level evaluation.
5. Receives an average rating of at least “Developed” (4.0) during the Clinical Lab Practical at the end of the 1st year Spring semester.

Category 3: Full-time/Distant Extern Placement

A student becomes eligible for a full-time distant externship placement based on completion of externship requirements as listed below. The earliest a student can be placed in a distance externship is Year 2 Summer.

A full-time distance externship will include a placement that is typically outside of Lubbock, TX. Students will be required to attend the placement on a “full-time” or equivalent basis. Full-time is defined as at least 30 hours per week for 8 weeks. This placement typically takes place in Year 2 summer. Students may substitute a full-time summer placement for a placement 2 days per week during a long (i.e., fall and spring) semester if they are not able to complete a Year 2 summer placement. In addition, a placement in Lubbock or the surrounding area may be allowed if a site cannot be found in the student’s requested location or as needed on a case-by-case basis.

Distant Extern Eligibility:

1. Meet all requirements for a local externship placement
2. Completion of a local clinical externship with a minimum of 50 hours at a single site.
3. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 90% of the Audiological Evaluation skills from the Fundamental level evaluation.
4. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 80% of the Counseling skills from the Fundamental level evaluation. 
5. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 80% of the Amplification skills from the Intermediate level evaluation.
6. Obtain a grade of at least 80% on all grand rounds case reports.
7. Receives an average rating of at least “Developed” during the Clinical Lab Practical at the end of the Year 2 spring semester.
8. In addition to completing all TTUHSC requirements, students must comply with any additional requirements as set forth by their externship placement.

Category 4: Advanced Clinical Placement (4th Year)

The 4th year advanced clinical placement will take place in the student’s 4th year of enrollment. It must consist of at least the fall and spring semester enrollments, with the summer enrollment optional, depending on the requirements of the externship facility and the number of hours already obtained by the student.

Advanced Clinical Placement (4th year) Eligibility:

1. Be in good academic standing. If a student is not in good academic standing at midterm or receives 3 or more course midterm letters for academic performance, a placement will not be sought until class averages are verified to be in good standing. This may delay the start of the clinical externship and may result in a placement other than the requested site.
2. Completion of 7 enrollments in clinical placements
3. Completion of the following clinical placements:

1. TTUHSC SLHC - Must complete at least one semester at the TTUHSC SLHC in Year 3
2. Local Externship
3. Distance Externship

4. Completion of clinical placements at three different types of sites with at least one site having a medical focus
5. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 100% of Fundamental level skills
6. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 85% of Intermediate level skills
7. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 80% of the Balance skills from the Intermediate level evaluation
8. Obtain a rating of “Developed” on 60% of the Balance skills from the Advanced level evaluation
9. Obtain a minimum of 500 patient contact hours
10. Meet all minimum hour requirements in the individual hours categories
11. Successfully completed all academic coursework and comprehensive examinations
12. Must have met all Year 1 through Year 3 knowledge and skills associated with clinical practicum experience
13. Successfully completed the clinical research project

Credit by Examination

Courses in the Department of Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences may not be taken by examination.

Good Academic Standing

To remain in good academic standing, audiology graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate AuD program GPA of at least 3.000, achieve a grade of “C” or better in all coursework, and currently not be on academic probation as defined below.

Academic Probation

A graduate student will be placed on academic probation for one or more of the following:

1. failing to maintain a cumulative graduate AuD program GPA of 3.000
2. earning a semester graduate AuD program GPA of below 3.000
3. earning a grade of “D”, “F”, “fail”, or “no credit” in any course, including clinical enrollments
4. receiving a grade of “C” in 2 or more courses in a single semester
5. failing to meet the expectations set forth by the audiology curriculum committee in an individualized student support plan

Students on academic probation must complete academic remediation (see below).  Students on academic probation will not be allowed to be placed in a clinical setting outside of TTUHSC until they return to good academic standing. If a student is not in good academic standing at midterm or receives midterm warnings for 2 or more courses, an externship placement for the upcoming semester will not be assigned until grades are posted confirming that the student will not be on academic probation for that semester. This may delay the start of the clinical externship and may result in a placement other than the student’s requested site.

Graduate credit will be allowed for a course with a grade of “C” but the experience cannot be used to satisfy competencies for the knowledge and skills. Courses completed with a grade of “D” or below will not meet graduation requirements. For courses completed with a “D” or “F” (including “fail” or “no credit”), the course must be repeated at the next course offering. A course may be repeated only once. Failure to earn a “C” or better when the course is repeated will result in dismissal from the program. In addition, any clinical enrollment completed with a “D” or “F” (including “fail” or “no credit”) will result in loss of all clinical hours obtained during the semester and will not count toward departmental clock hour minimums. A student will not be allowed to graduate until all courses have been completed with a grade of “C” or above.

(Repeating a course does not replace the original grade. For the purpose of calculating graduate AuD program GPA, the grade obtained when a course is retaken is averaged with previous grades.)

As per the SHP policy on Academic Probation, students will be notified that they are being placed on academic probation in a letter generated by the Program Director.  Copies of the letter will be provided to the student, the Program Director, the Department Chair, and the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs.  (Policies of the School of Health Professions can be accessed through the following URL: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/policies.aspx)

Intervention for Students on Academic Probation

For students placed on academic probation, academic remediation plans will be developed by the course instructor and approved by the Program Director. The student should be aware that some remediation plans will delay the projected graduation date. Options for remediation as approved by the Program Director include but are not limited to:

1. Individual tutoring with a program faculty member.
2. Faculty-directed group or individual study.
3. Repeating clinical experiences/tracts.
4. Repeating course(s)*

*Repeating course(s) is the only option for students on academic probation for receiving a “D” or “F” (including “fail” or “no credit”). A course may be repeated only once. Failure to earn a “C” or better when the course is repeated will result in dismissal from the program.

Routine follow-up counseling with the student will be scheduled to assess and document the progress and outcome of the remediation plan. All meetings with the student regarding remediation must be documented by the faculty member(s) involved, including the student’s understanding of the problem, willingness to cooperate, and compliance with the plan.

Dismissal

A graduate student may be dismissed from the program for one or more of the following:

1. failing to obtain a graduate AuD program GPA of 3.000 upon completion of probationary period(s)
2. failing to successfully complete remediation as documented in the remediation plan
3. failing to earn a grade of “C” or better when repeating a course or clinical enrollment in which the student previously earned a grade of “D” or “F”
4. failing audiology comprehensive exit examination remediation (see the AuD Comprehensive Exam)
5. violating the academic and/or non-academic misconduct policies of the School of Health Professions.
6. meeting the conditions that would result in academic probation a third time (i.e., students may be placed on academic probation for a maximum of two semesters during their graduate program).
7. receiving two grades of “D” or “F” (including clinical enrollments) in one academic semester 
8. receiving two grades of “D” or “F” (including clinical enrollments) over the course of the program (receiving the second grade of “D” or “F” in either consecutive or non-consecutive semesters will result in dismissal)

If a student’s semester and/or cumulative graduate AuD program GPA falls below 3.000 or if the student is placed on academic probation for the final semester prior to being cleared for the fourth-year placement, the student’s fourth-year externship (and subsequently, graduation) will be delayed.

As per the SHP policy on Academic Dismissal (see https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/policies.aspx), students will receive an Intent to Dismiss notification from the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. The policy delineates the student’s right to appeal the dismissal.

A student who has been academically dismissed from the AuD program is ineligible for readmission to the program.