DOCTOR OF AUDIOLOGY (AU.D.) PROGRAM

POLICY HANDBOOK

Towson University

Towson, MD

2

Fall 2012

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Pre-requisite Courses 4

II. Program of Study 5

IIa. Program of Study Supplement

6

III. Sample Progress Sheet 7

IV. Expectations of a Doctor of Audiology Student

oAudiology Basic Skills Assessment (ABSA)oAudiology Writing Assessment (AWA)oFormative Assessment of Clinical Skills (FACS)oAudiology Gateway Examination (AGE)oAudiology Formative Skills Assessment (AFSA)oAudiology Doctoral ThesisoStudent Acknowledgement of Assessment System

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V. Audiology Writing Assessment

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VI Formative Assessment of Clinical Skills (FACS)

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VII. Student Criminal Background Check Policy for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Students

oAppendix A: College of Health Professions Student Policies and Procedure

oAppendix B: College of Health Professions Criminal Background Check Student Rights and Responsibilities

oAppendix C: Agreement, Waiver, Hold Harmless and Covenant not to sue

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VIII. Guidelines for Preparing the Audiology Doctoral Thesis

oGeneral GuidelinesoAudiology Doctoral Thesis ExpectationsoOverview; Steps in the Thesis ProcessoAudiology Doctoral Thesis Proposal Format oAu.D. Thesis Deadlines; Thesis Forms

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IX. Doctoral Thesis Topics 36

X. Miscellaneous Forms oStudent Notification of Staffing FormoRequest for Audiology Clinical Externship Form oStudent Externship Contract Form

42

XI. Audiology Faculty Members

47

4

XII. Au.D. Program Accreditation & Appeals

48

XIII. Intellectual Property Form related to Audiology Doctoral Thesis

XIV. Documentation that Au.D. Student has read the Doctor of Audiology Policy Document and asked any questions related to this document.

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5

PRE-REQUISITE COURSES

PRE-REQUISITE COURSES

Life Science (e.g. Biology) 3-4 credits Physical Science (e.g. Chemistry, Physics) 3-4 credits Social Science (e.g. Psychology, Sociology) 3 credits Mathematics 3 credits Behavioral Statistics 3-4 credits Phonetics (may be taken during Au.D. program) 3 credits Language Development (may be taken during Au.D. program) 3 credits

Students may enter the program with up to 3 missing courses. Some courses must be completed as pre-requisites to specific Au.D. courses (see graduate catalog). All pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to approval for externship.

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PROGRAM OF STUDYYR SEM COURSE NAME COURSE # CR CR tot (99) Assessment

Year

1

Fall

Anatomy & Physiology I: Peripheral ACSD 603 3

12

ABSA (9/21/12)

AWA (9/21/12)

FACS 1 (Dec.)

Hearing Aids I ACSD 655 2

Auditory Diagnostics I ACSD 621 3

Auditory Diagnostics I LAB ACSD 622 1

Acoustics & Psychoacoustics ACSD 611 2

Professionalism & Ethics ACSD 601 1

Sprin

g

Anatomy & Physiology II: Central ACSD 604 2

12 FACS 2 (May)

Hearing Aids II ACSD 755 3

Auditory Diagnostics II ACSD 721 3

Genetics in Audiology ACSD 607 1

On campus clinic I ACSD 690 3

Sum Calibration ACSD 731 1

4 FACS 3 (July)On campus Clinic II ACSD 745 3

Year

2

Fall

Hearing Aids III ACSD 855 3

12 Gateway (Nov, 2013)

FACS 4 (Dec.)

Electrophysiology Peripheral ACSD 743 3Research Methods in Audiology ACSD 714 2

On campus clinic III ACSD 746 3

Counseling in Audiology 1 ACSD 605 1

Sprin

g

Medical Audiology ACSD 723 2

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Submit thesis committee form

(deadline: 5/10/13)

Thesis Proposal Development 1 ACSD 796 2

Electrophysiology: Central ACSD 744 3

Off campus clinic I ACSD 747 2

Pediatrics & Educational Audiology ACSD 753 3

Sum

mer Off campus clinic II ACSD 748 2

5Audiology Practice Management ACSD 706 2

Hearing Conservation ACSD 751 1

Year

3

Fall

Vestibular Assessment & Rehab. ACSD 843 3

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Thesis proposal defense

(deadline: 11/1/13) Submit IRB (deadline:

12/2013)

Cochlear Implants ACSD 853 3

Off campus Clinic III ACSD 847 2

Thesis Proposal Development 2 ACSD 797 2Statistics ACSD 636 2

Spr

ing

Tinnitus ACSD 844 1

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Thesis defense (deadline: First Friday in

May, 2014)

SLP hours (20 hrs) (deadline: 5/2/14)

Counseling in Audiology 2 ACSD 705 1

Pharmacology in Audiology ACSD 606 1

Off campus Clinic IV ACSD 848 2

Audiology Doctoral Thesis ACSD 898 3

Vestibular diagnosis/treatment lab ACSD 845 1

Communication & Aging ACSD 645 3

Year

4 SumAudiology Clinical Externship (48 wks total) ACSD 998

618 AFSA (May, 2015)Fall 6

Sp 6

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Program of Study Supplement

Please note the following program requirements.

Students who must repeat a class (due to a grade of “C” “F” or a withdrawal “W”) will need to adjust their program of study to accommodate potential conflicts between repeated courses and required courses for subsequent semesters. The audiology course schedule will not be adjusted to accommodate students who need to repeat courses.

All coursework and thesis requirements must be completed before students are permitted to take audiology externship.

Students are expected to enroll in clinic during every semester of their doctoral program, regardless of program of study adjustments due to didactic, thesis, and assessment requirements. At a minimum, all students are required to complete off campus clinic rotations and earn a grade of B or better during the two semesters immediately preceding externship.

Students may not take a course external to the university except in rare and compelling circumstances approved in advance by the program director. If a student has taken a required Au.D. course at Towson University and has received a grade of “C” “F” or “W”, this course cannot be taken external to Towson University.

A student who earns a grade of “F” during their first semester is not eligible for clinical practicum. If the student is eligible to continue in the program, the student must repeat the course, successfully, to be eligible for clinical practicum.

A student who earns 3 or more C grades during the first semester is not eligible for clinical practicum. If the student is eligible to continue in the program, the student must repeat courses until no more than 2 C grades remain on the transcript to be eligible for clinical practicum.

Students may not graduate with more than two grades of “C” on their final transcript. Students are permitted to repeat up to two courses to replace these lower grades.

Academic Warning: Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.0 throughout the Au.D. program. If a student earns a cumulative GPA of < 3.0, then he/she is placed on academic warning, and the student must raise their GPA to ≥ 3.0 within the next 9 credits taken in the program. Failure to do this will result in immediate dismissal from the Au.D. program.

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SAMPLE PROGRESS SHEET

Academic SummaryDate (January or June)

Student Name

Overall GPA: 3.7 (Good academic standing)

PROGRAM OF STUDYPre-requisites: CompletedAu.D. courses: Following POS as required.Notes:

CLINIC

Clock Hours:918.1 as of 05/20/11 (see clock hour summary for required hours)

SLP hours (20 required)20 SLP hours required (These SLP hours MUST be completed prior to students starting their 4th year externship).

THESISThesis proposal: CompletedThesis defense: CompletedThesis submitted to CGSR: Completed

ASSESSMENTABSA: PassWriting: PassFACS I: PassFACS II: PassFACS III: PassFACS IV: PassGateway: PassAFSA Must achieve ratings of 4-5 for all skills prior to graduationPraxis* Future*The Praxis exam must be completed for ASHA certification & licensure in most states; however, it is not a graduation requirement.

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EXPECTATIONS OF A DOCTOR OF AUDIOLOGY STUDENT

FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT SUMMARYWelcome to Towson University. You are beginning a 4-year journey in which you will be provided with all the opportunities necessary to help you become a Doctor of Audiology. This program is designed around a core of didactic and clinical courses that will expose you to the entire scope of practice in Audiology. Education is a shared responsibility between the program and student. Au.D. students are expected to display a desire to learn that does not focus simply on the requirements of each course, but that is focused on excellence in individual achievement and maximizing potential. In addition to completing didactic and clinical course work, you must progress successfully through a series of formative and summative assessments. The following is a summary of the required components of the program that will allow us to track your progress.

ASSESSMENT FORMAT DISTRIBUTION DATE DUE DATEAudiology Basic Skills Assessment (ABSA) Take home examination New student orientation 3rd Friday in

SeptemberAudiology Writing Assessment (AWA) Take home examination New student orientation 3rd Friday in

September

Formative Assessment of Clinical Skills

(FACS)Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4

Exam available in Audiology Clinic

Manual.

Administered between mid-term and final exam period in

clinic semesters 1-4

End of semester: 1st fall (1),

1st spring (2), 1st summer (3), and 2nd fall (4).

Audiology Gateway Examination

(AGE)

Timed essay examination with

oral defense

Written assessment: Regular program of study: First or

second week in November (2nd

fall). Alternate program of study:

Spring assessment date: 1st or 2nd Week in April.

Summer assessment date: 1st Week in August.

Oral assessment:Following written assessment

(times will be posted)

Written assessment portion: 2-hour

examinationOral portion: 15+ minute follow up

question/answer exam with panel of faculty

on same day as written exam

Audiology Formative Skills Assessment

(AFSA)

Checklist completed by clinical supervisors,

Clinical Administrator, and Program Director

Assessment at the end of each semester of clinical practicum.

Student reviews the assessment with the clinical supervisor at

the end of each semester.

Audiology Doctoral Thesis

Thesis completed By student

See Audiology Doctoral Thesis Guidelines

See Audiology Doctoral Thesis Guidelines and

College of Graduate Studies and Research

Thesis Guidelines

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AUDIOLOGY BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT (ABSA)

A. This examination is presented in a take-home format. Students receive the examination during orientation and will be expected to complete it during the beginning of the fall semester. The ABSA is due to the Audiology Graduate Program Director on the third Friday in September. Questions are focused on the content presented in pre-requisite courses. The objectives are:

i. To emphasize the knowledge base obtained from pre-requisite courses,ii. To refresh student’s memory in these areas,

iii. To expose students to resources from the myriad fields necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the profession,

iv. To meet national accreditation recommendations for formative assessment of basic skills, and

v. To confirm each student is able to locate resources necessary to answer basic questions.

B. The completed examination is submitted to the Audiology Graduate Program Director on the third Friday in September.

C. A passing score is 90%.

D. Results are disseminated to students in writing by the second Friday in October.

E. Students who do not pass the examination must meet with the Audiology Graduate Program Director to initiate mentored independent study activities. A re-examination will be scheduled during the second semester.

F. Passing the examination is a requirement of the degree program. Two attempts will be allowed. Any student who does not pass this examination in two attempts will be dismissed from the program.

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AUDIOLOGY WRITING ASSESSMENT (AWA)

A. This examination is presented in a take-home format. Students receive the examination and a copy of the grading rubric during orientation. The examination requires the student to read published material and write a 2-page summary. The objectives are:

i. To determine if students can accurately analyze and synthesize the information from 2-3 published studies,

ii. To determine if students can write using APA style including attention to organization, accuracy, clarity, and mechanics

iii. To identify writing weaknesses in order to provide targeted opportunities for learning, and

iv. To meet national accreditation standards for formative assessment of writing

B. The examination is due to the Audiology Graduate Program Director by the 3rd Friday in September.

C. The examination score is based on a grading rubric comprised of 20 points. 15/20 or above is considered a passing score by an individual examiner; however, a passing score is required by two examiners. Grading procedures are as follows: Two faculty members will evaluate each essay. All identifying information will be removed from each essay prior to distribution. If both evaluators assign a passing grade, the student will pass. If both evaluators assign a failing grade, the student will fail. If one grader gives a failing grade and one gives a passing grade, a third reader will evaluate the essay. The essay will pass or fail based on the majority (PPF or FFP) rating.

D. Results are disseminated to students in writing by the second Friday in October.i. Students who fail the assessment must meet with the Audiology

Graduate Program Director to initiate mentored independent study activities. A minimum of 10 mentoring sessions is required during the first year. Additional requirements may include use of the writing lab for all writing assignments and/or the addition of a writing class to the individual program of study. Subsequent mentoring requirements will be determined based on individual achievement.

ii. The student must re-take the writing assessment the following fall with the incoming class. Passing this assessment is a requirement for graduation.

iii. If a student fails this assessment and refuses to comply with the mentoring program developed by the audiology graduate program director, this is grounds for dismissal from the program.

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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL SKILLS (FACS): Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4

A. This 4-part examination is administered by audiology clinical supervisors between mid-term and the end of the semester for the first four semesters (if following normal program of study) as follows:

Part 1: Basic Diagnostics – Fall of 1st yearPart 2: Masking, Tympanometry, and Acoustic Reflex Thresholds – Spring

of 1st year Part 3: Amplification – Summer of 1st yearPart 4: Special Audiological Tests – Fall of 2nd year.

A copy of each examination is located in the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) student clinic manual. Students are expected to practice the skills listed on this examination throughout the year with the guidance of clinical supervisors and professors. Students are also expected to be able to independently answer the oral questions which accompany each portion of the FACS. The objectives of this examination are:

i. To confirm students are able to independently perform the technical skills necessary to advance to off campus clinic.

ii. To meet national accreditation requirements for formative assessment of clinical skills.

B. Students must perform the skills in this examination with 100% accuracy.

C. Results are disseminated to students immediately following the examination.

D. Passing all portions of this examination is a requirement to proceed to off-campus clinical practicum. It is also a degree requirement.

E. Students will be allowed three attempts to pass each examination. Failure to pass any of the examinations by the third attempt will result in dismissal from the program. Failure to pass all four examinations at the conclusion of the third semester following the first administration of the 4th part will result in dismissal from the program.

F. All portions of the FACS are formal assessments. For portions 1, 2 and 4, students will be assigned a specific time block during final exam week, in which they will be tested on these skills. The skills which need to be satisfied in order to pass the FACS 3 can be checked off by clinical supervisors as they are completed with 100% independence, starting in the middle of the semester after they take the FACS 2.  All portions of the FACS include questions that accompany each of the skill sets, which will need to be answered orally and should reference current literature.

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AUDIOLOGY GATEWAY EXAMINATION (AGE)

A. The Audiology Graduate Program Director administers this two-part examination during the semester immediately prior to the first scheduled off-campus rotation (usually, 2nd fall). The first part is an essay examination that requires students to examine case history, diagnostic, and hearing aid information for eight fictional audiology patients in four topic areas: basic audiology, hearing aids, electrophysiology, and auditory processing). The Gateway Examination usually takes place during the first or second week in November, and if needed, the first or second week in April. The written examination is usually held from 8:00-10:00AM, but the dates and times may change, based on the course and clinic schedule. The second part of this examination is an oral follow up examination. Students will be asked to elaborate or clarify written examination answers or to answer a completely new question(s) within that related area. The oral examination will be administered by a panel of audiology faculty members immediately following the written examination (the schedule will be distributed to students in advance of the examination). In preparation for this two-part examination, students are expected to review all course notes and practice case examples using a variety of resources. The objectives of this examination are:

i. To confirm students are able to perform basic audiologic diagnostic and treatment interpretation skills necessary to advance to off campus rotations.

ii. To meet national accreditation requirements for formative assessment of clinical skills

B. Student must achieve 80% or better on each question on the examination in order to pass the exam. Portions include: hearing aids, basic diagnostics, electrophysiology and auditory processing. The number of questions in each section will vary. The Audiology Graduate Program Director disseminates results to students in writing within two weeks of the oral portion of the examination.

C. Students who do not achieve 80% or higher on any question(s) for the initial written plus oral examination, will have a rebuttal attempt to address the

specific area(s) they had difficulty on. This rebuttal attempt will only consist of a written examination and will take place within one week after the initial results have been disseminated. Students will be allowed a maximum of 2 hours to complete the rebuttal examination, regardless of the number of questions. This rebuttal examination will consist of new written questions in the related areas of difficulty.

Passing this examination is a requirement to proceed to off-campus clinical rotations. If students do not achieve a minimum of 80% for each question on the Gateway, based on the results of their initial gateway exam and the rebuttal exam, then these students will register for audiology on-campus clinic for the following semester to address these areas of difficulty. Toward the end of this semester, the student will retake the entire gateway exam (all four sections). This second gateway examination will consist of written questions and an oral examination. Both the written and oral portions of this examination will occur on the same day.

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C. Passing this examination is a degree requirement.

D. Students will be allowed to take the complete AGE (written & oral portions) a maximum of two times. If a student does not achieve 80% on each question on this second examination, then that student will be dismissed from the Au.D. program.

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AUDIOLOGY FORMATIVE SKILLS ASSESSMENT (AFSA)

A. This clinical skill checklist is completed by clinical supervisors at the end of each clinical practicum to evaluate student competency for independent provision of services across the scope of practice in audiology. Supervisors, the Audiology Clinic Administrator, and/or the Audiology Graduate Program Director will assess these skills. The objectives are:

i. To determine that students can perform independently the skills required for entry into the profession of Audiology.

ii. To meet national accreditation requirements for formative and summative assessment of clinical skills.

B. Students need to be aware of their progress on all of these clinical skills and be advised that in the event that they have not achieved a 4 or 5 on any skill before entering their 4th year externship, they will be required to demonstrate their ability to do so, with a given professor/s and/or clinical director/s, should their externship not offer the services needed to be able to demonstrate these skills before graduation.

C. Students must achieve a rating of 4-5 on all clinical skills to graduate from the Au.D. program. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have achieved or will be able to achieve ratings of 4-5 in all areas of the AFSA prior to graduation.

D. A copy of this examination is provided in the Audiology Clinic Manual and reviewed by the Audiology Clinic Administrator during new student orientation.

E. A summary of the AFSA scores will be provided to each student following each semester of on and off-campus clinical practicum.

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AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS

A. Students must complete an Audiology Doctoral Thesis following a format specified by the American Psychological Association (e.g. using APA style), the Audiology Doctoral Thesis Proposal Guidelines of the Department of ASLD, and the Thesis Guidelines of the Towson University College of Graduate Education and Research. Completion of the thesis is expected to take three semesters. Students will register for Audiology Doctoral Thesis I (2), Audiology Doctoral Thesis II (2), and Audiology Doctoral Thesis (3) for a total of 7 credits. If the thesis is not completed and submitted to the graduate school by the deadlines established by the graduate school at the end of the semester in which the student has enrolled in Audiology Doctoral Thesis, the student must enroll in Audiology Doctoral Thesis Continuum (1-3) each regular semester* until the thesis has been submitted. Continuum credits are over and above the required credits in the program of study. Students will enroll in 3 credits if the thesis has not been successfully defended and 1 credit if successfully defended, but not completed. (*If the final thesis will be submitted to the graduate school during the summer or the student will be working with the thesis advisor on the thesis, then the student must register for summer continuum credits. If the thesis will be submitted in the regular semester and the student will be working independently during the summer, then summer thesis credits are not required).

B. The objectives of the audiology doctoral thesis are:i. To determine if students can conduct a literature review including locating

appropriate resources, reading and analyzing the literature, appropriately synthesizing information in the review of literature, and providing an adequate rationale for the thesis.

ii. To determine if students can write in a clear, organized, and professional manner following guidelines provided by the Audiology program, thesis committee, the Towson University College of Graduate Studies and Research, and the most current version of American Psychological Association (APA).

iii. To determine if students can plan and conduct a thesis-quality project, including demonstrating independence in data collection, the ability to analyze data (under the direction of a mentor), and the ability to clearly organize and convey the results of the study.

iv. To meet national accreditation standards for summative assessment of writing.

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Student Acknowledgement of Formative/Summative Assessment System

I _______________________________ have read the Formative and Summative Assessment Summary for the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program at Towson University. I have been given the opportunity to ask questions about the program requirements by the Au.D. program director. I understand that I must pass all of the requirements as specified, in addition to following the required program of study for the Au.D. program.

_____________________________ ____________________________Student signature/date Program director signature/date

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AUDIOLOGY WRITING ASSESSMENT (AWA)

Your task is to read assigned audiology-related articles and write a paper that summarizes and synthesizes the main points of the articles into one paper. The paper is to be computer printed (12-point, standard Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, double spaced) and no more than two pages in length. You are expected to use citations when needed and should apply the current version of the APA (American Psychological Association)guidelines regarding writing style. You do not need to write out a reference list at the end of the paper. The papers will be graded by audiology faculty members using the attached grading rubric and scoring criteria. Any paper longer than the two-page limit will automatically receive a failing score. Any paper that includes plagiarism will automatically receive a failing score. Please submit two copies, each stapled to a grading rubric, with only your student ID number on the rubric. Do not include your name on the paper.

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Content

(5 points)

Content was clear All articles were

discussed Relevant facts were

included and irrelevant facts were left out.

Paper was unified Good summarization

of information

(5)

Content was clearBUT (at least one of the following):

Some relevant facts were missing

Irrelevant facts were included

1 of the articles was not discussed

(4)

Most content was clear

OR (at least two of the following):

Some relevant facts were missing

Irrelevant facts were included

1 of the articles was not discussed

Poor summarization of information

(3)

Content was not clear

OR (at least three of the following)

Some relevant facts were missing

Irrelevant facts were included

1 of the articles was not discussed

Poor summarization of information

(2)

Organization

(5 points)

Organization was clear

There were clear topic sentences and transitions.

Information was presented in a logical manner

Information from the articles was integrated well.

(5)

One of the following:

Some topic sentences and transitions were missing.

Some information was not presented logically

Some information from the articles was not well integrated

(4)

Two of the following

Some topic sentences and transitions were missing.

Some information was not presented logically

Some information from the articles was not well integrated.

(3)

Any of the following:

Organization was confusing and lacked focus

Topic sentences and transitions are not clear or are missing

Integration of information is lacking

(2)

Writing Style

(5 points)

Tone is professional, vocabulary and syntax are mature and writing style contributes to the clarity of the paper

(5)

Syntax or vocabulary is at times complex, awkward, or filled with jargon, which reduces clarity.

OR Words are

sometimes used incorrectly, are missing, or redundant

(4)

Syntax or vocabulary is frequently complex, awkward, or filled with jargon which reduces clarity

OR Words are

frequently used incorrectly, are missing, or redundant.

(3)

Writing style makes it difficult to read and understand the paper

(2)

Writing Use and

Mechanics

(5 points)

The paper is free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

(5)

Minimal spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors, which do not significantly distract from the paper.(4)

Frequent spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors, which are distracting

(3)

Frequent errors in writing mechanics significantly reduce the clarity of writing.

(2)Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology, and Deaf Studies

Au.D. Writing Assessment Grading Rubric

Student Number: Faculty Evaluator Name:

TOTAL POINTS (of 20):

Comments:

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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL SKILLS (FACS)

The Formative Assessment of Clinical Skills (FACS) consists of four portionso Portion One: Basic Diagnosticso Portion Two: Masking and Immittanceo Portion Three: Amplificationo Portion Four: Special Tests (ABR, APD, OAE)

These examinations are provided for Au.D. students in the Audiology Clinic Manual.

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STUDENT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK POLICY FOR AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY STUDENTS

Students enrolled in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology programs in the Department of Audiology, Speech–Language Pathology and Deaf Studies will complete multiple clinical experiences and academic coursework as part of their academic program. The following policy is in effect for students enrolled in either program and is consistent with the College of Health Professions Student Policies and Procedures (Appendix A).

A) On-campus Clinical Practicum. The Towson University Speech, Language & Hearing Center provides a full range of audiological and speech-language services. Students will complete two or more clinical practicum experiences in the on-campus center under the supervision of certified and licensed speech-language pathologists or audiologists. The practicum experience can involve undergraduate Seniors, Masters students in Speech- Language Pathology, or Clinical Doctorate students enrolled in the Au.D. program, who participate in direct client contact. Prior to initiating enrollment in clinical practicum, a student must submit a signed copy of the College of Health Professions Criminal Background Check Student Rights and Responsibilities (Appendix B) to either the Departmental Chair (undergraduate students) or appropriate Program Director (graduate students). Completion of a criminal background check is required prior to starting the internship, as described by the College of Health Professions Student Criminal Background Check: Policies, Procedures & Instructions (http://www.towson.edu/chp/backgroundcheck/index.asp). The State of Maryland Application for Criminal History Record Check and Disclosure Statement Criminal Background Check must be completed for the State of Maryland and processed via the CJIS-Central Repository in Pikesville, MD. The results must be forwarded to the Director, Center for Professional Practices (CPP), Towson University. The CPP will notify the appropriate Program and/or Clinic Director of any finding regarding a student’s criminal background check. Upon such notification, a committee consisting of the Departmental Chair, appropriate Program Director and Clinic Director (e.g. Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology) , and a representative of the Dean will convene to determine the student’s eligibility for clinical practicum on a case by case basis. Undergraduate students have the right to an appeal process through the Policy on Judicial Procedures as outlined in the current Undergraduate Catalog (2009-2009, p. 290-291). Graduate students have the right to an appeal process as described in Appendix E of the 2008-2009 Graduate Catalog. It is not the role of the departmental committee to retry a case or second-guess the criminal justice system. It is the role of the departmental committee to use conviction histories in decision-making regarding competence, conduct, moral turpitude, seriousness of the crime (misdemeanor vs. felony), eligibility for future licensure, and safety of the client and other students. A determination will be made regarding the student’s clearance to work in the center and/or to continue academic coursework.

a. If a student is charged with a criminal offense while completing a clinical practicum experience, the Departmental committee will convene to review the evidence and determine if any action should be taken prior to any court decision. The committee will follow the guidelines (as described above) to determine if the student can continue in their clinical practicum and/or coursework until the court ruling.

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B) Off-Campus Clinical Practicum. The practicum experience takes place at affiliated sites i.e., schools, nursing homes, hospitals, private practices, and medical offices. This practicum experience involves students who have completed the On-Campus practicum experience and are eligible for Off-Campus practicums. They are supervised by certified and licensed speech-language pathologists or audiologists who are employees of the facility. For the off-campus practicum, a criminal background check is required and must comply with the procedures stated by the host agency (see College of Health Professions website regarding Policies and Procedures for description of the various Criminal Background Checks, and consequences of negative findings : http://www.towson.edu/chp/backgroundcheck/index.asp

All students who discuss issues in regards to a criminal background check must sign a Release of Liability (see Appendix C). For more information on the policies of the College of Health Professions in regards to criminal background checks, please visit: http://www.towson.edu/chp/backgroundcheck/index.asp

If you have any questions please contact us.

Dr. Karen FallonSLP Program DirectorDepartment of Audiology, Speech Language Pathology and Deaf Studies410- 704- 2449kfallon@towson.edu

Dr. Peggy KorczakAu.D. Program DirectorDepartment of Audiology, Speech Language Pathology and Deaf Studies410- 704- 5903pkorczak@towson.edu

College of Health Professions AdmissionsCoordinator410-704-2653

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APPENDIX A: COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

1) Each placement site develops its own eligibility standards for student participation in the setting. A finding on a student’s criminal background check may yield a rejection from some sites,

but may not yield a rejection from other sites. The student can inquire about the reason for rejection from the site.

If a placement site rejects a student for placement, and the student believes the rejection is due to inaccurate findings by the vendor, the student may appeal the review findings to the vendor, who will follow applicable appeals procedures.

2) A student rejected from a site must meet with his/her academic placement coordinator prior to being placed in a second setting. Criminal background check results are confidential and the results are not shared with the

school. The coordinator will review the procedures with the student to determine the possible next

placement.3) Following a rejection from a site based on criminal background check results, Towson University

will attempt to place a student in another fieldwork site that also requires a criminal background check. Towson University will notify the second site that the student was considered ineligible at

the first site as a result of his/her criminal background check.4) Towson University will not assign placement sites to students on the basis of the sites’

requirements for criminal background checks. Some students may be required to obtain background checks and others may not; some sites

may require drug testing or fingerprinting and others may not. Site assignments will be based on a number of factors including availability, type of

experience needed, and student interest. Students are responsible for incurring the expenses involved with all levels of background

checks. Costs typically average between $48 and $62. Fingerprinting, drug testing, and search of additional names or places of residence may incur

additional costs. It is anticipated that the background check requirement will grow increasingly common in

health care and other settings.5) Students who are rejected from two placement sites on the basis of their criminal background

checks will be considered to be unable to complete program requirements and may be dismissed from their programs. Students dismissed from one program in the College of Health Professions may not enroll in

another program within the College. Students are strongly encouraged to consider the ramifications resulting from any negative

findings on their criminal background checks when they select a career in health care or education.

Students have the right to an appeals process through the Policy on Judicial Procedures as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009 pp, 290-291.

6) Once students have been assigned to a placement site that requires a criminal background check, they must obtain that check no less than 21 days prior to the start of the placement. Students who maintain continuous enrollment will generally not be required to obtain more

than one background check during their tenure in the program.

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Some placement sites may require more extensive background checking than others, which may necessitate additional work on the part of the student.

7) Although the College of Health Professions will make reasonable efforts to maintain updated files of the requirements of all placement sites, the student is responsible for contacting the site and verifying the need for a criminal background check.

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APPENDIX B: COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKSTUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This form must be signed, dated, and returned to your Program Director prior to beginning course work in the College of Health Professions.

The various College of Health Professions programs require that students successfully complete clinical courses/internships. These courses are generally offered at off-campus sites, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, or other settings that are not part of the university. These sites may require that you disclose whether you have a criminal record or that you submit to a criminal background investigation as a condition of your participation in the clinical internship experience.

Depending on your clinical placement, you may therefore be required to complete a criminal background check, at your own expense. The university shall have no obligation either to refund your tuition or to otherwise accommodate you in the event your criminal record renders you ineligible to complete required clinical courses/internships.

In addition, upon completion or graduation from various programs, you may be required by state law to sit for certification exams or licensure which will allow you to practice your selected profession. At that time, you may be required to release your criminal record or have a criminal background check completed prior to sitting for the exam or prior to receiving a license to practice. A licensing board or agency is generally permitted to deny a license or to revoke or suspend a license or to reprimand a licensee if the applicant or licensee is convicted or has pled guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or other specified crimes. In the event you have a criminal record, the university urges that you make a timely inquiry of the applicable state licensing authority to determine the effects, if any, of your criminal record on eligibility for licensure or certification. Towson University shall have no obligation either to refund your tuition or to otherwise accommodate you in the event your criminal record renders you ineligible to complete certification exams or to receive licenses.

Towson University does not require a student to undergo a criminal background check. Any criminal background check completed is a voluntary action taken by the student, and any resulting information disseminated will be between the individual student and the clinical/internship placement site’s coordinator, or in the case of licensure, between the student and a certification board. If a student takes part in an on-campus placement, they are considered an employee of Towson University and they will be required to have a background check completed. If a student attends an off-campus placement in an educational setting where children are present, they will then be required, by that school or school district, to have a criminal background check completed.

“I acknowledge that I have read the above three paragraphs relating to the possible consequence of having a criminal record, that I understand the effects a criminal record may have upon my eligibility to complete the requirements of my major, sit for a certification exam, and obtain licensure.”

___________________________________Signature DateRevised 4/17/07

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APPENDIX C: AGREEMENT, WAIVER, HOLD HARMLESS AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE

Name (printed or typed): ________________________________________________________________

Notice: This Agreement is a contract with legal consequences. Read it carefully before signing!

In consideration of receiving the most full and complete advice possible with respect to my potential future as a (licensed) health professional, I have voluntarily chosen to disclose to ______________________ __________________________________ (“Instructor”) the results of a criminal background check performed on me. I understand and acknowledge that Instructor may be required by law, or by the policies and/or practices of the University System of Maryland, Towson University or College of Health Professions to disclose this information to others (for example, in accordance with the Towson University College of Health Professions Policies and Procedures in the College’s manual “Student Criminal Background Check: Policies, Procedures and Instructions.”)

I understand and expressly assume all the risks and dangers of my disclosure of this information, and I hereby release, waive, discharge, and covenant not to sue Towson University, the University System of Maryland, the State of Maryland, and their officers, agents, servants, and employees (collectively, the “Releasees”) from all liability, claims, demands, actions, or causes of action whatsoever arising out of any damages, loss, or injury to me resulting from my disclosure of this information or from the Releasees’ re-disclosure of this information, pursuant to law or policy as described above. I hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Releasees from any loss, liability, damage, or costs, including court costs and attorneys’ fees, that they may incur due to my disclosure, or Releasees’ re-disclosure, of such information.

I agree, for myself and my successors, that the above representations and agreements are contractually binding, and are not mere recitals. I agree that my failure or refusal to sign such agreements or releases shall in no way affect the validity of this Agreement, nor revoke or cancel any of the terms of this Agreement. I or any of my successors shall be liable for the expenses (including legal fees) incurred by the party or parties in defending against such claim or suit. This Agreement shall not be modified orally.

I have carefully read this form and fully understand its contents. I am aware that this is a release of liability, a waiver of claims, an agreement not to sue, an indemnity, and a contract between myself and Towson University and for the benefit of others described herein, I sign it of my own free will.

PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF A MINOR: I, as parent or guardian of the above named minor, hereby give my permission for my child or ward to disclose the above referenced information, and further agree, individually and on behalf of my child or ward, to the terms of the above.

Student’s signature: ____________________________________________________________________

Date: _________

Parent’s or guardian’s signature if student is under 18: __________________________________________

Date: _________

Signature of witness: _____________________________________________________________________

Date: _________

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GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING THE AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Audiology doctoral students are required to complete an Audiology Doctoral Thesis as part of the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree program. Student doctoral theses usually follow one of the following formats:

Students may conduct a basic or applied research project Students may conduct an in-depth clinical case study involving a unique and/or complex

clinical case(s) Students may develop innovative clinical, instructional, and/or software materials

All of the above may be prepared as a traditional thesis manuscript or as a submission-ready manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal (length and writing style are quite different for each style). Students will discuss the nature of each style of manuscript with their thesis chairperson and the chairperson will select the style appropriate for the thesis project. Guidelines for the preparation of the Doctoral Thesis are available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR) at http://grad.towson.edu/academic/thesis/index.asp. This document provides procedures, timelines, templates, and other basic guidelines for the completion of the Audiology Doctoral Thesis and submission of documents to the student’s committee and to College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR).

The Audiology Doctoral Thesis is expected to evolve across three regular semesters. Au.D. students are expected to complete ACSD 714, Research Methods in Audiology during the fall semester of the second year. The following three regular semesters include courses designed to guide students through the process of developing their Audiology Doctoral Thesis. Specifically, Doctoral Thesis Proposal I (ACSD 796), and II (ACSD 797) require students to follow the steps required to write and defend the doctoral thesis proposal and Doctoral Thesis (ACSD 898) requires students to complete and defend the thesis. Students will not be permitted to enroll in or begin the Audiology Clinical Externship until the Doctoral Thesis has been successfully defended. If the thesis has been successfully defended, but committee corrections and/or final submission to the graduate school are not completed prior to the end of the semester, students will be required to register for Doctoral Thesis Continuum (ACSD 899) until the thesis has been formally submitted to the graduate school and signed by the graduate dean.

The following guidelines are intended to supplement the materials provided by the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR). Students are expected to read and follow the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR) guidelines in addition to guidelines provided by the Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology, and Deaf Studies. Students are expected to follow the current guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual for writing style unless guidelines conflict with the CGSR document. In this case, CGSR requirements will supersede APA Publication Manual guidelines. Any questions about procedures should be directed to the chair of the thesis committee.

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AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS EXPECTATIONS

The Audiology Doctoral Thesis is expected to represent considerable scholarship effort from the student. The final Doctoral Thesis is the culmination of the doctoral learning experience and is expected to demonstrate the student’s excellence in written communication, analysis and synthesis of research, and research methodology. The student should expect to devote at least three semesters of focused attention, along with their other doctoral program requirements, in the completion of this Doctoral Thesis.

Students are expected to use multiple resources at Towson University in order to create an excellent quality Doctoral Thesis. These resources include resource services in Cook Library, writing mentoring in the writing lab, and statistical consulting from the College of Graduate Studies and Research. The student should not rely solely on the Doctoral Thesis Advisor to provide instruction on the development of this Doctoral Thesis. The Thesis Advisor’s role is to provide guidance regarding the content and execution of the research study. The student should thoroughly edit all drafts for spelling, grammar, and APA style prior to submitting sections of the paper to the Thesis Advisor. When the Thesis Advisor has approved the Doctoral Thesis Proposal, the student will submit the formal proposal to the entire Doctoral Thesis committee for review and will arrange, with the assistance of their committee chairperson, a proposal defense. The defense will be scheduled no sooner than two weeks after the submission of the completed Doctoral Thesis Proposal to the committee members, unless the committee agrees to waive this requirement.

At the completion of the thesis, students are required to surrender all written and electronic data related to the project to their thesis advisor. The storage and destruction of data must follow the procedures outlined in the IRB submitted by the student and signed by the faculty member. If a student fails to provide all documentation as required by the IRB, the student will not be cleared for graduation and may be reported to the University for Academic Conduct violation. All data generated by research conducted at Towson University is the intellectual property of the thesis chairperson. Authorship for presentation and publication of data generated during the thesis project should be discussed by the student and thesis advisor at the beginning of the project, but is subject to change based on the contributions of the student, thesis advisor, and other contributors to each stage of the project. The final decision of authorship resides with the thesis chairperson. All Au.D. students and their primary thesis advisor will be required to complete the form related to rules for the Intellectual Property Related to the Audiology Doctoral Thesis seen on page 49. This form will be completed at the beginning of the thesis process (i.e., completion of the Spring semester of their second year).

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OVERVIEW

All timelines established by the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR) Guidelines must be followed.

An outline of the required steps in the Audiology Doctoral Project is listed below. Students should meet with their thesis advisor to plan a timeline for completion of the Doctoral Thesis. The basic components of the Doctoral Thesis process are:

I. Selecting a Thesis ProjectII. Committee DevelopmentIII. Committee StructureIV. Proposal PreparationV. Institutional Review Board submissionVI. Data Collection and AnalysisVII. Final Preparation of the Written Paper

STEPS IN THE THESIS PROCESS

I. Selecting a Thesis Project

Students will be provided with a list of potential thesis topics during Audiology Research Methods (ACSD 714) class. Students will rank their choice of project. The audiology faculty will then assign the topics based on student preference, experience, and ability. A student may also elect to develop their own thesis project, in collaboration with a faculty member. Students who would like to conduct a thesis project in a topic area not provided by audiology faculty must follow the following pre-approval process:

The student must identify a faculty member willing to consider acting as the thesis advisor for a student on a potential topic area.

After the faculty member has agreed in principle to supervise the thesis project, the student must submit a 5-7 page review of the literature (references in APA 6th edition format) including: (1) review of current literature (2) how this research project is novel and (3) how it addresses a need in the recent literature.

Students must also include a draft of their statement of purpose (research question) and a brief methodology.

The literature review, statement of purpose, and brief methodology are due to the faculty member by the last Friday in November.

II. Committee Development

The Doctoral Thesis Advisor and student will discuss possible committee members. Wherever possible, the inclusion of a committee member outside of the department and/or university is recommended. The student and/or advisor will ask the committee members if they are willing to

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participate on the thesis committee. Once the thesis committee has been finalized, the student must obtain the signature of all committee members on the Audiology Doctoral Thesis Committee form and submit it to the Thesis Advisor. The Thesis Advisor will forward the form to the Audiology Graduate Program Director, Department Chairperson, and Dean of the Graduate School. If a committee member is not a Towson University faculty member, the student must submit the vita of this committee member with the Audiology Doctoral Thesis Committee form (see Committee Structure, next paragraph).

III. Committee Structure

The Audiology Doctoral Thesis Committee will consist of a Towson University faculty member who will serve as the Doctoral Thesis Committee chairperson and Thesis Advisor for the student during the Doctoral Thesis*. Additionally, a minimum of two other members will serve on the committee. The chairperson of the committee must hold a research doctoral degree. Other members of the committee must hold appropriate doctoral degrees (clinical, research, etc.) and/or appropriate expertise to act as a member of the committee. The Audiology Graduate Program Director, Department Chairperson, and Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research will approve committee members. If a substantial portion of the Doctoral Thesis will be completed at an off-campus rotation or research facility, the student, in consultation with the Thesis Advisor, should determine if a supervisor from the clinical site should be asked to sit on the committee. If so, this person can be a member of the committee. In this event, procedures for appointing the outside member from the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR) document will be followed. Any student considering having a faculty member external to Towson University serve as a committee member or as the Doctoral Thesis Advisor must meet with their thesis advisor prior to contacting the external committee member.

(*A faculty member from another university may serve as the Thesis Advisor upon approval by the Audiology Graduate Program Director, Department Chairperson, and Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.)

IV. Proposal Preparation

Upon approval of the Committee membership by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR), the student completes the Doctoral Thesis Proposal under the direction of the Thesis Advisor. The student submits the Doctoral Thesis Proposal to the Doctoral Thesis committee and, in consultation with the Thesis Advisor, schedules the Doctoral Thesis Proposal defense. This date must be no earlier than two weeks after submission, unless this requirement is waived by all committee members. The Doctoral Thesis committee will meet after the student’s Doctoral Thesis Proposal presentation and will make a decision regarding the proposal. Decisions will fall into one of the following categories:

o Pass (no changes recommended) o Pass with revisions (Student may proceed with the study with required committee

revisions. Thesis chairperson will coordinate revisions with the student)o Fail (Student must re-submit corrected thesis proposal to the committee prior to

proceeding)

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AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS PROPOSAL FORMAT

See CGSR guidelines for proposed title page, front matter, and general formatting of sections. A general outline of the contents of each section is provided below.

Chapter 1Introduction

The introduction states the general purpose of the research and provides the rationale for why the study is important. The introduction should also address what the study has to contribute to the existing body of literature in this area. In addition, the introduction guides the reader into (e.g. outlines the topics contained in) the literature review. This section should be approximately 1-2 pages in length.

Chapter 2Review of the Literature

The review of literature begins with a general overview of the topic (i.e. “big picture”) and becomes more specific to the research topic throughout the review. The review should be divided into logical subheadings following APA style. The subheadings should be based on a logical topic outline developed during a review of the relevant literature. The literature review should be based on primary sources from peer-reviewed journals. Avoid overuse of non-peer reviewed sources, web-based sources, and secondary sources. The review of the literature should be critical and unbiased, addressing the points of agreement as well as the controversies that exist on relevant topics. Do not include personal opinion or hearsay. Do not use 1st person language. The literature review should lead into the Statement of Purpose, which should be the last subheading of the chapter. The review of literature for the proposal forms the basis for the review of literature for the final Doctoral Thesis; however, further modifications will be needed during the entire writing process, based on the dynamic nature of research. This section should be approximately 10-20 pages in length.

Chapter 3Research Methodology

The research methodology chapter should describe the proposed methodology in sufficient detail to be replicable. It may be convenient to divide the methodology into subheadings such as: Participants, Equipment, Protocol/Procedures, Research Design, Data Analysis, and so forth. The specific subheadings will vary depending on the research design. Make and model of audiological equipment and test environment should be provided and specific test protocol(s) should be described. For example, if the study involves evoked potentials, the specific stimulus and recording parameters must be described. The specific data to be collected must be described and the general data analysis plan must be provided. This section should be approximately 5 pages in length.

V. Institutional Review Board

Once the proposal has been approved, the student must submit the IRB approval form to the Towson University IRB (and/or outside agency IRB as specified by the Thesis Advisor). Data collection cannot be initiated until the study has been approved by the IRB. Towson University

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IRB forms are available on line. Examples of informed consent forms are available with the IRB form. The student is responsible for following the IRB requirements during and following the study, including surrendering all documentation associated with the study to the thesis advisor for secure storage (as described in the next section).

VI. Data Collection and Analysis

The student completes the data collection and analysis in collaboration with the Thesis Advisor. All completed informed consent forms and all identifying information from research participants must be stored in the Thesis Advisor’s locked office or lab. Students must present raw data from individual participants to the Thesis Advisor as requested. At the completion of data collection, all raw data must be stored in a secure location by the thesis advisor for the time period specified in the IRB application.

VII. Final Preparation of the Written Paper

The student will complete the final Doctoral Thesis under the guidance of the Thesis Advisor. Students are expected to revise earlier written work (e.g. Introduction, Method, Abstract, and so forth) in order to enhance the paper once the data are collected and the final chapters are in progress. Once the Doctoral Thesis Advisor approves the final draft of the completed Audiology Doctoral Thesis, the student submits the Doctoral Thesis to the committee members for review. A formal defense of the project will be scheduled at a time convenient for the Doctoral Thesis Committee. The presentation will be open to the public. A flier including the name of the student, title of the thesis, time and location of the presentation, name of the committee chairperson, and names of other committee members must be sent electronically to the associate dean of the graduate school and posted prominently in the building at least 1 week prior to the thesis defense. The student must pass the defense, make any necessary revisions, and submit the thesis to the graduate school at least two weeks prior to the official end of the semester.

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Au.D. Thesis Deadlines Target date CompletedI. Committee Development      

Selection of thesis advisor (chair)    Form committee, complete committee form    Form submitted to TU (Mandatory deadline*)    

II. Proposal Preparation      1st meeting w/ thesis advisor    Proposal draft to advisor    Advisor approval of proposal draft    Proposal draft to committee    Proposal Defense (Mandatory deadline*)    Approval of proposal    

III. Institutional Review Board (IRB)      IRB form submitted to thesis advisor    Thesis advisor signs IRB form    IRB form submitted to TU (Mandatory deadline*)    IRB approval    

IV. Data Collection and Analysis      Begin thesis data collection    Completion of data collection    Begin data analysis    Complete data analysis    

V. Final Preparation of Written Paper      1st draft of thesis to advisor    2nd draft to advisor (check TU thesis guidelines)    Advisor approval of final paper draft    Thesis to committee    Thesis defense (Mandatory deadline*)    Final revisions approved by thesis advisor    Thesis advisor completes thesis submission form    Draft submitted to graduate school    Final copies to graduate school    UMI form submitted to graduate school    Copy of bound thesis & raw data to thesis advisor    

*IF A STUDENT FAILS TO MEET ANY MANDATORY DEADLINE, the externship will automatically be delayed until the next start date (September 1, January 1, June 1) and the program of study will be adjusted to reflect a delayed graduation date. Externship processing will not begin until proposal is successfully defended. ● Committee form submitted to grad school 2nd Friday in May/2nd year● Proposal successfully defended 1st Friday November/3rd year● IRB forms submitted to TU Before end of term December/3rd yr● Thesis successfully defended 1st Friday in May/3rd year

    Alternate dates (for non-traditional program of study and missed deadlines)      August completion (externship begins September 1)

● Committee form submitted to grad school 2nd Fri., August, year before externship● Proposal successfully defended February 30 prior to externship● IRB forms submitted to TU March 30 prior to externship● Thesis successfully defended 1st Friday in August prior to externship

  December completion (externship begins January 1)● Committee form submitted to grad school 2nd Fri., December, yr before externship● Proposal successfully defended June 30 prior to externship● IRB forms submitted to TU July 30 prior to externship● Thesis successfully defended 1st Friday in December prior to externship

______________________________________ _________________________________Student signature/date Thesis advisor signature/date

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TOWSON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH

AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS COMMITTEE APPROVAL FORM

Student’s Name_________________________________________________________________

Thesis Advisor/Committee Chair___________________________________________________ Signature Typed name

Member_______________________________________________________________________Signature Typed name

Member_______________________________________________________________________Signature Typed name

Approved by

Graduate Program Director________________________________________________________ Signature Date

Department Chairperson__________________________________________________________ Signature Date

Dean, College of GraduateStudies & Research______________________________________________________________ Signature Date

Note: It is the responsibility of the student to obtain all signatures before beginning the proposal.

Note: Please attach a description of the affiliation and credentials of any non-Towson University members of the Committee, and the members’ curriculum vitae

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TOWSON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH

AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS PROPOSAL APPROVAL FORM

Student’s Name_________________________________________________________________

Thesis Advisor/Committee Chair___________________________________________________Signature Date

Member_______________________________________________________________________ Signature Date

Member_______________________________________________________________________ Signature Date

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TOWSON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH

AUDIOLOGY DOCTORAL THESIS APPROVAL PAGE

This is to certify that the Audiology Doctoral Thesis prepared by _________________________ [INSERT Student’s Name] entitled: _______________________________________ [INSERT Title of Audiology Doctoral Thesis] has been approved by his or her committee as satisfactory completion of the Audiology Doctoral Thesis requirement for the degree Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)

_______________________________________ ________________________<insert typed name of chair, degree> DateChair, Audiology Doctoral Thesis Committee

_______________________________________ ________________________<insert typed name of committee member, degree> DateCommittee Member

_______________________________________ ________________________<insert typed name of committee member, degree> DateCommittee Member

_______________________________________ ________________________Dr. Janet Delany DateDean of Graduate Studies

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DOCTORAL THESIS TOPICS

ADMITTED FALL 2008

Audiologic phenotype in individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 1o Student: Laize Barcelos Corseo Advisor: Carmen Brewer, Ph.D., & Diana C. Emanuel, Ph.D.

The auditory steady-state response: A web based tutorialo Student: Trisha Bentso Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Auditory processing abilities in typically developing school-aged childreno Student: Elizabeth Danielo Advisor: Jennifer Smart, Ph.D.

Effects of maturation on a behavioral test battery of auditory processingo Student: Lisa Dauo Advisor: Jennifer Smart, Ph.D.

The effects of real world background noise, song selection, and iPod volume levels on the audibility of songs to bystanders

o Student: Melina Ecoso Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

Auditory steady state responses (ASSR), a tutorial web site for clinical audiologistso Student: Ashlee Harringtono Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Faculty and student perspectives on multicultural infusion and diversity in doctorate level audiology programs: A two part analysis

o Student: Devlin Lightyo Advisor: Diana C. Emanuel, Ph.D.

The effects of pink background noise, song selection, and iPod volume levels on the audibility of songs to bystanders

o Student: Kate Longenbacho Advisor: Diana C. Emanuel, Ph.D.

ADMITTED FALL 2007 The awareness of the profession of audiology among college students

o Student: Chris Arajo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Closed-set Spanish word recognition testingo Student: Rita Ballo Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

Review paper on auditory steady state potentialso Student: Christina Bianchi & Teri Strobelo Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

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Hearing aids video for use in elementary schoolso Student: Jessica Macharao Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

MCL for speech in a background of noiseo Student: Colleen Mooreo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The effects of acoustically modified NU-6 and Hearing in Noise tests on speech perception abilities in individuals with mid- to high- frequency sensorineural hearing loss

o Student: Lauren Parolyo Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

ADMITTED FALL 2006 Investigating the sensitivity and specificity of two types of OAEs in two different socio-

economic levels in a pre-school screening programo Student: Ashleigh Bledsoeo Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

A revision of a puretone hearing screening videotapeo Student: Rebecca Booko Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The accuracy of bone-conduction ABR in predicting bone-conduction behavioral thresholdso Student: Mary Carsono Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Localization abilities in the presence of competing auditory stimuli: A comparison of microphone fittings

o Student: Melanie Kingo Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

Auditory steady state responses (ASSR) as an estimate of pure-tone behavioral thresholds in individuals with conductive hearing loss

o Student: Sharea Mineso Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

The effect of active and passive noise cancellation headphones on DPOAE screening time and refer rates

o Student: Kelsey Nielseno Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

The effect of level-dependent hearing protection devices on speech communication in low-level noise

o Student: Julie Norino Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Audiologic rehabilitation: The importance of applying formal aural rehabilitation and auditory training

o Student: Kristen Wilsono Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

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ADMITTED FALL 2005 Loudness of salicylate-inducted tinnitus in rats evaluated through the pre-pulse inhibition

paradigmo Student: Jessica Alpero Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Adaptive recalibration of the auditory system induced by low-level sound stimulation and sound deprivation

o Student: Rory Cerniko Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

A comparison of the three popular dichotic listening tests for auditory processing disordero Student: Lauren Eppleo Advisor: Nicole Kreisman, Ph.D.

Survey of the assessment and management of (central) auditory processing disorderso Student: Kristen Ficcao Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The relationship among self-assessment of dizziness handicap, self assessment of anxiety, medical diagnosis of vestibular pathology, and degree of hearing loss

o Student: Erin Fostero Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The development of a customized FM training program for school personnelo Student: Megan Glascocko Advisor: Nicole Kreisman, Ph.D.

The prevalence of noise-induced tinnitus resulting from acoustic reflex testingo Student: Olivia Hensono Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Effects of hearing aid gain on slow cortical auditory evoked potentialso Student: Thomas Hincheyo Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Sleep and tinnitus o Student: Deborah Leeo Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Salicylate induced tinnitus in rats: Using a pre-pulse inhibition model to estimate pitch o Student: Cara Mahoneyo Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Estimating hearing sensitivity in rats utilizing the PPI paradigm o Student: Theresa Nguyeno Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

The use of distortion product otoacoustic emissions compared to pure tone hearing screenings in pediatric population

o Student: Elizabeth Schehleino Advisor: Nicole Kreisman, Ph.D.

Effect of bone conduction force levels on patient comfort and test reliability o Student: Laura Tollo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

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ADMITTED FALL 2004 The just-noticeable-differences in normal hearing young adults for a series of auditory tasks

utilizing non-speech stimuli o Student: Emilie Chazotteso Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Protective effects of auditory toughening on noise induced hearing loss in rats o Student: Cynthia DeMotso Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Accuracy of behavioral threshold prediction for the low frequencies (500 and 1000 Hz) using single versus multiple Auditory Steady State Response techniques

o Student: Melanie Esderso Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

The effects of a visual prompt on the speech perception abilities of adults with normal hearing o Student: Ashley Hallo Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

Effects of the Maryland hearing aid loan bank on quality of life o Student: Aimee Kaplano Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

Use of multi-frequency multi-component tympanometry in clinical audiologic settings: a survey of audiologists

o Student: Rita Knappo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The role of magnesium in the reduction of noise-induced auditory damage o Student: Jamie Morano Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Accuracy of behavioral threshold prediction for the high frequencies (2000 and 4000 Hz) using single versus multiple Auditory Steady State Response techniques

o Student: Ryan Pottero Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

MP3 players: Auditory risk when the music can be overheard o Student: Jamie Weinero Advisor: Brian Kreisman, Ph.D.

ADMITTED FALL 2003 The value of national certification in the profession of audiology

o Student: Chantelle Dishono Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The word recognition scores of native-English listeners using word lists recorded in English from native-Spanish speakers with varied dialect

o Student: Monica Labbeo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Computer-based recorded speech for word recognition testing

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o Student: Matthew Perryo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Reasons impacting loss to follow-up from universal newborn hearing screening to audiological assessment to intervention

o Student: Donna Riverso Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Frequency specificity of contralateral suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions o Student: Lisa Rosso Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Temperature effects on otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem responses in rats o Student: Amanda Snydero Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.

Transient tinnitus in people with normal hearing induced by sound deprivation o Student: Jamie Walcko Advisor: Margaret Jastreboff, Ph.D.o

ADMITTED FALL 2002 Survey analysis on early hearing detection intervention services provided by audiologists in

Maryland o Student: Dominique Coltono Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

A study of the transition to a clinical doctorate in audiology and its impact on workforce supply

o Student: Christy Coopero Advisor: S. Collier

The effects of hormones on the auditory system o Student: Emily Dietricho Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The effects of exercise and noise on otoacoustic emissions o Student: Bari Friedbergo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Investigation of transient otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in the first week of life for premature infants

o Student: Cristin Guihero Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Quality of life issues for adult cochlear implant users o Student: Nancy Shaw-Harto Advisor: B. Culpepper

Daily experience of nursing staff with elderly patients’ hearing aids o Student: Kimberly Stremmelo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The effect of Asperger’s Syndrome on cortical event-related potentials and behavioral measures of speech sound processing

o Student: Mariah Menichinoo Advisor: Peggy Korczak Ph.D.

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Effects of stimulus rate on auditory brainstem response in infants o Student: Melanie O’Brieno Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Evaluation of a video-taped training method for training school hearing screening personnel o Student: Michelle Thompsono Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

ADMITTED FALL 2001 Estimated prevalence of cochlear dead regions in an audiological clinic population and the

associated hearing aid success o Student: Sara Brittinghamo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The awareness of the profession of audiology among college students o Student: Jeremy Donaio Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

The development of a vocational counseling survey for students in communication sciences and disorders

o Student: Harmony Evanso Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Supervisory workload in the university clinical setting o Student: William Gottlicko Advisor: Barbara Laufer, Ph.D.

A diagnostic battery to differentiate Meneire’s disease versus migraine associated dizziness o Student: Kristen Jankyo Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

Au.D. student and preceptor expectations regarding the 4th year audiology externship o Student: Monica Serdinowo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

Review of educational materials developed for medical care providers on early hearing detection and intervention

o Student: Suhana Shereefo Advisor: B. Culpepper

The Fukuda stepping test: A normative adult study o Student: Krista Szalco Advisor: Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.

The relationship between participation in a hearing aid orientation program and the need for walk-in hearing aid clinical services

o Student: Shannon Wrabelo Advisor: Diana Emanuel, Ph.D.

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STUDENT NOTIFICATION OF STAFFING FORM

46

REQUEST FOR AUDIOLOGY CLINICAL EXTERNSHIP FORM

Request for Audiology Clinical Externship (ACSD 998)

Please complete and sign this form and return it to Dr. Candace Robinson by October 15 for June 1 externship; December 15 for September 1 externship; April 15 for January 2 externship

Student name: ___________________________ Today’s date: _____________________

Anticipated date of externship (check one) June 1 –May (typical)

September 1 – August

January 2 – December

Other: (please specify) ________________________

Externship planningPlease answer the following items as completely as possible. This will improve your initial meeting with Dr. Robinson regarding the selection of an externship site.

1. Clinical areas in which I need more experience:

2. I would like to complete an externship at the following type(s) of site (check all that apply)

Hospital Private Practice School

Children’s Hospital Outpatient clinic Other (please specify)

3. Y N I have a specific location in mind for the externship. (If yes, where? _________________)

4. Y N I have a specific site in mind for externship. (If yes, where? _______________________)

Read and check all of the boxes below and sign that you understand and will follow these requirements I understand that I must have completed all 20 required speech-language hours prior to beginning

externship. I understand that I must have completed all outstanding pre-requisite courses prior to beginning

externship. I understand that I must have successfully defended my doctoral thesis prior to beginning

externship. I have received a copy of the Towson University Externship Requirement in Audiology contract that

I will be required to sign once a clinical externship placement has been agreed upon by me, the audiology clinic administrator, and the facility. This contract assures the department and the facility that I will not back out of the externship once I have signed the contract.

_____________________________Student signature

Student Externship Contract FormMEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Towson University Externship Requirement in Audiology

WHEREAS, Towson University's Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology

and Deaf Studies is committed to the development of doctorally prepared audiologists by

facilitating student clinical placements at externship sites external to Towson University;

WHEREAS, _______________________ ("Student") wishes to complete the required forth

year Audiology Clinical Externship;

WHEREAS, the parties have agreed upon an externship placement at

_____________________________ (“Facility”) consistent with the educational requirements of a

doctoral degree in audiology.

Purpose

This externship will provide a clinical educational experience consisting of an 18-credit

Audiology Clinical Externship ("Externship") consisting of a minimum of 48 weeks (exclusive of

vacation, holiday, or sick leave allowed by the Facility) and a minimum of 35 hours per week

(exclusive of breaks and non-work related activities), and optimally 40 hours per week, that will

include experiences required by the Towson University Au.D. program and as specified by the

Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

(ASHA).

The facility may, but is not required, to provide tuition and/or stipend support to the student. The facility and the university are committed to excellence in the education of doctor of audiology students. A high level of professional behavior, including a commitment to perform clinical, research, and other duties as required with excellence is expected from the student. Student Requirements

The Audiology Doctoral Student Extern must:

complete the externship at the facility in its entirety (except as provided below under

“Contract Termination Policies”).

be enrolled in the Towson University Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program for the

number of credits specified on their program of study.

submit all necessary paperwork, if applicable, as required by the licensure board in the

State in which the student will provide clinical services.

submit all necessary paperwork as required by the Department of Audiology, Speech-

Language Pathology and Deaf Studies.

meet with the supervisor(s) of the facility to discuss all of the requirements of the facility

including, but not limited to, clinical, research, health related training, in-service

training, in-service presentations, immunization and criminal background history. Any

facility-specific requirements that exceed general externship requirements outlined in the

4th year externship (Appendix A), should be provided in writing to the student and

signed by the facility and the student before the student signs this contract. A copy of

these requirements must be provided to the Audiology Clinic Administrator.

acquire an individual student professional liability insurance policy in the minimum amount of

one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and three million dollars ($3,000,000) in the

aggregate, in addition to any insurance procured on the student's behalf by the university. A

copy of the certificate must be provided to the Audiology Clinic Administrator. Inexpensive

student policies are often available from professional audiology associations.

Contract Termination Policies

The Facility may require the student to leave the facility in accordance with the terms of the

externship agreement (for example, if the student’s behavior is deemed unprofessional or if

the student’s actions are deemed to be harmful to patients or employees or other individuals

at the facility).

There may be circumstance in which the student is required to terminate the externship. If

possible, the student will petition the faculty of the Department of Audiology, Speech-

Language Pathology and Deaf Studies at least 60 days prior to the intended termination. If

the student terminates the externship without permission from the department, he/she will

not be eligible to begin another externship placement for a minimum of three months from

the date of termination and the circumstances surrounding the termination will be reviewed

by the audiology faculty to determine if the student should be permitted to continue in the

program.

____________________________ ____________________________Candace G. Robinson, Au.D. date Student dateAudiology Clinic Administrator

____________________________ ____________________________Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.date Diana C. Emanuel, Ph.D. dateAudiology Graduate Program Director ASLD Chairperson

AUDIOLOGY FACULTY MEMBERS

NAME TITLE OFFICE PHONE # E-MAIL

Tricia Ashby-Scabis, Au.D. Clinical FacultyInstitute forWell-being, Room 419

410-706-3617 tscabis@mac.com

Thomas Coccagna, Au.D. Clinical SupervisorInstitute forWell-being,Room 433A

410-704-3095 tcoccag@towson.edu

Christopher Gaines, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Van BokkelenRoom 103A 410-704-5375 ggaines@towson.edu

Diana C. Emanuel, Ph.D. Department Chair/ Professor

Van Bokkelen Room 105A 410-704-2417 demanuel@towson.edu

Peggy Korczak, Ph.D.Audiology Graduate Program Director/

Associate Professor

Van Bokkelen Room 102 410-704-5903 pkorczak@towson.edu

Stephanie Nagle, Ph.D. Assistant ProfessorVan Bokkelen Room 103B 410-704-3920 snagle@towson.edu

Stephen Pallett, Au.D. Clinical FacultyInstitute forWell-being

Room 415B410-704-5374 stephen.pallett@verizon.ne

t

Candace G. Robinson, Au.D. Audiology Clinical Administrator/Director

Institute for Well-being,Room 426

410-704-3616 crobinson@towson.edu

Rachel Sharnetzka, Au.D. Clinical SupervisorInstitute forWell-being,Room 433B

410-704-3095 rsharnet@towson.edu

Jennifer Smart, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Van Bokkelen Room 109D 410-704-3105 jsmart@towson.edu

Elise Smith, Au.D. Clinical SupervisorInstitute forWell-beingRoom 433C

410-704-3095 elisediaz@hotmail.com

Bette Stevens, Au.D. Clinical SupervisorInstitute for Well-being,Room 433A

410-704-3095 bstevens@towson.edu

Drs. Nagle, Smart and Gaines will share an office, room 433D at IWB.

XII. Au.D. Program Accreditation & Appeals

The Towson University Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). In addition to the university established complain procedures (in the Towson University Graduate Catalog at http://www.towson.edu/main/academics/coursesandcatalogs/graduatecatalog.asp) and the department’s clinical complaint procedures (in the Au.D. Clinic Manual), students who have a complaint about the graduate program may contact the CAA. Information about the  process is available on the web site of the American Speech Language Hearing Association at: http://www.asha.org/Academic/accreditation/accredmanual/section8.htm

Intellectual Property Related to Audiology Doctoral Thesis

As an AuD student at Towson University, I understand and agree to comply with the following rules related to the intellectual property of the thesis and its subsequent publication

All data generated by research related to the thesis project is the intellectual property of the primary thesis chairperson.

At the completion of the thesis, students are required to surrender all written and electronic data related to the project to their primary thesis advisor as well as any other documents related to their thesis research.

If the data and/or idea for the thesis project is successfully brought to publication, the sequence of authorship for this publication is based on the level of contribution shown throughout the various stages of publication by the student(s), their thesis advisor and other individuals involved. The AuD student is not automatically deemed to be the first author.

The final decision regarding the sequence of authorship resides with the thesis chairperson.

Au.D. Student’s Signature & Date

Primary Thesis Advisor’s Signature and Date

XIV. Documentation that the Au.D. student has read and understands the policies described in this Doctor of Audiology Policy Document.

I ________________________________ have read the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) Policy handbook distributed in the Fall of 2012. I have had an opportunity to meet with the Audiology Program Director and ask questions I may have related to the policies described in this document.

_________________________________ _____________________________________Au.D. Student’s Signature and Date

Audiology Graduate Program Director’s Signature and Date

** Individual student meetings with the graduate program director to sign this form will take place during the week of September 4th, 2012.