Audiologists provide a number of services to patients with hearing problems and can sometimes also serve as a hearing aid dispenser. There are generally stringent educational and experience or clinical requirements to get an audiology license.
Each state has its own board and requirements for getting a license to work as an audiologist. Note that many of these boards combine speech-language pathology and audiology. While related, these are two different career disciplines that just happen to be combined on many state boards. But the license requirements for each is different, so you only get an audiologist license by specifically qualifying as an audiologist.
States also tend to add on hearing aid dispensing along with audiology licenses. The difference is that some audiologists do not have experience or clinical training in hearing aids. These applicants can still get a general audiology license. However, for career purposes, it is beneficial to get the requisite training and experience in hearing aid dispensing for that expanded audiologist license. Note that those going for the hearing aid dispensing license are also graduates of an audiology course.
The typical requirements to get a license are an advanced degree and clinical training in audiology. For example, the Louisiana Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology requires all license applicants to get a master’s degree in audiology and complete 400 clinical practicum hours in an audiology training program. It also requires passage of either the Praxis exam for audiology or certification with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This is essentially the same thing because the Association uses the Praxis audiology exam as the barometer for certification of audiologists.
Caution: Beginning in 2012, ASHA is tightening up its requirements for certification. Applicants will need a doctoral degree. However, this does not necessarily affect your ability to get a state audiology license because boards are unlikely to impose such a stringent qualification for licensing purposes.
Other state audiology boards have similar requirements. They typically require at least a master’s degree in audiology, clinical training, and a passing score on the Praxis audiology test or some other exam. For those who have to take a Praxis audiology exam, there is a link in the Resources for additional information. Refer to your state’s own board for specific requirements, including the possibility of having to take a different licensing test.
Resources:
ETS: Praxis Audiology Exam
Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology