Audiology doctoral program coming to UK College of Health Sciences in 2026
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 24, 2025) – The University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences is adding a new audiology doctoral degree program beginning in Summer of 2026.
The three-year program is being organized by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in the College of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery in the College of Medicine. Faculty position searches are scheduled to begin in Fall 2025, with student enrollment planned for Summer 2026.
“We are thrilled to launch the audiology doctorate program within the College of Health Sciences,” said Scott Lephart, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Sciences. “The addition of this program marks a pivotal advancement for our college and the University of Kentucky. We are training the next generation of audiologists through a collaborative, interdisciplinary model, addressing a critical need in our healthcare system and reaffirming our commitment to advancing the health and well-being of Kentuckians across the state.”
The Department of CSD currently administers a graduate program in speech-language pathology (Master of Science) and a preprofessional undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
“The addition of audiology will help our department address the full spectrum human communication and its disorders including speech, language, swallowing, hearing and balance,” said Anne Olson, Ph.D., CSD department chair in the College of Health Sciences. “Housing both degrees within the same department will foster opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, promote collaboration and prepare graduates to better understand and support individuals with a variety of communication deficits. This is also an important program for our state because Kentucky has a high prevalence of persons with hearing loss that ranks us third per capita nationally. Kentucky also has a shortage of audiologists, particularly in rural areas. I’m excited for the opportunity to address that labor shortage and increase the access to much needed audiology services in our state.”
The UK HealthCare’s Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic provides hearing care services with a faculty of 19 otolaryngologists, six advanced practice providers and 14 doctoral level audiologists. This clinic will provide one of the clinical teaching environments for the academic program with additional local and regional clinical sites added as the program evolves. In addition to program faculty within CSD, physicians and audiologists in the Department of Otolaryngology will also provide didactic and practical instruction as part of the Doctorate in Audiology (AuD) degree program.
“A significant strength of this program is the inclusion of UK HealthCare and Department of Otolaryngology as a primary clinical teaching environment,” said Jennifer Shinn, Ph.D., chief of audiology in the College of Medicine. “This will allow students to engage directly with patients in a real-world setting, honing their skills under the guidance of experienced clinicians. It also facilitates seamless collaboration between audiologists and otolaryngologists, enhancing patient outcomes through a multidisciplinary approach. Through a strong partnership between the College of Health Sciences and the Department of Otolaryngology, we are combining academic excellence with exceptional clinical expertise to prepare the next generation of audiologists who will make a lasting impact on the health of Kentuckians.”
The AuD program will be housed in both the current Charles T. Wethington Jr. Building (for clinical services) as well as the new Michael D. Rankin M.D. Health Education Building (currently under construction) for academic and clinical training.
The Rankin Health Education Building will have a dedicated audiology classroom and lab space/equipment for teaching clinical audiologic concepts.
To learn more about this program for students or future audiology faculty positions, please contact Olson at aolso2@uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.