Seton Hill University and Salus University Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) in Elkins Park, Pa. have entered into an articulation agreement for a 4 + 4 Doctor of Audiology degree program.

Salus University Osborne College of Audiology is the first and only college of audiology in the United States, and the agreement with Seton Hill is its first-ever articulation agreement with a baccalaureate program.

The agreement will allow qualified Seton Hill University students who have completed a pre-audiology program of study to enter Salus University Osborne College of Audiology to complete the four-year Doctor of Audiology program.

Once at Salus, students in OCA will learn through a patient-centered holistic approach that focuses on the need to not only care for patients but also about them. The program has an emphasis on biomedical science, an extensive clinical education and a thorough training in practice management. 

The on-campus clinical facility, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute, provides students with the necessary access to hands-on training. They will enter the audiology profession with more than 2,500 hours of clinical experience with patients ranging from pediatric to elderly populations, useful practice management training, and exceptional patient care skills. 

“Seton Hill University continues to look for academic programs and partnerships that both meet the needs of students and provide critical services to residents in the Pittsburgh region and beyond,” said Mary C. Finger, Ed.D., Seton Hill University President. “Audiology is among the fastest growing professions in the country, and, as our population ages, more and more of these health care professionals will be needed. With more than 40 percent of Seton Hill undergraduates majoring in Health Sciences, the University is excited to work with Salus University to provide yet another opportunity for Seton Hill students to continue their education.”

“We are excited about this new agreement with Seton Hill, an institution that shares our commitment to training future audiologists,” said Dr. Radhika Aravamudhan, interim dean of the University’s Osborne College of Audiology. “As the first and only College of Audiology in the nation, we look forward to working in partnership with Seton Hill to provide students with the education and preparation they require to ensure they are uniquely qualified to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with hearing and balance disorders.”

“The need for trained audiologists is evidenced by a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that revealed 40 million Americans, including a quarter of the population ages 20 to 69, are suffering from hearing loss even though more than half of them are not exposed to loud noises at work,” said Seton Hill University Provost Susan Yochum, SC, Ph.D. “Even more alarming, 19 percent of adults ages 20 to 29 are suffering from hearing deficits. As hearing loss only worsens with age – and with hearing issues being twice as common as diabetes and cancer - health care professionals trained to diagnose and treat hearing and balance disorders are of critical importance. The agreement between Seton Hill and Salus University Osborne College of Audiology will put Seton Hill students on a path to a rewarding career that will allow them to help people hear the world around them again."

The clinical Doctor of Audiology (AuD) education program in audiology at Salus University Osborne College of Audiology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech Language-Hearing Association

The agreement is the second that Seton Hill has entered into with Salus University. Seton Hill and Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry recently signed an agreement on a 3 + 4 Doctor of Optometry degree program.