§ 59-1605. Qualifications for licensure.

A.  To be eligible for licensure by the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology as a speech-language pathologist, the applicant must:

1.  Hold not less than a master’s degree, or the equivalent, with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology or audiology from a regionally accredited academic institution offering a graduate program in speech-language pathology or audiology that meets or exceeds prevailing national standards;

2.  Submit evidence of completion of supervised clinical practicum experience that meets or exceeds prevailing national standards from a regionally accredited educational institution or its cooperating programs, the content of which shall be approved by the Board and delineated in the rules;

3.  Submit evidence of completion of supervised postgraduate professional experience as approved by the Board and described in the rules;

4.  Pass examinations approved by the Board, whether or not administered by the Board; application for examination for a license or for a license without examination shall be upon forms prescribed by the Board; the Board may require that the application be verified; the license fee, which shall include an examination fee of not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00), shall accompany the application; the cost of examinations administered by the Board shall be included in the examination fee; the Board shall determine the subject and scope of the examinations, and shall provide for examinations to qualified applicants at least twice a year; an applicant who fails the examination may be reexamined at a subsequent examination upon payment of another examination fee.  Only the Board has the power to determine whether an applicant’s examination has been passed or failed;

5.  Attest to their status as either a United States citizen, a United States noncitizen national or a qualified alien;

6.  Have not committed any acts described in Section 1619 of this title for which disciplinary action may be justified; and

7.  Be of good moral character.

B.  To be eligible for initial licensure by the Board as an audiologist, the applicant must:

1.  Through December 31, 2006, hold not less than a master’s degree, or the equivalent, with major emphasis in audiology from a regionally accredited academic institution offering a graduate or postbaccalaureate professional degree program in audiology that meets or exceeds prevailing national standards.  After December 31, 2006, each audiology applicant shall hold not less than a postbaccalaureate residential or a post-master’s distance education professional Doctor of Audiology degree (Au.D.), a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) with emphasis in audiology, or its equivalent as determined by the Board, from a regionally accredited academic institution;

2.  Through December 31, 2006, submit evidence of completion of supervised clinical practicum experience that meets or exceeds prevailing national standards from a regionally accredited educational institution or its cooperating programs, the content of which shall be approved by the Board and delineated in the rules.  After December 31, 2006, applicants applying with a residential Doctor of Audiology professional degree (Au.D) must demonstrate preparation that includes three years of didactic coursework and clinical education equivalent to a twelve-month, full-time clinical rotation or externship;

3.  Through December 31, 2006, submit evidence of completion of supervised postgraduate professional experience, as approved by the Board and described in the rules.  After December 31, 2006, applicants will be required to present to the Board only a copy of the Doctor of Audiology diploma along with a transcript demonstrating clinical experience equivalent to a twelve-month, full-time clinical rotation or externship, a copy of the Doctor of Philosophy diploma with an emphasis in audiology and a transcript reflecting a twelve–month, full-time clinical rotation or externship, or the equivalent as determined by the Board, from an accredited academic institution in order to demonstrate completion of the clinical rotation or externship requirement;

4.  Pass examinations approved by the Board, whether or not administered by the Board; application for examination for a license or for a license without examination shall be upon forms prescribed by the Board; the Board may require that the application be verified; the license fee, which shall include an examination fee not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00), shall accompany the application; the cost of examinations administered by the Board shall be included in the examination fee; the Board shall determine the subject and scope of the examinations and shall provide for examinations to qualified applicants at least twice a year; an  applicant who fails the examination may be reexamined at a subsequent examination upon payment of another examination fee.  Only the Board has the power to determine whether an applicant’s examination has been passed or failed;

5.  Attest to their status as either a United States citizen, a United States noncitizen national or a qualified alien;

6.  Have not committed any acts described in Section 1619 of this title for which disciplinary action may be justified; and

7.  Be of good moral character.

C.  To be eligible for licensure by the Board as an intern, the applicant must be in the process of fulfilling the supervised clinical experience required in paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section, or be a student, intern or resident in speech-language pathology or audiology, pursuing a course of study at an accredited university or college, or working in a training center recognized by the applicant’s accredited university or college, if these activities and services constitute a part of the applicant’s supervised course of study, and if such person is designated by such title as “speech-language pathology intern”, “speech-language pathology trainee”, “audiology intern”, “audiology trainee” or other such title clearly indicating the training status appropriate to the applicant’s level of training.

D.  To be eligible for licensure by the Board as a speech-language pathology or audiology assistant, the applicant must be assisting in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology while in the employ of and under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist, subject to the rules of the Board.  The licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist is legally and ethically responsible for the professional activities of such employees.

E.  To be eligible for licensure by the Board as a speech-language pathology or audiology temporary license holder, the applicant must meet all the requirements specified in subsection A of this section.  A temporary license will be issued following a credentials review, such temporary license being valid until the next regularly held Board meeting.

Added by Laws 1973, c. 203, § 5, emerg. eff. May 17, 1973.  Amended by Laws 1982, c. 56, § 2, operative Oct. 1, 1982; Laws 1994, c. 197, § 1, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 1998, c. 202, § 5, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2004, c. 280, § 2, eff. July 1, 2004.