Audiology is a branch of science that deals with hearing, specifically the evaluation of hearing ability and the rehabilitation of hearing impairments.

Practitioners in this field are called audiologists. Audiologists use a variety of hearing tests and assessments to determine the hearing range of an individual and diagnose any hearing or balance problems.

Audiologists provide rehabilitation for hearing impairments, including assistive devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, as well as compensation skills for hearing loss for people at all stages of life.

An audiologist is a person who, by virtue of academic degree, clinical training and license to practice and/or professional credential, is uniquely qualified to provide a comprehensive array of professional services related to the prevention of hearing loss. They are also uniquely qualified to the audiologic identification, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of persons with impairment of auditory and vestibular function, and to the prevention of impairments associated with them. Audiologists serve in a number of roles, including clinician, therapist, teacher, consultant, researcher and administrator. The supervising audiologist maintains legal and ethical responsibility for all assigned audiology activities provided by audiology assistants and audiology students.

The central focus of the profession of audiology is concerned with all auditory impairments and their relationship to disorders of communication. Audiologists identify, assess, diagnose and treat individuals with impairment of either peripheral or central auditory and/or vestibular function and strive to prevent such impairments.