Speech Language Pathology Department

Facilities

The Department of Speech Language Pathology has access to the following labs:

• SLP Lab (H4-0063)
•  Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
•  Computerized Speech Lab
•  Stroboscopy Voice
•   Ultrasound Imaging

Teaching

The SLP Department offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Language Pathology.

The program is the first of its kind in the UAE and contains a combination of on-campus courses and off-campus supervised clinical training held in rehabilitation centers and clinics in the country. Students are trained in how to understand, diagnose and treat a number of speech and language disorders by qualified faculty members who studied in renowned universities across the globe.

The BSc in Speech-Language Pathology includes, among other courses:

•     Neurology for Speech, Language & Hearing
•     Speech Physiology
•     Child Language Development
•     Articulation and Phonological Disorders
•     Fluency Disorders
•     Medical Aspects of Speech-Language Pathology

SLP graduates will meet all the academic, clinical certification, licensure and credentialing requirements as stated in the current version of the Unified Healthcare Professionals Qualification Requirements (PQR), issued by The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), Department of Health -Abu Dhabi (DOH), Dubai Health Authority (DHA) & Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). They will be able to work as Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in charge of the assessment, analysis, and intervention of speech and language disorders.

The BSc in Speech Language Pathology is a coeducational program, with joint female and male classes.

Academic Programs

Research

The Department of Speech Language Pathology is involved in innovative experimental research. It has strong research and teaching collaborations with the Colleges of Education and Humanities and Social Science at UAEU, as well as with top international universities.

The research interests of the faculty members include:

• Typical and Atypical Language Acquisition

Typical Language Acquisition: Investigating how children naturally acquire language skills, including phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, from infancy through adolescence. This research often focuses on identifying milestones and patterns in language development.

Atypical Language Acquisition: Examining deviations from typical language development patterns, such as delays or disorders, and identifying their causes, characteristics, and effective interventions. This includes studying conditions like Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID), and other developmental language disorders.

• Acquired Language Disorders

Focusing on language impairments resulting from brain injury or disease in previously typically developing individuals, such as aphasia following a stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or progressive neurological conditions like dementia. Research includes rehabilitation methods and long-term outcomes.

• Articulatory and Sociolinguistic Factors in Dialectal Variation in the UAE

Articulatory Factors: Examining the physical production of speech sounds and how they vary across different dialects within the UAE. This research may involve acoustic analysis and the study of phonetic differences.

Sociolinguistic Factors: Investigating how social variables (such as age, gender, education, and socio-economic status) influence language use and variation within the UAE. This includes studying how dialectal differences impact communication and social interaction.

• Assessment and Diagnostics of Speech-Language Disorders

Assessment Methods: Developing and validating tools and techniques for accurately diagnosing speech and language disorders. This research ensures that assessments are culturally and linguistically appropriate for diverse populations.

Diagnostic Criteria: Establishing reliable criteria for identifying various speech and language disorders, ensuring that diagnoses are consistent and evidence-based. This includes differentiating between disorders with similar presentations and understanding co-morbidities.

• Voice Disorders research with a focus on Diagnostics

At this time, a research focus driven by earlier work aims to achieve a standardized objective and a reliable method for discriminating between healthy and diseased voices.

• Dysphagia Research

The first line of investigations is in the area of diagnostics, with a collaborative project on using photo-acoustics to Diagnose swallowing disorders.

The second initiative in Dysphagia is investigating the different tools used to measure Lingual muscle strength and determining which tools may have a higher success rate in rehabilitation.

These are all research areas strongly connected with the country’s research goals in Health and Education.

Faculty

Note: If calling from outside the UAEU organization, dial (+971 3 713) before the extension.

Name	Position	Email	Extension
Dr. Ahmed Nagy	Associate Professor and Chair	ahmed.nagy@uaeu.ac.ae	6246
Prof. Dimitrios Ntelitheos	Professor	dimitrios_n@uaeu.ac.ae	6400
Dr. Alexandra Marquis	Associate Professor	alexandramarquis@uaeu.ac.ae	5077
Dr Shabnam Abdoola	Assistant Professor	shabnam.abdoola@uaeu.ac.ae	4754
Dr Alexandros Argyriadis	Visiting Faculty	argiriadis@uaeu.ac.ae	4753

General Enquiries

Thank you for your interest in the Speech Language Pathology Department. We welcome your query and encourage you to contact us using the information below:

United Arab Emirates University,

College of Medicine and Health Sciences

P.O. Box: 15551, Al Ain, UAE

Email: slp.cmhs@uaeu.ac.ae

Phone: +971 3 713 7115