Open Admission

Doctor of Philosophy in Learning and Developmental Disabilities - Autism

Introduction

The department of Learning and Developmental Disabilities at Arabian Gulf University aims to develop research, educational skills and community services by focusing on enabling students interested in the special education’s field. To embrace the notion that all students will have equal opportunities to learn and develop in the area of learning and developmental disabilities. In the PhD programme, the department is committed to provide its students with effective tools to actively engage in a range of theoretical, practical and social activities to better understand and enhance individuals with disabilities’ quality of life. Further, the graduates will be able to acquire advanced, up-to-date knowledge and conduct applied research in the field, addressing important issues regionally and globally.

Vision

The Programme of Learning and Developmental Disabilities to be recognised globaly and internationally for its excellence in education, research and community services by focusing on educating students interested in the special education field in a manner consistent with the goals of sustainable development in the GCC countries.
Mission
To facilitate students’ research tasks through a balanced integration of theoretical and practical applications within a framework that addresses the reality and culture of Gulf and Arab society, and the achievement of social and educational development goals to enhance the required balance for sustainable development purposes.

The Department’s Objectives

To provide the PhD students with advanced theortical and practicle knowledge, experience, research skills in the area of learning and developmental disabilities.
To enable students to detect early sings and recogise the red-flags of individuals with learning disabilities, intellectual disability, autism, and social and emotional behavior difficulties.
To enable students to aquire the skill of diagnoses and assessments cases of learning disabilities, intellectual disability, and autism.
To enable students to design and implement appropriate educational plans and programmes for individuals with special needs through preventive approaches and remedial programmes.
To enable students to use scientific research tools and measuers and properly use them in the field of specialisation.
To enable students to deal and communicate with individuals with learning disabilities, intellectual disability and autism and their families to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of the therapeutic educational activities provided to them.
Emphasise the importance of caring for individuals with learning disabilities, intellectual disability and autism, and following up on contemporary issues related to them globally and internationally.
To Prepare qualified and specialised Gulf cadres at the PhD level to deal objectively, professionally and scientifically with the requirements of the field in terms of diagnosis, evaluation and treatment.
To supporting and accept the diversity within the university, understand differente points of view through dialogue and discussion, and to work in a team spirit as strategies and work mechanisms adopted by the department.

The Department’s Mechanisms

Formation, support and development of cognitive competencies in the field of learning disabilities, intellectual disability and autism through the programme’s courses in addition to the practicum and research proposals.
Formation, support and development of educational competencies through specialised theoretical courses.
Formation, support and development of research and professional skills through research and statistical courses and the practicum.
Formation, support and development of competencies and specialised research skills by preparing the student doctoral dissertation.
Formation, support and development of specialised competencies through training in diagnosis, evaluation and research.

PhD Study Plan (Specialisation: Autism)

The study plan for the doctoral degree is divided into at least five semesters, with a required (52) credit hours distributed between courses (40 hours) and a doctoral dissertation (12 hours). The following is the distribution of the study plan for the courses:

Doctoral Programme
Credit Hour	Course name	Course code
6	Advanced Statistical Methods	GED GED 734	College Requirements
	Advanced Research Methodology	GED GED 735
12	Biological & Cognitive Fundamentals of Behaviour	LRD 730	Department Requirements
	Special Education Laws and Legislation	LRD 731
	Learning Theories & Applications	LRD 732
	Social Justice in Special Education	LRD 733
22	Courses (Autism)		Specialisation Requirements
12 hours	Doctoral Dissertation
52 hours	Total Credit Hour
Prerequisite Courses for Students from Other Majors
3	Fundamentals of Intellectual Disability		LRD ID 533
3	Fundamentals of Autism Disorder		LRD ID 537
2	Fundamentals of Early Intervention		LRD ID 524

First Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
3	Biological & Cognitive Fundamentals of Behaviour	LRD 730
3	Special Education Laws and Legislation	LRD 731
3	Learning Theories & Applications	LRD 732
3	Social Justice in Special Education	LRD 733
12	Total Credits

Second Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
3	Developmental & Behavioural Characteristics of Individuals with Autism	LRD AUT 730
3	Advanced Statistical Methods	GED GED 734
3	Advanced Research Methodology	GED GED 735
3	Pervasive Developmental Disorders	LRD IA 731
2	Practicum Applications (1)	LRD AUT 732
14	Total Credits
26 Hours	Total Credits for Second year

Third Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
3	Inclusion for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities	LRD IA 733
3	Assistive Technology and Innovation in the Field of Autism	LRD AUT 734
3	Contemporary Issues in Developmental Disabilities	LRD IA 735
3	Advanced Research Seminar in Developmental Disabilities	LRD IA 736
2	Practicum Applications (2)	LRD AUT 737
14	Total Credits
40 Hours	Total Credits for Second year

Forth Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
12	Doctoral Dissertation	DISSR AUT 799
52 Hours	Total Credits

Fifth Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
12	Completing Doctoral Dissertation	DISSR LD 799

Sixth Semester
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
12	Completing Doctoral Dissertation	DISSR LD 799

Courses Syllabus for the Doctoral Degree in Autism

First Semester

Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD 730	Biological & Cognitive Fundamentals of Behaviour	3
The biological bases of behaviour and learning, including the fundamentals of brain development, neuropsychology, neurophysiology, neurochemistry. Interactions between the brain, the environment and lifestyle (including diet, exercise, and sleep), and how it impacts brain development, learning, memory, and mental health. This knowledge is applied towards understanding typical maturation, as well as developmental conditions such as learning disabilities, ADHD and autism. The bases of enhancing physiological functions related to attention, perception and memory.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD 731	Special Education Laws and Legislation	3
International, regional and local laws and legislation in force in the field of special education, regulations, policies and procedures that guarantee the principle of equal opportunities, establishing laws that represent a pillar for ensuring the rights of the disabled in various fields such as diagnosis, evaluation mechanism and public education, in addition to community partnership, preparing specialized cadres and providing support to the disabled and their families, focusing on ethical issues related to special education and how to enact laws that guarantee the protection of the disabled individuals.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD 732	Learning Theories & Applications	3
The concept of learning, its importance and its affecting factors. The different learning theories like behaviourism, social learning, cognitive and information processing and their applications in behaviour and teaching, focusing on students with special needs. The connection between these theories and the techniques of screening, diagnosis and treatment. The merits and shortcomings of these theories, which help in formulating the students’ own philosophies and principles in learning, teaching and training settings.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD 733	Social Justice in Special Education	3
Critical understanding of the role of equality and justice in Special Educational Needs (SEN) inclusion education. Diversity and equity in disability, and application of the Capability Approach (CA) and the different models of disabilities. Explore the nature of disabilities such as Dyslexia, Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD); and to understand the multidimensional and multilevel issue of inclusion and SEN. Explore the (CA) and what disabled individuals can achieve when given the opportunities freedoms to obtain their ultimate goals and values.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD ID 533	Fundamentals of Intellectual Disability	3
The basic concepts, causes, classifications, characteristics, incidence, and the application of learning theories and rehabilitation of intellectual disabled individuals, with the focus on the concept of intellectual disability, incidence, different definitions, classifications, causes, characteristics application of learning theories in this field, and rehabilitation and community life of individuals with intellectual disability.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD ID 537	Fundamentals of Autism Disorder	3
The knowledge and basic concepts in autism disorder, both in terms of definition, prevalence, clinical picture, causal factors, different characteristics of people with autism, and the methods and tools used in diagnosis and assessment of autism and similar cases. The theoretical approaches covered (Neural, Psychodynamic & Cognitive) explain the various symptoms of autism, as well as programmes and methods of intervention used for the development of communication skills as well as social and academic skills.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD ID 524	Fundamentals of Early Intervention	2
The importance of early intervention with intellectual disabled and/ or autistic young children, by emphasizing the importance of the family. In addition, the important theories, programs and strategies of early intervention in order to create an elevated state of mind that understands the concept and is able to deal with both the involved child and their family in a professional manner.

Second Semester

Credit Hours	Course Title		Course No.
LRD AUT 730	Developmental & Behavioural Characteristics of individuals with Autism		3
Developmental and behavioural characteristics of autism, represented in Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), such as Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Visual Sensory Processing Disorder, and Olfactory Dysfunction. The responses of autistic individuals to these stimuli, which conform to under-responsivity subtype and/or over-responsive subtype of SPD. Recognise these disorders and identify appropriate therapy and behavioural intervention to develop sensory integration skills in autistic individuals. Communication characteristics in autism, both verbal and nonverbal, their causes, the best way to deal with them, and the most effective training methods. The cognitive characteristics of autistic individuals and how they affect other aspects of their developments. The various aspects of talent (Savant Syndrom), its different fields such as art, music and memory, its theories and their interpretation.
Credit Hours	Course Title		Course No.
GED GED 734	Advanced Statistical Methods		3
Statistical methods of analysing the data and hypothesis testing through procedures like simple and multiple correlation, simple and multiple regression, logistic regression, factorial & multivariate analysis of variance, covariance analysis, repeated measures, discriminant analysis, and non-parametric statistical tests.
Credit Hours	Course Title		Course No.
GED GED 735	Advanced Research Methodology		3
The major approaches to qualitative, quantitative and mixed research designs, including phenomenology, ethnography, case study, descriptive, correlation, causal-comparative, single, and group experimental research. Develop the idea for the dissertation research. Experience in writing and assessing published work.
Credit Hours	Course Title		Course No.
LRD IA 731	Pervasive Developmental Disorders		3
The basic concept of inclusive education for individuals with intellectual disability, its types, justifications, advantages and disadvantages. The basic principles of integrating students with intellectual disability in the general school system, its phases and the criteria upon which the integrated students are chosen. Offer training to prepare both students with and without intellectual disability for the integration process, how to follow basic steps, as well as how to design and implement a variety of programmes to ease such a process. The evaluation of the integration process using different methods.
Credit Hours	Course Title	Course No.
LRD AUT 732	Practicum Applications (1)	2
Give workshops and lectures targeting administration staff and teachers. In addition to designing specialised programmes in the field of specialisation. To apply the theoretical courses that are being taught in the current term such as developmental & behavioural Characteristics of individuals with Autism and the pervasive developmental disorders.

Third Semester

Credit Hours		Course Title		Course No.
LRD IA 733		Inclusion for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities		3
To introduce the students to the basic concept of inclusive education for individuals with intellectual disability, its types, justifications, advantages and disadvantages. To also explain the basic principles of integrating students with intellectual disability in the general school system, its phases and the criteria upon which the integrated students are chosen. Offer training to prepare both students with and without intellectual disability for the integration process, how to follow basic steps, as well as how to design and implement a variety of programmes to ease such a process. Furthermore, the students will learn how to evaluate the integration process using different methods.
Credit Hours		Course Title		Course No.
LRD AUT 734		Assistive Technology and Innovation in the Field of Autism		3
The basic skills needed to build different intervention programmes suitable for autistic individuals, whether sensory, social or behavioural programmes. The assistive technology which includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices that ease communication and social interaction for autistic individuals and increase their ability to be independent. The use of this technology in assessing and training autistic individuals, and the latest development with respect to alternative communication methods which focuses on assistive technology and how to make it accessible to autos.Tto design and implement computer programmes depending on the needs of autistic individuals to enhance their communication, social interaction and their life quality.
Credit Hours		Course Title		Course No.
LRD IA 735		Contemporary Issues in Developmental Disabilities		3
The contemporary issues related to the field of developmental disabilities, its concerns, philosophy, theory and research matters, with the focus on the modern theories, and the latest concepts with respect to diagnosis and classification. Issues related to curriculum and training programmes, and training to deal with contemporary issues through recent studies and global orientation by addressing developmental disabilities.
Credit Hours		Course Title		Course No.
LRD IA 736		Advanced Research Seminar in Developmental Disabilities		3
The bases and resources for research problems and enhancing research skills. Connect the theory and the application of different aspects in developmental disabilities. The most recent trends and topics in developmental disabilities and emphasise the critical reviews and reports of researches and controversial issues which help improve scientific thinking, dialog, discussion and scientific writing skills.
Credit Hours	Course Title		Course No.
LRD AUT 737	Practicum Applications (2)		2
To allow students to use their knowledge and expertise to give workshops and lectures targeting administration staff and teachers. In addition to designing specialised programmes in their field of specialisation. Further, students will apply the theoretical courses taught in the current term such as the advanced research seminar in developmental disabilities and contemporary issues. Where the student works on their doctoral research proposal based on the important and contemporary issues they observe in the field of autism while participating in centres specialised in autism and schools with inclusive education.