A Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is an allied health professional that works to “identify, help prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of disorders affecting speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing in children and adults”. According to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), SLPs “work with the full range of human communication and swallowing disorders in individuals of all ages from new-born to the elderly. Having Speech Language Pathologist in a developing country is of primary importance since whereas swallowing is vital to sustain an individual’s life, language is the mental and spiritual mean by which one can connect and communicate with others. Therefore, there is a need to develop professionals who have the skills and knowledge to tackle these disorders, and in addition carry out cultural and linguistically valid research to develop Saudi Arabian normative data as well as valid and reliable assessment and therapy protocols.
The master’s in clinical Speech Language Pathology is offered academically by the College of Medicine at Alfaisal University. The Speech Language Pathology Clinic at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre will carry out the clinical aspects of the degree. The courses are designed based on several educational pillars; in classroom taught courses and supervised clinical practice along with either a project or a thesis. Successful completion of these core elements leads to a graduate as a specialized speech therapy practitioner.