Jordan Times
Thursday, January 28, 1999
By Susan Resheq
AMMAN — The state-run University of Jordan said it has an initial plan to offer bachelors degrees in a new College of Rehabilitation Sciences at the university and to offer three postgraduate degrees in women's studies, social work and pasture management next semester — the first offering of such specialisations in the country.
President of University of Jordan Walid Ma'ani said, "the idea behind this faculty of rehabilitation sciences came from Jordan's need for well-qualified people in rehabilitation sciences."
Ma'ani said the faculty will also provide out- patient care to patients who require some sort of rehabilitation or physiotherapy.
Ma'ani said the opening of the college has four objectives: to provide qualified, well-trained staff and therapists with view to meeting the needs of Jordan and the region in the rehabilitation sciences; to teach the academic aspects of rehabilitation and carry out research in public sector medical clinics; to provide specialised and effective services to the handicapped and centres for the disabled; and to develop working relationships between national, regional and international organisations dealing with the same activities.
The new field of study will include four main scientific branches: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics manufacturing and respiratory therapy.
Occupational therapy courses teach people new job skills in cases where disease renders them unable to participate in their previous employment.
Prosthetics devices will be given to patients "who have a limp or may have had hands amputated," Ma'ani said. "Respiratory therapists will help patients after medical operations, so that the risk of infections will be reduced," he added.
According to Ma'ani, the rehabilitation services will help alleviate the suffering of certain patients and aid them in remaining productive, independent members of society.
Ma'ani said students who want to study in this college must pass the tawjihi scientific stream with marks not less than eighty per cent.
"The college could seat between 60 and 120 students in the four branches," Ma'ani told the Jordan Times.
During the four-year course, they will study a general core curriculum relevant to the four branches for two years. During the third and the fourth years students will choose their specialisation within the faculty.
Ma'ani said the study in the new college will operate in coordination with students in the scientific stream at the University of Jordan and the University Hospital, which will offer students practical work experience during their first two years.
The establishment of the college will cost JD4 million, a cost that will be shared by the University of Jordan, the Ministry of Planning, and the aid of donor countries. Ma'ani is preparing to solicit various embassies in Amman to seek funding.
"To meet the needs of our society, the university will also offer new masters degrees next semester," Ma'ani added.
Louis Mqatash, dean of postgraduate studies at the university, said the aim behind launching the new masters degrees is to meet Jordan's socio-economic development needs, which requires well-qualified individuals who approach issues with scientific knowledge and research.
Mqatash said graduates with masters degrees in women's studies would be able to tackle female issues in a realistic and scientific way and help the development of programmes to improve the lot of women. It will also foster the interaction between women and society.
The social work programme aims to prepare students for social occupations in the social care field, and to expand social services to people in general.
It would help students diversify creative abilities in analysing and putting emphasis on needed social politics, develop critical thinking and develop new social theories.
"The social changes in our society have affected people's lives. Eventually, there must be specialists in fields related to social matters," Mqatash said.
The dean indicated that students wishing to pursue higher studies in women studies and social work must have achieved bachelors degrees in related fields, with marks not less than `good.'
Mqatash indicated that the motive of launching master degrees in pasture management is the existence of the large pastures which forms 90 per cent of Jordan, Middle East and North Africa. Specialists in pasture management with high scientific and technical qualifications could help to properly invest in and exploit these pastures, and help solve Jordan agricultural problems.
Admission to the pasture management programme requires a bachelor's degree in agriculture, biology or ecology.