Students enrolled in AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad Program study Arabic with some of the most respected language teachers in the region: those from the Qasid Institute for Classical and Modern Standard Arabic. Intensive coursework, combined with daily interactions with host families, helps students at all levels and to increase their Arabic proficiency in a short period of time.

In addition to academics, our students benefit from an on-site orientation, a truly knowledgeable Jordanian staff, an opportunity to become part of a Jordanian family, and organized excursions to mind-blowing locations such as the great deserts and Biblical sites in Jordan. During each of the two summer sessions AMIDEAST organizes a one day trip to different parts of the country. The excursions will either be to Jerash and Ajloun or to Madaba and the Dead Sea. Because each summer session includes a different trip, those students participating in multiple sessions will have the opportunity to visit both sites.

Academic Information

The Summer Intensive Arabic Program offers Modern Standard Arabic in two 4-week sessions. Classes meet 5 hours per day, 5 days per week. Each session therefore includes 100 hours of instruction in Modern Standard Arabic (5 credits) and colloquial Arabic (1 credit) for 6 total credits. One summer session covers the material usually presented in one semester on a U.S. campus. 

All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic and in colloquial Arabic at a level appropriate to their proficiency. MSA meets for 4 hours a day and colloquial Arabic for 1 hour a day. Students are given placement tests on arrival and placed in the level appropriate for their Arabic language proficiency. 

The following levels are offered (see course descriptions for more detail):

Beginning Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 101; 5 credits)*
Beginning Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 102; 5 credits)
Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 201; 5 credits)
Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 202; 5 credits)
Advanced Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 301; 5 credits)
Advanced Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 302; 5 credits)

Colloquial Jordanian Arabic I (Arabic 131, 1 credit)
Colloquial Jordanian Arabic II (Arabic 231, 1 credit)
Colloquial  Jordanian Arabic III (Arabic 331, 1 credit)
 

For students whose proficiency is beyond the advanced level, a tutorial program will be arranged to address their specific interests (Media Arabic; Arabic literature; Classical Arabic texts, etc.)

*Note: Arabic 101 is only offered in summer sessions if there are a number of applicants who do not have any background in the Arabic language. We do not guarantee that this course will be available. Please indicate on your application if you are hoping to enroll in 101.