Academic Information Language Courses Middle East/North African Studies Courses Academic Calendar Partner Institution – Qasid Institute for Classical & Modern Standard Arabic Other Program Information Program Management Program Manager Apply Now Costs

Amman, capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an ancient city facing distinct modern challenges, thus making it an exciting place to live and study.  Built on seven hills, Amman has expanded in size and population from a quaint sleepy town at the close of World War II, to the bustling, multicultural metropolis it is today.  At the heart of the city is the ancient Citadel containing ruins from many civilizations.  It overlooks a well-preserved and restored Roman Amphitheater, today used for concerts and cultural events.  Further afield in Jordan there are Roman ruins in Jerash and the spectacular Nabatean city of Petra in the south.

Jordan is deeply enmeshed in the international relations of the region, sharing land borders with Iraq, Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia.  It is one of only two Arab countries to have open borders with Israel, thus it remains a key player in Arab-Israeli affairs.  Over the past several decades it has absorbed refugees from Palestine, Kuwaitis who left Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion in 1990 and most recently, Iraqi refugees.  These new inhabitants have transformed Amman and brought new life to its local culture.

Under King Abdullah II and his father King Hussein, Jordan has made great strides in education, health care and economic reform while creating a distinctively Jordanian democratic structure.  Nonetheless, Jordan faces many challenges that students can study and observe first hand – the effects of regional conflicts, social change, lack of natural resources, environmental concerns, and delivering on the promise of economic development to its citizens. 

Students enrolled in AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad Program in Amman will have opportunities to study all of these fascinating topics and more in a program based at AMIDEAST’s facilities in Amman’s Sweifieh district. AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program courses in Amman are taught by a select group of Jordanian professors from a variety of institutions in and around Amman. These lecturers possess a strong instructional experience in English-speaking environments.  All faculty members have received post-graduate degrees from North American or European universities, or have spent considerable time at English-medium institutions as students, faculty members, visiting faculty or visiting researchers.

Academic Information

Students in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman carry a 16 credit hour course load per semester.  All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic and Jordanian Arabic and select three other courses from offerings in Middle East and North African studies in a variety of disciplines.

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Language Courses

Arabic (Modern Standard, 4 credits; Jordanian, 3 credits)

All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic (4 credits) at a level appropriate to their proficiency.  The following levels are offered:

• Beginning (Arabic 101, 102)
• Intermediate (Arabic 201, 202)
• Advanced (Arabic 301,302)

Special tutorial arrangements are made for students whose proficiency is beyond the advanced level (Arabic 401); depending on student interests, various emphases can be offered in Arabic 401.

Jordanian Arabic instruction begins during on-site orientation and continues throughout the semester.  Students are placed in classes appropriate to their previous knowledge of Arabic (Arabic 131, Arabic 231, or Arabic 331).

Media Arabic is also available as an elective (3 credits) at both the 200- and 300- levels.

Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 101; 4 credits)
This course introduces the Arabic alphabet and sound system forms. Students will be given ample opportunity to practice and produce both the alphabet and the sound system; they will start developing their vocabulary via specific structures presented in the textbook. Students will learn simple grammatical structures and gradually listen to authentic and instructional materials that come with the textbook. Most of the exercises and the activities are task-based and student-centered.  The course will cover the material in Alif Baa and Al-Kitaab, Part One, Chapters 1-7.  By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Distinguish and pronounce all Arabic sounds;
• write accurately from dictation;
• initiate social interactions, ask for basic information, and be aware of basic cultural aspects of social interaction in the Arab world;
• talk about themselves, their education, and their family with native speakers of Arabic;
• comprehend simple written texts on familiar topics;
• comprehend simple audio/video texts on familiar topics;
• compose simple paragraphs about themselves; and
• be familiar with some of the differences between formal and spoken Arabic. 

Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 102; 4 credits)
This course consolidates material learned in Arabic 101, and introduces students to more advanced and more challenging linguistic and cultural material from Al-Kitaab, Part One, Chapters 8-18 as well as locally produced authentic materials.  By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Activate the learned vocabulary through interactive activities;
• understand basic grammatical structures in Arabic;
• produce a lengthy descriptive and narrative discourse in speaking;
• express their opinions and show their preferences using structured language;
• follow and understand short written and spoken texts in the news in the TV;
• read mid-size texts, using skimming techniques appropriate for their level; and
• learn more aspects of Arabic culture.

Primary textbooks for Arabic 101 and Arabic 102:

• Alif Baa Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs A Textbook for Beginning Arabic: Part One, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
• Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty

Modern Standard Arabic III (Arabic 201; 4 credits)
This course is designed to reinforce all the linguistic skills at both the reception and production levels. Students will also get a wide exposure to many aspects of Arabic culture through integrated outings designed for them to practice Arabic language in genuine contexts. The material covered in this course is from Al-Kitaab Part One, Chapters 19-20 and Al-Kitaab, Part Two, Chapters 1-3. By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Use basic conversational tasks successfully in different social situations;
• understand and use basic grammatical rules;
• read mid-size texts;
• extract the main ideas of non-technical texts;
• extract the main points in video materials and be able to discuss important ideas;
• develop conversational skills using a variety of language functions (e.g., description, comparison, cause and effect, arguing for/against, etc.);
• engage in a variety of daily conversations;
• give short presentations on topics of interest;
• understand basic grammatical rules and structures in Modern Standard Arabic;
• converse in Arabic using a variety of language functions appropriate for their level; and
• acquire knowledge about major aspects of Arab and Islamic culture.

Primary textbooks for Arabic 201:

• Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part One, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
• Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty

Modern Standard Arabic IV (Arabic 202; 4 credits)
This course is a continuation of Arabic 201. Course objectives are seen in terms of students performing linguistic tasks successfully, gaining self-confidence, and expanding their risk-taking in real-life communicative situations. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab, Part Two, Chapters 4-10.  By the end of this course, students will be able to

• Guess the meaning of new words from contexts;
• use skimming and scanning techniques;
• write short paragraphs correctly;
• read authentic material from Arabic advertisements, short narratives, descriptions of people and places, simple contemporary poetry, topics on Arab culture, etc;
• write both informal and formal letters;
• write medium length compositions on familiar topics, including descriptions, short narratives, etc;
• master and distinguish Arabic sentence structures;
• understand and construct simple paragraphs and simple texts;
• enrich his/her vocabulary;
• understand some Arabic spoken situations;
• read and understand short paragraphs and short texts;
• write correct sentences and correct paragraphs and short texts; and
• begin to acquire more developed ideas about Arab and Islamic Culture.

Primary textbooks for Arabic 202:

• Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
• Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc. 

Modern Standard Arabic V (Arabic 301; 4 credits)
This course is designed to move learners from a stage where they have achieved the basic grammatical skills, to being able to use language in a wider cultural context. At this stage, learners will be widely exposed to the main issues related to the Arab world and Jordanian culture. This course adopts a skill-based approach in which learners gain mastery of the language through the use of authentic materials taken from various sources. Teaching techniques are student-centered, with the instructor as the facilitator, and the goal of teaching to make students independent users of Arabic. Encounters with Arab professionals and visits to relevant institutions will be integrated in the syllabus. Evaluation will be based on both achievement of syllabus materials and success in out of the classroom tasks.  This course covers the material in  Al-Kitaab, Part Three, Chapters 1-5. By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand more complex grammatical structures;
• listen to daily news, lectures, take notes, and make comments;
• describe elaborately things that are close to them;
• compare issues and show their preferences;
• express their own viewpoints and defend them; and
• linguistically behave appropriately in various situations.

Modern Standard Arabic VI (Arabic 302; 4 credits)
This course provides additional practice at the advanced level to help students attain a higher level of skill development (e.g., listening, speaking, reading and writing) and linguistic accuracy. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab, Part Three, Chapters 6-10.  By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Expand more essential vocabulary that helps them to cope with topics of professional interest;
• obtain information, to understand the ideas presented in a text, to discover the author’s point of view and to seek evidence for their point of view;
• enrich their grammatical knowledge and apply it as one of the analytical tools in comprehending reading texts;
• produce lengthy descriptive and argumentative discourse in speaking;
• summarize texts and express their points of view in writing and speaking; and
• interact with native speakers and engage in discussions of contemporary issues.

Primary textbooks for Arabic 301 and Arabic 302:

• Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Three, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
• Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
• Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.   

Directed Studies in Arabic (Arabic 401; 3 credits)
In this course, students use authentic material from literature, academic research and both print and electronic media to develop their abilities to extract essential information and identity linguistic nuances. Students are expected to produce reaction papers where they express their own assessment of the content, the form of the text and the position and the arguments of the author.  Students also are expected to be able to identify figures of style and produce texts demonstrating near native competence.  
Teaching Materials will consist of faculty selected materials from Jordan and other parts of the Arab world.

Jordanian Arabic I (Arabic 131; 3 credits)
Students are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to    carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Jordanians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express basic facts and opinions in simple sentences, and engage in basic conversations in Jordanian Arabic with native speakers.  Living with a Jordanian family will provide daily opportunity for practice.

Jordanian Arabic II (Arabic 231; 3 credits)
Students who have already studied Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life in Jordan. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Jordanians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in simple as well as complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Jordanian Arabic with native speakers about non-academic topics.  Living with a Jordanian family will provide daily opportunity for practice.

Jordanian Arabic III (Arabic 331; 3 credits)
Students with a strong background in Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to vocabulary, expressions, and structures used frequently in Jordanian everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Jordanians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Jordanian Arabic with native speakers about a wide range of topics, both academic and non-academic.  Living with a Jordanian family will provide daily opportunity for practice.

Media Arabic I (Arabic 215; 3 credits; Prerequisite:  Mastery of the material covered in AMIDEAST’s Arabic 102; Co-requisite:  Arabic 201)
The course introduces students to the Arabic used in the media. The course is designed to assist students to read simple news items in different newspapers from Arab countries; listen to and understand broadcast news; and understand the role of media in shaping Arab thought.  All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Jordanian media.

Media Arabic II (Arabic 315; 3 credits; Prerequisite:  Mastery of the material covered in AMIDEAST’s Arabic 201; Co-requisite:  Arabic 202 or higher)
This course exposes students to the Arabic used in the media. It focuses on mastering basic vocabulary commonly used in Arab print and electronic media, developing the ability to read and understand Arabic newspapers without using a dictionary, developing the ability to listen to radio and television news broadcasts, writing short summaries of news articles and broadcasts, and discussing current economic, political and social issues covered in the Arabic media.  All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Jordanian media.

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Middle East/North African Studies Courses

Please note that not all courses are offered every semester.  These course descriptions are intended to give students a general sense of the scope and focus of the program.

Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East (Anthropology 301, 3 credits): This interdisciplinary course presents a general introduction to the contemporary Middle East, a region that has come to carry diverse and multiple meanings to Westerners.  It will highlight the multiple and the complex cultural and socio-political life in the Contemporary Middle East, challenging some of the assumptions and stereotypes about the history, cultures, religions and politics associated with this particular region.  It will introduce the various Middle Eastern groups as they vary in language, religion, subsistence economy and other cultural variables.  The genealogical relationships between dialects, sects, and modes of subsistence will be outlined and framed within a historical context in order to highlight the dynamic nature of Middle Eastern diversity and how impressions of "stagnant East" are often misleading.  Furthermore, the biological diversity of the Middle Easterners will be examined in relation to the legacy of "scientific racism," nationalist claims and the findings of modern population genetics.  OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 3

Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World (Art 320, 3 credits): The course offers an introduction to Arab modern and contemporary visual arts. The first part of the course will look briefly at the history of modern arts in the region and how they developed from Islamic art forms as well as the influence of colonialism, politics, religion and culture on the development of the arts in the last century starting with the Ottoman Empire and moving into modern political influences. The course will look at the works of ‘iconic’ artists in the modern and contemporary periods from Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon. The influence of government policies, education, international interest, as well as comparisons with countries in the Middle East and North Africa such as Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco will be used to demonstrate the major influences in the development of the specific characteristics in the visual arts of these countries. The course will be based on lectures, group work by the students researching artists from each of the surveyed countries, participation in workshop(s) around art interpretation, as well as visits to local galleries and museums. OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 2

Environmental Issues in the Middle East (Environmental Studies 310, 3 credits):  This course discusses the multidisciplinary science of the environment, including some ecological principles. Topics that will be covered includes matter and energy in ecosystems, population communities and their interaction, biomes, population dynamics, biological resources and their management, environmental health and toxicology, water and air pollution and solid, toxic and hazardous wastes.   Some emphasis on the biogeography and zoogeography of Jordan along with nature conservation issues in the Middle East will be highlighted.  OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 1

Contemporary Jordanian Culture, (Humanities 330, 3 credits): The course provides an in-depth overview of major trends in contemporary Jordanian culture.  Representative samples from a wide range of cultural manifestations will be studied.   These include relevant selections from the domains of art, music, fashion, cuisine, drama, cinema, media, architecture, and – to a lesser extent – politics and interfaith dialogue, based on students' interests.  In addition to class work, students will be able to meet with a number of invited guests and visit a number of sites and institutions.  Students are expected to keep a journal in which they record their notes, queries, observations and critiques.  We will also be examining various cultural discourses, to facilitate not only our discussion and conception of what is "Jordanian" or "Arab" but also our discussion of the problematics of examining and studying contemporary Arab culture from a Western perspective.  Since no cultural product is divorced from the historical, social, political and economic context in which it is created, we will read various secondary materials on these subjects at the outset of the course.  OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 1 AND SPRING 2010, BLOCK 1

Contemporary Issues in the Arab World (Political Science 315, 3 credits):  This course will discuss the conceptual, historical, economic and cultural environment in which the contemporary Arab state system was established and has evolved. We will study the various political, social, economic, and cultural trends which have contributed to the way in which modern Arab World history has unfolded, highlighting such important themes as the changing relationship between the state and society; impact of Western economic, political, and cultural might on the region; the search for political and cultural “authenticity” in response to the West; economic transformations and development; and the region's role in international relations.

The various methodological paradigms that are employed in the study of the Arab world will be analyzed. It will offer an overview of Arab regimes, their emergence, consolidation, the role played by foreign powers in their creation and their final shaping. Using a comparative approach, we will investigate the formation of state and types of ruling regimes, societal power bases and systems, socio-political movements and ideologies, legitimacy and modern state power, and the scope and opportunities for political participation, liberalization and inclusion/exclusion. Basic concepts to be explored include power, elites, state, colonialism, nationalism, Islamic revivalism, democratization, human development, and gender issues.  OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 3 AND SPRING 2010 BLOCK 2

The Arab Israeli Conflict (Political Science 325, 3 credits): This course provides an in-depth examination of the nature and dynamics of Arab Israeli politics. It explores some of the main approaches to understanding the political systems in Israel and the Arab States, with a focus on state formation, national identities, leadership, elites and ideologically-motivated terrorist violence.  It introduces students to the roots of the Arab Israeli conflict, including the two World Wars and their impact on the Middle East, the emergence of Zionism as a political force in Palestine, the emergence of Arab Nationalism as a  political force  in the region, the establishment of Israel and the wars that followed in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973 as well as peacemaking efforts including the Egyptian Israeli peace treaty, the Jordanian Israeli peace treaty, and the Oslo Accords between the Palestinians and Israel.  Cutting-edge issues in several of the disciplines comprising Arab Israeli studies will be surveyed by examining debates within the political literature on the area.  The phenomenon of Islamism and its relevance to Arab Israeli relations will be examined as well at the pertinent debates and what intellectual and political stakes they represent.  Students will be required to present analytical accounts and form original arguments of their own in class presentations and written assignments. OFFERED IN SPRING 2010, BLOCK 2

Radical Islamic Political Movements (Political Science 330, 3 credits):  This course introduces students to the inner dynamics of radical Islamic political movements in the last 30 years.  Specific manifestations that will be examined are Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran as a representative of Shiite political Islam, Osama Bin Laden as an example of Wahhabi Sunni radicalism, Egyptian President Sadat’s assassins as examples of Sunni religious violence, with special attention to the Islamic jihadist ideology of Istambooli; Hamas as a manifestation of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political thought and the impact of Sayyed Qutub; and the reasons for the worldwide spread of violent Islamic movements from Bali in Indonesia to Algeria to New York on September 11, 2001.  This course is not a study of Islam, but rather an examination fo the historical roots of radical movements, their search for identity, and an analysis of the different patterns of self expression or suicidal acts in the political, cultural, social and military contexts of a crisis milieu.  OFFERED IN FALL 2009, BLOCK 2

Contemporary Islamic Thought (Religion 330, 3 credits):  This course will focus on current trends in Islamic thought from the radical views of jihadist ideologies to the reformist views of thinkers such as Khaled Abul Fadl.  A full course description is forthcoming.  OFFERED IN SPRING 2010, BLOCK 3

Understanding Arab Society From Within (Social Science 320, 3 credits): This course focuses on the thoughts and opinions of a wide cross-section of Arab people, both inside and outside the classroom setting.  It revolves around the exploration of two interrelated questions: How do Arabs define themselves and what are the political, economic, social and cultural (i.e., contextual) explanations behind these definitions?

To begin the process of inquiry, students are introduced to relevant theoretical and methodological concepts, through readings and lectures, as a way to establish a framework for understanding Arab society that is sensitive to the problems associated with ethnocentric assumptions of a culture different from our own.  Next, a series of individuals, who represent various aspects of Jordanian society, will present their views on what it means to them, both personally and generally, to be Arab.  Finally, students will go on several outings in order to observe Arab people in everyday life.  OFFERED IN SPRING 2010, BLOCK 1

Women and Society in the Arab World (Women’s Studies 330, 3 credits):  The first part of this course will explore the themes and variations in women's lives in modern Arab societies. Major structural features (mainly the state, Islamism and Tribalism) and their influence on the relationships between women and men and their impact on women’s status in the family and society at large will be examined. Particular attention will be paid to family structures; rural-urban, social class, and ethnic differences; violence against women, economic and political representation and visibility; and religion.  The second part of the course will look at women’s activism and struggle in some Arab countries. Case studies from Jordan, Egypt and the Gulf region will be analyzed and examined along with the major achievements of and challenges facing women activists in the Arab world.  OFFERED IN SPRING 2010, BLOCK 3

Academic Staff

Dr. Wafa Al Khadra (Academic Coordinator and Professor, Contemporary Jordanian Culture)
Dr. Al Khadra is Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Amman Ahliyya University and has worked with AMIDEAST previously on a Fulbright Summer Seminar for American faculty and secondary school teachers.  Her doctoral degree is in English language and literature and she will also be coordinating the Contemporary Jordanian Culture Course.

Dr. Ibtesam Al-Atiyat (Professor, Women and Society in the Arab World)
PhD from the Free University of Berlin and Professor at the German-Jordanian University.  Previously worked at the United Nations University Leadership Institute and has taught at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay

Dr. Abla Amawi (Professor, Contemporary Issues in the Arab World)
PhD from Georgetown University and Regional Program Director for UNDP)

Dr. Christina Hawatmeh (Professor, Understanding Arab Society From Within)
PhD from American University in Washington and independent scholar in Amman

Dr. Lucine Taminian (Professor, Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East)
PhD from the University of Michigan and Director of The American Research Center on Iraq

Dr. Musa Keilani (Professor, The Arab Israeli Conflict and Radical Islamic Political Movements)
PhD from Cairo University, retired diplomat, political magazine editor, and professor of literature at Amman Ahliyya University

Samah Hijawi (Professor, Contemporary and Modern Art in the Arab World)
MFA from St. Martin’s College of Art in London and faculty member at the University of Jordan

Dr. Waleed Gharaibeh (Professor, Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East)
PhD from SUNY Stony Brook and faculty member at Jordan University of Science and Technology

Dr. Zuhair Amr (Professor, Environmental Issues in the Middle East)
PhD from the University of Rhode Island and professor at Jordan University of Science and Technology

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Academic Calendar

Fall Semester 2010 Dates (Tentative)

Spring 2011 Semester Dates (Tentative)

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Partner Institution – Qasid Institute for Classical & Modern Standard Arabic

The Qasid Institute for Classical and Modern Standard Arabic is the partner for AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad Program in Amman.

The Qasid Institute has developed a reputation as one of the leading programs in the Middle East for Arabic language learning. Its comprehensive curriculum begins with the proper pronunciation of Arabic letters and continues through to a high degree of proficiency.

The word qasid is used to describe a path that is direct and smooth. This is the way the Qasid Institute believes the Arabic language should be taught. The term qasid is also used to describe an individual who strives forward with a direct, specific intention, and clearly defines the kind of student that Qasid attracts to its programs.

As the Qasid Institute’s reputation has grown, its programs have made it the program of choice in Amman for embassies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and U.S. colleges and universities seeking excellence in Arabic language instruction.  In 2008 it hosted the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Summer Intensive Institute in Jordan; it will do so again in 2009.  Though its programs are designed mainly for university-level students and busy professionals, Qasid students range in age from 15 to 65. They include embassy and consular officers, Fulbright researchers, full-time mothers, medical doctors, Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship recipients, and Ivy League graduates.

More information about Qasid Institute can be found on its website: http://www.qasid.com. 

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Other Program Information

Orientation

Upon arrival in Amman, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Jordanian culture and daily life and familiarize them with program logistics of the program. Students stay in a hotel in Amman during orientation, and move to their accommodation for the semester at the end of the first week. The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with Amman. Topics such as safety and health, Jordanian family life, cultural adaptation, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. During the on-site orientation students also meet their professors, take language placement tests, and become familiar with the program’s IT environment.

Accommodation and Meals

Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman, Jordan have a choice of living arrangements and meal plans:

1. Living with a Jordanian Family – students who select this option will live with a Jordanian family that has been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Jordan from a database of qualified applicants; families generally host two AMIDEAST students at a time. All host families are Arabic-speaking; English, however, is spoken in most of the homes.
   
   AMIDEAST matches students with host families using a variety of criteria. While all placement preferences may not be met in every case, AMIDEAST will strive to make the best match to ensure a rewarding and pleasant living experience. In the event of a problem, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program staff members will be available either to mediate or to arrange a new host family placement.  Students living with host families will be provided with all meals by their host families but may find that some days it is not possible to return to the family for lunch because of class schedules.
   

2. Living in a shared apartment with other students from the program.  The apartments are carefully selected by AMIDEAST to be safe, comfortable and convenient to program facilities and public transportation. Students purchase or prepare meals on their own.

Activities

In addition to the academic program, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Jordan offers a variety of additional learning opportunities to enhance participants' study abroad experience:

• Civil Society:  Students will encounter a variety of Jordanian civil society organizations ranging from local NGOs in a variety of fields to women’s organizations to sports clubs.  AMIDEAST/Jordan will organize special activities to facilitate student connections to these organizations.

• Service-learning: AMIDEAST/Jordan coordinates organized service-learning projects either for individual students or for larger groups. With many connections to a wide range of organizations in Jordan, AMIDEAST can adapt projects individual student interests to ensure a unique and satisfying service-learning experience.

• Cross-cultural learning: AMIDEAST/Jordan organizes a variety of cross-cultural learning opportunities. Ranging from meet-and-greets to formal presentations, these events give participants the chance to interact with Jordanian students, to learn more about Jordan, and to introduce others to American culture.

Excursions

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman, Jordan students participate in three program-organized excursions outside of Amman to visit major points of interest. The excursions are coordinated by AMIDEAST/Jordan in conjunction with the program’s academic staff and are led by a member of the faculty. Organized activities are combined with limited free time, allowing students to explore independently within a safe and structured framework.  Among the sites visited will be

• • Petra, the ancient Nabatean city in the south, and Wadi Rum
• Biblical Jordan – Madaba, Bethany, Mt. Nebo, and the Dead Sea
• Northern Jordan – Jerash, Ajlun Reserve, Ajlun Castle, Um Qais

Visas and Immigration

All American citizens can be issued a visa upon arrival at the Queen Alia Airport in Amman, Jordan.  Currently, a single-entry Jordanian visa costs 10 JD (approximately $14).  This price is subject to change.  During your stay in Amman, AMIDEAST will help facilitate extensions of the visas..

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Program Management

The program is managed by AMIDEAST/Jordan in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with the Qasid Institute to oversee the academic curriculum and implementation of the program. It also manages all logistical elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, host family placement and supervision, and the planning of special events and extra-curricular activities. Finally, AMIDEAST provides comprehensive support to both participants and administrators in the event of any problems or unusual circumstances.

America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) was founded in 1951.  It has field offices in 23 cities in 14 countries in the region, giving it a well-developed infrastructure, capacity, and institutional record of successful exchange programs rooted in more than five decades of in-region experience administering scholarships and exchanges on behalf of U.S. and Arab governments, private companies, and individuals.

Since 1958, AMIDEAST has been providing quality educational services in Jordan. Its office in Amman’s Sweifieh district will be the program’s headquarters, with classes meeting there.  Located in a bustling commercial area, the office includes classrooms, a small library and a wireless network that students can access.  It is also within easy reach of public transportation, malls and shopping centers, restaurants, gym facilities, and bookstores

AMIDEAST/Jordan reaches thousands of students and professionals annually through English and Arabic language courses, academic advising, standardized testing, and cultural exchange programs. AMIDEAST/Jordan has designed and administered numerous programs for youth, undergraduates, and educators, and has arranged homestays, transportation, excursions, community service, language training, professional meetings, and lectures for groups of American students.

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Program Manager

Hala Qubein, Program Manager
Hala Qubein is AMIDEAST’s Education Abroad Program Manager in Jordan. A Jordanian born and raised in Amman, she lived in the U.S. for four years and received her bachelor’s degree from High Point University in North Carolina. She has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the U.S. and has been involved in several inter-cultural projects throughout her life. Having studied abroad, and gone through the challenges and triumphs of adjusting to a new culture and speaking a different language, she is able to help students adjust to new surroundings and overcome the challenges of being away from familiar surroundings. Hala has been working in Jordan for the past ten years and is well acquainted with the professional, social and cultural aspects of Amman. She is involved in different cultural and volunteer organizations, and has worked with people from different cultures and backgrounds for many years. She has also worked with young adults for over ten years in both a professional and volunteer capacity. Hala joined AMIDEAST at the start of the program in the summer of 2009. As Program Manager she coordinates all aspects of the program, including orientation, housing, excursions, scheduling, student activities and much more.

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Apply Now

Eligible applicants:

• Are enrolled at an accredited college or university and have completed one year of post-secondary study
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale); however, applications will be considered holistically
• Are physically and emotionally prepared to spend four months in Jordan
• Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment

Application Deadline: In order to allow prospective students ample time to apply for our new AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarships, applications to the semester program in Amman, Jordan, will be accepted on a rolling basis until our new deadline of April 1, 2010.  Please note that because applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, the program may fill up prior to this date.  Interested students are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

for the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the
Arab World on-line application.

For more information contact:

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 776-9629
Fax: (202) 776-7029
Email: JordanStudy@amideast.org

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Costs

These are the program fees for 2009-2010.  Fees for 2010-2011 will be set during spring 2010 and will be posted to this site as soon as possible.  Please note that the fees are subject to change.

Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Fees (per semester):

Estimated Personal Expenses:

¹  This fee includes meals only for students living with host families.  Students who opt to live in apartments will incur additional costs for meals.

²  Housing deposit is only for students living in apartments and is fully refundable at conclusion of semester if apartment is clean and there has been no damage other than normal wear and tear.

³  Only students who opt to live in apartments will incur this additional expense for meals.  Actual cost will vary depending on a student’s eating habits.

Tuition and fees include:

• Courses totaling 16 credits and coursepacks
• All-inclusive one-week orientation
• Housing (either with a host family or in a shared apartment)
• Most meals (if with a host family)
• Program-organized excursions
• Supplementary lectures and special events
• Medical insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation, and political and security evacuation coverage

Tuition and fees do NOT cover:

• International airfare
• Local personal transportation
• Communication and other personal expenses
• Some meals for those living with a host family

All meals if living in a shared apartment

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