Academic Information Course Descriptions 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. 

Academic Program Information

The Summer Intensive Arabic Program in Amman, Jordan offers Modern Standard Arabic in one 8-week session.

Classes meet 5 hours per day, 5 days per week.  Each student will therefore receive 160 hours of instruction in Modern Standard Arabic, covering the material usually covered in one full year on a U.S. campus.  In addition, students receive 40 hours of instruction in Jordanian Arabic, covering the material usually covered in one semester.  

Students are given placement tests on arrival and placed in the level appropriate for their Arabic language proficiency.  The following levels are offered:

Beginning Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 101; 8 credits)
Beginning Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 102; 8 credits)
Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 201; 8 credits)
Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 202; 8 credits)
Advanced Modern Standard Arabic I (Arabic 301; 8 credits)
Advanced Modern Standard Arabic II (Arabic 302; 8 credits)

Beginning Jordanian Arabic (Arabic 131; 3 credits)
Intermediate Jordanian Arabic (Arabic 231; 3 credits)
Advanced Jordanian Arabic (Arabic 331; 3 credits)

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.)

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Course Descriptions

Full Details will be available by November 2010.

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Academic Calendar (Tentative)

One eight-week session

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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 a one and a half day orientation designed to introduce them to Jordanian culture and daily life and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. Students move in with their host families immediately. The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities. Topics such as safety and health, family life in Jordan, cultural adjustment, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. An essential part of the Orientation is language placement.

Accommodation and Meals
Students in the AMIDEAST Summer Intensive Arabic Program in Amman live with Jordanian families that have been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Jordan from a database of qualified applicants. Students usually are placed with families who have previous experience hosting American students through AMIDEAST. Few, if any, families speak English.

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.

Excursions
AMIDEAST organizes two day trips to different parts of the country during the summer session – one to Jerash and Ajloun and the other to Madaba and the Dead Sea.  AMIDEAST staff are also happy to provide information and even assistance with arrangements for independent travel to other parts of Jordan. There will be plenty of time and opportunity to explore your options once you arrive in Jordan and the program begins.

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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, arrangements for optional travel excursions, 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 145 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 US for 4 years and received her bachelor’s degree from High Point University in North Carolina. She has travelled extensively throughout Europe and the US 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. In that role she coordinates all aspects of the program, including orientation, housing, excursions, scheduling, student activities and much more.  A resident of Amman, Hala loves music, travelling, meeting new people and chocolate!

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Eligible applicants:

• Have completed at least one year of post-secondary study at an accredited college or university
• 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 eight weeks in Jordan
• Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted and considered on a rolling basis until the program is filled. We urge you to complete your application as soon as possible.

• December 1, 2010 – Applications accepted for summer 2011
• May 5, 2011- Deadline for summer 2011

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

For more information contact:

AMIDEAST Summer Intensive Arabic Program in Jordan
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 776-9640
Fax: (202) 776-7040
Email: IntensiveArabic@amideast.org

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Costs

In 2010, a five-week Intensive Arabic program in Jordan cost $4,950.00.

Tuition and Fees, which included the pre-departure preparation, on-site orientation, tuition, and medical insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation, and political and security evacuation coverage, constituted $4,250.00 of the overall program cost,  Room & Board, including housing and meals with an Arabic speaking Jordanian host family, cost $700.00.

Variable Expenses in the 5-week 2010 program were estimated to be:

• $80.00 for Local Transportation
• $200.00 for Personal Expenses
• $75.00 for books

Tuition and Fees do NOT cover:

• International airfare
• Local personal transportation
• Communication and other personal expenses
• Some meals
• Optional excursions

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