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Rabat is one of Morocco’s “imperial cities,” and its modern capital. It is home to the leading educational institutions in the country and offers students opportunities to move from the shops and cafes of the “European” city to the winding alleys and exciting markets of the old medina in a few minutes’ walk. The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat offers a diverse set of courses, semi-intensive instruction in Modern Standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic. Students in the program live either with Arabic-speaking Moroccan families or in a private Moroccan student residence hall and attend their classes both at AMIDEAST’s facilities in the bustling Agdal area of the city and in the buildings of AMIDEAST’s partner, the College of Letters and Humanities of Mohammed V University – Agdal, near the Royal Palace. Courses are taught by English-speaking Moroccan faculty members from the University and other universities in Rabat and neighboring cities.
Students in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat carry a 16 credit hour load each semester. All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic and select other electives from offerings in Middle East and North African studies in a variety of disciplines.
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 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.
Moroccan 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 111, Arabic 211, or Arabic 311).
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. They 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. By the end of this course, students will be able to
- Distinguish and produce the elements of the sound and writing systems of Arabic; successfully use formulaic and functional phrases.
- Follow and extract the gist of short written and spoken texts in the news.
- Learn more aspects of Arabic culture useful in daily life.
- Produce basic formulaic speech in conversations in appropriate contexts.
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 as well as locally produced authentic materials. By the end of this course, students will be able to
- Successfully manage in Arabic, using basic sentence patterns, a number of basic conversational tasks in different social situations.
- Describe physical entities such as houses, rooms, and buildings in simple sentences.
- Use skimming and scanning techniques to extract essential information on familiar topics from simple texts.
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 by J.M. Cowan
- Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty.
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. 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.
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. 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 and short narratives.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 201 and Arabic 202:
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part One, second edition, by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi.
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
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 Moroccan 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. 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.
- Linguistically behave appropriately in various situations
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. 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 point of views in writing and speaking.
- 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 Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi.
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
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 Al-Kitaab III by Brustad et. al. and faculty selected materials from Morocco and other parts of the Arab world.
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 Moroccans. 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 Moroccan Arabic with native speakers. Living with a Moroccan family or in a student residence hall with Moroccan students provides daily opportunity for practice.
Students who have already studied Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life in Morocco. 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 Moroccans. 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 Moroccan Arabic with native speakers about non-academic topics. Living with a Moroccan family or in a student residence hall with Moroccan students provides daily opportunity for practice.
Students with a strong background in Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to vocabulary, expressions, and structures used frequently in Moroccan 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 Moroccans. 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 Moroccan Arabic with native speakers about a wide range of topics, both academic and non-academic. Living with a Moroccan family or in a student residence hall with Moroccan students provides daily opportunity for practice.
Primary Textbook for Moroccan Arabic:
- Moroccan Arabic Language and Culture by Abdellah Chekayri (Georgetown University Press, in press).
This course is designed to develop the students’ ability to communicate about general topics and relate to French speakers in a multicultural environment. In addition to lectures, exercises in class, and homework, it includes lab exercise, as well as challenging opportunities to practice French in daily life with French-speaking interlocutors. Opportunities to practice and improve language proficiency are numerous and include cultural and recreational events at the university, during host-family stays, and in the context of educational field trips and travels across Morocco. These experiences will be integrated in the course through various weekly assignments and journal writing. By the completion of this course, students will be able to
- Interact in French with their immediate environment
- Distinguish informal and formal structures and react appropriately
- Articulate ideas about French and Moroccan cultures
- Extract essential information from news broadcasts
- Produce short paragraphs about topics of interest
Primary textbooks for French 201:
- Hachette, Objectif Express with audio CD (Paris, 2006)
- Hachette, Objectif Express Student workbook (Paris, 2006)
This course builds on students’ acquired skills at the “Intermediate I” level and involves increased exposure to native French speakers’, print, web and television resources. In addition to classroom work and homework, the course includes challenging opportunities to practice French in daily life with French-speaking neighbors, friends and fellow students. Learners will enhance their skills in French reading and listening comprehension and oral and written production in a number of environments, including cultural and recreational events at the university, during host-family stays, and in the context of educational fieldtrips and other travels across Morocco.
By the completion of this course, students will be able to
- Extract information from audio and television newscasts
- Critique editorial pieces, political issues, and engage in discussions of current issues
- Debate and discuss personal opinions
- Write short narratives, descriptions and essays supporting a point of view
- Show knowledge of the main movements in French history and literature
- Interact successfully in Francophone environments
Primary textbooks for French 202:
- Didier, Édito with audio CDs (Paris, 2006
This course builds on students’ acquired proficiency at the intermediate level. Students will be able to discuss a variety of topics and defend views using sophisticated speech as well as understand historical and cultural contexts surrounding French cultural events. This course builds many of its activities around opportunities to practice French in daily life with French-speaking neighbors, friends and fellow students. Learners will enhance their skills in French in a number of environments, including cultural and recreational events at the university, during host-family stays, and in the context of educational fieldtrips and other travels across Morocco. Evaluation targets classroom work as well as experiential learning.
By the completion of this course, students will be able to
- Extract essential facts from oral and written texts
- Express preferences and choices
- Discuss environmental issues, technology, and social issues
- Produce expository and argumentative texts
- Demonstrate awareness of and appreciation for French and Francophone literature and culture
Primary textbook for French 301:
- Didier, Édito with audio CDs (Paris, 2006)
This course builds on students’ previously acquired proficiency in French. In addition to regular teaching materials, this course will use the opportunities available to practice French in daily life with French-speaking neighbors, friends and fellow students to develop and build on experiential learning . Students will practice and develop their various skills in expressing their ideas and communicating with others in French; opportunities will include cultural and recreational events at the university, host-family living, and educational field trips and other travels across Morocco. Students will read, analyze, and discuss significant works in francophone North African literature during the semester.
By the completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Communicate in French fluently, both orally and in writing
- Demonstrate a well-informed understanding of the cultures of Morocco and North Africa as an important geographic region of the francophone world
- Demonstrate communicative and cultural competencies that enable them to differentiate between the variations of standard and spoken French, as well as between regional dialectical variations of spoken French.
- Identify and distinguish the main movements in French history and literature
- Analyze and discuss main issues in Maghrebi literature written in French
- Produce well argued essays on general and cultural topics
Primary books read in French 302:
- Fatima Mernissi,Rêves de femmes
- Other texts will be added depending on class pace.
- Excerpts from works by the following writer will be added: Tahar Ben Jelloun, Driss Chraïbi, Edmond Amrane El Maleh, Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine, Leila Chellabi, Fouad Laroui, Abdellatif Laâbi, Leila Houari, Abdellah Taïa, Mohamed Hmoudane, Driss Sefrioui, Jacob Cohen ou El Driss
Also from Limag: http://www.limag.refer.org/Volumes/littmarocaine.htm
In this course, students use authentic material from literature, academic research and both written and audio-visual media to develop their abilities to extract essential information and identity linguistic nuances. Students are expected to produce reaction papers where they demonstrate their grasp of the main facts and opinions in texts and express their own assessment of the content, the form of the text, the position and arguments of the author. Students are also expected to be able to identify figures of style and produce texts demonstrating near native competence.
Teaching Materials consist of
- Selected publications in French and francophone literature of the Maghreb
- Locally produced articles selected by faculty
Taught by one of the field's pre-eminent scholars, this course examines the impact of organized religion, specifically Islam, on the physical and social development of cities. Students will learn about the architecture of the Maghreb and the Middle East, the role of religion in urban and regional planning, and Islam's impact on the rise and decline of major Moroccan metropolises throughout history.
Students will examine the major social issues impacting contemporary Morocco. The class focuses on such topics as gender and family, modernization in the political and economic arenas, urbanization versus rural development, and socioeconomic inequalities. Students will also examine Moroccan society in the context of its Arab-Islamic origins and the impact of Arab cultural identity on Moroccan national development.
This course focuses on the evolution of modern Morocco, specifically Morocco's integration into the world system during the last two centuries and its influence on traditional society and state growth. Major topics include the traditional Moroccan society and state, Moroccan reactions to Western expansion, Morocco under colonial rule, the emergence of nationalism, politics and society after independence, and the Islamist revival.
In this course students will examine the historical background of relations between Islam and Europe from the 7th century to the present in order for them to understand better the present debate over the Clash of Civilizations thesis. The initial Islamic expansion, the Crusades and the confrontation between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburgs took place during an extended period that was also marked by major cultural exchanges in art, architecture, philosophy and other fields. Later, imperialism and colonization added new dimensions to the interaction and new forms of Islamic reform and extremism developed in response to growing materialism, the spread of European mores and values, and the imbalance of power between East and West from the 19th century on. The rise of al-Qaeda and the September 11, 2001 attacks once again hardened relations between the Islamic world and the West.
This course introduces visiting US-American students to the different facets of contemporary Moroccan culture. Being caught between the North and the South, the East and the West, Moroccan culture has embraced a wide diversity of cultural variants and has integrated them into a homegrown cultural hybrid. Pre-Islamic, African, Berber, European, and modern technological cultures have intermingled to create contemporary Moroccan society. This hybridizing process has resulted in a number of fascinating mixes and paradoxes (linguistic, cultural, religious, ethnic, and political). Among the topics covered in this course are Moroccan traditional culture in the cyber age; current popular culture: religious rituals; youth culture; media culture of newspapers, T.V., and radio stations; the impact of modernization on Moroccan social practices; perceptions of time, space and the body; changes in the culture of womanhood; recent reforms in Morocco (education, women, human rights, labor laws); culture of dress, fashion, and traditional clothing; arts, music, and painting; intellectual production in different areas; the language question (Arabic, Amazigh, French, English…); and facing globalization: the Moroccans' conception of the past, the present, and the future (religious, cultural, philosophical, and political implications).
This course outlines the history of the Imazighen (or Berbers, North Africa’s indigenous people) since ancient times. It covers how early Berbers founded the scattered Libyan kingdoms of classical antiquity, later interacting with outsiders (Phoenician, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Vandal, Byzantine) until the decisive Arab conquest. It then traces their adaptation to Arab culture and Islam, highlighted by the prestigious medieval Berber empires that made a bilingual Arabo-Berber Morocco a force to be reckoned with in the Mediterranean world, and the all-pervading growth of Sufism, before an inward-looking sultanate in decline (XVIIth-XIXth centuries) paved the way for colonial domination. The remainder of the course is devoted to the linguistic erosion suffered by the Berber tongue, the anti-colonial resistance period (1908-1934), not to mention the Amazigh renaissance of the post-1980s and today’s identity crisis. Although not a language course, some rudiments of Tamazight (Berber) will be imparted, together with its oral poetry. The course will basically consist of lectures, with assigned readings and preparation for oral presentations by students, plus oral question-and-answer sessions, relevant power-point projections, and scope for one or two field-trips into the Middle Atlas. It is also imperative that time be allotted for instructor to meet students and provide advice with research papers.
This course is an overview of Maghribi politics with a focus on the political dynamics and system of post-independence Morocco. It begins with the historical background of the region (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia)) focusing on the 20th century. Then it moves on to an outline of the general conditions that shape the formation of modern Maghribi states : colonial and international interests, regional geopolitics, anti-colonialism and the impact of Arab nationalism, cultural factors including Berberism, the conflict over the western Sahara and the rise of Islamism. Case studies of Maghribi political systems will create a comparative perspective with other states in the Arab. Following this introductory and comparative look, the course will focus on the Moroccan political system from the 1950s to the present. In a historical perspective, this part will investigate the evolution of the kingdom from the authoritarianism of the “years of lead” to a relative democracy at the turn of the century. We will examine also the interplay of the monarchy, the political parties, civil society organizations and the Islamist movements.
This course will take a multidisciplinary look at gender within the context of Muslim majority countries with a particular focus on Morocco. A major part of the course will be fieldwork oriented. Some of the class sessions will be visits to women’s associations, both secular and Islamic. Discussion will focus on the processes of empowerment and disempowerment that are engendered by Islamic and secular women’s activism in Morocco. The overall objective is introduce students to contemporary scholarship on women’s issues, feminist activism in both a secular and Islamic context and the nature of women’s engagement with power in the Islamic world. In addition to fieldwork visits to some Moroccan women’s associations, students will read texts written by academic and activist feminists.
Dr. Mohammed Ezroura is Professor of English and former Vice Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Mohammed V University-Agdal. He earned his PhD in Comparative Literature and Critical Theory from the University of British Columbia (Canada), his MA in the Sociology of Literature from Essex University (UK) and his undergraduate degree in English from Mohammed V University. He served for many years as resident director of the Vassar College study abroad program in Morocco and has been a visiting scholar or professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the American Studies Research Center in Hyderabad, India, University of British Columbia, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Vassar College, Lincoln University, Connecticut College, Seoul National University (Korea), Cairo University (Egypt), Edinburgh University (UK) and Stirling University (UK).
Dr. Mohamed Aafif is Professor of History in the College of Arts and Humanities, Mohammed V University-Agdal. He earned his PhD in History at Mohammed V University-Agdal, MPhil in Anthropology at New York University, Master’s and undergraduate degrees at Mohammed V University in History and Geography respectively. He is a widely published scholar who has also translated important scholarly works on Morocco and Japan into Arabic. A Fulbright Scholar and a Japan Foundation Fellow, Dr. Aafif has been a visiting scholar and professor at Seikei University (Japan), Sophia University (Japan), University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, University of Michigan, National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka (Japan), and Joensuu University (Finland).
Dr. Taoufik Agoumy is Professor of Geography in the College of Arts and Humanities, Mohammed V University-Agdal. He earned his PhD at Princeton University, a post-graduate degree at the University of Tours (France), and his undergraduate degree from Mohammed V University. He is a Fulbright Scholar who is widely published and has served as a visiting professor at Universität Bayreuth (Germany), Princeton University, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain), Technischen Universität München (Germany) and the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
Ms. Doha Aitahmed earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Ibnou Zohr University in Agadir in 2000. Since then she has been working for the Peace Corps as a trainer, teaching modern standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic and Tashelhit to volunteers headed for placements in areas related to economic development and social affairs. Ms. Aitahmed is very involved in social programs, and has often facilitated the participation of international volunteers and project leaders by preparing intensive Arabic programs and cross-cultural seminars. She has participated in a youth development training project every summer since 2001, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Youth Centers in Morocco and is a member of the AIDS Awareness Development Committee. Ms. Aitahmed brings experience, enthusiasm and knowledge of society to her Moroccan Arabic classes.
Ms. Naima Bary graduated from Mohammed V University – Agdal in Rabat with master’s degree in applied linguistics and foreign language teaching methodologies. Since then, she has been teaching English in several academic and foreign professional institutions. Her research interests include second language acquisition, education in multicultural societies and applied learning technologies. Ms. Bary is deeply involved in teacher training and has participated in a number of workshops in Egypt, Washington D.C, Miami and Texas and has represented Morocco at the First International Annual Leadership Conference in Ocala, Florida. In 2006, she was a Fulbright scholar at Florida Atlantic University. She was on the staff of the summer Arabic and North African Studies program at Al Akhawayn University in 2007 and 2008. Ms. Bary is a member of the American Association of University Supervisors and Coordinators and the African Language Teachers Association.
Dr. Ettibari Bouasla is Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts and Humanities, Mohammed V University-Agdal. He earned his PhD at the University of East Anglia (UK), a post-graduate degree at René Decartes University (France) and his undergraduate degree from Mohammed V University. He is a widely published scholar who has served as a visiting professor at the U.N. Social Defense Research Institute (Rome and Saudi Arabia) and at Sultan Qaboos University (Oman).
Dr. Ahmed Bouhsane joined the Arabic Department at Mohammed V University – Agdal in 1976. He regularly teaches a number of courses in language, literature, and criticism, and has been teaching Arabic to non-native speakers since 1997. He has served on several committees, academic and organizational at the department and college levels. Dr. Bouhsane has also been a visiting professor in several international universities in Germany, Belgium, France and the United States. He has several publications to his name, including a book on Egyptian writer and philosopher Taha Hussein and a translated book that won the 2006 National Book Prize in Morocco. Dr. Bouhsane is a member of several committees and organizations nationally and internationally.
Dr. El Mostafa Chadli is Professor of French in the College of Arts and Humanities, Mohammed V University-Agdal. He earned his PhD in Linguistics from the University of Toulouse (France), his MA in Paris, and his undergraduate degree from Mohammed V University. Dr. Chadli has many publications to his name and is a very active scholar who serves in leadership positions with several professional organizations, chairs the French Department, and directs the doctoral program within the department. He also is affiliated with the University of Quebec at Montreal (Canada) on an on-going basis.
Ms. Zoubida Doublali holds bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language and Literature from Mohammed V University – Agdal in Rabat. Ms. Doublali has many years of experience in teaching Arabic to Moroccan primary, junior high, and high school students. She then moved to teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and for a number of years she has taught Moroccan Arabic to Peace Corps Volunteers, U.S. Embassy personnel, USAID employees, and Japanese volunteers. Having a strong interest throughout her career in teaching methodology and extra-curricular activities, Ms. Doublali has been actively involved in materials development and teacher training for Moroccan Arabic.
Dr. Souad Eddouada is a faculty member in the English Department at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, Morocco. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Mohammed V University – Agdal in Rabat. Dr. Eddouada’s doctoral dissertation focussed on women, gender and the state, and her current research is on feminist activism in Morocco in the aftermath of the changes in the family code. She has post-doctoral research at Lund University in Sweden and the Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton University where she was a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Research Scholar in the fall semester 2008.
Dr. Mohammed Essayedi has been teaching Arabic language and linguistics at Mohammed V University – Agdal since 1981. He earned a Doctorat d’Etat from the same university and a Doctorat from Nancy University in France. Dr. Essayedi has been participating in department and college committees, especially those dealing with linguistics and effective teaching; he has been chair of the Arabic department since 2005. In addition, Dr. Essayedi is a member of several national and international academic and social organizations, including the national accreditation agency and the international Council for the Arabic Language. Dr. Essayedi has several publications in Arabic linguistics, the teaching of Arabic in Moroccan universities and the grammar of tests.
Dr. Maâti Monjib is a researcher at the Institute of African Studies in Rabat. Born in Morocco, he earned his first Ph.D in France (North African history) and another one from Dakar University in African comparative history. He published articles and studies on the Middle East, North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. He has taught at universities in Morocco, Senegal and the U.S. His publications include : The Moroccan Monarchy and the Struggle for Power (Paris, L’Harmattan, 1992), a political biography of Mehdi Ben Barka, with. Z. Daoud (Paris, Editions Michalon, 1996-2000), and Islamists versus Secularists in Morocco (ed.) (Amsterdam, IKV, 2008). He is currently preparing a political biography of the west African politician Mamadou Dia.
Dr. Michael Peyron is a visiting professor at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. He was born and attended primary and secondary schools in the United Kingdom. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in France (at the universities of Bordeaux and Grenoble). His doctoral thesis was on an Amazigh area in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Dr. Peyron taught at the Faculty of Letters of Mohammed V University in Rabat 1973-1988) and in the English Department at Grenoble University (1988-95). In the late 1980s, the focus of his career switched form English to Amazigh studies. From 1995 to1997 he was a guest lecturer at King Fahd School for Translation (Tangier, Morocco), and since 1997 has been a visiting professor at Al-Akhawayn University. Dr. Peyron’s publications include numerous articles and half a dozen books in French and English on Amazigh-related affairs, including, two volumes of bi-lingual Berber-French poetry; a collection of folktales in a Berber-English edition; four edited conference proceedings on Amazigh culture; since 1985, he has regularly contributed entries to the multi-volume Encyclopédie Berbère; and, he put together an Amazigh Studies Reader (2006) which he uses in his teaching.
Dr. Stuart Schaar is Professor Emeritus of Middle East and North African History at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. After earning his bachelor’s degree in history from the City College of New York, he did his graduate work at Princeton University where he received a joint Ph.D. in western European history and Middle East Studies. He specialized in North African history and wrote his doctoral thesis on “Conflict and Change in Nineteenth Century Morocco”. He was a guest student for nine months at the North African Center at the University of Aix-en-Provence in France and first went to North Africa in 1960. He wrote his dissertation and lived in Morocco for two years on a Ford Foundation grant and landed his first job in the Comparative Tropical History Program at the University of Wisconsin (Madison). He then worked and wrote articles for two years for the American Universities Field Staff covering North Africa, the Middle East and East Africa, living for six months in Nairobi, Kenya and lecturing at the University of Nairobi, University of Dar es-Salam (Tanzania) and Makerere University (Uganda). As part of the AUFS touring scholar program, he lectured for a year at ten universities throughout the United States including the California Institute of Technology, Dartmouth College, Indiana University, Michigan State University, Southern University, Tulane University, and the University of Wisconsin, among others. He taught at Brooklyn College from 1968 until February 2007 when he retired and moved to Rabat, Morocco. A recipient of four John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grants, Dr. Schaar is co-editor of The Middle East and Islamic World Reader (New York: Grove Press, 2003).
Saturday, January 9
Sunday, January 10
Monday, January 11
Friday, January 16
Monday, January 19
Monday, March 9
March 28 – April 5
Friday, May 1
Friday, May 8
May 11-15
Saturday, May 16 |
Depart the U.S.
Arrive and check into hotel
Orientation begins
Move in with host family
Classes begin
Prophet's Birthday (no classes)
Spring Break
Labor Day (no classes)
Final day of classes
Final exams
Depart Morocco |
Saturday, August 22
Sunday, August 23
Monday, August 24
Friday, August 28
Monday, August 31
September 21-23 (approx.)
Friday, November 6
Tuesday, November 17
Friday, November 27 (approx.)
Friday, December 11
December 14-18
Saturday, December 19 |
Depart the U.S.
Arrive and check into hotel
Orientation begins
Move in with host family
Classes begin
Eid al-Fitr (no classes)
Green March Day (no classes)
Independence Day (no classes)
Eid al-Adha (no classes)
Final day of classes
Final exams
Depart Morocco |
The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in the Arab World partner in Rabat, Morocco is Mohammed V University – Agdal.
Founded in 1917 in Rabat, Mohammed V University-Agdal is Morocco's most prestigious public university. It has over 25,000 students in its various schools, and over 10,000 in its College of Letters and Humanities, where the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program is focused. Its faculty includes many of Morocco's pre-eminent scholars, while its students are among the most promising in the nation.
Mohammed V University-Agdal is an international academic leader, and is committed to the global exchange of ideas and people. In particular, it participates in a wide variety of bi-lateral and multi-lateral research initiatives, hosts visiting scholars from throughout the world, and works cooperatively with several international organizations, most notably the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The University is also home to a growing number of international students, most of them from African and Asian countries.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program courses in Rabat are taught by a select group of Moroccan professors from the College of Letters and Humanities as well as others from other colleges of the University and from other institutions in Rabat and neighboring cities. All have both fluency in English and experience teaching in English. Participating faculty earned post-graduate degrees at universities in North America and Europe or have spent extended periods at English-medium institutions as students, visiting faculty or visiting researchers.
More information about Mohammed V University – Agdal can be found on its website: http://www.um5a.ac.ma/SiteAnglais/index.php
Upon arrival in Rabat, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Moroccan culture and daily life, and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. During orientation students also are introduced to the principles of intercultural communication. Students stay in a hotel in central Rabat 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 the city of Rabat. Topics such as safety and health, family life in Morocco, cultural adjustment, 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.
Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat, Morocco have a choice of living arrangements and meal plans.
Living with a Moroccan Family – students who select this option will live with a Moroccan family that has been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Morocco 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. Most host family members speak Arabic as a first language and also speak French; a small number of family members also speak Spanish or Amazigh (Berber) as well. 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.
Living in a student residence with a Moroccan roommate – students who select this option will live in a private Moroccan student residence hall that opened in 2007. Each double room has a private bathroom and toilet, small refrigerator and cooking facilities and internet access. There are separate buildings for male and female students and strict gender segregation is enforced. The residence hall is located in the university quarter of the city and students living there should expect to take public transportation to and from classes. A student cafeteria is located across the street and students may eat there, prepare their own meals in their rooms, or eat in restaurants.
In addition to the academic program, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat offers a variety of additional learning opportunities to enhance participants' study abroad experience.
- Civil Society: Students will encounter a variety of Moroccan civil society organizations ranging from political and human rights groups to women’s organizations to sports clubs. AMIDEAST will organize special activities to facilitate student connections to these organizations.
- Service-learning: AMIDEAST coordinates organized service-learning projects either for individual students or for larger groups. With many connections to a wide range of organizations in Morocco, AMIDEAST can adapt projects individual student interests to ensure a unique and satisfying service-learning experience.
- Cross-cultural learning: AMIDEAST and Mohammed V University-Agdal organize a variety of cross-cultural learning opportunities. Ranging from meet-and-greets to formal presentations, these events give participants the chance to interact with Moroccan students, to learn more about Morocco, and to introduce others to American culture.
Students may apply for part-time, non-credit internships with businesses, international institutions, and non-governmental organizations in Rabat. Student internships in Morocco are not as common as in the U.S., and therefore students are encouraged to make note of their interest in an internship early in the application process and in as much detail as possible. AMIDEAST will endeavor to match students with strong French or Arabic language skills to relevant organizations according to their skills and interests, coordinate the application process, and monitor the progress of the internship. (Note: internship placements are at the discretion of the host organization; placement is not guaranteed)
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat students participate in three program-organized excursions outside of Rabat to visit major cities and historical sites in Morocco. The excursions are coordinated by AMIDEAST/Morocco in conjunction with the program’s academic staff from Mohammed V University-Agdal 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.
- Three days/two nights in Marrakesh.
- Three days/two nights in and around Fez.
- Three days/two nights in northern Morocco.
There is also an optional excursion (at additional cost) to the desert (including one night in tents among dunes).
American citizens must present a valid passport, but they are not required to obtain a visa to travel to Morocco. Visitors may remain in Morocco for up to three months, after which time they must leave the country or apply for a residency permit. AMIDEAST will coordinate the visa extension process when necessary.
Citizens of other countries should check with AMIDEAST during the application process to ascertain what visa requirements they may face.
The program is managed by AMIDEAST/Morocco in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with Mohammed V University-Agdal 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 1979, AMIDEAST has been providing quality educational services in Morocco. With offices in Rabat and Casablanca, AMIDEAST reaches thousands of students and professionals annually through English and Arabic language courses, academic advising, standardized testing, and cultural exchange programs. AMIDEAST/Morocco 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.
Jennifer Michaluk serves as Program Manager for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Morocco. A Canadian citizen who grew up in the small town of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, she was educated at the University of Manitoba and lived for 10 years in Winnipeg. Jennifer has been living abroad and working in education for the past 7 years in four countries on four continents – Ecuador, South Korea, Ukraine and finally Morocco. Jennifer joined AMIDEAST/Morocco in 2006, working first as the English Language Young Learner Coordinator and currently as Program Manager of Education Abroad. In that role she coordinates all aspects of the program, including orientation, housing, excursions, scheduling, student activities and much more. Her experience living and working outside North America makes her a strong facilitator for the intercultural aspect of the program. She further developed those skills in 2008 when she attended the Summer Institute in Intercultural Communication in Portland, Oregon. Jennifer lives in Rabat with her Moroccan husband and Fluffy the cat.
- 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 Morocco
- Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment
Applications are accepted and considered on a rolling basis until the program is filled. If you would like to apply for the Spring 2009 semester, we urge you to complete your application as soon as possible, as well as contact an AMIDEAST staff member prior to submission.
- December 1, 2008 – Applications accepted for fall 2009 and academic year 2009-2010
- April 12, 2009 – Application deadline for fall 2009 and academic year 2009-2010
- May 1, 2009 – Applications accepted for spring 2010
* Download application (PDF)
* Download recommendation form (PDF)
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Rabat
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 776-9640
Fax: (202) 776-7040
Email: MoroccoStudy@amideast.org
Tuition Fees
Program Fees
TOTAL |
$7,000
$4,000
$11,000 |
Fees for Fall 2009 will be announced by March 2009; fees for spring 2010 will be announced by September 2009.
Tuition Fees include courses totaling 16 credits and textbooks
Program Fees include an all-inclusive one-week orientation, housing (either with a host family or in a Moroccan residence hall), most meals (if with a host family) or a meal stipend (if in the residence hall), program-organized excursions, supplementary lectures and special events, and an International Student Identity Card (which includes limited medical insurance and medical evacuation and repatriation coverage).
Tuition and Fees do NOT cover:
- International airfare
- Travel or health insurance
- Local personal transportation
- Medical, communication, and other personal expenses
- Some meals
Morocco is a gateway to Africa and the Arab world. A meeting point for civilizations and continents situated on the northwest tip of Africa, contemporary Morocco, with its nearly 35 million people, is a unique fusion of Middle Eastern, European, and African cultural influences. Here, visitors have the opportunity to experience life in a Muslim country while exploring the distinct society and traditions of the Maghreb. Whether enjoying a croissant and mint tea at a cafe, visiting Amazigh (Berber) villages or wandering through the medinas and their souqs, each experience in Morocco offers rich insight into its remarkable culture. With its striking topography, vibrant culture, and distinctive history, Morocco is an ideal destination for cross-cultural interchange and learning.
Morocco's physical landscape is as varied as its culture, ranging from sun-scorched deserts to temperate coastal plains, mountain peaks to sandy beaches. Visitors can even ski on the snowy slopes of the Atlas Mountains in winter. A mild, Mediterranean climate predominates in most parts of the country, with hot, sunny summers, and cool, moist winters.
Islam heavily influences daily life in Morocco. From the fasts of Ramadan to the five daily calls to prayer, it is a significant force in virtually all aspects of Moroccan life. It has been the dominant religion in the region for nearly fourteen hundred years and the official religion of the modern state since Morocco regained its independence in 1956. The population is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, adhering to the moderate Maliki school of Islamic law.
Moroccan Islam has attracted considerable attention from scholars for its openness to democratic reforms (support for multi-party democracy, human rights, women's rights, and acceptance of liberalism in government). American anthropology as a field has been strongly influenced by fieldwork carried out in Morocco by pre-eminent scholars such as Clifford Geertz, Lawrence Rosen, Paul Rabinow, Vincent Crapanzano, Daisy Dwyer, and others. The diversity of the hybrid cultural variants in the country is fascinating. Not only in religious practice but also in music, folklore, rituals, architecture, and ethnic interactions. The new emphasis on Amazigh (Berber) culture is another area of increasing interest in many fields as well.
Morocco is one of the most politically stable countries in the Arab world, and a long-time ally of the United States and Europe. It is accessible to visitors, with a thriving tourist industry and a generally friendly attitude towards foreigners. Governed as a constitutional monarchy, the current head of state is King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999. His reign has been marked by political and social reform, economic liberalization, and an increasingly active role in international politics.
Rapid urbanization is changing the appearance and character of contemporary Morocco, with over half of the population now residing in cities. Casablanca, situated on the Atlantic coast, is the country's largest city and economic capital, with a population of nearly four million. Rabat, the nation's capital and its second-largest city, is located about sixty miles to the north. Other major urban areas include the popular tourist destinations of Fez, Marrakesh, Tangier, and Agadir.
AMIDEAST’s programs are based in Rabat, Morocco’s cosmopolitan capital. Situated at the confluence of the Bou Regreg River and Atlantic Ocean, Rabat is a relaxed, yet stately metropolitan community of 1.7 million people. Steeped in rich history, Rabat is one of Morocco’s four imperial cities. Its medina (old city) is easy to navigate and includes housing as well as shops and traditional craftsmen plying their trade, The modern city, dating to the early 20th century has wide, pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined boulevards and many green spaces, and houses the political and administrative offices of Morocco’s government as well as its parliament, supreme court and Royal Palace.. Settled in the third century BC, Rabat subsequently was ruled by the Romans, Berbers, Arabs, and lastly the French before Morocco’s independence in 1956.
In addition to government offices, Rabat is home to Morocco’s most prestigious academic institutions and numerous non-governmental and international organizations, including ISESCO (the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Mohammed V University – Agdal was Morocco’s first modern university and is joined in Rabat by such prestigious institutions as the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy, National Administration School, and Applied Statistics Institute. A recent addition to Rabat’s research and cultural institutions is the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture.
Rabat’s waterfront is undergoing a total makeover with construction of a marina, apartment and commercial complexes, and a landscaped walkway along the riverside. A light rail system is under construction and soon will link Rabat with Salé, its rival twin city across the river, and extend through the modern city to Madinat al-Irfan (City of Knowledge, or university quarter). With tens of thousands of students and a vibrant cultural life, Rabat is an exciting place to live and study.
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