Table of Contents

Academics

2013 Tuition and Fees*
 

The Learn & Serve Oman program will be jointly administered by AMIDEAST Headquarters in Washington, DC and AMIDEAST/Oman in Muscat.

Orientation

Upon arrival in Oman, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an orientation designed to introduce them to Omani culture and daily life and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. Students will stay in the capital of Oman, Muscat, for the first portion of orientation before moving to Sohar University. During orientation topics such as safety and health, cultural adjustment, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are will be discussed. During the on-site orientation students also meet the faculty and become familiar with the university environment.

This Calendar is Tentative and is Subject to Change

Dr. Calvin Allen (Professor, Omani Society and Culture)

Calvin Allen is Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of History at Shenandoah University. Allen earned a BA in political science (Pittsburgh), an M.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Literature (Washington) and a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern history (Washington). He is a specialist on the Arabian Gulf region, having published three books on Oman, including Oman under Qaboos in 2001, and over 40 articles.

Allen’s teaching experience includes full-time faculty positions at the College of the Ozarks (1978-93) and the University of Memphis (1993-2002) and visiting positions at Drury College (1992) and at the University 

This program takes place in the Sultanate of Oman, one of the most intriguing destinations in the Arab world. Students have the exceptional opportunity to live and work as community service volunteers at a local Omani university, learning first-hand about this fascinating corner of the Arabian Peninsula.

For six weeks, students will volunteer with university students at Sohar University while also taking two courses to introduce them to the culture and language of Oman. While living and working with Omani students, AMIDEAST students will earn 6-credits in two 3-credit courses.

By participating in the Oman Learn & Serve program, AMIDEAST students will also get to know their Omani colleagues by living on campus and rooming with Sohar University students. Additionally, several excursions to major sites throughout Oman will further engage students with the historical and cultural atmosphere of the country.

History Course

Omani Society and Culture (History 350; 3 credits)

This course focuses on the social history and contemporary culture of Oman as representative of both a unique Omani identity and of Oman’s various cultural connections past and present: Muslim, Gulf, Middle Eastern, Arab and Indian Ocean, as well as its connections to east Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Woven throughout both Learn & Serve portions of the program, students attend lectures by Omani experts and write weekly reflective essays, and a larger Synthesis Essay, to evaluate their experiences and cultural understanding. By the end of this course, students are able to relate Omani history and social developments to broader events and trends, understand diverse Omani perspectives on social affairs and current vents, and understand the similarities and differences between their lifestyles and those of their Omani counterparts.

Overview
Throughout history, Jordan has served as a crossroads for trade, peoples, and cultures, connecting the East and the West. The capital city, Amman, is located in the north, thirty minutes from the Dead Sea and the Jordan River. Amman is historically significant for many of its early civilizations and the Biblical sites surrounding the city. Today, the city is the bustling capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with a population of over 2.5 million people. Jordan plays a significant diplomatic role in the wider Middle East region, and issues of regional peace and cooperation are at the forefront of this country's political agenda. 

Cairo University is Egypt’s largest and most prestigious public university. Founded in 1908, it has a total enrollment of more than 280,000 students of whom 180,000 are full-time. Of these students, about 4,700 are international students – 3,200 undergraduates and 1,500 graduates. There are a very small number of students from the U.S. and Western Europe, with an average of around 50-100 per year, almost all of them non-degree seeking European students auditing classes.