2012-13 Tuition and Fees*

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 to nine months in Morocco.
• Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment
  

Application Deadlines

Fall 2012 or Academic Year 2012-13            April 15, 2012

The program is managed jointly by AMIDEAST/Morocco in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. and Al-Akhawayn University. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with AUI’s Office of International Programs to manage many elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, planning of special events and extra-curricular activities.   AUI manages the academic aspects of the program during the semester, while AMIDEAST/Morocco coordinates the pre-session language and culture course. Finally, AMIDEAST/Morocco, working together with AUI, 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 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.

Orientation and Pre-Session

Upon arrival in Morocco, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, three week-long orientation and academic pre-session designed to introduce them to Moroccan Arabic, Moroccan culture, and daily life and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. Students stay with Moroccan host families during this three-week pre-session that takes place in the Moroccan capital of Rabat.  Following the pre-session they move to Ifrane, where they participate in AUI’s international student orientation on the AUI campus.  The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with Morocco. 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.

The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in the Arab World partner for this program is Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI).  Founded in 1993 by Royal Dahir (charter), AUI opened it's doors to students in January 1995.  The University is co-educational, residential and primarily undergraduate but has rapidly growing graduate programs. Tolerance is promoted and expected from all members of the community as they live and work together.

The AMIDEAST program at AUI begins with a 3-week academic pre-session in Morocco’s capital city of Rabat.  The pre-session consists of the following elements:

• A 3-semester credit hour course on Moroccan Arabic and Culture, including 35 hours of instruction in Moroccan Arabic and 10 hours of instruction on Moroccan culture
• Accommodation and meals with a Moroccan host family
• Cultural orientation
• Visits to key sites of historical and cultural significance in the Rabat area
  

Pre-Session Moroccan Arabic and Culture Course (3 credits)

This is an integrated course encompassing both Moroccan Arabic and Moroccan culture.  Students will be placed in Moroccan Arabic at a level commensurate with their previous study of Modern Standard Arabic. There will be 35 hours of instruction in Moroccan Arabic together with a series of 10 lectures on Moroccan culture during the three-week program. Precise topics for the lectures are determined about one month before the Pre-Session begins.

Moroccan Arabic I
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 provides daily opportunity for practice.