SMCM-AMIDEAST Ifrane or Rabat, Morocco

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 fusion of Arab, European, and African cultural influences. In Morocco, visitors have the opportunity to experience life in a Muslim country while exploring the distinct society and traditions of the Maghreb.

AMIDEAST offers two programs in Morocco. The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Regional Studies in French Program in Rabat offers a diverse set of courses taught in French on Morocco in its Muslim, Arab, African and Mediterranean contexts. In addition, students learn Moroccan Arabic and have the opportunity to study Modern Standard Arabic if they so desire.

The AMIDEAST direct enroll program with Al-Akhawayn University (AUI) in Ifrane offers an opportunity to take English-taught courses directly at a local university.

Rabat
Rabat is one of Morocco’s “imperial cities,” as well as its political 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.

Ifrane
Ifrane is a resort town nestled in the Middle Atlas Mountains, about 60 kilometers from the beautifully preserved cities of Meknes or Fes. The area provides many opportunities to explore the mountains, forests, waterfalls, and lakes and is accessible by car. AUI has a 98-acres campus in Ifrane.

Rabat
Students in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Regional Studies in French Program in Rabat carry a 15 credit hour load each semester. All students enroll in Moroccan Arabic and select four other courses from offerings taught in French covering such diverse topics as Islam, Women in the Muslim World, North African cinema, the history and politics of Morocco and Morocco’s relationships with its European, Mediterranean and African neighbors. Please check out potentially available course syllabi here.

Alternatively, if students would like to enroll in Modern Standard Arabic (5 credits) they could then choose to take two or three Regional Studies courses (depending on their preference). If students choose to take two Regional Studies courses they will enroll in a total of 14 credits, whereas if they take three Regional Studies courses you will enroll in a total of 17 credits.

Students must have at least intermediate-high proficiency in French to enroll in the program. Students who wish may also enroll in Modern Standard Arabic, which is offered at seven different levels. All courses, other than Moroccan and Modern Standard Arabic, are taught in French exclusively for the AMIDEAST program, and students take classes only with other program participants.

Please note: All lectures, readings and written work in this program are in French. (In fact, an application requirement for admission to the program is a sample of writing in French.) Library resources of the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program and the National Library of Morocco are available to students on the program. In addition, a Moroccan graduate student will be assigned to each course to assist students.

Ifrane
Students take courses mostly taught in English, from Environmental Studies, Sustainability, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, International Studies, and more at the local university, Al-Akhawayn University (AUI). About half of the faculty is international, adding to the global perspective at the institution.  Please peruse the AUI course catalog directly.

Rabat
All AMIDEAST Education Abroad students live with a Moroccan Family. Moroccan families have been carefully screened by AMIDEAST/Morocco from a database of qualified applicants. Students usually are placed with a roommate from the AMIDEAST program into families who have previous experience hosting American students through AMIDEAST. 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 in the French Regional Studies Program with strong French speaking families in order to improve language acquisition. 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 given a stipend for lunch, as often class schedules prohibit students from return to their host families for lunch.

Ifrane
Students studying as part of the Ifrane program at AUI will live in dormitories on campus. Costs for this program include this housing and an on campus meal plan, which provides an average of three meals per day at the campus dining facilities.

In addition to the academic programs, AMIDEAST 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 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 Moroccan students, to learn more about Morocco, and to introduce others to American culture.