American Islamic College Courses

Established in 1981 as a private, not-for-profit, four-year college offering programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In March 1983, the college purchased its present landmark building on Lake Shore Drive, and in September 1983 began its first academic semester.

The College was the only Islamic institution of higher education with degree granting authority in North America that provided a living context of Islamic faith, practice and ethics. In 1991 the College was granted the authority to offer the Associate of Arts degree in addition to the Bachelor of Arts degree. After some period of silence, now, under its new administration, the American Islamic College opens its doors to educate the Chicago community in particular and the American Community in general with a variety of degrees, programs and events.

Arabic Calligraphy 101 
6-week class
This course will introduce students to the different styles of Arabic Calligraphy while focusing on Thuluth, a style that emerged in the 11 century CE. The class will meet once a week for a two-hour session. Students will be coached on using the units of measurement for each single letter of the Thuluth style as well as the relationship between the various letters of the Arabic Alphabet.

In the first half of the course, the students will be using special markers that are designed with a chisel tip, similar to the traditional reed pen (Boussa) that is used by professional calligraphers. In the second half, they will be introduced to the use of the reed pen with ink, and the technique of shaping and refining their own pens. By the end of the course, students should be able to produce a composition of their own and utilize the rules of measurement to check their work for mistakes. They will also be able to distinguish between various styles and judge the authenticity of each style while relying on the rules they have learned in class.
When: Wednesdays, July 7^th – August 11^th from 6:30PM-8:30PM
Instructor: Majed Abuajamia
Fee: $150; materials included. Students keep their own work. Free parking available.

Registration and payment are due no later than July 1^st. Please use our online paypal account or send a check payable to: “American Islamic College”.

Conversational Arabic 101 
6 Week Course

This is a beginner’s conversational Arabic course that will focus on pronunciation, comprehension, and verbal skills. Minimal emphasis will be placed on grammar, which will only be explained as necessary for comprehension. Students will learn how to greet others, introduce themselves and others, ask basic questions and respond to them, carry on basic conversations related to everyday life situations, and learn more about Arab and Islamic culture as relates to the basic themes of this course.

This class is a prerequisite to Conversational Arabic 102. Classes are non-credit and non-degree.

When: Saturdays, July 10th – August 14th from 10:30AM-12:30PM
Where: American Islamic College
Instructor: Professor Fadel Abdallah, visiting professor from Johns Hopkins University. He previously taught at Northwestern University and Lake Forest College. He has published several books on the Arabic language and is a native Arabic speaker.

Fee: $200; includes books and parking.

Registration and payment are due no later than July 3rd. Please use our online paypal account or send a check payable to: “American Islamic College”.

Ebru 101: Turkish Art Class

6-week class

Ebru, often referred to as the “dance of color on water”, is an authentic Turkish art that has been considered a spiritual art for centuries. This unique art form is produced by sprinkling color pigments into a trough of oily water and utilizes special brushes to create various designs that are then transferred on to a sheet of paper or other surface.

This class will cover a variety of techniques that participants will use to create their own masterpieces. Select art works will be displayed at an international conference held at the AIC this September! Come join us and learn the techniques of this ancient tradition.

When: Tuesdays, July 6^th-August 10^th from 6:30PM-8:30PM

Instructor: Sevim Surucu

Fee: $150; materials included. Students keep their own work.
Free parking available

Meet with a Boren Scholarship/Fellowship Representative

On July 21st, 2010 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in Ballantine 304 a representative from the Institute of International Education will be speaking with interested students about the David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships.

Boren Awards provide a unique funding opportunity for U.S. students to study world regions critical to U.S. interests (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East).
The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

The Boren Scholarship provides opportunities for undergraduate students to study in countries that are generally underrepresented in study abroad.  Boren Scholars are awarded up to $20,000 for an academic year.

The Boren Fellowship allows graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate studies.  Boren Fellows can be awarded up to $30,000.

Additional information on preferred geographic regions, languages, fields of study and application procedures can be found at www.borenawards.org.

For more information please contact Steven Rose, IU Boren Undergraduate Scholarship Representative (rosestm@indiana.edu), or Paul Fogleman, IU Boren Graduate Fellowship Representative (pfoglema@indiana.edu), or contact Boren Awards at 1-800-618-NSEP or boren@iie.org.

Higher Language Institute at Damscus University

The Arabic Language Teaching Department (ALTD) is an outstanding department of the Higher Language Institute at the University of Damascus that specializes in teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages (TASOL). Since the Arabic Language Center’s founding in 1995, hundreds of students of various nationalities and social, cultural, and academic backgrounds have studied Arabic at the Institute.

Since 2008 the Arabic Language Center became a specialized academic department for language teaching and pedagogical research aiming to:

1.Offer master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the field of modern language teaching.
2.Improve the linguistic skill of candidates for future work in universities and other governmental and public organizations.
3.Become a research academy that presents constructive research in language learning and teaching, as well as in other fields such as social, political, economic, anthropological, cultural etc.
4.Present and research the role of cultural aspects in language learning and teaching.

The ALTD’s international reputation is a result of the continuous sincere efforts of its highly qualified administration and the experienced teaching staff.

Arabic Language Teaching Department – Higher Language Institute – Damascus University
Campus of Humanities, Mazzeh Autostrad (Fayez Mansour st.), Damascus, Syria
Office of Registration & Students' Affairs: Tel: +963 (0)11 33925843 / Fax: +963 (0)11 2120164

Email: inquiries@arabicindamascus.edu.sy This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: http://www.arabicindamascus.edu.sy/

Syrian Studies Association

Please visit this site for information on different opportunities within Syria.

Caravan al Sham

Al Sham is the old Arabic name for Syria, and Caravan Al Sham is an American-based company which assists students from around the world who wish to study Arabic in Syria.

 

Our first priorities are safety and education. We help students throughout every stage of their study abroad trip, from getting the visa, to getting a Syrian cell phone. We accompany our students from the beginning by picking them up at the International Airport in Damascus and we bring them to their private rooms in centrally located houses of old Damascus. We assist with registration at the University of Damascus where students will attend world-class courses in Arabic, and we can provide private one-on-one tutors. We teach our students about Syrian culture, provide excursion opportunities, and most of all, make sure that our students are comfortable and safe.

 

Caravan Al Sham’s mission is to ensure that the time our students spend in the land of Al Sham is as enriching and educational as possible.

 

By joining Caravan Al Sham you’ll get:

• Full Tuition at the University of Damascus
• Registration Assistance
• A Private Room in an old Damascene House
• Complete Visa Services for Syria
• Travel Information and References
• Contacts for Tutors
• Airport Pick-up
• Discounts at Syrian Stores
• A Syrian Etiquette and Culture Class
• An Introduction to Damascus Seminar
• 24 hr. Emergency Assistance

 

We provide everything you’ll need so you will be able to concentrate on your studies, improve your colloquial Arabic, and absorb the local culture. In short, our job is to make sure that you have the most educational, enriching, and enchanting experience of your life. Think of us as your long lost family that you never knew you had in Syria.

Qasid: Institute for Classical & Modern Standard Arabic

Experienced instructors have commented that English-speaking students studying Arabic on their own tend to overdo grammar and leave conversational, listening, and writing skills underdeveloped, resulting in large gaps in language acquisition; after years of study, a student may know the intricacies of i'rab (grammatical inflection), but not have enough practiced vocabulary to read a simple novel or converse comfortably for more than a few minutes.

The Qasid Institute's methodology rejects this one-dimensional approach, instead emphasizing well-roundedness without sacrificing detail. Proficiency is taught through a carefully selected combination of reading, listening, writing, and conversation exercises. Our instructors have several decades of combined experience in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, and will work with students to fill the gaps that remain in their language acquisition.

Each class meets four hours per day, five days per week, over the course of nine weeks (summer session), and three hours per day, five days per week over the course of twelve weeks (fall, winter, and spring sessions). Classes are conducted in a comfortable institute setting; students sit along custom-made U-shaped tables ideal for discussion. Every student, whether in level one or five, is encouraged and expected to actively participate in class. Our program places a special emphasis on developing a student's ability to converse in Arabic.

The Academic Program is divided into two tracks, Classical and Modern Standard. Incoming students have the option to apply to either, both of which provide training at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Each session consists of 180 hours. Fall, winter and spring sessions are 12-weeks in length (3 hours/day), while the summer session is 9 weeks (4 hours/day). Each of the core classes are offered during each of these four sessions, while advanced and supplementary courses are available subject to demand.

The American Center of Oriental Research

( ACOR )in Amman , Jordan , is a private, non-profit academic institution dedicated to promoting research and publication in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, history, languages, biblical studies, Arabic, Islamic studies and other aspects of Middle Eastern studies.

Since 1968, ACOR has served as a liaison between Jordanian institutions, both academic and governmental, and international scholars interested in working in the Arab world. Founded primarily to facilitate American archaeological research in the region, ACOR ’s activities now encompass scholars of many disciplines from all parts of the world. The ACOR building is the only purpose-built research center of its kind in the Middle East.

Training, education and public service are the most important activities at ACOR , a place where Jordanians, Americans and others work to increase understanding of our common past. ACOR provides advice, coordination, equipment, research facilities and living and meeting space for scholars in an environment that is both academically exciting and socially congenial.

ACOR’s main program areas include a fellowship program, archaeological excavation and restoration projects, various academic programs, assistance to fieldwork projects in Jordan, a publication series, and a summer intensive Arabic language institute, handled through CAORC.

ACOR is supported by contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals and by funds generated by the Amman operation. ACOR is tax exempt as a 501(c)(3) organization, as determined by the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FELLOWSHIPS 2010-2011

Deadline for all applications is February 1, 2010

ACOR-CAORC Fellowship: Three or more two- to six-month fellowships for masters and doctoral students. Fields of study include all areas of the humanities and the natural and social sciences. Topics should contribute to scholarship in Near Eastern studies. U.S. citizenship required. Maximum award is $19,600. Awards may be subject to funding.

ACOR-CAORC Post-Graduate Fellowship: Two or more two- to six-month fellowships for post-doctoral scholars and scholars with a terminal degree in their field, pursuing research or publication projects in the natural and social sciences, humanities, and associated disciplines relating to the Near East. U.S. citizenship required. Maximum award is $28,800. Awards may be subject to funding.

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship: One four to six month fellowship for scholars who have a Ph.D. or have completed their professional training. Fields of research include: modern and classical languages, linguistics, literature, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, archaeology, comparative religion, ethics, and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. Social and political scientists are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals living in the U.S. three years immediately preceding the application deadline. The maximum award is $27,800.

Jennifer C. Groot Fellowship: Two or more awards of $1,800 each to support beginners in archaeological fieldwork who have been accepted as team members on archaeological projects with ASOR/CAP affiliation in Jordan. Open to undergraduate or graduate students of U.S. or Canadian citizenship.

Bert and Sally de Vries Fellowship: One award of $1,200 to support a student for participation on an archaeological project or research in Jordan. Senior project staff whose expenses are being borne largely by the project are ineligible. Open to enrolled undergraduate or graduate students of any nationality.

Harrell Family Fellowship: One award of $1,800 to support a graduate student for participation on an archaeological project or research in Jordan. Senior project staff whose expenses are being borne largely by the project are ineligible. Open to enrolled graduate students of any nationality.

Pierre and Patricia Bikai Fellowship: One or more awards for one to two months residency at ACOR in Amman. It is open to enrolled graduate students of any nationality participating in an archaeological project or conducting archaeological work in Jordan. The fellowship includes room and board at ACOR and a monthly stipend of $600.

MacDonald/Sampson Fellowship: One award for either six weeks residency at ACOR for research in the fields of Ancient Near Eastern languages and history, archaeology, Bible studies, or comparative religion, or a travel grant to assist with participation in an archaeological field project in Jordan. The ACOR residency fellowship option includes room and board at ACOR and a stipend of $600 US. The travel grant option provides a single payment of $1,800 US to help with any project related expenses. Both options are open to enrolled undergraduate or graduate students of Canadian citizenship or landed immigrant status.

James A. Sauer Fellowship: One award of $1,000 to a Jordanian graduate student, in Jordan or elsewhere, to advance his or her academic career in the field of archaeology, anthropology, conservation, or related areas. The award might be used for participation on an archaeological project, for research expenses, academic tuition, or travel to scholarly conferences. For the 2010-2011 funding cycle this competition is open only to Jordanian citizens.

Kenneth W. Russell Fellowship: One award of $1,800 to assist a Jordanian student, in Jordan or another country, in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, conservation, or related areas. This cycle the fellowship is open to enrolled undergraduate or graduate students of Jordanian citizenship.

Frederick-Wenger Jordanian Educational Fellowship: One award of $1,500 to assist a Jordanian student with the cost of their education. Eligibility is not limited to a specific field of study, but preference will be given to study related to Jordan's cultural heritage. Candidates must be Jordanian citizens and currently enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students in a Jordanian university.

ACOR Jordanian Graduate Student Scholarships: Two awards of $6,000 (4,248 JD) each to assist Jordanian graduate students with the annual costs of their academic programs. Candidates must be Jordanian citizens and currently enrolled in either a Master’s or Doctoral program in a Jordanian university. Eligibility is limited to students in programs related to Jordan’s cultural heritage (for example: archaeology, anthropology, history, linguistics/epigraphy, conservation, museum studies, and cultural resource management related issues). Awardees who demonstrate excellent progress in their programs will be eligible to apply in consecutive years.


Please Note: CAORC, NEH, MacDonald/Sampson (residency option), and Bikai Fellows will reside at the ACOR facility in Amman while conducting their research.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
ACOR 656 Beacon Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02215
(Tel: 617–353–6571; Fax: 617–353–6575; Email: acor@bu.edu
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

or

ACOR P.O. Box 2470, Amman 11181, Jordan
(Fax: 011–9626–534–4181); Email: acor@acorjordan.org
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Critical Language Scholarships

A program of United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program will offer intensive summer language institutes overseas in thirteen critical need foreign languages for summer 2010. The 2010 CLS Program application deadline was December 18, 2009. The selection process will be administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) with awards approved by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The CLS Program will be administered by CAORC and the American Councils for International Education.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institutes provide fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to ten weeks for U.S. citizen undergraduate, Master’s and Ph.D. students.

Arabic, Persian: Advanced beginning, intermediate or advanced level;
Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu: Beginning, intermediate or advanced level;
Chinese, Japanese, Russian: Intermediate or advanced level.
The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical need foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. Please visit 2010 CLS Institutes for more information.

Countries may include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Russia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, or others where the target languages are spoken.

Please see Information for Applicants for eligibility requirements, grant benefits, and language levels and pre-requisites.

The Columbia University Middle East Research Center

One of the first in a network of Columbia Global Centers the University has launched around the world. The Center, headquartered in Amman, Jordan, provides a base for scholarly activities throughout the Middle East and advances the University's academic partnerships and programs in the region. The Center establishes a community where

• faculty can engage in onsite research,
• scholars can collaborate to offer training and develop research initiatives,
• students can experience the Middle East firsthand, and
• regional alumni can build networks and interact directly with the University.

The establishment of the Center provides the University a unique opportunity to advance knowledge and learning on a global scale.

The activities of the Columbia University Middle East Research Center (CUMERC) include a wide range of disciplines, from education to architecture to environmental sustainability. Programs currently underway feature Columbia’s Teachers College, School of Social Work, Graduate School of Business, the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, and many others. The findings of CUMERC research are shared via conferences, publications, seminars, education programs, lecture series, and discussion groups, as well as in online, interactive formats. CUMERC also hosts events and activities that bring regional and global experts to pursue the Center’s academic goals and enrich its communities.

Please click here for information on Columbia University's Study Abroad program that is based in Amman, Jordan at the CUMERC.

Volunteer in Kenya

Dear Students,
Global Village Volunteer Network is offering an exciting volunteering opportunity this upcoming August. This is a great way to have a once in a lifetime experience helping those in great need of help, while building close relationships with your fellow students and adding color to your resume/applications. We will be taking a trip with a group of about 30 volunteers to Nairobi, Kenya. The dates for this trip are set for August 2nd - August 23rd. During the first two weeks we will be volunteering for various projects in Nairobi and its surrounding slums of Kibera (Second largest urban slum in Africa). Each volunteer will have a choice of the project they would like to be involved in. You can find a list of programs listed on our website. You will also be able to work on multiple projects, if you find yourself interested in more than one of the programs. We will be staying with host families in Nairobi, which will allow for complete cultural immersion. Multiple volunteers will stay with the same family and the host families will be in close approximation to each other, so you will always be in contact with your fellow volunteers.

In the final week of the program, we will be touring different parts of Kenya, including Mombasa, the Maasai tribes of Kenya and taking medical supplies and food to an IDP camp. During this week, we will have options of going on safaris in some of the most beautiful savannas of the world, white-water rafting and more. The Program Fee is $400, which will cover, airport pickup and drop-off in Kenya, host family accommodations, 2 meals per day provided by your host family, program supervision and 24/7 support while in Kenya and government levies. The costs for the one week of travel will be separate and will be dependent on the activities we take part in and hotel accommodations. It should be noted that traveling in Kenya is very affordable and the costs will be shared amongst the entire group. In addition to the program fee, a registration fee of $200 is required from all participants. You will also be responsible for the Air-fare and travel costs in Kenya. For more information on the costs and what the fees cover, visit our Programs page.

We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity while spots are still available and we look forward to working with you guys. As a note of assurance, we will have a experienced Kenya volunteer accompanying the volunteers during your entire stay. For more information, visit our website (http://www.gvvnetwork.org/ ) or contact us by email at volunteer@gvvnetwork.org 

If you are unable to make this organized trip in August, but still would like to experience such an opportunity, we have programs available all year round. Just check out our programs page and pick dates that work for you.

Best Regards,
GVVN Team

MOROCCO EXCHANGE

is a project of Crossing Borders Education (www.cb-education.org), a non-profit organization that has been developed in response to the current world political situation. Since 2003 Morocco Exchange has facilitated 220 programs with more than 3200 American college students and faculty. Morocco Exchange offers college and high school students the opportunity for both intensive personal growth and a monumental physical journey of discovery in Morocco.
At this time there is a critical need for a new generation of individuals and future leaders who not only understand the major challenges presented by cross-cultural conflicts but also possess the capabilities and determination to address them.

Morocco Exchange is committed to supporting this new generation by providing a variety of intercultural and academic programs. These have the potential to empower individuals to see the world from a different perspective, to fully realize their responsibilities, and to act upon the opportunities for global change.

AIMS of Morocco Exchange
• To bring American, European and Moroccan students together to build bridges of genuine human connection between the Muslim and Western worlds.

• To encourage and support self development and widening of perspectives through experiential learning activities.

• To provide a framework and create opportunities in which students can:

-Experience Islamic art, thought, and daily life, through visits, lectures and home stays.

-Discover Moroccan culture and history through academic discussions and presentations with professors from Casablanca, Fez, Ifrane, Marrakech, and Rabat.

-Experience international development projects, witnessing their impact on local communities.

-Gain inspiration for future career and volunteer choices. Vibrant examples are provided by our program leaders through their years of service as former Peace Corps volunteers.

• To build strong, lasting and beneficial partnerships with international organizations in the fields of education and development.

For a short introduction to the personal impact of our Morocco programs on students we invite you to watch the 13-minute short film at http://www.moroccoexchange.org/ (the link is in the top menu bar under “Video”).

ACADEMIC TOOLS
• The program will be adapted to the focus of the students’ program of study (e.g., International Studies, Multicultural Studies, Media Studies, Religious Studies, Art, Peace Studies).

• Special accreditation requirements of the university departments will be considered and we will work with you to accomodate your institution’s needs.

• Formal discussions will cover local history, customs and religion, and are based on a reading list.

• Question and answer sessions involve the participation of local students and lecturers from universities in Rabat, Fez, Ifrane, Tanger and Marrakech.

• Group sessions on cross-cultural issues (e.g. “culture shock“, “integration process”, “cross-cultural misunderstandings”) help students adapt to their surroundings.

• Reflective writing exercises help students integrate their experiences and synthesize their learning and personal development.

OUR PROGRAMS
Morocco Exchange organizes short term programs of one to four weeks with itineraries on a variety of subjects for students and faculty from American universities. Programs are custom-tailored to the academic focus and needs of each institution.

For details about aims, elements, partner institutions and logistics of the proposed program, please visit our website at http://www.moroccoexchange.org/

ITINERARIES
For an example of a seven day itinerary please visit our website at:
http://moroccoexchange.org/moex_intercultural.php

For examples of two and three week itineraries please visit our website at:
http://moroccoexchange.org/moex_academic.php

CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Amalia Herencia Grillo at: info@moroccoexchange.org
http://www.moroccoexchange.org/
http://www.cb-education.org/

CIEE International Programs for Students & Faculty

Glory in Africa and the Middle East: ritual masks, Arabic scholars, modern values

There’s nowhere more critical to current world events than the Middle East or more central to U.S. history than Africa.

But which? Botswana, with its diamond-strong pula and lush Okavango oasis. Ghana, the namesake of West Africa’s first great empire. East Africa’s mythical, magical Tanzania. South Africa, rife with opportunities to learn and serve. Senegal, land of teranga (hospitality). Jordan, both moderate in modernity and part of humanity’s most ancient history. Morocco, an exotic mix of French, Arab, and Western influences. Multicultural Turkey—locked between three continents and criss-crossed by five empires.

•  Istanbul, Turkey 
• Amman, Jordan - Arabic Language
• Amman, Jordan - Language & Culture
• Rabat, Morocco
• Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

CIEE International Faculty Development Seminars are in-depth encounters with the people, places, and issues that shape our world. Expect one to two intensive weeks of lectures by local faculty and experts from prestigious institutions, site visits that illuminate ideas explored in those lectures, and opportunities to contribute to lively discussions with international colleagues.

  

Interdisciplinary by design, all CIEE faculty seminars examine contemporary issues, globalization, and local perspectives. Across our many seminars, topics cover a wide range of issues; see below for just a few of the many lecture and site visit topics faculty are exploring as part of their IFDS experience:

• Development & Urbanization
• Human Rights
• Comparative Cultural Societies
• Environment & Resource Management
• Religious Diversity
• The Arts
• Women's Studies

CIEE International Faculty Development Seminars (IFDS) are in-depth encounters with the people, places, and issues that shape our world. Open to faculty and administrators from institutions of higher education, CIEE faculty seminars are programs with an interdisciplinary focus that offer a contemporary, global perspective.

Choose from 20 topics in 23 countries in 2010

The seminars consist of one to two intensive weeks of lectures by local faculty and experts from prestigious institutions, site visits that illuminate ideas explored in those lectures, and opportunities for lively discussions with international colleagues.

Adept in the local language and culture, our international staff of experts guide participants through an academic experience that participants have described as both professionally and personally “life-changing.”

Participants can count on:

• Introductions to scholarly communities overseas
• Opportunities to reexamine their own teaching and discipline in an international context
• Resources and information that apply to their curriculum
• An interdisciplinary group of fellow participants from a variety of institutions
• Opportunities to contribute their perspective and expertise to a scholarly dialogue
• Participants return to campus energized and motivated to incorporate an international dimension into course design, teaching, research, and advising.

Choose from these programs in the Middle East:

• Jordan & Jerusalem - Middle East Conflict & Cooperation
• Jordan - Middle Eastern Women
• Turkey - Identity, Communication & Culture

CASA Program

__
The Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) was established in 1967 to offer intensive advanced Arabic language training at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Since its inception, CASA has trained more than 1,350 American college level students, graduate students, and professors specializing in various areas of Middle Eastern Studies.


CASA is currently administered at University of Texas at Austin by a U.S. Director and Program Coordinator. Academic programs are offered at the American University in Cairo (AUC), under the guidance of an Egypt Co-Director (who is also the Director of the Arabic Language Institute at AUC), an Executive Director and Program Coordinator and at the University of Damascus, under the guidance of a Damascus Co-Director.

CASA is represented by a Consortium of thirty-six American universities and colleges who serve a vital role in directing various academic, financial and administrative aspects of the CASA programs.

CASA receives its primary funding from the United States Department of Education, under the Group International Study Abroad Program. In addition, CASA is currently supported by two endowments from the Ford and Mellon foundations, with additional funding from the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt.

The Summer and Full-Year programs are designed for graduate and undergraduate students.


The CASA II program aims to provide further opportunities for CASA fellows who have completed the CASA Full-Year program within the past five years, to continue to enhance their language skills and advance their Arabic-based research in Egypt.

The CASA III program is designed to meet the linguistic and research needs of professors with specialization in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies.

All CASA programs provide intensive language, culture, and specialized area studies training, with 12 to 20 hours of classroom instruction per week plus homework. A series of lectures, tours, and visits to places of historical interest, both in and outside Cairo and Damascus form an integral part of the CASA programs. Efforts are made to provide opportunities for CASA participants to interact with their Egyptian and Syrian counterparts and experience life in Egypt and Syria to the fullest extent.

Please visit the CASA website for detailed information and an application.

AMIDEAST

Established in 1951, America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) is a private American nonprofit organization engaged in international education, training, and development assistance work. Based in Washington, DC, it has over 20 field and project offices in the Middle East and North Africa and more than 600 dedicated professional staff working with international, regional and local partners on the ground. AMIDEAST provides programs and services to improve educational opportunities and quality, strengthen local institutions, and develop language and professional skills for success in the local economy.

Deeply committed to strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa, AMIDEAST also offers study abroad programs for Americans interested in learning more about this important region.

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World provide students with opportunities to study in Arab countries for a semester, an academic year, or during the summer. AMIDEAST also works with colleges and universities to create short-term education abroad opportunities in the region.

For more than two decades, AMIDEAST field offices have assisted U.S. colleges and universities and other study abroad organizations with their programs in the region. In 2007, AMIDEAST launched its Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World, beginning with a semester program in Rabat, Morocco. In 2009, AMIDEAST will add a Summer Intensive Arabic Program in Rabat, a summer Learn & Serve Program in Tunisia, and semester/academic year programs in:

• Cairo, Egypt
• Amman, Jordan
• Salmiya, Kuwait
• Morocco
• Tunisia

For Example:
 Students in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Amman carry a 16 credit hour course load per semester. All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic and Jordanian Arabic and select three other courses from offerings in Middle East and North African studies in a variety of disciplines.

Language Courses

 Arabic (Modern Standard, 4 credits; Jordanian, 3 credits)

 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 tutorial 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.

Jordanian 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 131, Arabic 231, or Arabic 331).

Media Arabic is also available as an elective (3 credits) at both the 200- and 300- levels.

The Institute for International Education

Please check out the IIE's list of Arabic Language programs throughout the world.

National Registration Center for Study Aborad

The Program


Complete Immersion Homestudy student programs are monitored by resident regional organizers. These regional organizers gauge the progress of each student and are on call to solve the slightest personal problem that any students might have. If for any reason the student wishes to change the teaching family no reasons need be given. It is sufficient to say 'I do not feel comfortable' or ' I do not feel happy'. In this way, the family will be swiftly changed with no embarrassment on either side, as all teachers know that sometimes there can be a clash of personalities through no fault of either student or teacher.

Homestudy Program

Study 15, 20 or 25 hours per week. Students are placed in homestays for lodging and for language training. One or two students live with a qualified language instructor and learn a language in the home. Students are completely immersed in the foreign language and can take between 15 and 25 hours of instruction per week. One excursion per week chosen by the tutor but without extra charge.

All teachers have the highest possible qualifications which ensure that they are professional, and above all trained to teach. Every single teacher holds a teaching certificate recognized by their own authorities or a University degree or equivalent accepted by the private sector.

Note: If two students are studying in the home, they must have similar language proficiency.

Homestudy + Activities Program

Study 15, 20 or 25 hours per week. The Homestudy + Activities Program is available for the same price of the Homestudy Program. In this program, the student receives fewer language lessons than the Homestudy Program, but the hours missed are replaced by an activities program. Activities may consist of excursions, sports or cultural activities with an adult member of the host family. The student is free to choose the activities that interest him/her in advance or may consult with the tutor about specific activities upon arrival.

The student must pay for all expenses, including all entrance fees & bus or train tickets for both him/herself and the tutor or member of the tutor's family accompanying him/her. Similarly, in the case of sports such as tennis, golf or horse riding, the student must pay for him/herself and the tutor or family member accompanying him/her.

NELC Travel/Intensive Language Program Blogging Guidelines

Hello everyone!

 I'm so happy that you all are interested in blogging for us!! I received an email this morning asking for further details, and it reminded me that I have not posted any updated information. If you have any questions after you read the information below and visit the links please let me know and I will happily answer your questions!

 I did a google search and pulled up the best resources I could find on travel writing/travelogues. Below are my findings, as well as the topics that the IU Overseas Study Office uses with their students. Honestly, the formatting is up to you: 

• You can simply answer the list of questions from IU Overseas Study Office.
• You can write something that is as informal as a letter to a friend.
• You can do something that is more formal and in line with the last few examples links.
• You can limit your writing to a specific event or place that captured your imagination.
• You can write installments about your entire trip that we can post as you send them.
• You can take photos and describe why these scenes and/or people touched you.
• You can take photos, post them to an online album with short descriptions and send us the link. OR you can send us the photos and descriptions and we can post them to the NELC photo album.

Really it is up to you, which is why blogging is so much fun! The keyword is YOU, as the possibilities are endless, but if you don’t choose a subject that you have something to write about, or you don’t find interesting then you are not going to have much to say about it… and it is going to be boring (Can you hear the crickets in the silence?).

How To’s:
http://www.adventuretravelwriter.com/Breakin.htm
http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/10/11/literary-techniques-for-travel-writers-part-one/
http://www.petermoore.net/author/secrets-of-travel-writing.html  http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/travel_writing/49787

Examples:
http://www.break-fresh-ground.com/Australia-and-Pacific/New-Zealand/Travelogue-673/Journal-70.html http://faculty.vassar.edu/semoon/projects/asia110/travelogues.htm http://www.jmprphotography.com/news3118.html
http://www.clioancientart.com/id7.html  

IU Overseas Study Office Topics:
Major(s)
Term Abroad
Reason you chose this program
Favorite classes/activities
Describe housing
Best memory
Biggest surprise
Experience with culture shock or reverse of culture shock
Complete this sentence: If I could do it over, I would…
Going abroad versus staying on campus?
Fact about your host country that you think people would be surprised to learn

Photography Tips:
If you need tips on digital photography, so you don’t miss a moment of your trip check out Digital Photography School:

http://digital-photography-school.com/11-tips-for-beginner-photographers
http://digital-photography-school.com/10-questions  
http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-tips-for-beginners
http://digital-photography-school.com/travel-photography-mistakes
http://digital-photography-school.com/more-travel-photography-mistake