As you walk the boulevards of Rabat, it’s hard not to be enchanted by the mystery and tradition of this timeless city. From the bustling souqs and energizing atmosphere of the city to the serenity of the surrounding mountains and sea, Rabat is an ideal place to learn about the languages, cultures, and religions of North Africa and the Arab world.
Delve into the fascinating layers of this North African nation as you learn Modern Standard Arabic with courses at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Learn Colloquial Moroccan Arabic to communicate with local Moroccans, and if you have already taken advanced French, you can take French-taught area studies courses at the IES Abroad Center or local universities. Our area studies courses focus on North African and Islamic Studies and introduce you to the many influential forces shaping the history and culture of Morocco.
Rabat will also be your classroom. Rich in cultural heritage and a diverse population, Morocco has been influenced by many different ethnic, cultural, and religious groups that have settled in the country throughout its long history. Visit historic treasures like the Rabat Archaeological Museum, the Hassan Mosque, and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V to see ancient artifacts and learn more about the Islamic culture. Welcome to study abroad!
We want you to feel at home in Morocco so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Rabat. Whether it’s taking part in an internship, volunteer opportunity, dance lessons, cooking classes, etc., you will have many opportunities to gain a first-hand understanding of Moroccan culture.
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
If taking IES Abroad courses only
If taking courses at Mohammed V University or IIHEM
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences. We offer unque courses that explore Moroccan Language, History, and Culture with an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors and course options at prestigious local universities enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
You must take 16–19 credit hours per semester. Modern Standard Arabic (6 credits) and colloquial Moroccan Arabic during orientation (1 credit) are required. All other courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise stated.
You will create your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
International Institute for Higher Education in Morocco (IIHEM)www.iihem.ac.ma Founded in 1988, IIHEM offers high quality English-taught Business and Engineering courses in a unique, multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment. In the spirit of global cooperation in the fields of management and technology, the Institute promotes diversity and tolerance by allowing students, faculty, and staff from Europe, North America, and the Arab world to communicate and cooperate.
Courses IIHEM offers English-taught courses in the following areas:
IIHEM course syllabi may be downloaded here.
Location & Commute Time The Institute is located on a unique multicultural, multilingual campus in Rabat, approximately 20–30 minutes on public transportation from our Center.
Université Mohammed Vwww.um5a.ac.ma Named after the former King of Morocco, the Université Mohammed V was founded in 1957 after Moroccan independence as the country's first modern university.
Courses IES Abroad Rabat students with advanced-level proficiency in Arabic or French may enroll in courses taught in these languages in the Faculty of Letters and Humanities of the University Mohammed V - Agdal.
Courses are available in Arabic and French and focus on language, linguistics, literature, and cultural studies. You are advised on-site about the academic offerings of the university. You are limited to one university course per semester.
Courses are available in the following fields:
Course offerings may vary from semester to semester and particular courses may not be available during your semester or academic year in Rabat.
Location & Commute Time The University campus is located about 25 minutes southwest of the center of Rabat. It is accessible by taxi and public transportation from all parts of the city.
While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market.
All of our internships are supervised and require intermediate-level skills in Arabic or French. Enrollment in an accompanying seminar is required.
Placement examples include:
Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Rabat, it will feel like home.
Homestays – Live with a local family in the Medina within walking distance to our Center and experience Moroccan culture, traditions, and cuisine. You receive three meals daily.
Residence Halls – Live in a Moroccan residence hall and share a room with a Moroccan or international student. Meals are not included in the program fee, but you have access to kitchen facilities.
Part of making you feel at home in Rabat is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
The 10-day orientation program begins with a brief stay in Rabat to meet the IES Abroad Rabat staff, visit the Center facilities, and tour some sights in the city.
The program then moves to Fez for the duration of the orientation period, where you live with a host family in the Medina, take intensive Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (Darija), and attend many different lectures on Moroccan culture and history. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during orientation. Before returning to Rabat, you explore ancient Morocco with a field trip to Meknes and Volubilis, the site of well-preserved ancient Roman ruins.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Rabat through our cultural events, such as:
Although your adventure begins in Rabat, our field trips take you to other great locations in Morocco and Europe to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Rabat. Your program includes two field trips in the program fee. Past destinations are listed below.The field trips to Spain and Middle Atlas Mountains require an additional fee.
Meknes and Volubulis 1 day Visit the tomb of Moulay Ismail in Meknes and admire the ancient and well-preserved Roman ruins and more than 30 original mosaics throughout nearby Volubilis.
Middle Atlas Mountains 3 days Hike in a cedar forest, visit women’s associations, and spend a night with a Berber family in Azrou.
Sahara Desert 4 days Journey to the Sahara Desert accompanied by an IES Abroad instructor to meet with Berbers living in traditional settings, gain insight into Berber history, culture, and music, and camp overnight at an oasis.
Granada and Córdoba, Spain 4 days Experience the cultural and historical connections between Europe and Africa by visiting Granada’s magnificent Alhambra, and tour an ancient mosque in Córdoba that now functions as a Catholic church.
IES ABROAD RABAT 89, Avenue Moulay Ismail | Rabat-Hassan, Morocco
The IES Abroad Rabat Center is located within easy walking distance of the Medina and is just steps away from the Mausoleum and Hassan II Tower. Features include:
Mohamed BaghdadiIES Abroad Director Mohamed Baghdadi is a leading Moroccan specialist on language teaching with experience in teaching and training teachers of Modern Standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber (Tamazight), and English. He earned his B.A. in English literature from Université Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah in Fez and pursued further studies at the Moray House College of Education of the University of Edinburgh, the University of Manchester, and the Centre Nationale de Formation des Inspecteur de l’Education Nationale where he earned a diploma for the supervision of language teachers. For more than 13 years, he served as Program and Curriculum Coordinator of The Arabic Language Institute in Fez (ALIF), the leading school of Arabic as a foreign language west of Egypt. In addition to overseeing the language program, Mohamed was responsible for orientation, student life, curricular design of area studies courses, and customized programs. His research interests focus on the interaction between the teaching of language and the teaching of culture. He has a lifelong interest in Tamazight music and culture.
IES Abroad Staff
Fatima Ezzahra LahnaProgram Assistant and Accountant
Shaakira Raheem Student Affairs Coordinator
Faculty
Salaheddine AbbadiArabic
Driss AdliLiterature
Fatima AmraniGender Studies, Sociology
Leila BouarfaColloquial Moroccan Arabic
Jamila BoulimaCommunications
Badia BouslikhaneFrench
Khalid ChegraouiInternational Relations, Political Science
Yamina El KiratAfrican Studies
Elhabchi ElaasriArabic
Boutaina IsmailiEconomics
Khalid ChegraouiHistory
Abderrahim OulbouchArabic
Aziz RadiCommunications
El Mostafa RezraziPolitical Science
Khalid SaqiReligion
Mohammed YacineArabic
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