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Academics
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 unique 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 take 16–19 credits per semester. Modern Standard Arabic (6 credits, semester long) and colloquial Moroccan Arabic during orientation (1 credit, during orientation) are required. All other courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise stated. Create your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
Orientation Course
- IES Abroad Intensive Introduction to Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (required, 1 credit)
Semester Courses
- IES Abroad Modern Standard Arabic course (required, 6 credits)
- IES Abroad Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (optional, 3 credits)
- English- or French-taught IES Abroad area studies courses (optional, 3 credits)
- French- or Arabic-taught courses at the Université Mohammed V (optional, credits vary)
- Internship Placement and Seminar (optional, 3 credits)
Courses
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.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB 131 - Intensive Introduction to Colloquial Moroccan Arabic Language in Context: Novice Abroad (Formerly AB 100A) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 1 |
| AB 132 - Colloquial Moroccan Arabic Language in Context: Novice Abroad (Formerly AB 100B) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 3 |
| AB 301 - Modern Standard Arabic Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad (Formerly AB 201 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 6 |
| AB 351 - Modern Standard Arabic Language in Context: Independent Abroad (Formerly AB 251 Upper Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 6 |
| AB 401 - Modern Standard Arabic Language in Context: Emerging Competent Abroad (Formerly AB 301 Advanced Modern Standard Arabic) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 6 |
| AB 451 - Modern Standard Arabic Language in Context: Competent Abroad (Formerly AB 351 Upper Advanced Modern Standard Arabic) | Fall, Spring | Arabic | 6 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| CU/AF 221 - North African Cultural Identities | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO/CM 250 - Arab Media and Issues of Politics and Culture | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| CU/AF 221 - North African Cultural Identities | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC 352 - The Economic Impact of Globalization on Morocco & Northwest Africa | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR 351 - French Language in Context: Independent Abroad | Fall, Spring | French | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS/SO 250 - Gender and Society in North Africa and Beyond | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 312 - Contemporary History Of Morocco And North Africa | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SO/IN 395 - Internship/Social Action Seminar | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO/IR 343 - The U.S. and North Africa | Fall | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| LT 315A - Maghrebian Francophone Literature In Translation (English-taught) | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| LT 315B - Maghrebian Francophone Literature (French-taught) | Fall, Spring | French | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO 341 - North African Politics | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| PO/CM 250 - Arab Media and Issues of Politics and Culture | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| PO/IR 343 - The U.S. and North Africa | Fall | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| RL 243A - Islam In Morocco And North Africa (English-taught) | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| RL 243B - Islam In Morocco And North Africa (French-taught) | Fall, Spring | French | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS/SO 250 - Gender and Society in North Africa and Beyond | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| SO/IN 395 - Internship/Social Action Seminar | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
Partner Institution(s)
Université Mohammed V
www.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. 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. Courses are available in the following fields:
- Communication
- French Literature and French Studies
- Geography
- History and Civilization
- Islamic Studies
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Sociology
Course offerings may vary from semester to semester and particular courses may not be available during your semester or academic year in Rabat.
Internships
Interning while you study in Rabat gives you a rewarding job experience with a wealth of long-lasting career benefits. You will:
- Gain a better understanding of the real-life, everyday culture of your host country
- Add global work experience and skills to your résumé or your application for graduate school
- Improve your confidence
All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a 3-credit seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
Personalized Placements
Once you indicate your interest in an internship, we work with you to find the ideal internship placement that fulfills your academic and career goals. We’ve placed students with a wide variety of organizations and businesses. If we don’t currently work with a business or organization in your field of interest, we will search for a placement that’s right for you.
Placement Examples
Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—we are always seeking out new opportunities for our students.
- Education
- International Relations
- Media
- Museums
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Non-Governmental Organizations
Field Trips & Events
Even though your adventure starts in Rabat, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country. These trips are partially subsidized by IES Abroad. Some trips carry an additional fee. Here are a few possible destinations:
Granada & Córdoba, Spain
4 Days | Fall & Spring
Experience the cultural and historical connections between Europe and Africa by visiting Granada’s magnificent Alhambra. Tour an ancient mosque in Córdoba that now serves as a Catholic cathedral.
Middle Atlas Mountains & Berber Village
3 Days | Spring
Spend two nights with a Berber family in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Experience local Berber traditions and participate in activities such as visiting natural springs, meeting with local associations, making bread,and learning about medicinal herbs native to the region.
Sahara Desert
3 Days | Fall & Spring
Journey to the Sahara Desert to meet with Berbers living in traditional settings. Make your journey on camelback and gain insight into Berber history, culture, and music, and camp overnight at a desert oasis.
Tangier & Chaouen
2 Days | Fall
Explore the colorful sites of Tangier, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean at the Strait of Gibraltar. Then head to Chaouen to see its picturesque buildings in various shades of blue.
Fez & Volubilis
1 Day | Fall & Spring
After completing orientation in Meknes, visit the Medina and famed tanneries of Fez, and admire the ancient and well-preserved Roman ruins and more than 30 original mosaics throughout nearby Volubilis.
IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Course-Related Trips
Course-related trips are academic excursions associated with courses that are organized each term. They are organized to complement IES Abroad courses and contribute to a general knowledge of Moroccan culture and society. Participation is based on course registration. All course-related trips are included in the program cost.
Past trips have included:
- Trip to Parliament Building
- Challah Kasbah
- The Royal Library
- The Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture
- National Council of Human Rights
- USAID
- Democratic Association of Women of Morocco
Daily Life
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.
Orientation
Orientation 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 second portion of orientation takes place in the city of Meknes, where you will live with a host family in the Medina, take intensive Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (Darija), and attend lectures on Moroccan culture and history. Before returning to Rabat, you will explore ancient Morocco with a field trip to Fez and Volubilis, the site of well-preserved ancient Roman ruins.
Our Comprehensive Orientation & Re-Entry Experience (CORE™)begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment. Detailed information about housing, public transportation, culture, health and safety, and other important topics are covered during orientation.
Housing
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which 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.
Homestay - Live with a local family in the Medina within walking distance of our Center and experience Moroccan traditions, family life, and cuisine. You will receive three meals daily. You may request to live with another IES Abroad student in your homestay.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
Take advantage of the cultural events we organize in Rabat, such as the following:
- Cooking classes
- Henna parties
- Cultural debates
- Mock Moroccan Wedding
Get to Know Your New City
Experience traditional Moroccan culture first-hand with our mock Moroccan wedding.
Take in the tastes, smells, colors, and sounds of the Medina.
Practice three languages in one city—where else can you do that?
Spend a few hours at the local bathhouse with your friends.
From Moroccan mint tea to couscous on Fridays, get to know life in Rabat through the city’s food.
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$5 Million in Financial Aid
Our Center
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.
With recent updates to our Center space, features include:
- High-speed wireless Internet and printer access
- Four multimedia classrooms
- Student library and reading room
- Outdoor patio
- Small kitchen
- Faculty lounge for meetings with professors
- A beautiful Berber tent on the roof-top terrace
- New security system
- Updated staff offices
Our Staff
Oussama El Addouli
Center Director
Prior to his work as Director of the Rabat program, Mr. El Addouli was the Director and co-founder of the International Arabic Institute in Meknes. He was also the Program and Outreach Director at the Moroccan American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (Fulbright Commission) in Rabat. Mr. El Addouli is a former Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of New England in Maine. He held teaching, coordinating and training positions at different institutions in Morocco, the U.S and Europe namely Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, the International School of Bologna in Italy, and QWL in Rabat. He first studied Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy at the University of Bologna in Italy and then participated in a four partner university program to obtain two masters in Global Studies and International Relations from the Universities of Leipzig in Germany, the London School of Economics in the UK, the University of Vienna in Austria, and the University of Wroclaw in Poland. Mr. El Addouli's interests span the fields of TAFL, Educational Curriculum Development and Design, Global Studies, Educational Governance, Civil Society and Democracy, Cultural Studies, and International Law. He has translated books and written and published articles and book reviews on transformational Education, issues on North African Politics and other related subjects. Mr. El Addouli holds a strong cosmopolitan outlook as he has studied, visited, lived in, and was trained in more than twenty foreign countries.
IES Abroad Staff
IES Abroad Rabat Staff
Imane Rimi
Student Affairs Coordinator
Abdelghani Belkadi
Program Assistant and Accountant
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