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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 institutions enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class.
You must take 16–19 credits per semester. Modern Standard Arabic (6 credits, semester long) and colloquial Moroccan Arabic during orientation (1 credit) 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 during orientation, 1 credit)
Semester Courses
- IES Abroad Modern Standard Arabic course (required during semester, 6 credits)
- IES Abroad Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (optional during semester, 3 credits)
- IES Abroad English-taught area studies courses
- IES Abroad French-taught area studies courses
- French- or Arabic-taught courses at the Université Mohammed V
- IES Abroad Internship (includes placement and seminar, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spring | 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 | Spring | 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 abroad as part of your study abroad experience will help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive market. It’s an exhilarating challenge, and we’re here to help guide you in securing your placement and succeeding in your internship.
Participating in an internship abroad helps you:
- Add international work experience to your résumé
- Gain real work experience and skills
- Build your confidence
All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
Customize Your Internship Once you indicate your interest in an internship, we work with you to determine your academic and career goals and try to match you with an appropriate internship placement. We place students with a wide variety of organizations and businesses—from traditional business to social action placements. If we don’t currently work with a business or organization in your field of interest, we will search out a placement.Available Fields
Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—new internships are always being added.
- Education – Teaching English at local schools
- International Relations
- Media
- Museums & Conservation – Intern at museums in Rabat
- Non-Governmental Organizations & Non-Profit Organizations – Intern for organizations or associations for human rights, transparency in government, women, children, disabled individuals, and the homeless
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 camel-back 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
During orientation, visit the city 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 excursions are academic trips 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 excursions are included in the program cost.
Past excursions 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
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 and family life, while practicing and improving your Arabic and/or French. You will receive three meals daily. In some cases, more than one IES Abroad student may be placed in each home.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
Redefine the way you live and learn in Rabat through our cultural events, such as:
- Cooking classes
- Visits to artisan workshops and religious schools
- Henna parties
- Cultural debates on current issues with local university students
- Calligraphy lessons
- Traditional dance workshops
- Guest lectures
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
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