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Morocco: Rabat Enclave - Academics

Courses take place at the prestigious Mohammed V University.

Prerequisites

There is no language prerequisite for the program, but students will be required to take Modern Standard and Colloquial Arabic as part of the program.

Courses

Courses offered on the Rabat program are designed to increase students' knowledge of the modern Arab world, specifically Morocco and the greater Maghreb. The interdisciplinary curriculum forms a comprehensive academic experience that is ideal for students majoring in Middle East studies, anthropology, sociology, history, religious studies, international studies, political science and languages. Most courses will be taught, in English, on the campus of Mohammed V University by distinguished members of the faculty.

Cities of the Islamic World (3 credits; required): Taught by one of the field's pre-eminent scholars, this course examines the impact of organized religion, specifically Islam, on the physical and social development of cities. Students will learn about the architecture of the Maghreb and the Middle East, the role of religion in urban and regional planning, and Islam's impact on the rise and decline of major Moroccan metropolises throughout history.

Language Studies (6-9 credits; 6 credits in Arabic required): All students will enroll in two courses, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for 3 credits and Moroccan Colloquial Arabic (MCA) for 3 credits. For MSA, students will be given a placement exam on arrival and enrolled at the appropriate level. All students will enroll in the same MCA course, which will be less intensive than the MSA course.

French will also be offered as an elective, for 3 credits; students wishing to enroll in French will be given a placement test on arrival and enrolled at the appropriate level. French courses will be offered at the intermediate and advanced level.

Sociology of the Middle East and the Maghreb (3 credits): Students will examine the major social issues impacting contemporary Morocco. The class focuses on such topics as gender and family, modernization in the political and economic arenas, urbanization versus rural development, and socioeconomic inequalities. Students will also examine Moroccan society in the context of its Arab-Islamic origins and the impact of Arab cultural identity on Moroccan national development.

History of Contemporary Morocco and North Africa (3 credits): This course focuses on the evolution of modern Morocco, specifically Morocco's integration into the world system during the last two centuries and its influence on traditional society and state growth. Major topics include the traditional Moroccan society and state, Moroccan reactions to Western expansion, Morocco under colonial rule, the emergence of nationalism, politics and society after independence, and the Islamist revival.

The Islamic World and the West (3 credits): This course provides students with an understanding of the historical background of relations between Islam and Europe from the 7th century to the present in order for them to understand better debate over the Clash of Civilizations thesis.

Issues in Contemporary Moroccan Culture (3 credits): This course introduces students to the different facets of the contemporary culture of Morocco. Being caught between the North and the South, the East and the West, Moroccan culture has embraced a wide diversity of cultural variants and has integrated them into a homegrown cultural hybrid. Pre-Islamic, African, Berber, European, and modern technological cultures have intermingled to create contemporary Moroccan society.

**** Why Learn Moroccan Arabic?

Regional Arabic dialects differ substantially from Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). In fact, dialects often differ substantially from country to country and even between regions within the same country. Studying the local Arabic dialect, in addition to MSA, is very important when living in an Arab country due to the simple fact that people do not speak to each other in Modern Standard Arabic. There are a number of clear advantages to learning Moroccan dialect.