The Contemporary Maghreb

Learn Arabic and study this compelling region in sunny Rabat, Morocco.

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Academics

The Maghrebi region of North Africa is lively, complex, and a blend of tradition and new-age. Over the course of six weeks, students will learn how to communicate in Modern Standard Arabic as well as understand how Morocco and the region grapple with the past and the increasing influence of outside global players.

Students choose an elective, taught in English, and follow a Modern Standard Arabic course according to their language level. Darija lessons, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic, are offered one hour per week -- this is a great way to learn words and phrases often heard around town in markets, restaurants, and shops.

Proficient in French? Replace the English-taught elective with an available course in the North Africa & France Comparative Studies program.

Volunteer and community engagement occasions are possible! A two-week program extension allows students to participate in meaningful work at a local NGO.

Download the Academic Calendars

Summer 2023

Coming soon!

Take Your Pick

All students follow two four-credit courses: one Arabic language course and one elective of their choice.

Elective courses are taught in English. Academic and language support are included.

Modern Standard Arabic

All students follow a language course, according to their level:

  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced

Class meets five hours per week.

Colonialism and Postcolonialism in Morocco: Issues and Debates

Trace the history of the Moroccan colonial project, exploring the management and disintegration of colonialism as well as the culture and legacies of empire in Morocco.

Gender, Sexuality and Feminism in North Africa

Colonialism, postcolonialism, nationalism, and identity construction have shaped feminism(s) in Morocco and North Africa from the late 19th century to the present. Identify key concepts and theories, look at the debates surrounding the question of sexuality and women’s status in Islam, and examine Moroccan women’s fraught relationship to state nationalism and Islam.

Social Movements in North Africa and the Middle East

While social change usually takes place slowly and gradually, social movements, as organized mass phenomena, accelerate transitions and can be read as direct expressions of how the people of a specific community view their reality and seek to improve it. Examine social movements in Morocco and in the MENA region, the role of social media, the participants, and the relationship with traditional party politics.

Language, Identity, and Nationalism in Contemporary Morocco

Investigate questions of identity, multiculturalism and nationalism in Morocco from the point of view of language taken in its social, cultural and political dimension. How does language forge community and belonging and how does it relate to nationalism?

View Course Catalogs

At the end of the term, APA will send the following to the student’s home institution:

  • Transcript (includes credit hours, Moroccan grades and their American equivalents)
  • Professor’s evaluation (includes detailed report of the grades earned)
  • Course descriptions and bibliographies
  • Student’s academic schedule

Extend Your Stay

Remain in Rabat two additional weeks at the conclusion of your studies and volunteer at a NGO. Opportunities are available in a variety of fields:

  • Teach English to the refugee and migrant community
  • Spread awareness of human rights in marginalized communities
  • Help anti-corruption movements with their social media campaigns

Based on each student’s language abilities and our partner NGO needs, placements can differ.

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