Description

Georgetown's summer program in Ifrane, Morocco examines the history of colonialism and independence movements in North Africa and the effects of efforts to promote economic development in the region. Students also attend a practical course in Moroccan Arabic, designed to help them communicate within the local community.

The program is hosted by Al-Akhawayn University (AUI), an English-language university modeled after the American university system. AUI is located in Ifrane, a resort community in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco, approximately 60 kilometers from the historic cities of Meknes and Fez. Courses are taught by AUI and Georgetown faculty.

Classroom studies are combined with extensive travel in Morocco, with trips to Meknes, Fez, Marrakech, and Rabat. Students meet with a wide range of political activists, international aid officials, and development experts during the course of the program. During site visits to international aid projects, students have the opportunity to meet and talk with local people whom the projects are designed to benefit.

Curriculum:

Upon successful completion of the program, students receive six Georgetown University credits.

Undergraduate students enroll in two, three-credit courses:

HIST-267-62 Colonialism and Nationalism in North Africa - The course offers an introduction to the history of modern North Africa from the establishment of the Ottoman Regency of Algiers in the early sixteenth century until national independence and the post-colonial period. Topics of study include: European imperial expansion and its impact on North African societies; the socio-economic, political, ideological, and theoretical dimensions of colonial regimes; the rise of modern North African anti-colonialism and nationalism; and the different paths to independence taken by Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

INAF-266-62 Economic Development in Theory and Practice - The course encapsulates the present state of the development debate and explores the experiences of people in the Third World whose benefits from development efforts have been at best uneven. What works in theory may not work in practice. Taking advantage of AUI's location, students visit development projects in Morocco and the capital of Rabat where they meet with officials from the World Bank and USAID. In addition, development experts working on local projects visit the classroom to share their views on the development process.

Graduate students enroll in two, three-credit courses:

HIST-567-62 Colonialism and Nationalism in North Africa (GRADUATE) - The course offers readings on French North Africa. It highlights recent trends in the historical scholarship on colonialism in general, while addressing specific themes, such as the impact of colonialism on the formation of cultural/national identities and modern subjectivities; the overlapping histories of colony and metropole; the historical modes of colonial interactions and representation; and finally, the role of resistance and violence in the processes of decolonization.

INAF-566-62 Economic Development in Theory and Practice (GRADUATE) - The course encapsulates the present state of the development debate and explores the experiences of people in the Third World whose benefits from development efforts have been at best uneven. What works in theory may not work in practice. Taking advantage of AUI's location, students visit development projects in Morocco and the capital of Rabat where they meet with officials from the World Bank and USAID. In addition, development experts working on local projects visit the classroom to share their views on the development process.

In addition, students are required to attend approximately one hour per day, four days per week (16 hours total), of classroom instruction in Moroccan Arabic. Focused on practical skills and important phrases for daily living, the course is designed to help both elementary and more advanced speakers function successfully in their host-country culture.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Inquire for more information.

Program Fees Include:

This price includes tuition, housing, excursions, and all meals. Airfare to/from Morocco, passport fees, and other individual expenses are not included in this fee.

Experience Required

yes

This program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. A minimum 2.7 GPA is required.

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Dormitory

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Disciplinary Clearance Form
• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Transcript

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Georgetown University Office of International Programs's Mission Statement

To promote, support, and develop international and intercultural educational opportunities for students, and in so doing, help to define the international character of Georgetown. These programs are developed and evaluated in collaboration with the wider Georgetown community to ensure that they are academically rigorous, linguistically appropriate, and complementary to the Georgetown curriculum. In keeping with the Jesuit philosophy of education and service, these overseas opportunities invite participants to reflect on the values that form their own identities, and encourage them to assume their roles as responsible world citizens. The Office of International Programs offers more than 120 programs in 39 countries.