Academic Components
During the summer session, participants in their Capstone year will attend intensive courses in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), Moroccan Colloquial Arabic (Darija), and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (Aamiya). The Egyptian and Moroccan dialect courses develop the participant's colloquial language skills so he or she can use it in daily life, with the help of a Language Partner who will act as a cultural guide in the language. The MSA course develops reading, listening, writing, and speaking strategies as well as raises cultural awareness of the region.
During the fall and spring semesters, participants will attend content courses in addition to the language courses. Content courses may include Contemporary Arabic Literature, Women in Arab Society, Arab Thinkers, and Signposts in Arabic Society.
Direct Enrollment
During the fall and spring semesters, and in addition to the above courses, program participants will attend one subject-area course or seminar alongside Arabic-speaking students at Moulay Ismail University (UMI). UMI, in coordination with AALIM, provides a course that invites a different professor from the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Law each week to speak on their area of specialization or a cultural aspect of Morocco. Participants will be assigned to Academic Partners who are Moroccan undergraduate students enrolled in the same university course, and help students to better understand the course materials and nuances of campus life. In the past students have attended lectures on topics such as the Moroccan economy, multilingualism and demographics, the migration movement, and journalism.
Community Engagement
The community engagement component of the Arabic Overseas Flagship Program allows participants to engage with local Moroccan society. Each week, a group of students and faculty visit a local neighborhood to experience a facet of Moroccan society by taking part in “hands-on” activities organized by Flagship staff and local experts. Time is built into the activity to give students the opportunities to discuss the theme of that event in Arabic. Themes include social services, art, environment, agriculture, and more.
Internships
During the spring semester, all participants will undertake professional internships reflecting their chosen field of interest at cooperating Moroccan organizations. Intended to help participants learn about the Moroccan workplace and master professional discourse, past participants have interned with local media outlets, law offices, a center for at-risk youth, hospitals, and handicraft workshops. The Flagship Resident Director and Internship Coordinator will act as support throughout the internship experience.
Cultural Enrichment
Another main component of the Arabic Overseas Flagship program is excursions and cultural enrichment; the Resident Director organizes field trip and excursions through the year, which are academically tied to the curriculum. Likely destinations include Chefchaouen, Tangier, Merzouga, Marrakesh, and the High Atlas Mountains.
Housing
During the summer session, participants stay in host families. During the fall and spring semesters, participants in the Capstone year program may choose to stay in these families, or move to a rented apartment with a Moroccan roommate.
How to Apply
To apply to the Arabic Overseas Flagship Capstone Program, participants need to be enrolled as an Arabic Flagship Program participant at one of the six (6) stateside Flagship universities.
Prior to the start of the program, each participant will take part in an extensive individual online Arabic Language Pre-Program Exam, which includes a reading, listening, and writing section. Applicants will also participate in a certified Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) on a separate date.
To qualify, applicants must demonstrate ILR Level 2 or higher Arabic language oral proficiency on an official Oral Proficiency Interview, and ILR Level 2 or higher Arabic language proficiency in at least reading or listening when taking the online exam. The scores on the remaining two of three skills (listening, reading, and writing) may be no lower than ILR Level 1+.
Program Timeline
Application Process:
Online Application Deadline: January 9, 2020
Online Recommendation Form Deadline: January 9, 2020
Online Overseas Flagship Qualifying Exam: January 23, 2020
Oral proficiency Interview: Late January/Early February 2020
Review Process: February 2020
Acceptance Notifications: Early March
