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Egyptians refer to Cairo as “Um al-Dunya,” or “Mother of the World.” Culturally and politically, it is at the heart of the Arab world. AMIDEAST’s Program in Cairo offers students an opportunity to study in the center of Cairo, to learn both Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Arabic and to study with some of Egypt’s top faculty. Classes are held at AMIDEAST’s facilities in Dokki on the west bank of the Nile and students are housed in shared apartments in Dokki.
Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Cairo carry a 16 credit hour load per semester. All students are required to enroll in Modern Standard Arabic, Egyptian Arabic and three elective courses which are offered from a variety of disciplines.
All students enroll in Modern Standard Arabic (4 credits) at a level appropriate to their proficiency. The following levels are offered:
- Beginning (Arabic 101, 102)
- Intermediate (Arabic 201, 202)
- Advanced (Arabic 301, 302)
Special tutorial arrangements are made for students whose proficiency is beyond the advanced level (Arabic 401); depending on student interests, various emphases can be offered in Arabic 401.
Egyptian Arabic instruction begins during on-site Orientation and continues throughout the semester. Students are placed in classes appropriate to their previous knowledge of Arabic (Arabic 121, 221 or 321).
Media Arabic is also available as an elective (3 credits) at both the 200- and 300- levels.
This course introduces the Arabic alphabet and sound system forms. Students will be given ample opportunity to practice and produce both the alphabet and the sound system; they will start developing their vocabulary via specific structures presented in the textbook. Students will learn simple grammatical structures and gradually listen to authentic and instructional materials that come with the textbook. Most of the exercises and the activities are task-based and student-centered. The course will cover the material in Alif Baa and Al-Kitaab, Part One, Chapters 1-7. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish and pronounce all Arabic sounds;
- write accurately from dictation;
- initiate social interactions, ask for basic information, and be aware of basic cultural aspects of social interaction in the Arab world;
- talk about themselves, their education, and their family with native speakers of Arabic;
- comprehend simple written texts on familiar topics;
- comprehend simple audio/video texts on familiar topics;
- compose simple paragraphs about themselves; and
- be familiar with some of the differences between formal and spoken Arabic.
This course consolidates material learned in Arabic 101, and introduces students to more advanced and more challenging linguistic and cultural material from Al-Kitaab, Part One, Chapters 8-18 as well as locally produced authentic materials. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Activate the learned vocabulary through interactive activities;
- understand basic grammatical structures in Arabic;
- produce a lengthy descriptive and narrative discourse in speaking;
- express their opinions and show their preferences using structured language;
- follow and understand short written and spoken texts in the news in the TV;
- read mid-size texts, using skimming techniques appropriate for their level; and
- learn more aspects of Arabic culture.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 101 and Arabic 102:
- Alif Baa Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs A Textbook for Beginning Arabic: Part One, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty
This course is designed to reinforce all the linguistic skills at both the reception and production levels. Students will also get a wide exposure to many aspects of Arabic culture through integrated outings designed for them to practice Arabic language in genuine contexts. The material covered in this course is from Al-Kitaab Part One, Chapters 19-20 and Al-Kitaab, Part Two, Chapters 1-3. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Use basic conversational tasks successfully in different social situations;
- understand and use basic grammatical rules;
- read mid-size texts;
- extract the main ideas of non-technical texts;
- extract the main points in video materials and be able to discuss important ideas;
- develop conversational skills using a variety of language functions (e.g., description, comparison, cause and effect, arguing for/against, etc.);
- engage in a variety of daily conversations;
- give short presentations on topics of interest;
- understand basic grammatical rules and structures in Modern Standard Arabic;
- converse in Arabic using a variety of language functions appropriate for their level; and
- acquire knowledge about major aspects of Arab and Islamic culture.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 201:
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part One, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Locally produced materials, selected by program faculty
This course is a continuation of Arabic 201. Course objectives are seen in terms of students performing linguistic tasks successfully, gaining self-confidence, and expanding their risk-taking in real-life communicative situations. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab, Part Two, Chapters 4-10. By the end of this course, students will be able to
- Guess the meaning of new words from contexts;
- use skimming and scanning techniques;
- write short paragraphs correctly;
- read authentic material from Arabic advertisements, short narratives, descriptions of people and places, simple contemporary poetry, topics on Arab culture, etc;
- write both informal and formal letters;
- write medium length compositions on familiar topics, including descriptions, short narratives, etc;
- master and distinguish Arabic sentence structures;
- understand and construct simple paragraphs and simple texts;
- enrich his/her vocabulary;
- understand some Arabic spoken situations;
- read and understand short paragraphs and short texts;
- write correct sentences and correct paragraphs and short texts; and
- begin to acquire more developed ideas about Arab and Islamic Culture.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 202:
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Two, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
This course is designed to move learners from a stage where they have achieved the basic grammatical skills, to being able to use language in a wider cultural context. At this stage, learners will be widely exposed to the main issues related to the Arab world and Egyptian culture. This course adopts a skill-based approach in which learners gain mastery of the language through the use of authentic materials taken from various sources. Teaching techniques are student-centered, with the instructor as the facilitator, and the goal of teaching to make students independent users of Arabic. Encounters with Arab professionals and visits to relevant institutions will be integrated in the syllabus. Evaluation will be based on both achievement of syllabus materials and success in out of the classroom tasks. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab, Part Three, Chapters 1-5. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand more complex grammatical structures;
- listen to daily news, lectures, take notes, and make comments;
- describe elaborately things that are close to them;
- compare issues and show their preferences;
- express their own viewpoints and defend them; and
- linguistically behave appropriately in various situations.
This course provides additional practice at the advanced level to help students attain a higher level of skill development (e.g., listening, speaking, reading and writing) and linguistic accuracy. This course covers the material in Al-Kitaab, Part Three, Chapters 6-10. By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Expand more essential vocabulary that helps them to cope with topics of professional interest;
- obtain information, to understand the ideas presented in a text, to discover the author’s point of view and to seek evidence for their point of view;
- enrich their grammatical knowledge and apply it as one of the analytical tools in comprehending reading texts;
- produce lengthy descriptive and argumentative discourse in speaking;
- summarize texts and express their points of view in writing and speaking; and
- interact with native speakers and engage in discussions of contemporary issues.
Primary textbooks for Arabic 301 and Arabic 302:
- Al-Kitaab fi Ta’allum Al Arabiya with DVDs Part Three, second edition by Kristin Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal and Abbas Al-Tonsi
- Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J.M. Cowan
- Audio-visual materials, texts selected by faculty from Arabic newspapers and magazines, etc.
In this course, students use authentic material from literature, academic research and both print and electronic media to develop their abilities to extract essential information and identity linguistic nuances. Students are expected to produce reaction papers where they express their own assessment of the content, the form of the text and the position and the arguments of the author. Students also are expected to be able to identify figures of style and produce texts demonstrating near native competence.
Teaching Materials will consist of faculty selected materials from Egypt and other parts of the Arab world.
Students are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Egyptians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express basic facts and opinions in simple sentences, and engage in basic conversations in Egyptian Arabic with native speakers. Living in Cairo will provide daily opportunity for practice.
Students who have already studied Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life in Egypt. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Egyptians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in simple as well as complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Egyptian Arabic with native speakers about non-academic topics. Living in Cairo will provide daily opportunity for practice.
Students with a strong background in Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to vocabulary, expressions, and structures used frequently in Egyptian everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Egyptians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Egyptian Arabic with native speakers about a wide range of topics, both academic and non-academic. Living in Cairo will provide daily opportunity for practice.
The course introduces students to the Arabic used in the media. The course is designed to assist students to read simple news items in different newspapers from Arab countries; listen to and understand broadcast news; and understand the role of media in shaping Arab thought. All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Egyptian media.
This course exposes students to the Arabic used in the media. It focuses on mastering basic vocabulary commonly used in Arab print and electronic media, developing the ability to read and understand Arabic newspapers without using a dictionary, developing the ability to listen to radio and television news broadcasts, writing short summaries of news articles and broadcasts, and discussing current economic, political and social issues covered in the Arabic media. All of the material used is authentic, with an emphasis on the Egyptian media.
Please note that not all courses are offered every semester. These course descriptions are intended to give students a general sense of the scope and focus of the program.
This course offers an introduction to the historical development of Cairo, one of the most architecturally-rich cities in the Islamic world. Students will learn to appreciate art by understanding Islamic architecture of Egyptian culture and society. Founded in A.D. 969, Cairo developed into an urban center with its architecture changing with every new consecutive dynasty. Historic documents and surviving monuments help us understand the architectural, artistic, and urban development of the once capital of the Islamic world. The course will trace this development from the Arab conquest in A.D. 640 up to the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the mid-nineteenth century. Frequent fieldtrips to various districts in the city will show students how each dynasty had its own architectural style, contributing to the continuous development of Cairo and its architecture.
This course introduces students to the culture of ancient Egypt from the 5th Millennium BC to mid 3rd Millennium BC. A cradle of civilization, Egypt played a crucial role in world history, profoundly contributing to the rise of the state, monumental constructions, monotheism, technologies, and sciences. The course focuses on the development of the social and political organizations of ancient Egyptian culture. Religious, artistic, linguistic and archaeological aspects will also be introduced all within the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of cultural evolution. The course begins with an introduction to ancient Egyptian culture in space and time, through an overview of its physical and historical settings. It then delves into the emergence of urbanism and reaching the stage of a “state-level society,” including the crucial concept of the divine kingship and the administration system. In addition, it highlights the relationship between the invention of writing, its monopoly by the intellectual bureaucratic elite, and the rise of complex administration system. In studying the architecture of ancient Egypt, it traces the development of sacred and profane structures as well as the utilization of their walls as surfaces on which the interaction between art and aspects of Egyptian religion are portrayed.
What makes contemporary Egyptian culture and religious practice distinct from that of other Middle Eastern countries? This course will explore the role that Pharaonic Egypt played in shaping Egyptian folklore and social customs until today and the way in which Muslim and Christian traditions have been interwoven with the ancient culture and changed or reinforced it.
The topics explored in this course include popular religion, traditional medicine and magic, material culture, language and oral traditions, cuisine, agriculture, vernacular architecture and the performing arts. Frequent field trips during class time will allow students to explore the topics they are studying firsthand.
This course explores the historical, political and religious relationships between ‘Islam’ and the ‘West.' Islam has for centuries been the West’s neighbor and cultural contestant with a history of conflict and co-existence. Since September 11 there has been increasing talk of a ‘clash of civilizations,’ but globalization has also has created an interdependency requiring greater co-operation, understanding and dialogue. The nature of the long and complicated relationship between Islam and the West and the fact that there have been many “Islams” and many “Wests” is a central focus. The varied nature of the relationship through the years is another area of inquiry as are sectarian developments within Islam and their impact on relations with the West. In the Middle Ages, the relationship revolved around the question of power and domination. Since the Renaissance, accepting or rejecting modernity (with its rationalism, secularism and individualism) has been at the core of the tensions in the Muslim world’s relationship with the West. Beginning in the nineteenth century, colonialism and imperialism have served as a backdrop.
While the entire history of the relationship will be briefly discussed, the focus will be on the modern era and Islam and the West in our time. A recurrent theme of this course will be whether it is possible to separate the world into monolithic entities called ‘Islam’ and the ‘West.’ Why is one defined in terms of religion and the other a geographical designation? Another area of inquiry will be the growing phenomenon of ‘Islam in the West,' as Muslims have migrated in large numbers to the United States and Europe; this will be explored by looking at the experience of Muslim immigrant communities in Europe and the United States, and at how religious practice in these communities has been transformed by the encounter with western culture. Another theme will be the process of mutual “othering” of both "the West" and "Islam" as they create boundaries of inclusion and exclusion, essential when it comes to constituting collective identities. Cross-cultural encounters and the emergence of new forms of identity will be of central interest. The course is multi-disciplinary encompassing history, sociology of religion and international relations.
This course is designed to introduce the key concepts, themes, perspectives and methodological approaches that provide students with tools to understand and critically reflect on social, cultural, political and economic complexities and dynamics that characterize the contemporary Arab world. Concepts such as identity, ethnicity, nationalism, gender and gender roles, exchange, the state and society, political organization, social stratification, kinship and family, religion and ritual, fundamentalism, development, democracy, political activism, minorities, and human rights will be reflected upon in the context of different Arab countries. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on a variety of contributions of both native and Western scholars from various social sciences and humanities (anthropology, sociology, political science, media studies, sociolinguistics, cultural studies, gender studies, postcolonial critique, literary studies) and discuss the interpretative strength of a number of theoretical positions and epistemic relevance of several methodological orientations in learning about the contemporary Arab world. Students in the course are encouraged to compare the material covered in lectures and readings with their own social and cultural knowledge acquired through living in Egypt and on the two field trips included in the course.
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of political Islam and politics in the Arab world. It examines the reasons, implications, and consequences of the reassertion of religion in the Arab and Islamic political sphere. It aims to show that socio-political issues related to political Islam take place in the realm of modernity and globalization; hence many lines of comparison can be drawn with other social movements in different religious traditions drawing on religion as a source of legitimacy. The course challenges the students to understand the paradoxes and limitations of modernity with regard to the Islamic world, covering the development of political Islam and the push for democratization in the Middle East.
The Middle East region has been the scene of more crises and stirred more emotion in the West than any other region in the world. Events such as the on-going Arab-Israel conflict, the Iranian revolution of 1978-79, the 9/11 attacks, and the Iraq war have all reinforced the idea of the Middle East as a region of conflict. What is it that makes the Middle East so prone to violent conflict? In an attempt to answer this question, students in this course will probe the geographical, historical, and religious dynamics of the Middle East. They will then examine different themes including the nature of contemporary politics in the region, the complex regional state relations, the political economy of oil, Islamist and Arab nationalist politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the region’s civil society and relationship with democracy.
This course examines a range of different economic concepts, phenomena, problems and policies related to countries of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region. With the rapid and ongoing changes in economics and in international relations all over the globe, the MENA region is receiving increased attention. This course aims at providing a better understanding of the functioning of MENA economies and their relationship with the rest of the world. The course deals with domestic issues as well as external challenges from a political economy perspective. The course will cover the following topics:
- Principles and analytical tools of microeconomics
- Main macroeconomic principles
- Trade Policy, including protectionism and its implications, liberalization of goods and services, and other trade agreements
- Globalization
- Regionalism (presenting and studying different regional integration agreements and their implications)
- Competitiveness (theoretical background, measurements, country case studies and sectoral studies)
- Labor and migration Issues
- Women’s empowerment and gender issues
- Foreign Direct Investment
- Human Development Issues
- Developmental Status of the MENA Region
- Institutional Aspects and Economic Governance in MENA
This course examines the different kinds of hard and soft threats that prevail in the Middle East and North Africa in the post cold war era to enable students to analyze and be able to predict objectively the effects of these hard and soft threats on the regional and international systems. Specifically, the course will focuses on the major issues of hard and soft threats that have a bilateral and multilateral nature in the region. It will examine threats that have direct short-term and long-term devastating consequences that are measurable in number of casualties, demolition of infrastructure, and other long-term effects not only on regional but also international peace and security in post cold war era.
Dr. Riham Bahi is an Assistant Professor at Cairo University in the Faculty of Economics and Political Science and a Visiting Assistant Professor at the American University of Cairo. Dr. Bahi earned her PhD in International and Public Affairs from Northeastern University in Boston, where she also received her MA in International Relations and Comparative Politics. Dr. Bahi also serves as the Dialogue Coordinator at the Center for Civilization Studies and the Dialogue of Cultures. She has over ten years experience teaching American and Egyptian undergraduate and graduate students, and is very familiar with both the U.S. and Egyptian educational systems and pedagogies. She comes to AMIDEAST with experience in program and curriculum development, capacity building programs for faculty, and running short-term study abroad programs in Egypt for American students. She has received many honors, including a Fulbright Pre-Doctoral award and expert credentials from the Center for Effective University Teaching at Northeastern University. Her research interests include global and transnational aspects of political Islam and U.S. relations with the Muslim world.
Mr. Ashraf El Sherif is a PhD candidate in Political Science at Boston University. After completing his undergraduate degree with honors in economics and political science at the American University in Cairo, El Sherif went on to earn his MA in political science at the same institution. He has been an adjunct lecturer at AUC, teaching courses on Arab political thought, political theory, Arab-American relations, and Middle East politics in a comparative perspective. Mr. El Sherif’s dissertation project deals with the Islamists’ experiments of political liberalizations in Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey. His research focuses on how Islamic movements act as social and ideological catalysts for change and how they shape political and social developments in the Middle East.
Dr. Heba Raouf Ezzat (Professor, Islam and Politics)
Dr. Heba Raouf Ezzat is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science of Cairo University. She is also a visiting faculty member at the American University in Cairo. She earned her BA (Honors), MA (Honors) and PhD in Political Science, all from Cairo University. She has also spent time as a visiting researcher at the Centre for Democracy of the University of Westminster in London and at Oxford’s Centre for Islamic Studies. In addition to her teaching at Cairo University, Dr. Heba also is Coordinator of the Civil Society Program for Research and Training and Foreign Relations Coordinator of the University’s Center for Political Research and Studies and Foreign Relations and Academic Events Coordinator of the Program for Dialogue between Civilizations in the University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science. Dr. Heba is widely published in both English and Arabic on subjects related to Islam, women and politics, and she authored a background paper on Gender Equality in the Arab World for the 2006 UN Development Programme’s Arab Human Development Report. She has lectured in the US (Council on Foreign Relations, Georgetown University and University of California at Berkeley), Canada (McGill University), the UK (St. Anthony’s College of Oxford University, the Foreign Office and Lambeth Palace in London), Kuwait (Higher Committee for Sharia), and Morocco (Ministry of Awqaf). She also lectures regularly on social theory to imams and Islamic scholars at the Dar ul-Ifta in Cairo. Dr. Heba was selected for membership in the Young Global Leaders of the World Initiative of the World Economic Forum in 2005 and from 2003 to 2006 was a member of the Council of the 100 for Western-Islamic Understanding and the Religious Leaders Forum of the World Economic Forum. Since 1999, she has been co-founder, and consultant on strategic planning and editorial policy evaluation for www.islamonline.net. She is the program convener for the Building Global Democracy program in the Middle East region. BGD is a major international action-oriented research initiative that explores how globalization can be governed in democratic ways (www.buildingglobaldemocracy.org). Dr. Heba is currently interested in topics such as trans-local and cyber Islam; the changing maps of citizenship; women, empowerment and social change; globalization, violence and civility; and human agency, space and time.
Dr. Nicole Hansen is President and Founder of glyphdoctors.com, a company that offers online courses, tours and publications on Egyptology to the general public. She also is Director of External Relations and Communications for Arab Academy, AMIDEAST’s partner in Egypt. Dr. Hansen earned her BA from the University of California, Berkeley and her MA and PhD from the University of Chicago, all in Egyptology. She has taught at the American University in Cairo and the University of Chicago. She has a long record of publications, both scholarly and popular, including Omm Sety’s Living Egypt (2008) and numerous articles. She holds dual American and Egyptian citizenship.
Dr. Ramadan Badry Hussein is Director of the National Project for Documentation of the Antiquities of Egypt at the Egyptian Supreme Council for Antiquities. He also serves as Managing Director of the Supreme Council’s Publications Department, Translator for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ Giza Archives Project, and as the Coordinator of the 11th International Congress of Egyptologists which will be held in September 2012. Dr. Hussein earned his BA in Egyptology from Cairo University and his MA and PhD in the field at Brown University, where he studied from 2001 to 2009. While in the US, Dr. Hussein taught courses in Egyptology at Brown and at Rhode Island College. His archaeological field experience includes excavations at Tety Cemetery at Saqqara and Bahariya Oasis for the Supreme Council for Antiquities. Dr. Hussein’s publications include a co-edited book entitled Perspectives on Ancient Egypt: Studies in Honor of Edward Brovarski, the forthcoming First Intermediate Period Coffin Texts from Naga Ed-Der: the Coffin of Pepy-Ima (which will be published by Edwin Mellen Press, New York), and several articles.
Mr. Ivan Panovic is a doctoral student at Balliol College and the Oriental Institute at the University of Oxford in England. He is currently based in Cairo where he is conducting research on the rising trend of using Egyptian Colloquial Arabic in writing with a particular focus on language choices in the Egyptian blogosphere. Since September 2009 he has been an adjunct instructor at the American University in Cairo teaching three courses – Cultural Anthropology, Arab Society, and Anthropology of Cyberspace. Mr. Panovic earned his BA in Oriental Philology (Arabic and Turkish) from the University of Belgrade, and an MA in Sociology-Anthropology from the American University in Cairo.
Ms. Jehan Reda teaches Islamic art and architecture at the American University in Cairo and has also taught in other programs such as the Hedayat Institute. She earned her BA and MA from the American University in Cairo
Fall 2010 Academic Semester Calendar
Friday, August 20
Saturday, August 21
Sunday, August 22
Sunday, August 29
September 10 – 12*
Wednesday, October 6
November 16-20*
Friday, December 7*
Thursday, December 16
Friday, December 17 |
Students depart U.S.
Student Arrivals
Orientation begins
Classes Begin
Eid al-Fitr*
Armed Forces Day (No Classes)
Eid al-Adha* (No classes)
Islamic New Year*
Last day of program
Depart Egypt |
Spring 2011 Academic Semester Calendar
Friday, January 7
Saturday, January 8
Sunday, January 9
Sunday, January 16
Thursday, February 17*
March 25 – April 2
Sunday, April 24
Monday, April 25
Sunday, May 1
Thursday, May 12
Friday, May 13 |
Student depart U.S.
Students arrive
Orientation begins
Classes begin
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday* (No Classes)
Spring Break (No Classes)
Coptic Easter (No Classes)
Sinai Liberation Day (No Classes)
Labor Day (No Classes)
Last Day of Program
Depart Egypt |
The AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in the Arab World partner in Cairo, Egypt is the Arab Academy.
Arab Academy is the world’s leading provider of online Arabic language courses. It also boasts one of the most successful Arabic Language immersion programs in the Middle East serving individuals and institutions from the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. It also hosts students from African countries sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah.
Arab Academy was founded in 1997 by Sanaa Ghanem, a professional teacher of Arabic who has taught at the American University in Cairo, and the University of Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire. The academy has developed over 150 online courses and workbooks and continues to add more Arabic courses each year. It has 2 branches, one in Garden City and the other in Mohandissin, and it is licensed as a language center by the Ministry of Labor, Arab Republic of Egypt.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program courses in Cairo are taught by a select group of Egyptian professors from a variety of academic institutions in and around Cairo. All have both fluency in English and experience teaching in English. All of the participating faculty received post-graduate degrees from universities in North America and Europe or have spent extended periods of time at English-medium institutions as students, faculty members, visiting faculty or visiting researchers.
More information about Arab Academy can be found on its website: http://www.arabacademy.com.
Upon arrival in Cairo, AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program students participate in an in-depth, week-long orientation designed to introduce them to Egyptian culture and daily life and familiarize them with the logistics of the program. Students stay in a hotel in central Cairo for the first few days of the on-site orientation and then move to their accommodation for the semester. The orientation combines structured informational sessions with organized activities and free time to familiarize participants with Cairo. Topics such as safety and health, cultural adjustment, program regulations, participant responsibilities and other essential information are all discussed during orientation. During the on-site orientation students also meet their professors, take language placement tests, and become familiar with the program’s IT environment.
Students enrolled in the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Cairo, Egypt live in shared apartments. The apartments are carefully selected by AMIDEAST to be safe, comfortable and convenient to program facilities and public transportation.
In addition to the academic program, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Cairo offers a variety of additional learning opportunities to enhance participants' study abroad experience.
- Civil Society: Students will encounter a variety of Egyptian civil society organizations ranging from local NGOS in a variety of fields to women’s organizations to sports clubs. AMIDEAST will organize special activities to facilitate student connections to these organizations.
- Service-learning: AMIDEAST coordinates organized service-learning projects either for individual students or for larger groups. With many connections to a wide range of organizations in Egypt, AMIDEAST can adapt projects to individual student interests to ensure a unique and satisfying service-learning experience.
- Cross-cultural learning: AMIDEAST and Arab Academy organize a variety of cross-cultural learning opportunities. Ranging from meet-and-greets to formal presentations, these events give participants the chance to interact with Egyptian students, to learn more about Egypt, and to introduce others to American culture.
AMIDEAST students participate in program-organized excursions both in and outside of Cairo to visit major attractions and historical sites in Egypt. The excursions are coordinated by AMIDEAST/Egypt in conjunction with the program’s academic staff and are led by a member of the faculty. Organized activities are combined with free time, allowing students to explore independently within a safe and structured framework. Excursions will include visits to:
- Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Citadel, Old Cairo and other major sites in and around Cairo
- Alexandria
- Upper Egypt
In addition, other optional excursions (at additional cost) will be organized based upon student interest and demand.
The program is managed by AMIDEAST/EGYPT in conjunction with AMIDEAST headquarters in Washington, D.C. AMIDEAST works collaboratively with Arab Academy to oversee the academic curriculum and implementation of the program. It also manages all logistical elements of the program, including the on-site orientation, student accommodations, arrangements for excursions, and the planning of special events and extra-curricular activities. Finally, AMIDEAST provides comprehensive support to both participants and administrators in the event of any problems or unusual circumstances.
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) was founded in 1951. It has field offices in 23 cities in 12 countries in the region, giving it a well-developed infrastructure, capacity, and institutional record of successful exchange programs rooted in more than five decades of in-region experience administering scholarships and exchanges on behalf of U.S. and Arab governments, private companies, and individuals.
Since 1957, AMIDEAST has been providing quality educational services in Egypt. With offices in Cairo and Alexandria, AMIDEAST reaches thousands of students and professionals annually through English and Arabic language courses, academic advising, standardized testing, and cultural exchange programs. AMIDEAST/Egypt has designed and administered numerous programs for youth, undergraduates, and educators, and has arranged accommodation, transportation, excursions, community service, language training, professional meetings, and lectures for groups of American students.
Matthew Kuehl serves as the Program Manager for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Egypt. Born and raised in the small town of St. James, Minnesota, he received his education in Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Matthew has worked in professional and educational exchange programs for nearly 5 years, including developing a study abroad college in Sana’a, Yemen. Matthew joined AMIDEAST/Egypt in 2008, working first as the Program Officer for the USAID-sponsored Tatweer program, assisting Iraqi scholarship recipients with studying abroad in Cairo. In his current position as Program Manager, Matthew coordinates all aspects of the program, including orientation, housing, excursions, scheduling, student activities and much more. His experiences living, working, and traveling throughout the Middle East, including studying abroad in Cairo as an undergraduate, makes him a strong resource for students. He further developed skills in intercultural learning in 2009 when he attended the Summer Institute in Intercultural Communication in Portland, Oregon. Matthew lives in Cairo where he also is finishing up his M.A. in International Human Rights Law, researching human rights conceptions in Yemeni tribal law.
Tamer Magdy serves as the Program Specialist for AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Egypt. An Egyptian citizen who grew up in Cairo, Tamer studied law at Ain Shams University, as well as English and business administration at the British Council. For over 8 years he has worked in guest services at 5-star hotels throughout Egypt. Prior to joining AMIDEAST in 2009, he acted as the reception supervisor at the Four Seasons in Giza. In his current position as Program Specialist, Tamer is responsible for student housing and assists with the cultural activities and excursions. Tamer enjoys traveling abroad, reading novels and short stories, studying French, and attending the arts.
- Are enrolled at an accredited college or university and have completed one year of post-secondary study
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale); however, applications will be considered holistically
- Are physically and emotionally prepared to spend four months in Egypt.
- Are willing to adapt to a new, potentially challenging environment
Application Deadline: Applications for the Spring 2011 program in Cairo, Egypt, will be accepted until the deadline of October 15th, 2010 . Please note that because applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, the program may be filled prior to the application deadline. Interested students are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
for the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the
Arab World on-line application.
AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Cairo
1730 M Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 776-9629
Fax: (202) 776-7029
Email: EgyptStudy@amideast.org
These are the program fees for 2010-2011. Fees for 2011-2012 will be set during spring 2011 and will be posted to this site as soon as possible. Please note that the fees are subject to change.
Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 Fees (per semester):
|
Fall |
Spring |
Academic Yr |
Tuition & fees |
$11,000 |
$11,000 |
$20,500 |
Housing |
$1,800 |
$1,800 |
$3,600 |
TOTAL |
$12,800 |
$12,800 |
$24,100 |
Estimated Personal Expenses:
|
Fall |
Spring |
Academic Yr |
Housing deposit* |
$300 |
$300 |
$300 |
Local transportation |
$150 |
$150 |
$300 |
Personal expenses |
$2,000 |
$2,000 |
$4,000 |
Books |
$200 |
$200 |
$400 |
TOTAL |
$2,650 |
$2,650 |
$5,000 |
*Housing deposit is fully refundable at conclusion of semester if apartment is clean and there has been no damage other than normal wear and tear.
Tuition and fees include:
- Courses totaling 16 credits and coursepacks
- All-inclusive one-week orientation
- Housing in shared apartments
- Program-organized excursions
- Supplementary lectures and special events
- Medical insurance, including medical evacuation and repatriation, and political and security evacuation coverage
Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Tuition and Fees do NOT cover:
- International airfare
- Meals (approximate cost is $1,500 - $2,000 per semester)
- Local personal transportation
- Communication and other personal expenses
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