The MELC department is proud to announce a study abroad opportunity in Morocco for Summer 2025, in Arabic Language and Culture. The program is a unique opportunity for students to learn the Arabic Language within the context of Arabic culture in Morocco. Students will be exposed to the language within the context of culture and therefore will acquire a deeper understanding of diction, word choice, meaning, and tone.
Studying abroad is integral to any student hoping to seriously study a foreign language for personal, academic, and/or professional purposes. After completing their study abroad, students will have gained cultural competency and awareness, analysis skills, and the ability to speak with confidence and competence in the Arabic language. By living in another culture for an extended period, students gain perspective on other cultures, become less judgmental of what is foreign to them, and begin to see the world in a variety of colorful possibilities, replacing a "black-and-white" perspective of cultural differences.
Studying abroad provides important experiences that cannot be replicated in a classroom. Students will be able to apply this language learning to future careers in many fields such as international aid organizations and international law, Foreign Service, and international business. This program supports this learning outcome through its intensive language and cultural studies. Students will develop the ability to comprehend cultural differences and deconstruct ethnocentricity. They will learn various aspects of the culture, traditions, and beliefs in an Arab-speaking country through an education-abroad context. They will integrate global awareness and cultural interaction capacities.
Students will travel to Rabat, Morocco to continue their Arabic language studies for three weeks. They will take intensive courses on Modern Standard Arabic, culture, and society from their UW professors as well as faculty at the University Mohammed V in Rabat. Students will be living, eating, and cooking with Moroccan families. They will also be interacting with bilingual Moroccan students their age from the university level.
Rabat is the capital city of Morocco located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is a rich city on historical sites, beautiful beaches, gardens, medinas, festivals, museums, and libraries. Students will meet with Moroccan artists, writers, and professors. Students will also visit the medieval cities of Fez and Marrakech. They will visit the Mediterranean coast as well as explore the life, culture, and nature of the Sahara.
This program is eligible for use with financial aid, meaning a student can use their award of financial assistance to help pay program fees. A large percentage of UW students utilize financial aid to study abroad. Most types of financial aid can be applied to fees for study abroad. Many scholarships are designed to fund students studying abroad. UW Study Abroad administers a study abroad scholarship program, and national awards are also available.
For more information and to apply, please click here.
The application deadline ins February 15, 2025.