Program Overview
Program Overview
Come discover a rich and diverse culture in the cosmopolitan Middle Eastern capital: Amman. Through language training, activities, and excursions that allow you to engage formally, and informally, with locals, you’ll develop a greater understanding of the Jordanian people, contemporary Jordanian society, and the Middle East region as a whole.
Study abroad in Jordan and you will:
- Have the opportunity to study colloquial Jordanian Arabic, giving new dimension to your interactions with local speakers
- Choose from a variety of area studies courses in English and engage with guest speakers on a host of political and cultural issues
- Take part in cultural activities ranging from cooking and calligraphy, to soccer and traditional dance
- Visit important archaeological and natural sites which may include Petra, Jerash, the crusader-era castle of Kerak, and the Dead Sea
The CIEE Difference
The CIEE Difference
Excursions
Little time. Lots to see.
Enjoy visits to Jordan’s archaeological, historical, and natural wonders. Each session includes both daylong and overnight excursions to some of the country’s most famous sites.
Coursework
From an archeological survey of the country to an exploration of the long history between the U.S. and the Arab World, study abroad in Amman gives you great insight into the history and culture of Jordan and the Middle East. A course in colloquial Jordanian Arabic will help you engage more intimately with local people and develop a deeper understanding of their lives and society.
Activities
Experience is everything. Whether you’re attending concerts and films, or trying your hand at traditional cooking, dance, or art, cultural activities bring classroom learning to life.
Dates, Deadlines & Fees
Dates, Deadlines & Fees
We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.
- Tuition and housing
- Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
- Full-time program leadership and support
- Field trips and cultural activities
- CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits
Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the
button to view more detailed information about dates and fees as well as estimated additional costs. Please talk with your University Study Abroad Advisor about additional fees that may be charged by your home institution when participating in a program abroad.
Application Due
Start Date
End Date
Costs
Summer 2014 Session I
04/01/2014
TBA
TBA
Program Date Notes
Program Fees
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
Estimated Additional Costs
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
Summer 2014 Session II
04/01/2014
TBA
TBA
Program Date Notes
Program Fees
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
Estimated Additional Costs
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
Summer 2014 Session I, II
04/01/2014
TBA
TBA
Program Date Notes
Program Fees
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
Estimated Additional Costs
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
Eligibility
Recommended Credit
Recommended Credit
Total recommended credit for the program is 3-4 semester/4.5-6 quarter hours per session and 6-8 semester / 9-12 quarter hours for both Session I and Session II.
Students are required to take one of the regular electives each session for a recommended 3 semester / 4.5 quarter hours. Students may also take the Survival Colloquial Jordanian Arabic course for an additional 1 semester / 1.5 quarter hours each session.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Students are required to take one of the regular electives each session for a recommended 3 semester / 4.5 quarter hours and 42 contact hours. Students may also take a Survival Colloquial Jordanian Arabic course for an additional 1 semester / 1.5 quarter hours and 15 contact hours each session. Total recommended credit is 3-4 semester / 4.5-6 quarter hours per session or 6-8 semester/ 9-12 quarter hours for students completing both Session I and Session II.
About the City
About The City
Amman has a history that reaches back at least 5,000 years. Despite the ancient ruins that dominate the downtown skyline, much of the city only dates back to the 1970s. Draped over several hills, Amman is a study in contrasts. A traditional downtown souk (marketplace) is a taxi ride away from massive, American-style shopping malls. It is a very accessible, cosmopolitan city with numerous museums, art galleries, theaters, and cinemas. With its reputation for security and hospitality, Amman is home to inhabitants from all over the Middle East. The city provides a safe and stable environment for students to learn about the region.
Meet The Staff
Meet The Staff
Najeh Abu Orabi
Dr. Najeh Abu-Orabi, a native of Jordan, has been challenging American students to master the Arabic language for over a decade. In addition to leading the Arabic Langauge program, Dr. Abu Orabi manages the Arabic language curriculum for CIEE in Jordan. He has a Ph.D. in Arabic Language Curricula and Education Methods and an M.A. in Arabic Language. Dr. Abu-Orabi has also taught Arabic at the University of Virginia and is a certified ACTFL OPI tester. For the Arabic Language program, Dr, AbuOrabi works with a special team of instructors all with advanced degrees in Arabic language and literature and extensive experience teaching Arabic as a foreign language to international students and are trained in ACTFL standards.
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Ahmad Abu Shaikha
Ahmad AbuShaikha, a graudate of Hashmiyah University in Cultural Resources Management, has been working with CIEE for four years on excursions, volunteer opportunities and activities.
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Zeina Alkaraki
Zeina al Karaki joined CIEE Amman as a new Resident Coordinator in 2012. Zeina received a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship and taught Arabic as a Foreign Language at Valdosta State University, Georgia. She earned her M.Ed in Educational Leadership from University of Cincinnati, where she also taught Arabic for two years. Zeina also worked with the National Center for Human Rights (NCHR) in Amman within the NCHR Capacity building project.
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Rana Al-Masri
Rana Masri is a ten year veteran of international education in Amman. She manages all aspects of the housing program in Jordan, in addition to advising students on intercultural adjustment and cultural activities in Amman and recruiting Arabic speaking host families for CIEE students in Jordan.
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Stephen Bush
Stephen Bush, Student Services Director, received his M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, where he also worked as an Arabic teaching assistant. Stephen completed his undergraduate studies at Westmont College, during which he studied abroad in Egypt and travelled to Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco. His study abroad experience inspired him to return to Egypt and the Palestinian Territories where he worked for several years as a volunteer and teacher. Stephen developed advanced Arabic proficiency while living in the region and in 2010 he completed a summer fellowship with the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) at the American University in Cairo.
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Elena Corbett
Dr. Elena Corbett joined CIEE in August 2012 as the new CIEE Amman Resident Director. She holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. She has taught a range of courses in Middle East History, Islamic Civilization, and Arabic, most recently at Penn State University Erie and the U.S. Naval Academy, where she was also the Academic Programs Coordinator for the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies.
Elena has designed and administered several study abroad opportunities for American students in Jordan, including the inaugural year of the Critical Language Scholarship program in 2006. A specialist in the history of the modern Middle East with a background in Islamic archaeology, Elena’s research focuses on 19th-20th century intellectual history, and notions of communal identity in Jordan as based on engagement with archaeology and cultural heritage.
She has published her work in Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, Middle Eastern Studies, and is completing a book manuscript. Elena has spent many years living and working in Jordan, where the chance to participate on an archaeological dig brought her on her first study abroad experience as an undergraduate student.
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Where You'll Study
Where You'll Study
Princess Sumaya University of Technology (PSUT)
PSUT is the only private and nonprofit university in Jordan and is known as a center of educational excellence both in the country and the surrounding region. The institution’s strong connections with a variety of public- and private-sector organizations will allow students to take advantage of internship, independent research, and community engagement opportunities, and the wide range of English-taught courses will enable CIEE to continue to grow new direct enrollment options in the future.
Additional support is provided by the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR). Located near the CIEE Amman Study Center, ACOR will provide student housing and additional library and computer lab support for this program.
Housing & Meals
Housing & Meals
Students will reside in the hostel at the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) within an easy walk of the CIEE Amman Study Center.
ACOR is a very comfortable, secure facility that hosts a number of student and faculty groups, workshops, and scholars conducting Humanities and Social Science research in Jordan. Accommodation in ACOR’s hostel consists of double rooms with full en suite bathroom, ingredients for a do-it-yourself breakfast, and one cooked meal for the group per day. Hostel residents also enjoy 24/7 access to ACOR’s library (one of the best in Jordan), use of the computer lab and free wireless internet, and use of common areas and kitchen facilities. Laundry service, printing, photocopying, and faxing are also available for a small fee.
In addition to its convenient location near the CIEE Amman Study Center, ACOR is within walking distance of shopping and other services.
Orientations
Orientations
Each session begins with a mandatory two day orientation program that will introduce students to the academic program, fundamentals of intercultural communication, and practical information about living in Jordan. Orientation also includes a health and safety component. Ongoing support is provided on an individual and group basis throughout the program.
Internet
Internet
Students have access to wireless internet and a computer lab at ACOR. Wireless internet is also available at the CIEE Amman Study Center. Students are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop.
Culture
Culture
Excursions
Students in each session will have the opportunity to go on one overnight excursion and one day trip:
Overnight excursion: Kerak, Shobak, and Petra
Students in both summer sessions can have the opportunity to take one overnight excursion to Petra. The excursion includes a visit to theCrusader-era castles of Kerak and Shobak on the way to Petra. After an overnight stay in a Petra hotel, students will have an entire day for guided exploration of the famous “Rose-Red City half as old as time.”
Overnight excursion possibility: Jerash, Ajloun Castle, Hiking, and Ajloun Nature Reserve
Students who enroll in both summer sessions will have the opportunity to participate in this excursion during the the second session. Students will enjoy a guided tour of the ancient northern city of Jerash. After visiting Jerash, the group will visit Ajloun for a tour of the Crusader-era castle, followed by transit to the nature reserve for hiking and an overnight stay.
Day trips:
In addition to one overnight excursion per session, this program will include two day trips, one in each session. Possible trips include a “Biblical Jordan” field trip that includes the Madaba Plains (the biblical lands of Moab) to learn about the rich biblical history of the Dead Sea, Mt. Nebo, the site of Umm al-Rasas, and the important city of Madaba. Other possible field trips include a trip to the Dead Sea, including an informative tour of the Dead Sea Panorama Museum focusing on the Dead Sea’s history and environmental threats to its future.
Cultural Activities
The CIEE Amman LC Summer program will include a variety of ongoing cultural activities each session. Activities will include the following:
- Guest speakers ( Previous subjects have included LGBT issues, interfaith initiatives, the contemporary music scene, life in the US Foreign Service, various cultural topics, etc.)
- Local Site Visits (Previous visits have included mosques, museums, cafes, radio stations, etc.)
- Cultural activities (Previous activities have included cooking, traditional dance, henna, calligraphy, soccer, concerts, films, plays, etc.)
Academics
Academics
Academic Culture
This is a rigorous program for focused students seeking the opportunity to begin learning Arabic or learn about the history, culture, and politics of Jordan and, more generally, the Middle East. The number of daily contact hours is high, and attendance is required. Instructors are natives of Jordan and reflect local cultural norms in their classroom demeanor and pedagogy. Students must expect a more formal classroom environment and take initiative in understanding instructors’ expectations.
Nature of Classes
Participants take classes with other CIEE students only.
CIEE Community Language Commitment
As students gain proficiency in Arabic, CIEE resident staff encourages them to use their language skills in everyday settings. This fosters a learning community that contributes to both Arabic language proficiency and understanding of Jordanian society.
Grading System
Grades (A–F with pluses and minuses, on a 100 point scale) are assigned based on mid-term and final exams and, depending on the course, additional assignments such as a research paper or a class presentation. Attendance and class participation are also incorporated into the final grade for the program courses. Attendance is mandatory for all classes and unexcused absences incur an academic penalty.
Language of Instruction
Arabic (Survival Colloquial Arabic courses only); English
Faculty
Courses will be taught by faculty from Princess Sumaya University of Technology (PSUT), other local universities, or visiting foreign faculty with expertise and extensive experience in Jordan. Language courses are taught by experienced CIEE Amman language instructors under the guidance of Dr. Najeh Abu-Orabi, CIEE Amman Director of Arabic Language.
Course Description
Course Description
All Courses
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Session I
Students choose one of the following courses. Final course availability will be determined just prior to the start of Session I based on student enrollment and overall course preferences.
ARCE 3001 AMST: Archaeological Survey of Jordan
This course provides students an overview of archaeological discoveries in Jordan. Students learn about the various historical and pre-historical periods of human habitation in Jordan via a study of Jordan’s most famous archaeological sites. Techniques in archaeology are discussed, and students visit sites in and around Amman. Students taking this course in the summer will also have the benefit of being able to visit some sites during the excavation season.
POLI 3004 AMST /MEST 2002 AMST: America and the Arabs< br />
This course examines the long history of interaction between the U.S. and the Arab World, with a special emphasis on the nature of contemporary relations between American and Arabian cultures. The course explores the history of American foreign policy in the Middle East, the impact of the Cold War, terrorism, military conflict on Arab-American relations, the impact of American culture in the region, and the evolution of American attitudes toward Arabian cultures and the Islamic World.
Optional Language Elective
In addition to one of the regular courses above, students may enroll in an additional Colloquial Jordanian Arabic (“Survival Arabic”) course for a recommended 1 semester/1.5 quarter hours and 15 contact hours. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in this course as it will help them to engage more closely with local Jordanians and develop a better understanding of Jordanian society.
ARAB 1003 AMST: Survival Colloquial Jordanian Arabic I
Essential for functioning in everyday life, Colloquial Jordanian Arabic is the language of spoken communication and is used in domestic, intimate, and informal settings in the home, the workplace, and among friends and acquaintances. This course introduces students to the grammar and vocabulary of the Jordanian dialect and builds on the instruction provided in the Modern Standard Arabic language course. This course includes intensive portions during orientation to impart basic survival skills, then continues with regular classroom sessions.Session II
Students choose one of the following courses. Final course availability will be determined just prior to the start of Session II based on student enrollment and overall course preferences.
HIST 3001 AMST: The Modern History of Jordan and the Middle East
This course aims to acquaint students, in an historical perspective, with the multitude of events and challenges that Jordan has passed through over the years, how it dealt with them, and the effects and repercussions of those events on the country and region as a whole. While giving the necessary historical and political background, the course shall also explore contemporary issues which will facilitate a greater understanding of Jordan and the Middle East.
RELI 3001 AMST: Introduction to Islam
The course aims to provide students a basic knowledge of Islam, including basic principles of faith, different schools of Islamic thought, and Islamic jurisprudence. It also covers the history of Islam and the life of the Prophet. Students enrolling in this course will have added benefit of studying this material during the holy month of Ramadan.
Optional Language Elective
In addition to one of the regular courses above, students may enroll in an additional Colloquial Jordanian Arabic (“Survival Arabic”) course for a recommended 1 semester/2.5 quarter hours and 15 contact hours. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in an optional language course as it will help them to engage more closely with local Jordanians and develop a better understanding of Jordanian society.
ARAB 1003 AMST: Survival Colloquial Jordanian Arabic I
Essential for functioning in everyday life, Colloquial Jordanian Arabic is the language of spoken communication and is used in domestic, intimate, and informal settings in the home, the workplace, and among friends and acquaintances. This course introduces students to the grammar and vocabulary of the Jordanian dialect and builds on the instruction provided in the Modern Standard Arabic language course. This course includes intensive portions during orientation to impart basic survival skills, then continues with regular classroom sessions.
ARAB 1004 AMST: Survival Colloquial Jordanian Arabic II
This course is a continuation of the Survival Colloquial Arabic I course offered in Session I. It is only open to students who have completed the first course in Session I.
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