What is the Rihla Program?

**The Rihla Program will take place at Noor Majan-Muscat Campus for the Oman part of the Rihla experience.

The immensity of the Arabic speaking world poses challenges for students to gain sufficient exposure to various dialects of Arabic and adequate cultural exposure to the diversity of the Arab world. To address this issue, Noor Majan and the Arab American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM) teamed up to provide students the opportunity to study in Oman and Morocco under one program called Rihla, named after the Arabic word “journey”.

Noor Majan and AALIM are both recognized as the leading Arabic institutes in their respected countries and are sister sites for the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship program. Together, the two institutes aim at closing the cultural and linguistic distance between two ends of the Arab speaking world. By collaborating on curriculum and cultural programs, the Rihla Program allows students to experience the similarities and differences between the two regions.

The Rihla program is offered as a summer and semester option. We divide both offerings, summer and semester, into two distinct “journeys’” or parts. The Rihla summer program focuses on Arabic language and culture; with the first journey taking place in Morocco for 4 weeks and the second journey for 4 weeks in Oman at Noor Majan’s Muscat Campus.

The semester program differs from the summer program through its goal of broadening students understanding of the MENA region through economics and Arabic. The first journey takes place in Oman for 8 weeks, where the student will work on building a strong foundation in the Arabic language. Then the second journey, which lasts 8 weeks, will take the student to Morocco where the focus will be on both economics and Arabic. The student will dual enroll in AALIM and the University of Moulay Ismail (UMI) in Meknes.

HEAR FROM A 2017 RIHLA STUDENT

“Studying at Noor Majan through the Rihla program truly made for such a productive, enjoyable, and unforgettable summer experience. In addition to significantly improving my Arabic language skills, the program also provided me with invaluable opportunities to engage with the local culture and develop meaningful relationships with both locals and other students. The structure of the Rihla program in which I studied for one month in Morocco at a partner institute and the second month in Oman with Noor Majan was an integral part of my experience; I found it so valuable to be immersed in two very distinct cultures of the Arabic speaking world and see how the same language can be shaped by culture and history. At both Noor Majan and AALIM, the partner institute in Morocco, the language instruction is phenomenal and really challenged me to engage with the language all day for the entirety of the summer. Coming into the program my listening and speaking skills were quite poor, but by the end of the program, I felt comfortable engaging in meaningful discussions on topics in politics and media. Every aspect of my experience with Noor Majan Training Institute and the Rihla program has been so valuable and enjoyable and I’m so thankful for the memories I have made and the amount that I have learned throughout this summer.”

– Melita Piercy, Rihla Summer Program 2016, Princeton University

Program and Academic Overview

Academic Information

Arabic at Noor Majan and AALIM

Noor Majan and AALIM are both committed in providing an academically rigorous experience through the Rihla program. We want the experience to be fun, insightful, but most importantly we strive to meet your language and cultural goals. Thus, Arabic courses at Noor Majan and AALIM have been vetted for their compatibility in both content and rigor. Both organizations use Al-Kitaab fii ta’allum al-’Arabiyya by Brustad/Al-Battal 3rd edition) as the primary course material and we strive to provide original material to enrich your experiences and insights on Morocco and Oman.

If you would like a detailed look at Noor Majan’s and AALIM’s curriculum please see the links below:

Academic Information at Noor Majan 

Academic Information at AALIM

Economic Classes at the University of Moulay Ismail & Content Courses at AALIM

Economic Classes at the University of Moulay Ismail (UMI)

Every semester, UMI offers a range of courses that Rihla students may choose to enroll in with the assistance of AALIM staff. Classes at UMI are taught in both Arabic and French, however, all humanity courses will be taught in Arabic. For the most up-to-date list of course offerings, please contact AALIM.

Content Courses at AALIM

In addition to providing a rigorous Arabic language education, AALIM offers content courses to complement a student’s academic experience. These classes give valuable depth and insight into a range of topics related to the Arab and Islamic world. These classes are taught at American standards and may be counted for credit at your university. Below are some course offerings from AALIM. For the most updated list, please contact AALIM.

Arabic Literature in Translation (English)
Three hours per week, covers Arab authors from across the MENA, both men and women, spanning from the early 1900s to present after introductory units on pre-Islamic and early Islamic literary forms to provide context.

Management Across Cultures (English and Darija)
Three hours per week, examines American/European management theory in the lecture portion and allows the student to compare this theoretical framework with the Moroccan reality in the practicum when they meet local business owners and managers.

Overview of MENA Countries (English and MSA)

3 hours per week (with a few exceptions for countries that require more time) this class covers one MENA country per week, with discussion of the recent history of each country, its political structure, economics, and security considerations. Some countries also require discussion of human rights and/or demographic factors. Basic information is presented in the English lecture, and students learn to discuss and analyze the information in Arabic in the Arabic practicum.