CAASIC Short-Term Programs
Source: https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/CAASIC/short-term-programs Parent: https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/CAASIC
Designed for individuals seeking an intensive and transformative experience, our programs offer tailored Arabic language instruction combined with cultural engagement activities to deepen your understanding of the Middle East in a dynamic and supportive environment at the heart of Cairo.
Important Announcement
The Department of Arabic Language Instruction (ALI) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) announces the release of the 2025 -2026 applications. Applications are open for serious, advanced Arabic language learnersfrom all parts of the world.
Deadline for Application: March 18, 2025
Fall Program
The CAASIC Fall program is a 12-credit hour course running from September to December, designed for advanced language and cultural immersion.
Program Details
- Duration: September - December
- Credits: 12 credit hours
- Instruction: 20 contact hours per week
This semester emphasizes Egyptian and Middle Eastern culture, focusing on developing and enhancing all language skills while exploring their relationship with the global context. Students attend classes that delve into social, cultural, literary, and political issues from multiple perspectives. The program includes a lecture series featuring renowned Arab authors and prominent leaders, field trips to significant cultural and historical sites, and various extracurricular activities. These components provide students with opportunities to engage in intellectual discussions, practice critical thinking skills such as summarizing, paraphrasing, reflection, and note-taking, and interact exclusively in Arabic with Egyptian and Arab intellectuals. By the end of the fall semester, students will have developed the linguistic and cultural competence necessary for advanced study in the spring.
Academic Focus
This dedicated academic program offers in-depth instruction in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and spoken Egyptian dialect, aiming to help students achieve near-native fluency in written and spoken Arabic. The curriculum is theme and content-based, integrating specialized materials with essential skills and real-world tasks.
Cultural Engagement
The program fosters cultural understanding through community engagement, including trips, tours, and lectures that complement classroom learning. This allows students to practice Arabic in the streets of Cairo while gaining insights into Egyptian culture, values, and traditions.
Who Can Apply?
This program is ideal for serious, research-oriented individuals, including graduates, senior undergraduates, and those pursuing or planning to enroll in post-graduate studies.
Fall and Spring Program
The CAASIC Fall and Spring program includes the full fall semester curriculum described above, followed by an additional spring semester.
Program Details
- Fall Semester: September - December
- Spring Semester: January - May
- Credits: 24 credit hours (12 per semester)
In the spring, students enroll in four content courses of their choice, each offering three contact hours per week. These courses are tailored to students' areas of interest and specialization, providing in-depth knowledge and advanced language practice. By the end of the spring semester, students will have achieved proficiency in Arabic sufficient for meaningful personal and professional interactions. All students, regardless of their enrollment period, are required to take an exit exam similar to their entrance exam to assess their progress.
Students cannot enroll in the spring semester alone. Enrollment in the CAASIC spring semester necessitates completion of the CAASIC fall semester. The CAASIC fall and spring programs offer the same CASA@AUC content, featuring theme-based, content-oriented instruction using authentic materials and real-world tasks, supplemented by specialized cultural programs. All CAASIC students must adhere to an Arabic-only speaking policy on and off campus as much as possible.
Academic Focus
This dedicated academic program offers in-depth instruction in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and spoken Egyptian dialect, designed to advance students' proficiency in Arabic. The curriculum is theme and content-based, integrating specialized materials with essential skills and real-world tasks, aligning with students' specific areas of interest and specialization. By the end of the program, students will have developed the language skills necessary for meaningful personal and professional interactions in Arabic.
Cultural Engagement
The program fosters cultural understanding through community engagement, including trips, tours, and lectures that complement classroom learning. This allows students to practice Arabic in the streets of Cairo while gaining insights into Egyptian culture, values, and traditions.
Who Can Apply?
This program is ideal for serious, research-oriented individuals, including graduates, senior undergraduates, and those pursuing or planning to enroll in post-graduate studies.
Summer Program
The CAASIC Summer program is a 8-credit hours course running from June to July, designed for advanced language and cultural immersion.\
Program Details
- Duration: June - July
- Credits: 8 credit hours
- Instruction: 20 contact hours per week
The program features intensive instruction through content focused on Cairo, delivered in small, linguistically homogeneous groups. Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) classes utilize the textbook Umm Al-Dunya (2012) by AUC Press, tailored for students with a high level of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). The curriculum incorporates movies, television, magazines, and extensive class discussions to deepen students' understanding of ECA in comparison with their MSA knowledge.
The summer MSA integrated skills course, titled "The City of a Thousand and One Faces," combines experiential learning with readings and multimedia texts related to Cairo. Students engage with a diverse range of materials, including memoirs, short stories, opinion articles, documentaries, and visual content. Field trips are integrated into the coursework, allowing students to visit significant sites such as coffee shops, bars, mosques, churches, and synagogues featured in the readings. These visits provide opportunities for students to explore Cairo’s history, architecture, and culture, enriched by discussions with expert guides and professors.
Academic Focus
This dedicated academic program provides in-depth instruction in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and spoken Egyptian dialect. The curriculum, which is theme and content-based, integrates specialized materials with essential skills and real-world tasks. The focus is on advancing students' proficiency in written and spoken Arabic within the summer semester.
Cultural Engagement
The program fosters cultural understanding through community engagement, including trips, tours, and lectures that complement classroom learning. This allows students to practice Arabic in the streets of Cairo while gaining insights into Egyptian and Arab culture, values, and traditions.
Who Can Apply?
This program is ideal for serious, research-oriented individuals, including graduates, senior undergraduates, and those pursuing or planning to enroll in post-graduate studies.