Fes, Morocco Project Center - HUA

Current Director(s)
Rebecca Moody
Program Term(s)
C-Term during winter
D-Term during spring
E-Term during summer
Project Opportunities
Humanities and Arts Requirement (HUA)
PROJECT CENTER WEBSITE GET STARTED

Morocco is a developing Muslim nation located on the far Western tip of North Africa. While the country strives to preserve its historic traditional crafts in rug weaving, wood carving, and mosaic art, it is also seeking to improve the socio-economic welfare of its citizens. Students have been completing projects since 2000.  

Students need to successfully complete three HUA courses or transfer the equivalent college or AP credit in order to be eligible. Then, while in Morocco, you can complete your HUA requirement or an HUA minor. Either way, you’ll take three courses, each 1/3 credit:

1.         HU 2999, Darija (Moroccan Arabic)

2.         HU 2910, Project Center Experiential Learning: an experiential learning course that will offer you a theoretical framework for thinking critically about living in a new culture

3.         HU 3900 (if you’re completing your HUA requirement) or HU 3999 (if you’re completing a minor). Your research topic for either is up to you: in consultation with the project advisor, you’ll identify a topic that maps onto your personal or professional interests. Options for a minor include, among others: Arabic; Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies; International and Global Studies; or Philosophy and Religion.

In their capstone projects (HU 3900 or HU 3999), students are strongly encouraged to learn from Moroccans rather than simply about Moroccans. You can learn about Islam, popular culture (including film and music), the effects of globalization and other important contemporary issues. Project goals, broadly defined, are designed to achieve goals that fall within the following lines:

•          to introduce students to the breadth, diversity and creativity of human experience as expressed in the humanities and arts;

•          to develop students’ ability to think critically and independently about the world;

•          to enhance students’ ability to communicate effectively with others;

•          to enrich students’ understanding of themselves;

•          to deepen students’ ability to apply concepts and skills in a focused thematic area through sustained critical inquiry;

•          to encourage students to reflect on their responsibilities to others in local, national and global communities.

Previous projects have:

  • Written a blog exploring the validity, as well as the historical and cultural context, of Morocco’s “destination image”
  • Created a podcast studying traditional Berber music styles
  • Developed a website with a virtual tour of traditional Moroccan homes 
  • Evaluated the differences between Moroccan and American wedding traditions