CET TUNISIA
INTENSIVE ARABIC LANGUAGE & CULTURE STUDIES IN TUNISIA Spring, Summer, Fall 2015
I chose to participate in CET’s Tunisia program to combat my own naiveté with regard to the region, and just to experience life and people here firsthand. Part of making this possible, of course, is learning Arabic….When I decided to come here, I was excited about facing the challenge of learning a language from scratch. — Carina Bolaños Lewen, The Northwest School, Tunisia Summer 2014
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Why Study Abroad
in Tunisia? You can witness a nation in the midst of transformation. Tunisia, having recently sparked a chain reaction of political change in the Arab world, is at an historical milestone. You can observe the country’s regeneration as a new civil society emerges. You can build your Arabic skills. CET provides outstanding instruction in MSA and dialect. And you’ll have little trouble practicing your language outside the classroom. Tunisians are known for being warm, welcoming and comfortable with diversity. They are open to exchanging ideas with US students. You can enjoy the lighter side of Mediterranean life. Tunisia is on the Mediterranean Sea and boasts long stretches of sandy beaches. Even in the cities, Tunisians like to take life slowly. A favorite pastime is to simply sit at a café with friends to enjoy sunshine, good conversation, and a cup of mint tea with almonds.
From Spanish songs to Turkish soap operas, Tunisia seems to be flooded with foreign cultures. Tunisia has always been this way—its location at Africa’s northern tip has historically served as a Mediterranean crossroads. This helped forge a culturally diverse and open-minded society that welcomes foreign ideas, activities, and even students! — Greg Flatow, Syracuse University, Tunisia Fall 2013
Living in
Tunisia
TUNIS: CITY OF MANY SIDES The CET program is based in the La Soukra district of Tunisia’s capital city, Tunis. La Soukra is a safe neighborhood filled with amenities for students. Easy transportation gives access to the rest of the city—students can stroll through the old Arab quarter with a language partner, tour downtown art galleries with a friend, or head to Sidi Bou Said for beach views and open air eateries.
INDEPENDENT STUDIES From its diverse fabric of Berber, Arab, Jewish, Muslim and Mediterranean influences, to its modern-day connection to the Middle East, to its Greek and Roman legacies, Tunisia is a kaleidoscope of cultures that offers a jackpot of academic inquiry. Students may design an independent study, and CET staff provide students the guidance they need to bring their project to completion.
EXCURSIONS: EXPLORING TUNISIA The program takes students and roommates out of the city to explore some of Tunisia’s gems: Roman ruins, mosaics, archaeological museums. Students might head to Sousse to visit an 8th-century fortress or explore the medina (old city), a World Heritage Site. Or they might visit Hammamet to stroll along the marina and take in the crisp Tunisian architecture.
LANGUAGE CLASSES, LANGUAGE PARTNERS CET Tunisia helps students make significant gains in Arabic language. Intensive courses in Modern Standard Arabic and dialect take students outside the classroom—they might practice bargaining at a souq (market) or head to a mosque to learn the vocabulary of Ramadan. Students also meet regularly with Tunisian language partners for additional practice.
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Tunisian
Roommates
“THE BEST PART OF THE PROGRAM” – CET alumni CET Tunisia students share apartments with local roommates—university students selected by CET to participate in the program. Students and roommates quickly find friendship,
heading to concerts at the Municipal Theater, planning joint workouts at the gym, discussing politics over a plate of leblebi (chick pea stew).
One of my most cherished memories during my time in Tunisia: my roommate Samir invited me to come to his hometown, Teboursouk, to visit. Samir hadn’t returned home for a while, so when we first arrived, nearly every five minutes he was running into old friends. Throughout the semester, many Tunisians have told me that everyone is like a brother in this country. Seeing Samir interact with the people of his hometown really drove that home. — David Lunde, University of Denver, Tunisia Spring 2014
Academics in the
spring or fall semester
MODERN STANDARD ARABIC
INDEPENDENT STUDY
105 HOURS. 6 CREDITS.
OPTIONAL. IN ENGLISH OR ARABIC. 22 HOURS. 2 CREDITS. Sample topics: The Role of Women in Tunisia’s Emerging Political Scene Human Rights in the Middle East & North Africa Tunisian Media: Ready for Change? The Jasmine Revolution, as seen through Graffiti
TUNISIAN DIALECT 75 HOURS. 4 CREDITS.
ONE OR TWO ELECTIVES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH. 45 HOURS EACH. 3 CREDITS EACH. Tunisian Revolution & Beyond: Economic and Social Changes Modern Tunisian Literature Modern Tunisia: History, Literature & Culture Citizen Uprisings in Tunisia & the Arab World
The program is open to all levels of Arabic language learners, beginning through advanced.
JUMP AHEAD ONE YEAR OF ARABIC. BOAST ABOUT OPI SCORES ON YOUR RÉSUMÉ. Students cover at least one year of university-level Arabic in a term. To get these gains on the record, they take an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). On average, CET Arabic Language students advance a jaw-dropping three OPI sub-levels each term. And these official OPI scores add both credibility and shine to a grad school application or résumé. cetacademicprograms.com
Spend your
summer term in Tunisia Intensive language. Full-time language pledge. Cover one whole year of Arabic in 8 weeks. The intensive summer program is entirely focused on Arabic language learning and welcomes students of all Arabic language levels, even absolute beginners. Students adhere to a full-time language pledge and take an official OPI at the end of the term.
MODERN STANDARD ARABIC
TUNISIAN DIALECT
88 HOURS. 5 CREDITS.
56 HOURS. 3 CREDITS.
APPLY ONLINE www.cetacademicprograms.com
SEMESTER
SPRING 2015
SUMMER 2015
FALL 2015
Application Deadline
11/01/14
03/01/15
05/01/15
Program Length
15 weeks
8 weeks
15 weeks
Arrival Date
01/16/15
05/24/15
08/29/15
Departure Date
05/02/15
07/17/15
12/12/15
Program Fee
$14,990
$7,490
$14,990
Recommended Credits
15 to 16
8
15 to 16
ADMISSIONS, TRANSCRIPTS & HOST UNIVERSITY CET partners with University of Tunis Carthage. CET and the partner institution issue official transcripts that list each course taken with the corresponding grade earned and hours attended. CET’s admissions requirements include an online application form, a transcript, a foreign language writing sample, one letter of recommendation and an application fee that is applied to the tuition balance upon acceptance. Some other materials, including a valid passport, may also be required depending on the program. For more information, visit the CET website at: www.cetacademicprograms.com.
WHO IS CET? CET Academic Programs is a study abroad organization based in Washington, DC that has been designing and administering innovative educational programs abroad since 1982. CET offers semester and summer study abroad programs in Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Tunisia and Vietnam, as well as short-term, customized programs worldwide. Known for high academic standards, innovative approaches to teaching and careful student management, CET programs integrate students into their overseas communities and lead them to create lasting relationships with their local hosts. As an environmentally conscientious organization, CET adopts locally appropriate measures in its centers worldwide to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to sustainable practices wherever possible. Staffed by over 50 full-time employees in the United States and overseas, CET currently sends around 1100 US students abroad annually. PHOTO CREDITS: P3 Center, P4 Left, P7 Bottom Right: Caleb Greenawalt, Occidental College. P3 Bottom: Greg Flatow, Syracuse University. P6 Right: David Lunde, University of Denver. P7 Left: Roopa Gogineni, www.roopagogineni.com. All other photos courtesy of CET staff.
CONTACT US CET Academic Programs | 1920 N Street NW, Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20036 1.800.225.4262 | cet@academic-travel.com | www.cetacademicprograms.com
Copyright CET Academic Programs Š 2014
SAFETY IN THE MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA CET monitors the situation in the Middle East and North Africa closely via reports from on-site staff, Advisory Board members and the US Department of State, and maintains person-to-person contact with the US Embassy in Tunisia. CET is equipped to take action, such as program evacuation or relocation, when warranted, and informs students, parents and universities about all safety concerns and decisions on the CET website: www.cetacademicprograms.com.