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Field Component in Social Science Courses

Field work is an essential part of the Social Sciences and students at Al Akhawayn University are given the opportunity to practice field techniques in a number of courses offered in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, especially in the International Cooperation and Development Concentration and in the Women and Development Minor.  Students learn all of the required steps in field data collection; development of a research question, design of the research project, methods of data collection, and application of theories to data for meaningful analysis.  Students begin with short one day exercises supervised by AUI faculty and are encouraged to develop their applied skills in longer studies. By the time they have reached their final semester, many students are fully prepared to conduct field-based studies on a particular topic for their Senior Capstone projects.  Some have been able to use their field experiences to get meaningful internships. Students graduate able to work with local, national, and international NGOs, government ministries, or international donor agencies.

In addition to the courses in Development other classes in International Studies and the University Common Core have field components.  Classes such as Introduction to Geography, Introduction to Anthropology, Geographic Information Systems, Arab Society, Mediterranean Societies, and Political Anthropology usually have at least one field exercise.  Students are encouraged to connect their in-class studies (what they like to call “theory”) with hands-on practice (what they like to call “reality”) in the field. 

Some Al Akhawayn students have presented their projects at international conferences.  They have been complimented on their abilities – and even mistaken for graduate students when they are still undergrads. 

SSC 3322 Comparative Political Systems - Political Anthropology

SSC 3311 Women & Economic Development Class

SSC 3405 Field Methods Class

HUM 5388 Mediterranean Societies Class

DAL Diplomatic Academy of London Summer Program

Intensive Arabic Language and North African Studies Program

HUM 3412 Moroccan Cultural Heritage Class

SSC 2301 Arab Society Class