DEARBORN — Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) has collaborated with The Arab American Foundation for Multicultural Education and Students’ Understanding (ARAMFO) to launch a study abroad course that will take a two week trip to Morocco this spring.

The three-credit course is open not just to HFCC students, but also to all community members who may be interested in participating. 

While HFCC already has a study abroad program for its business students, this is the first time such a course is offered through Art History. Titled as ART-290, the course is being taught by Dr. Hashim Al-Tawil, a professor and chair of the Art History program at HFCC. The class is aiming to register 10-12 participants by the end of the month.

For $3,200, students will receive a round-trip ticket and spend 14 days in Morocco from June 17-30. During the course of their stay, they will visit five cities to study and analyze selected architectural monuments that date back to the 10th century. The cities on the itinerary are Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakish and Tangier.

ARAMFO, a Denver-based organization that aims to bridge cultural understanding with the Arab world, has subsidized 50 percent of the trip’s costs. Students will spend nights in five resorts as they travel from city to city. They will also be given three meals a day and will be provided with transportation while there.

Despite being the first collaboration with HFCC, ARAMFO has teamed up with other colleges in similar programs before. HFCC will be one of several colleges from various states participating in this year’s trip. Other colleges joining the trip include the University of Wisconsin, Western Wyoming Community College, Western State University of Colorado and Central Washington University. 

Al-Tawil, who is a scholar in Islamic Art Studies, tells the Arab American News that he is enthused to be the instructor on the trip. Despite studying Moroccan architecture for years, this will be his first trip there. 

“Morocco is one of the most important Arab and Islamic countries in North Africa. It has many historic cities and has many important buildings. Students are going to get first hand information about genuine Arabic buildings.  It will be a highlight to visit their mosques, schools, military buildings and palaces,” Al-Tawil says. 

During their time there, participants will also be attending an annual international conference at Al-Hassan II University in Casablanca. Professors and students from the U.S. and Morocco will gather to discuss the challenges that the Arab World faces during the Arabic Spring in an effort to promote academic collaboration among Americans and individuals of the Arab world. 

Al-Tawil adds that the course will be applicable to non-Arab students as well, as he is a bilingual speaking instructor who will be able to guide students on the trip. He took part in coordinating the 14-day itinerary. 

“Morocco is a beautiful country and the weather is going to be really nice. It’s quiet, politically speaking. There are no problems there. We are not only going to be learning, but we are going to have plenty of fun.” 

Before going to Morocco, Al-Tawil will meet with the participants on campus to give them an intensive lecture on the background of Moroccan culture and architecture. Upon their return, students will be given an extra week to submit a research paper at the end of the course. 

HFCC is aiming to turn studying abroad into an established program with its Art History department. Al-Tawil is already in the planning process of offering more courses in the near future, including trips to Spain and Italy, where Islamic Architecture is also prevalent. 

Those interested in participating in the Morocco trip will need to submit a $360 deposit upon registration to confirm a seat. Travelers are responsible for transportation from Michigan to New York’s JFK Airport. From there, students will be flown to Casablanca International Airport. Tuition for ART 290 is not included in the $3,200.