API (Academic Programs International): Sharjah - American University of Sharjah

Once a British protectorate, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came together as one country when the seven emirates united in 1971. Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Ranked fourth in the world in oil resources, the UAE has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. For Western visitors, the UAE is a very safe destination, with the comforts of home and a taste of the exotic. Spread out over desert and coastland, you can soak up the atmosphere of the heritage areas or the magnificent mountain scenery of Hatta, haggle over souvenirs in the souqs (outdoor markets) of Sharjah, head out to Abu Dhabi’s desert sands for a camel ride under a star-filled sky, or dive the coral-filled waters of the Arabian Gulf. Sharjah promotes itself as the cultural capital of the UAE, and its proliferation of excellent museums, galleries and theatres makes this tag well deserved. Architecturally, the restored central arts and heritage precincts are two of the most interesting neighborhoods in the UAE, and the city’s souqs give it the cachet of being the best place for shopping in the country.

Programs in Sharjah Include:

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  Full Curriculum Semester and Year: Students who elect to study abroad with API at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) choose from a range of undergraduate classes open to Emirati and international students. AUS awards credit in similar fashion to most U.S. universities. Students generally take 4-5 classes in order to receive 12-15 credit hours per semester. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are enrolled in the required amount of semester credits to meet requirements of the home university. In all departments, entrance to specific courses is subject to the approval of AUS and the completion of certain prerequisites.

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  Summer Full Curriculum: Students who elect to study abroad in Sharjah with API will enroll at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and choose from a range of undergraduate classes open to Emirati and international students. AUS awards credit in similar fashion to most U.S. universities. Students usually take 2 classes in order to receive 6 credit hours per semester, or 3 semester credits per course. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are enrolled in the required amount of semester credits to meet requirements of the home university. In all departments, entrance to specific courses is subject to the approval of AUS and the completion of certain prerequisites.

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  Summer Intensive Arabic Language Studies: Students who choose to study abroad in Sharjah with API will enroll at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). The summer Intensive Arabic Language Program at the AUS is a 6-credit course aimed at developing elementary and beginning language skills through formal classroom instruction and daily conversation practice with a native speaker. Students will have 3 hours of class per day, 5 days per week, in addition to 1 hour of lab work each of those days.