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SIT Study Abroad Jordan: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action (Outgoing Program)

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  • Locations: Amman, Jordan; Geneva, Switzerland
  • Program Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: SIT/World Learning 
  • Restrictions: CMC applicants only
  • This program is currently not accepting applications.
Dates / Deadlines:

There are currently no active application cycles for this program.
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Housing: Home Stay Language Pre-Requisites: None
Language of Instruction: Arabic, English CMC GPA Requirement: 9.0 for Fall Study and 8.5 for Spring Study
Program GPA Requirement: Must meet CMC minimum GPA Internships Available: Internships or practicums are not approved. Do not enroll in an internship or practicum.
Class Status: Junior, Senior, Sophomore Subjects Offered: Anthropology, Arabic, Arabic Language & Literature, Culture, Developmental Studies, Education, Gender Studies, Government, Health & Human Services, Health Science, Human Rights, Humanities, Independent Study, Interdisciplinary Design, International Relations, International Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, Public Health, Social Policy & Administration, Sociology
On-Site Semester-Long Required Language Course: Arabic Additional Pre-Requisites: None
Program Description:

SIT Study Abroad Jordan: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action

NOTE: SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, like COVID-19, SIT may have to modify programs. Visit the SIT website for more details.

Witness the massive humanitarian response to the regional refugee crisis, with a focus on refugee health. Understand the impact of refugees in Europe during an excursion to Switzerland.

Get a firsthand look at humanitarian emergency action in Jordan and Switzerland, two countries critical to the response to the current refugee crisis. This is a unique opportunity to view the policies and priorities of UN agencies, international relief organizations, and Jordan’s government. In Amman, you’ll learn about the political and cultural factors behind the influx of refugees to Jordan, which continues to receive waves of refugees displaced by regional conflicts. You’ll also travel to Geneva to learn from experts at health and humanitarian agencies like the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, World Health Organization, and International Red Cross.

Major Topics of Study

  • Key health status indices in Jordan and the rise in non-communicable, chronic diseases
  • Links between poverty, health risks, and social development
  • Alternative medical treatment
  • Reproductive and child health
  • Environment and health
  • Public health education 

Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program courses (including syllabi), educational excursions, and housing.

Program Structure

There is no "typical day"on an SIT program. Activities may take place on any day of the week and at any time of day to be in accordance with according to local norms and to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities. Thus, the schedule and structure of the program are likely very different from what students are used to on their home campuses. The semester progresses in phases:

  • The program begins with a thorough orientation.
  • During the first two and a half months of the program, students are engaged in foundational coursework, including:
    • thematic seminars, including education excursions,
    • language instruction focused on improving practical communication skills, and
    • a field research methods and ethics course that prepares students to conduct independent research.
  • For the last month of the program, students conduct an Independent Study Project (ISP) on an approved topic of their choosing. 
  • Finally, students present their project, participate in program evaluations, and prepare to return home.

What Makes SIT Unique

  • SIT Study Abroad offers a field-based, experiential approach to learning.
  • Each program has a small group of students (typically 10–35). 
  • On an SIT program, students gain high levels of access to many different stakeholders and experts relevant to the issues the program is examining. 
  • While some learning will be conducted at the SIT program center, extensive learning is done outside the classroom — in host communities, field stations, NGO headquarters, ecological sites, health clinics, and art studios.
  • Many students go on to use their Independent Study Projects as a basis for senior theses on their home campuses. Others use their undergraduate research and overall study abroad experience to successfully apply for fellowships such as Fulbrights and Watsons.

Money Matters

Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor.  

SIT tuition and room and board fees include the following:

  • All educational costs, including educational excursions
  • All accommodations and meals for the full program duration
  • Transportation to and from the airport, and on all educational excursions
  • Health and accident insurance

Scholarships:

  • SIT awards nearly $1.6 million in scholarships and grants annually.
  • All scholarships and grants are need-based.
  • Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000.  
  • The SIT Pell Grant Match provides matching grants to all students receiving Federal Pell Grant funding when it is applied to an SIT Study Abroad semester program. 
  • Contact the financial aid and/or study abroad office(s) at your college or university to learn if your school’s scholarships and grants and federal and state aid programs can be applied to an SIT Study Abroad program.

Contact SIT Study Abroad




This program is currently not accepting applications.