Environmental Studies Options at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Preserving Nature, Building Peace
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies offers several innovative environmental studies options. All courses are fully accredited and conducted in English. There are tracks for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Students explore a range of environmental issues from a regional, interdisciplinary perspective while learning peacebuilding and leadership skills. Studies at the Arava Institute are international in scope, with a student body comprised of Jordanians, Palestinians, Israelis, North Americans and others. The Arava Institute gives Jewish, Arab and other students a unique opportunity to study and live together for an extended period of time. In so doing, our students build networks and understanding that will enable future cooperative work and activism in the Middle East and beyond.
Year/Semester Option (Arava Program): A one semester or one year program in environmental studies which gives undergraduate or graduate students a hands-on experience in the Middle East, together with students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Students explore a wide range of environmental issues from a regional and interdisciplinary perspective, while learning peacebuilding and leadership skills.
Master's in Desert Studies-Environmental Studies Specialization: A two-year program in conjunction with Ben-Gurion University's Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies. The program has a desert ecology track and a social sciences track. Coursework and thesis research focus on a variety of regional environmental issues.
Summer Course: Israel and the Environment - Development Challenges in the Southern Arava: A short environmental studies course designed for overseas students, focusing on the unique aspects of the desert environment, its natural resources, and natural history, and the environmental challenges related to human settlement in the Southern Arava Desert.