[[Image:Petra Treasury.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The ancient city of [[Petra]]. This temple was featured as the resting place for the [[Holy Grail]] in [[Indiana Jones:The Last Crusade]]]]
[[Image:Petra Treasury.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The ancient city of [[Petra]]. This temple was featured as the resting place for the [[Holy Grail]] in [[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]]]
At the end of WWI, with the break up of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations created French Mandate Syria and British Mandate Palestine. 80% of the Mandate was East of the Jordan river, or 'Transjordan' (as opposed to Cisjordan) . In 1921, the British gave semi-autonomous control of Transjordan to the Hashemite family, who had lost their civil war for control of Mecca and Medina.
The Hashemites continued to rule Transjordan until after WWII. In 1946, the British requested from the UN an end to British Mandate rule in Transjordan Palestine. When the request was approved by the UN, the Parliament proclaimed King Abdullah the first ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is one of only two countries that is named after a family, the other being Saudi Arabia, named after the family Saud, the winners in the civil war against the Hashemites.
In 1950, Transjordan annexed the West Bank, which it had conquered in the Arab League's war against Israel in 1948. The annexation was recognised only by the United Kingdom.
In the year 1965 there was an exchange of territories between Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Jordan gave up a relatively large area of inland desert in return for a small piece of sea-shore near Aqaba.
Jordan signed a mutual defense pact in May 1967 with Egypt, and it participated in the June 1967 war against Israel along with Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. During the war, Jordan lost its control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem (the western sector having been under Israeli control). In 1988, Jordan renounced all claims to the West Bank but retained an administrative role pending a final settlement, and its 1994 treaty with Israel allowed for a continuing Jordanian role in Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem. The international community as represented in the United Nations considers the West Bank to be territory occupied by Israel and believes that its final status should be determined through direct negotiations among the parties concerned on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 242 and UN Security Council Resolution 338.
Refugees and Black September
The 1967 war led to a dramatic increase in the number of Palestinians, especially from the West Bank, living in Jordan. Its Palestinian refugee population – 700,000 in 1966 – grew by another 300,000 from the West Bank. The period following the 1967 war saw an upsurge in the power and importance of Palestinian resistance elements (fedayeen) in Jordan. The heavily armed fedayeen constituted a growing threat to the sovereignty and security of the Hashemite state, and open fighting erupted in June 1970. The battle in which Palestinian fighters from various Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) groups were expelled from Jordan is commonly known as Black September, and this was from Palestinians point of view.
King Abdullah I
Other Arab governments attempted to work out a peaceful solution, but by September, continuing fedayeen actions in Jordan – including the destruction of three international airliners hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and held in the desert east of Amman – prompted the government to take action to regain control over its territory and population. In the ensuing heavy fighting, a Syrian tank force invaded northern Jordan to support the fedayeen but subsequently retreated. It is said by some people, such as Ahmad Jubreel, that King Hussein has asked the help from Israel[1], then Israel threatened that it will invade Jordan if Syria internvenes [2][3]. By 22 September, Arab foreign ministers meeting at Cairo had arranged a cease-fire beginning the following day. Sporadic violence continued, however, until Jordanian forces led by Habis Al-Majali and with the help of the Iraqi forces (which had basis in Jordan after the war of 1967)[4] won a decisive victory over the fedayeen in July 1971, expelling them from the country.
At the Rabat summit conference in 1974, Jordan agreed, along with the rest of the Arab League, that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people", thereby relinquishing to that organization its role as representative of the West Bank Palestinians.
Post Black September and Peace Treaty
No fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war, but Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to fight Israeli units on Syrian territory. Jordan did not participate in the Gulf War of 1990-91. In 1991, Jordan agreed, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Palestinian fedayeen representatives, to participate in direct peace negotiations with Israel at the Madrid Conference, sponsored by the U.S. and Russia. It negotiated an end to hostilities with Israel and signed a declaration to that effect on July 25, 1994 (see Washington Declaration). As a result, an Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was concluded on October 26, 1994. Following the outbreak of Israel-Palestinian Authority fighting in September 2000, the Jordanian government offered its good offices to both parties. Jordan has since sought to remain at peace with all of its neighbors.
On September 4, 2006, 38 year old Nabil Ahmed Issa Jaoura, a welder from the nearby town of al Kadisyeh and a known criminal, took a pistol to a Roman amphitheatre in the capital of Amman and proceeded to shoot at a group of 12 Western tourists. One British man was killed and five others tourists wounded, including a Jordanian tourist security guard. Jaoura came from a family of Palestinian descent.
Jordan is a constitutional monarchy based on the constitution promulgated on January 8, 1952. Executive authority is vested in the king and his council of ministers. The king signs and executes all laws. His veto power may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the National Assembly. He appoints and may dismiss all judges by decree, approves amendments to the constitution, declares war, and commands the armed forces. Cabinet decisions, court judgments, and the national currency are issued in his name. The council of ministers, led by a prime minister, is appointed by the king, who may dismiss other cabinet members at the prime minister's request. The cabinet is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies on matters of general policy and can be forced to resign by a two-thirds vote of "no confidence" by that body.
The constitution provides for three categories of courts – civil, religious, and special. Administratively, Jordan is divided into twelve governorates, each headed by a governor appointed by the king. They are the sole authorities for all government departments and development projects in their respective areas.
The Legal System of Jordan is based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.
Legislative power rests in the bicameral National Assembly. The 110-member Chamber of Deputies, elected by universal suffrage, based on one man one vote, to a 4-year term, is subject to dissolution by the king. Nine seats are reserved for Christians, six for women, and three for Circassians and Chechens. The 40-member Senate is appointed by the king for an 8-year term.
Kings of Jordan and Political Events
King Abdullah I ruled Jordan after independence from Britain. After the assassination of King Abdullah I in 1951, his son King Talal ruled briefly. King Talal's major accomplishment was the Jordanian constitution. King Talal was removed from the throne in 1952 due to mental illness. At that time his son, Hussein, was too young to rule, and hence a committee ruled over Jordan.
After Hussein reached 18, he ruled Jordan as king from 1953 to 1999, surviving a number of challenges to his rule, drawing on the loyalty of his military, and serving as a symbol of unity and stability for both the Bedouin deccended and Palestinian communities in Jordan. King Hussein ended martial law in 1991 and legalizedpolitical parties in 1992. In 1989 and 1993, Jordan held free and fair parliamentary elections. Controversial changes in the election law led Islamist parties to boycott the 1997 elections.
King Abdullah II succeeded his father Hussein following the latter's death in February 1999. Abdullah moved quickly to reaffirm Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States. Abdullah, during the first year in power, refocused the government's agenda on economic reform.
Jordan's continuing structural economic difficulties, burgeoning population, and more open political environment led to the emergence of a variety of political parties. Moving toward greater independence, Jordan's parliament has investigated corruption charges against several regime figures and has become the major forum in which differing political views, including those of political Islamists, are expressed. While King Abdullah remains the ultimate authority in Jordan, the parliament plays an important role.
Administratively, Jordan is divided into 12 governorates, each headed by a governor appointed by the king. They are the sole authorities for all government departments and development projects in their respective areas. The governorates are subdivided into approximately 52 nahias.
Jordan is a Middle Eastern country, bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south and both Israel and the West Bank to the west. All these border lines add up to 1,619 kilometers (1,006 mi). The Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea also touch the country, and thus Jordan has a coastline of 26 kilometers (16 mi).
Jordan consists mostly of arid desert plateau in the east, with Highland area in the west. The Great Rift Valley of the Jordan River separates Jordan and Israel. The highest point in the country is Jabal Rum (1,734 m; 5,689 ft), while the lowest is the Dead Sea (-486 m; -1,594 ft). Jordan is part of a region considered to be "the cradle of civilization".
Major cities include the capital Amman in the northwest, Irbid and Az Zarqa, both in the north.
The climate in Jordan is dry and hot, since the country is mainly desert. However, the western part of the country receives greater precipitation during the rainy season from November to April.
Jordan is a small country with limited natural resources. The country is currently exploring ways to expand its limited water supply and use its existing water resources more efficiently, including through regional cooperation. Jordan also depends on external sources for the majority of its energy requirements. During the 1990s, its crude petroleum needs were met through imports from Iraq and neighboring countries. Since early 2003, oil has been provided by some Gulf Cooperation Council member countries. In addition, a natural gas pipeline from Egypt to the southern port city of Aqaba was completed in 2003. The government plans to extend this pipeline north to the Amman area and beyond. Since 2000, exports of light manufactured products, principally textiles and garments manufactured in the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) that enter the United States tariff and quota free, have been driving economic growth. Jordan exported €5.6 million ($6.9 million) in goods to the U.S. in 1997, when two-way trade was €321 million ($395 million); it exported €538 million ($661 million) in 2002 with two-way trade at €855 million ($1.05 billion). Similar growth in exports to the United States under the bilateral US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement that went into effect in December 2001, to the European Union under the bilateral Association Agreement, and to countries in the region, holds considerable promise for diversifying Jordan's economy away from its traditional reliance on exports of phosphates and potash, overseas remittances, and foreign aid. The government has emphasized the information technology (IT) and tourism sectors as other promising growth sectors. The low tax and low regulation Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) is considered a model of a government-provided framework for private sector-led economic growth.
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States that went into effect in December 2001 will phase out duties on nearly all goods and services by 2010. The agreement also provides for more open markets in communications, construction, finance, health, transportation, and services, as well as strict application of international standards for the protection of intellectual property. In 1996, Jordan and the United States signed a civil aviation agreement that provides for "open skies" between the two countries, and a U.S.-Jordan treaty for the protection and encouragement of bilateral investment entered into force in 2003. Jordan has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2000. More information on the FTA is available on http://www.jordanusfta.com.
Textile and apparel exports from Jordan to the United States shot up 2,000 percent from 2000 to 2005, following introduction of the FTA. According to the National Labor Committee, a U.S.-based NGO, Jordan has experienced sharp increases in sweatshop conditions in its export-oriented manufacturing sector.[5]
Jordan is classified by the World Bank as a "lower middle income country." The per capita GDP was approximately $1,817 (€1,479) for 2003 and 14.5% of the economically active population, on average, was unemployed in 2003. The GDP per Capita in 2005 is at $USD 4,200. Education and literacy rates and measures of social well-being are relatively high compared to other countries with similar incomes. Jordan's population growth rate is high, but has declined in recent years, to approximately 2.8% currently. One of the most important factors in the government’s efforts to improve the well-being of its citizens is the macroeconomic stability that has been achieved since the 1990s. However, unemployment rates remain high, with the official figure standing at 12.5%, and the unofficial around 30%. Rates of price inflation are low, at 2.3% in 2003, and the currency has been stable with an exchange rate fixed to the U.S. dollar since 1995.
While pursuing economic reform and increased trade, Jordan's economy will continue to be vulnerable to external shocks and regional unrest. Without calm in the region, economic growth seems destined to stay below potential. On the positive side, however, there is huge potential in the solar energy falling on Jordan's deserts, not only for the generation of pollution-free electricity but also for such spin-offs as desalination of sea water (see Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC)).
Tourism
The Corinthium column is a popular tourist attraction in Jerash.
In Jordan, Tourism is a very important sector of the Jordanian economy. It is the geography of the land as well as the country's political stability - compared to the surrounding Middle Eastern countries - that has made it the tourist attraction that it is now. Jordan's major tourist activities include visiting the numerous Ancient places and unspoilt natural locations to observing the cultural and religious sites and traditions. The best known attractions include:
Ancient Sightseeing
Petra in Ma'an, the home of Nabateans, is a complete city carved in a mountain. The rocks are colorful, mostly pink, and the entrance to the ancient city is a long, narrow, crack in the mountain - called the Siq. In the city are various structures, all (except 2) are carved in rock, including the treasury, which is now nominated by the New Seven Wonders organisation to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The Dead Sea, for the unusual floating and natural salts that occur excessively. It is the lowest point on earth, 402 meters below sea level, and becomes 1 meter lower each year [citation needed]. It is located near River Jordan.
Aqaba is a town on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba with numerous shopping centers, hotels and access to water sports.
Other Tourist Sites
Wadi Rum is a desert full of mountains and hills located south of Jordan. It is popular for its wonderful sights in addition to a variety of sports that are practiced there, such as rock-climbing.
Amman is a very modern city with lots of malls, shopping centers, hotels and an ancient Roman amphitheatre etc.
Influence of the Middle East conflict
The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf War, and other conflicts in the Middle East have made huge impacts on the economy of Jordan. The fact that Jordan has peace with the surrounding countries, combined with its stability, has made it a preference for many Palestinians, Lebanese, and people from the Persian Gulfimmigrants and refugees. Though this may have resulted in a more active economy, it has also damaged it by substantially decreasing the amount of resources each person is entitled to. Jordan has a law that states that any Palestinian may immigrate and obtain Jordanian citizenship 'unless he is a Jew'. This law is not always enforced vis a vis the permiting of entrance to Palestinians. It is also illegal for a Jew to purchase land in the Kingdom. This violence has also led to a rise of extremism in Jordan. In November 2005, King Abdullah called for a "war on extremism" in the wake of suicide bombings in the port city of Amman.
Jordan has consistently followed a pro-Western foreign policy and traditionally has had close relations with the United States and the United Kingdom. These relations were damaged by Jordan's neutrality and maintaining relations with Iraq during the first Gulf War. It has a well earned reputation for usually following a pragmatic and non-confrontational foreign policy, leading to fair relations with it's neighbors.
Following the Gulf war, Jordan largely restored its relations with Western countries through its participation in the Middle East peace process and enforcement of UN sanctions against Iraq. Relations between Jordan and the Gulf countries improved substantially after King Hussein's death. Following the fall of the Iraqi regime, Jordan has played a pivotal role in supporting the restoration of stability and security to Iraq. The Government of Jordan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to facilitate the training of up to 30,000 Iraqi police cadets at a Jordanian facility.
Jordan signed a nonbelligerency agreement with Israel (the Washington Declaration) in Washington, DC, on 25 July1994. King Hussein and Yitzhak Rabin negotiated this treaty. Jordan and Israel signed a historic peace treaty on 26 October1994, witnessed by President Bill Clinton, accompanied by US Secretary, Warren Christopher. The U.S. has participated with Jordan and Israel in trilateral development discussions in which key issues have been water-sharing and security; cooperation on Jordan Rift Valley development; infrastructure projects; and trade, finance, and banking issues. Jordan also participates in the multilateral peace talks. Jordan belongs to the UN and several of its specialized and related agencies, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and World Health Organization (WHO). Jordan also is a member of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Nonaligned Movement (NAM), and Arab League.
Since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in September 2000, Jordan has worked hard, in a variety of forums, to maintain lines of communication between the Israelis and the Palestinians to counsel moderation and to return the parties to negotiations of outstanding permanent status issues.
Following the Al-Aqsa Intifada, though, Jordan along with Egypt withdrew its ambassadors from Israel. Following the Sharm-al-Sheik Summit in Egypt on 8 February2005, both countries announced plans to return ambassadors to the country.
Graph showing the approximate values of the populuation of Jordan from 1960 to 2005.
With a population of 5,759,732, Jordanians are primarily Southern Shami (Syria/Palestine) stock, and most of the rest are bedouins admixed with various other peoples who have through its history come to conquer or settle the area — principally Arabians (also a Semitic people) during the Islamic expansionism that brought Arab culture, language and the Muslim faith. The Shamis account for around 60-80% of Jordan's population and are referred to as Palestinian Arabs. They tend to be concentrated more in the Northern and Central sectors of the country. A majority of the remainder are tribes from Arabia (Mainly the Hejaz) including the monarch.
Christians form approximately 5% of the population and they have 9% of the seats in the parliament.
The population of Christians in Jordan has been subject to great changes since the Iraq Conflict[citation needed], as many Christians from Iraq have settled permanently, or temporally in Jordan. Number of Christians has also fluctuated since Lebanese conflict (ceasefire was reached on 14/8/2006 8:00 a.m. Lebanese local time), although number of Lebanese permanently settling in Jordan has not been established, and is estimated to be very little.
Most of the Christian population belongs to the Greek Orthodox church- (called “Room Urthudux” in Arabic). The rest is made up of Roman Catholics- (called “Lateen”), Eastern Catholics- (called “Room Katoleek” to distinguish them from Western Catholics”). Various Protestant communities with Baptists make up the rest.
There is a wide diversity of nationality's of Christians in Jordan. This can be particularly demonstrated with the fact the Catholic mass in Jordan, for example, is celebrated not only in Arabic, but also in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Tagalog and Sinhala, as well as in Iraqi dialects.
Along with the majority of Muslims, followed by Christian there are also a few smaller communities of Chechens, Circassians, who are Muslims, Assyrians, Armenians, and Kurds, some of which have also adapted to Arab culture.
The official language is Arabic, but English is used widely in commerce and government and among educated people. Arabic and English are obligatorily taught at schools (Public and Private). French is the only other language that is taught at some public schools, however, is not a subject included in the Certificate of Secondary Education Exam: very important exam taken at middle, and end of 12th year of school. Usually known as 'Al Tawjeehi'
About 90% of Jordan's population is urban; less than 6% of the rural population is nomadic or semi-nomadic. About 3 million persons registered as Palestinian refugees and displaced persons reside in Jordan, most as citizens. A very large number of Iraqis have also settled in Jordan since 2003 (Iraqi conflict), these however have not yet been censused.
Jordan has given great attention to education in particular. Its educational system is of international standards and is its secondary education program accepted in world-class universities.
School education
School education in Jordan could be categorized into two sections:
Basic education, which includes 10 years of school study. It is a requirement for all Jordanian citizens.
Secondary education, which consists of two years of school study, for students who have completed the 10-year basic cycle. It comprises two major tracks:
Secondary education, which can either be academic or vocational. At the end of the two-year period, students sit for the general secondary examination (Tawjihi) in the appropriate branch and those who pass are awarded the Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate). The academic stream qualifies students for entrance to universities, whereas the vocational or technical type qualifies for entrance to Community colleges or universities or the job market, provided they pass the two additional subjects.
Vocational secondary education, which provides intensive vocational training and apprenticeship, and leads to the award of a Certificate (not the Tawjihi). This type of education is provided by the Vocational Training Corporation, under the control of the Ministry of Labour / Technical and Vocational Education and Training Higher Council.
After completing the 8 or 10 years of basic education, Jordanians are free to choose any foreign secondary education program instead of the Tawjihi examinations (8 for IGCSE, 10 for SAT and IB). Such programs are usually offered by private schools. These programs include:
Private schools in Jordan also used to offer GCSE examinations, but they have now been replaced by IGCSE examinations.
Upon graduation, the ministry of Higher Education, through a system similar to that of the UK tariff points, transforms the Grades/Marks of these foreign educational programs, into the same marks used in grading Tawjihi students. However, even after the equivalency transformation, non-Tawjihi graduates are not allowed to compete with Tawjihi graduates for public university places. For non-Tawjihi graduates, there is a set quota of 5% of places. Most graduates of foreign programs end up paying international fees to get a place in their desired faculty. The reason for this, is that the quota set for the number of seats was decided in the 80's when approximately only 4 schools taught international programs, and the number of places allocated seemed fair. In fact, seeing the insignificant number of foreign program graduates, who applied for national universities, it was. Today, however, almost 25 schools teach IGCSE/GCSE/GCE programs alone.
Some argue the number of places is more than fair, and some the opposite. In all cases the issue is a source of much heated debates. Private schools are constantly trying to convince Parliament to increase percentage. For the time being there seems to be no plan to do so.
The ministry of Education claims that it has no problem with increasing the number of places, and that it is in fact the universities that do not agree. On some level this is rather true, as universities benefit more by the registration of more students as international i.e. paying international fees.
Another source of trouble is the system used to transform exam results of foreign education programs into the Tawjihi scale, which is a percentage out of 100. Again, some see the system as fair and in fact over lenient with non-Tawjihi graduates, while others see it as unfair. Below is a summary of the requirements to receive an equivalency of Tawjihi, as stated by the British Council Jordan.
Requirements to receive an equivalency to Tawjihi
You should provide the Ministry with a proof that you have completed 12 years of schooling.
You must pass six O-levels and or IGCSE/GCSE subjects and two A-level subjects. Passing grades are as follows:
IGCSE/GCSE : A, B, C and D.
AS/A2 : A, B,C,D, and E
For Arab students one of the eight subjects should be Arabic language at either the O or A level. The following Arabic subjects are accepted for the equivalency:
Modern Arabic.
Classical Arabic.
First Language Arabic.
Arabic 9164.
The Ministry of Education will not accept GCSE Arabic 1605 as one of the eight subjects for equivalency purposes for the Arab/Jordanian student studying in Jordan. The Ministry will consider acceptance if the student was enrolled in an English language medium school outside Jordan for the majority of his/her scholastic years. The Ministry will consider case by case whether to grant the equivalency.
Scientific stream: to gain Tawjihi equivalency the following is needed:
six subjects at the IGCSE or “O” level exams including:
two science subjects
One subject Arabic language
two subjects at the A - level including:
Obligatory subject:
one full A-level Math, OR
2 AS’s mathematics, OR
A-level in physics
Optional subject:
a full A- level in any science,OR
2 AS’s in two Sciences
Literary stream: to gain Tawjihi equivalency the following is needed:
six passes in IGCSE or “O” level exams including:
one subject in Mathematics
one subject in Computer Studies/Information Technology
two subjects at the A-level including:
Obligatory subject:
one full A-level must be in Arabic
Optional subject:
A full A-level in any literary subject or
two AS’s in any two literary subjects or
one AS in a literary subject and one AS in a scientific subject.
At the advanced level Computing is considered a science subject. At the ordinary level Computer Studies and Information Technology are considered as science subjects.
Co-ordinated Science: for Tawjihi equivalency purposes the Ministry of Education has agreed to equate the Co-ordinated Science as two subjects. Students sitting for Co-ordinated Science should not sit the exams for individual science subjects (i.e. biology, chemistry and physic) as they will not be considered as additional subjects.
AS levels: The Ministry of Education has agreed that two AS subjects are equivalent to one A level for Tawjihi Equivalency purposes. To receive an equivalency for a science subject the two AS subjects should be science subjects (i.e. AS Biology + AS Chemistry). If one AS is a science subject and the other is a literary subject (i.e. AS Math. + AS Arabic) then it equals one A level towards the literary stream. The student should check with the univeristy they are applying to whether they require a full A level or not.
The Ministry of Education will consider the same subject in two levels as two separate subjects (O level Biology and A level Biology).
The candidate may re-sit the exam as many times as he/she needs before obtaining the equivalency. If the student wants to re-sit a subject after obtaining the equivalency in order to improve his/her grade point average then the student has to re-sit all eight subjects.
Access to higher education is open to holders of the General Secondary Education Certificate who can then choose between private Community Colleges, public Community Colleges or universities (public and private). The credit-hour system, which entitles students to select courses according to a study plan, is implemented at universities. At present, there are eight public universities plus two newly- licensed ones, and thirteen private universities plus four newly- licensed ones. All post-secondary education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Ministry includes the Higher Education Council and the Accreditation Council.
Stages of studies
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type): Non-university and vocational studies are offered in community colleges, access to which is open to holders of all types of general secondary education certificates. The two-to three-year programme encompasses many fields, such as Arts, Science, Management, Business Administration and Engineering. As of 1997, all public Community Colleges are under the supervision of Al-Balqa Applied University. At the end of the two- or three-year course, students sit for a comprehensive examination (Al-Shamel). Those who pass are awarded the Associate Degree / Diploma.
The universities in Jordan follow the English-American education systems and associated with many American and English universities. Bachelor's Degrees normally take four years. In Dentistry, Pharmacy and Engineering, studies last for five years. In Medicine, they last for six years, followed by an Internship which lasts for one year. The Bachelor's Degree requires a total of 126-164 credit hours, depending on the field of study.
University level second stage: Postgraduate level:
Master's degree is awarded after a further 1-2 years' study following upon the Bachelor's Degree. It can be obtained either by course work and a thesis (c. 24 credit hours of courses and nine credit hours of research), or by course work (c. 33 credit hours) and a comprehensive examination. Candidates should hold the Bachelor's Degree with "good" as a minimum rating.
A Doctorate Degree is awarded after three to five years of further study and the submission of an original dissertation. It requires, depending on the subject, 24 credit hours of course work and 24 credit hours of research. Candidates should hold a Master's Degree with "very good" as a minimum rating.
Teacher education: Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Basic school teachers must hold a Bachelor's Degree.
Training of secondary school teachers:
Secondary school teachers must hold a Bachelor's Degree and a one-year postgraduate Higher Diploma in Education.
Training of higher education teachers:
They must hold a Doctorate (PhD). In some cases a Master's Degree is sufficient.
This type of education is offered at the newly-established branch of the Arab Open University.
Lifelong higher education
Lifelong education is offered at public and private universities, public and private community colleges, the Jordan Institute of Public Administration, The Jordan Geographic Center and The Royal Scientific Society, as well as in other institutions. Courses are offered in Engineering, Industry, Agriculture, Foreign Languages, Computer Sciences, Managerial Sciences, Secretarial Studies, Physical Education and subjects that can help the local community. Courses last between one week and six months at the end of which students obtain a Certificate of Attendance or Achievement. The qualifications needed depend on the subject and level of the course. Some are designed for specific occupations, in which case a work experience in the relevant field is needed to attend such courses.
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