# Media Mastery: Storytelling, Power, and the AI Revolution

**Source**: https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/summeratauc/college-bound/media-mastery-storytelling-power-and-ai-revolution
**Parent**: https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/summeratauc/college-bound

#### **Media Mastery: Storytelling, Power and the AI Revolution**

The media landscape is not just about newspapers and TV anymore, but a battlefield of data, algorithms and artificial intelligence — and you are the target. This course offers an exciting journey through the media landscape, providing students with a unique perspective on how modern media operates. It teaches students to go beyond passive scrolling and launches them into a 360-degree dive into the modern information ecosystem, analyzing how the news, entertainment and advertising you see every day are shaped.

#### **Learning Outcomes**

- Analyze the significant impact of journalism and mass communication on the formation of individual and public perception, identifying how media narratives shape world views.
- Evaluate and differentiate between various media content forms (news, entertainment, advertising) across platforms, scrutinizing their underlying agendas, biases, and power structures.
- Deconstruct the mechanics of algorithms and artificial intelligence in digital media, explaining how they filter content, personalize information, and influence user behavior in the "AI Revolution."
- Compare and contrast the roles, practices, and ethical considerations of traditional media (e.g., print, broadcast) versus innovative digital platforms (e.g., social media, streaming services).
- Design and produce reliable, ethical, and high-impact media content (e.g., podcasts, video essays, digital campaigns) that effectively communicates a chosen message to a specific audience.
- Formulate and apply basic legal and ethical standards (e.g., copyright, fact-checking, minimizing harm) to critically assess media content and generate responsible judgment regarding its use and dissemination.
- Master the fundamental skills necessary for effective participation and collaboration in modern media production, including digital storytelling and platform optimization.
- Cultivate the ability to think independently, critically, and creatively to anticipate and address future challenges within the evolving media and AI landscape.

#### **Duration and Location**

- July 26 - August 13, 2026
- Application Deadline: One week before the course starts
- Sessions will run daily from 9 am to 3 pm
- AUC New Cairo campus
- Fridays and Saturdays off\

#### [**Apply Now**](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfciwQVn_XHr37NXi9mhntIBxfuAkf8frSu4txZbGcE0F6uQ/viewform)

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#### **Fees**

- **$1,000** (price including field trips) - This amount is equivalent to half the price of a regular undergraduate course.
- 10% discount offered for siblings, AUC faculty, staff, and alumni.
- Egyptian students can pay the equivalent amount in Egyptian pounds.\

#### **Current AUC Equivalent**

This course is one of the core courses, from among which students of all majors may select. 

***Note: Program requirements may change by the time the student applies to AUC. If this course is no longer a requirement for the major, it will be counted as an elective course.***

#### **Course Transfer**

- Upon taking this course, you will receive a certificate of completion from AUC.
- The course is equivalent to 3 credit hours. Only students who pass the course will be able to transfer these 3 credits when they enroll at AUC. In case transferring the course to other universities, their transfer assessments will apply.

#### **Requirements**

- An English writing sample (at least 750 words): essay or reflection.
- A copy of your report card for the past two years of school.
- A recommendation letter from a high-school teacher within the past academic year, if available.

#### **Transportation**

The AUC [**Bus Service**](https://www.aucegypt.edu/services/bus) is available for extra fees. Details on the schedule will be shared before the program’s start date.

#### **Accommodation**

Accommodation is offered at the [**University Residences**](https://www.aucegypt.edu/students/residences/overnight-guests-and-visitors) in case needed.

#### **About the Instructor**

**Firas Al-Atraqchi**\
Professor of Practice and Managing Director at Caravan, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Al-Atraqchi is a Canadian journalist and editor who has covered the Middle East and North America since 1992. Between 2004 and 2010, he worked at Al Jazeera English as a senior editor. Since 2010, he has been the faculty advisor of the AUC student newspaper *The Caravan*. In 2012, he became co-founding editor of *The Brics Post*dedicated to coverage of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He is currently the editor of *The Cairo Review of Global Affairs*, the quarterly journal of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) at AUC.

#### **AUC Refund Policy**

A **100% refund** of the program fees will be granted if the request is submitted **at least two weeks before** the course start date, or if the request is due to one of the following reasons:

- Course cancellation
- Medical withdrawal
- Visa denial

A **75% refund** will be granted if the request is submitted **within the last two weeks** before the course start date.

**No refund** will be issued if the request is submitted **after the end of the last working day (4 pm) and before classes begin**, including the weekend prior to the course start date, or after the course has begun.