Summer@AUC Boot Camps

Getting kids involved in activities that teach them about civic engagement and social responsibility early in life contributes greatly to their development into responsible adults who strive to make a positive impact in the communities they belong to. This two-week summer program builds their basic civic knowledge and helps them understand their role as active citizens. Participants aged 7 to 12 are exposed to issues such as: maintaining a green environment, the negative impact of bullying and sensitivity toward those with disabilities. They will explore these critical issues through a series of fun, engaging activities with the help of students from AUC. At the end of the course, they will share what they learned with the group to develop their skills in conveying valuable messages to members of their community.

It’s time to move on from your camera’s AUTO mode and learn how to capture artistic shots of human subjects, still objects and scenic landscapes like a professional photographer. This course will teach you the fundamentals of photography, how to operate your camera and what all those buttons are actually used for. Learn about composition and light; discover concepts like exposure, aperture, depth of field and shutter speed; and take stunning photos in black and white. By the end of this program, you will be taking photos that can be considered a work of art.

The program covers four key areas in Islamic studies: Quran and Tafsir, Hadith, Islamic law and Sufism. If you have an introductory knowledge of Quranic studies and feel ready for more in-depth information, this course will enhance your understanding of Tafsir, particularly the interpretation of the Quran in the classical period. Discover how to assess and tell the difference between genuine and false narrations of Hadith and learn to validate Hadith classifications. Understand the origins and methods of Islamic law, study cases and deduce the facts, rules and principles upon which the sentences were founded. Finally, explore the essence of Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, a unique branch of Islamic philosophy and spirituality and a multifaceted phenomenon often described as the inward dimension of Islam. The program features excursions to various Islamic sites and museums.

It is highly unlikely that we can truly understand the minds, beliefs, motivations, habits and politics of Muslims in the modern world without taking a deeper look at the laws that govern Muslim societies. This program looks at Islamic law from a fresh angle. Experts specializing in various areas of the law will guide you on a non-traditional exploration of Islamic law, covering early, post-colonial, criminal and case law.The program aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice of Islamic law, addressing the question of compatibility with current values and understanding its role in the modern world. The program features excursions to various Islamic sites and museums.

Want to create your very own typeface? Now you can when you learn to use Glyphs, a premier user-friendly, professional software. In this course, you will learn how to make your own fonts, starting with beginner basics and moving on to advanced techniques. Dig out your sketches, bring them to class and unlock your font-making talents this summer.

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach built on making decisions with the end user in mind. Global brands all over the world like Apple, Coca-Cola, IBM, Nike, Procter & Gamble and Whirlpool are using design thinking to evolve the way they innovate. It teaches you to visualize financially and technologically feasible products that are desirable from a human point of view. Develop your creative and entrepreneurial thinking skills, learn how to think like a designer and apply design principles to how you lead, create and innovate in this highly interactive hands-on course.

Become a master in the refined art of Arabic calligraphy. Study the fundamental strokes and create beautiful, bold lines using simple and complex Arabic characters. This course will set you on the right track toward becoming an Arabic Calligraphy Pro. You will learn both the Naskh and Diwani scripts and use them to create impressive shapes, forms and typographic quotes. Naskh is the script of choice for the Quran and one of the earliest scripts of Islamic calligraphy characterized by its rounded characters. Diwani on the other hand is a cursive style of Arabic calligraphy developed in Ottoman Turkey. The decorative and communicative script is still used today in the correspondence of royalty and presidents.

Are you ready to come face to face with your inner leader? Challenge who you think you are and find out who you REALLY are, both as an individual and as a leader! This summer you’re invited to embark on a journey of leadership self-discovery. In this engaging, interactive course, you will discover just what is holding you back from fulfilling your true potential as an influential leader and learn how to overcome the obstacles standing in your way. Use creative self-awareness techniques to get in touch with your innate leadership style. Overcome your social anxiety and learn how to express yourself clearly and effectively. Lead with confidence and poise.

Are you ready to find out who you are on the personal level and as a leader? L.E.A.D (Lead, Empower, Achieve, Delegate) is designed to help business leaders and managers like yourself discover their personal leadership style, embrace it and build on it to develop into the extraordinary leaders they desire to be. Learn how your specific style of leadership influences those around you. Map out a plan to balance a demanding career and your personal life. Gain the skills you need to lead effectively, inspire others and accomplish results. Unlock a higher purpose in yourself and impact your organization.

Finding a job can be a challenge on its own. Knowing exactly which career you want to get into is a whole different ball game. What if you were given the opportunity to take a sneak peek into the job world? What if you knew the secrets to finding your true passion? During this course, with the guidance of career experts with years of collective experience in career advising, hands-on learning and employer relations, you will: learn about the various career options available to you as a young adult, discover what the job trends are in today's competitive market, find out what qualities you possess and what skills you need to develop to pursue your dream job and develop a personal plan to achieve your career ambitions.

Building a chip is a remarkably complex affair. It is a job that requires a great deal of planning and comprehension of the physics and conditions in play. Learn how to use open-source tools to implement hardware designs into Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), and master chip design in this five-day boot camp.

Think about your favorite book. You probably recall the characters and plot in great detail. That's because great storytelling is an art form; luckily, it's one that can be learned. This boot camp will help build your creative writing skills and confidence by taking you through the steps of developing a short story. You will also learn the essential tips to make your writing more memorable. By the end of the course, you will have created your own remarkable piece of fiction.

If you are a social scientist or young researcher with an interest in topics like women’s empowerment, wage structure, inequality and migration, this five-day boot camp may be for you. The course provides a comprehensive and practical introduction to survey design and data analysis. Find out how household surveys are designed and used in research; receive hands-on training on data analysis of large surveys; and learn to use the leading statistical software package favored by researchers around the world, especially those working with very large data sets.