Media Mastery: Storytelling, Power, and the AI Revolution

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
   

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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.
• 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 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 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.