Registration for DMA Summer Institute 2025 is currently open for Virtual and In-Person programming. Due to recent changes in university policy, the In-Person program is now available in two versions: Commuter (ages 15+) and Residential (ages 17+). For more information and to apply, please visit the DMA Summer Sessions registration page.

The Department of Design Media Arts (DMA) at UCLA is one of the nation’s top design departments, offering a comprehensive, multidisciplinary education in media creation. Our programs foster individual exploration and innovative thinking, preparing students to excel across a diverse range of creative fields and disciplines.

Geared specifically for high school students, the DMA Summer Institute is a two-week program with morning and afternoon classes focused on four key design practices: 2D Image, Net, 3D Worlds, and Motion. Each course is taught by experienced and professionally-trained instructors using industry-standard software and technology.

The program culminates in a final exhibition and the creation of a portfolio-ready body of work that students may include in their college applications in related fields. It also provides students with a rare opportunity to experience college life in a cutting-edge design department, while earning four units of pass/no pass UC credit.

The DMA Summer Institute curriculum is based on materials covered in the department’s undergraduate curriculum. Each class is taught by one instructor and one program assistant. Class size is limited to a maximum of 20 students.
Instructors are graduate students and alumnx of the department’s prestigious MFA Program. Check out the galleries of recent student work from previous years here: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

2D Image
Students explore the enduring power of the image through a series of fun and fast-paced exercises for print and digital media. Students develop their own workflow and visual vocabulary while honing their skills in graphic design and typography. Each project integrates foundational principles of design such as form, data, composition, hierarchy, and creative intent.

Net
This course explores online networks as a medium for creative expression and artistic intervention. Through hands-on tutorials, students study the web in the traditions of interactive art, activism, and creative coding. Using techniques like collage and appropriation to reimagine the browser window, students critically engage the aesthetic and social potential of digital connectivity.

3D Worlds
Game engines originally developed for mass entertainment offer an exciting mode of interactive storytelling. Virtual spaces can immerse us in striking imagery and evoke complex emotions. In this course, students learn the basics of Unity and 3D modelling, while practicing "worldbuilding" as a form of visual narrative, playfulness, and participatory experience.

Motion
From cinema and television to music videos and animation, motion is an essential property of time-based media. Students explore technical and experimental approaches to cinematography, animation, editing, and sound, gaining an understanding of video-making and motion graphics as powerful tools for storytelling and communication.

Session A.1: In-Person (Residential)
July 6, 2025 – July 19, 2025

Session A.1 Schedule
Session A.2: In-Person (Commuter)

July 7, 2025 – July 18, 2025
Session A.2 Schedule
Session B: Virtual

July 21, 2025 – August 1, 2025
Session B Schedule

*All participants must be at least 15 years of age (or 17 for residential sessions) by the first day of Summer Sessions 2025 on June 23rd, no exceptions allowed.

For questions about the application, fees, housing, curriculum, scholarships, and more, please visit the Summer Sessions Enrollment FAQ or contact UCLA Summer Sessions at dmasummer@arts.ucla.edu.