Registration for DMA Summer Institute 2026 is currently open for Commuter and Virtual programming. Due to recent changes in university policy, the in-person program is only available as a Commuter (ages 15+). 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, which fosters individual exploration and innovative thinking.

Geared specifically for high school students, the department offers the DMA Summer Institute, a three-week program with morning and afternoon classes introducing design practices in the contexts of image, net, worlds, and video. The program is taught by professionally trained and well-experienced instructors using the most current software and technology. It 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 sample 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 25 students.

Students explore a variety of media examining different practices and design methods applied to the domains of 2D image, Net, 3D Worldbuilding, and Motion Design. Broadly addressing a common theme, all four classes contribute to the creation of an integrated, multi-media exhibition at the end of the program.

Instructors for the DMA Summer Institute are graduate students and alumnx of the department’s prestigious MFA Program. Please visit UCLA Department of Design Media Arts for more information about our undergraduate and graduate programs.

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.

DMA Summer Institute Commuter Program (Session A3)
June 22 - July 10

There is NO on campus housing available for the commuter program. Participants of the DMA Summer Institute – commuter track must commute to the UCLA campus each day of the program. Specific location information (e.g. classroom) will be provided to enrolled students closer to the start of the program.

DMA Summer Institute Virtual Program (Session B3)
July 13 - July 30

All meeting times will take place in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), unless otherwise noted on program schedule and syllabus. Participants must log-in to virtual sessions at the times indicated on the program schedule.

The three-week program culminates in a final exhibition of students’ works and a closing reception. This event is held on the last day of the commuter program in Broad Art Center room 1250. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.

DMA Summer Institute students earn four quarter units of UC credit on a pass/no pass grading basis. Transcripts can be ordered online through MyUCLA; they are not automatically sent to students.

None of the UCLA Arts Summer Institutes provide supervised housing as part of their commuter programs. However, students age 17 and up may be able to obtain on-campus housing through UCLA Residential Life. Please see their website for details.

For a virtual tour of the UCLA residential halls, click here. Participants who are 17 years of age and sign a contract with Housing Services will be housed in one of the UCLA residence halls, comfortably furnished and conveniently located within easy walking distance of classrooms, libraries, and recreational facilities. Since the provision of housing is subject to availability, UCLA Summer Sessions cannot guarantee an assignment to a specific residential hall or room type. Rates can be found here.

Summer Sessions parking permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students have the option to purchase a summer sessions term permit or a daily permit.
Please review the Transportation and Parking Services web page and read the “Summer Quarter Parking (All Students)” section for more information on all permit types, including cost.

DMA Summer Institute includes the curricular component, hereinafter referred to as “required activities,” which allows participants to experience the academic rigor of UCLA. Required activities are listed in the schedule section and include class time, work sessions, and the final exhibition. Participants may plan their time and travel on- or off-campus independently or choose to participate when there are no required activities, so long as they abide by the terms of the Participant Agreement.

Precollege Summer Institutes are intended for highly motivated, mature high school students. Participants are considered to be maturing adults, capable of making their own decisions, as well as accepting the consequences for those decisions. As such, only limited supervision will be provided. While optional evening and weekend activities offered by the Office of Residential Life may be available at residential halls, the whereabouts of each participant outside of the program’s required activities will not be monitored.

To see more information about rules and regulations, medical responsibility and insurance, student conduct, and sexual violence prevention and response, please visit the UCLA summer session website.

Please visit the Summer Sessions website to find details about program fees and payment for DMA Summer Institute offerings.

Registration for Summer 2026 will open on February 15 on a first-come, first-served basis.

For questions about the program, please contact dmasummer@arts.ucla.edu

Stay updated by following @ucla_dma_si on Instagram!