The UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute introduces high school students to game-making as a form of artistic practice, teaching them the techniques and tools that will help them develop analog and digital games that reflect their own creative voice and vision. No previous game-making skills are required, but students with an interest in games and in the visual arts in particular will find the curriculum especially stimulating and rewarding.
Students in the program develop a solid aesthetic and technical foundation in various aspects of game design--but just as importantly, they begin learning how to express their own, personal ideas through game-making and game projects.
This year's UCLA Game Lab Summer Institute is offering three programs: a live-virtual, online program (Session A), and two in-person, residential programs on campus (Sessions B and C). All programs provide four units of college credit upon successful completion, and they all offer the same curriculum, experienced game-design faculty, and exciting game art projects for students to create.
Classes
Taught by alumni of the internationally renowned UCLA Game Lab, the two-week program leads students through four, hands-on courses in game development. These workflow-oriented classes focus on:
- Game Design: Learning the fundamentals of making good games
- Character Animation: Creating compelling game characters
- World Building: Architecting one-of-a-kind navigable environments
- Game Programming: Using code to create meaningful gameplay
By the end of the two weeks, students will have created complete games or game assets in each of the four classes. All completed work is exhibited for students and parents to enjoy, either on a gallery-style website for our virtual program, or installed in an on-campus gallery for our in-person program. Students graduate from the program with game art they can include in their college-application portfolios—along with earning four units of UC college credit!
Questions?
For questions about the program, email us at:
summer.institute@games.ucla.edu
