UCLA is expanding its academic offerings within the School of the Arts and Architecture. Starting in fall 2027, the university will launch three new Bachelor of Arts degrees housed under the Department of Design Media Arts.
The new degree programs cover computational art, design, and games. This shift moves away from the department's previous model of offering a single undergraduate degree, a structure that has been in place for more than 25 years.
Department chair Casey Reas stated that these additions reflect the growth of the digital landscape. Each major is built to provide students with specific depth and technical focus while keeping the department's core vision intact.
The computational art major focuses on art created through code, data, and interactive systems. The design major emphasizes visual communication and social practice, while the games major provides instruction in development with access to the UCLA Game Lab. These pathways prepare students for roles in modern creative industries.