DESMA 152A/252A: Programming Media I
UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts
Professor C.E.B. Reas
TA Aaron Siegel

Time: Monday & Wednesday 9:00–12:00
Location: Broad Art Center, 4220

This course is a continued introduction to creating images and interaction within the context of software. Each student’s foundation in basic programming will serve as a platform for further exploration. This course is designed for students with previous computer programming experience. The prerequisite for the class is DESMA 28 or equivalent experience. This is a collaborative studio class; we’re embarking on a group exploration and the Professor and TA are the guides.

The themes for this class are space and emergence. All work is situated within the context of the Space Collective . There are two projects for the quarter, but each has multiple parts. Project 1 is about filling space with an emergent process. Each student (or pair) will write an emergent software process and produce a print as final documentation. Project 2 is about navigating through space. Each student (or pair) will write software for navigating through a space. A rendered video will be produced as final documentation.

The grading is based on the Project 1 (40%), Project 2 (50%), and the participant’s active participation during the class meetings (10%). Projects will be evaluated based on their concept and quality of implementation. Feedback will be primarily qualitative but numeric scores will also be given. More than two absences without the Professor or TA’s prior permission will lower the participants final grade by one unit (e.g. an A will become an B). With each additional unexcused absence, the grade will drop an additional unit. All exercises must be completed to pass the course. In addition, participants must attend at least three D|MA sponsored lectures during the quarter.

The grade breakdown follows:
40% Project 1
50% Project 2
10% Participation