Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Create and break ciphers, then design an encryption system in this three-week cryptography course for middle school students on Bryn Mawr College’s campus.
Course Description
A secret message is a mathematical puzzle with a purpose. Students trace cryptography from Caesar shifts and substitution systems to the Enigma machine and the public-key ideas that protect modern communication. Each new cipher reveals both an encoding strategy and a weakness a codebreaker can exploit.
Hands-on challenges include building cipher wheels, encrypting and decrypting partner messages, using frequency analysis, and testing Vigenère and Polybius-based systems. Students connect those activities to modular arithmetic, matrices, prime factorization, number theory, and the way computers represent information. Historical cases show how cryptanalysis influenced events and how security standards change when technology advances.
For the capstone, students design and analyze an original cryptographic system or complete an in-depth cryptanalysis project. They document the key, method, mathematical reasoning, strengths, limitations, and evidence from testing, then present their findings to the class.
This three-week course is part of Summer Discovery’s Institute for the Gifted program on Bryn Mawr College’s campus in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The program is available to commuter students. Beyond class, students take part in campus activities, make new friends, and build confidence and independence in a college setting.
What Will You Do?
• Encrypt and decrypt messages with Caesar and substitution ciphers
• Use frequency analysis to test and break simple systems
• Explore Vigenère, Polybius, Enigma, and public-key ideas
• Apply modular arithmetic, matrices, primes, and number theory
• Compare cipher strengths, weaknesses, and historical consequences
• Design or analyze a cryptographic system for a final presentation
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how major classical and modern cryptographic ideas protect information
• Apply mathematical patterns and frequency evidence to encrypt or break messages
• Design, test, and present an original cipher or cryptanalysis project
Students will leave with encrypted work, documented codebreaking strategies, and a capstone that demonstrates mathematical reasoning and security analysis.
Why Cryptography Skills Matter
Cryptography makes abstract mathematics consequential. Modular arithmetic explains repeating alphabets, frequency analysis turns patterns into evidence, and prime factorization helps students understand why some modern systems are difficult to break. Students learn that a method can appear clever yet fail under systematic testing.
Designing a cipher develops precision because every rule must work consistently for both sender and receiver. Breaking one develops persistence, pattern recognition, and the willingness to revise a hypothesis. These skills support future learning in mathematics, computer science, cybersecurity, history, and any field that values logical reasoning.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for middle school students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and enjoy puzzles, mathematics, history, computers, or secret messages. It is a strong fit for students who like looking for patterns and testing whether a rule works in every case.
Students should be ready to calculate carefully, collaborate on codebreaking challenges, explain their reasoning, and improve a design after classmates test it.
View the eligibility requirements for the Institute for the Gifted on our FAQ page. A completed program application is required.
Why Bryn Mawr?
Bryn Mawr gives middle-school students a welcoming place to explore challenging ideas, create, and meet peers who share their interests. Its historic, tree-lined setting near Philadelphia makes the day feel distinctly advanced while allowing students to return home each afternoon.
The commuter-day format combines active academics with a clear daily routine, shared activities, and Summer Discovery support throughout the program day. Students can test new interests, contribute to discussions and projects, and become more confident navigating a college setting without an overnight stay. For families, Bryn Mawr offers a thoughtful balance of substantive learning, friendship, guidance, and age-appropriate independence in a structured day-program environment.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive