Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Investigate thought, emotion, and behavior in this 3-week psychology program for middle school students at UCLA.
Course Description
Why do people form habits, react differently to stress, or remember the same event in different ways? Students explore psychology through the brain, major theories, human development, behavior, emotion, and age-appropriate mental health topics. Activities turn abstract ideas into questions they can observe and discuss.
Students build a brain model, separate popular psychology myths from facts, and try a simplified conditioning game inspired by Pavlov. A lifespan timeline introduces development, while emotion charades and nature-versus-nurture discussions show how biology, experience, and social context can interact. Stress-ball construction and calm-down tools connect psychological ideas to everyday choices without treating the class as therapy.
Later work introduces common psychological disorders at an age-appropriate level and examines how psychology is used in schools, sports, counseling, and other settings. Mini case-study skits ask teams to apply concepts to realistic situations. For the final project, students choose a real-life question and explain it through art, a skit, video, or short presentation.
This three-week middle school program takes place at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery. It is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect active academic exploration with campus life, growing independence, new friendships, and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.
What Will You Do?
• Build a brain model and compare psychology myths with evidence
• Explore simplified ideas from major psychological theories
• Test learning and conditioning concepts through an interactive game
• Examine development, emotion, social behavior, and nature versus nurture
• Discuss stress, mental health, and psychological disorders at an age-appropriate level
• Present a real-life psychology question through art, video, skit, or slides
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain selected psychological concepts related to the brain, behavior, and development
• Apply psychology ideas to age-appropriate real-life scenarios
• Present a focused question using evidence and an accessible creative format
Students will leave with a final psychology project, exposure to several parts of the field, and a clearer sense of which questions about people and behavior they may want to explore next.
Why Psychology Skills Matter
Psychology gives students tools for asking careful questions about behavior instead of relying on assumptions. Comparing theories, myths, and observations helps them separate a plausible explanation from one that has evidence behind it. Development and nature-versus-nurture discussions also show why the same behavior can have more than one influence.
Applying concepts through models, games, case skits, and presentations strengthens analysis and communication. Students practice describing patterns without diagnosing classmates or treating a single example as a rule. That restraint is part of responsible psychological thinking and can support more thoughtful decisions in school, teamwork, relationships, and future study.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for middle school students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and are curious about the brain, emotions, habits, development, mental health, or why people behave differently. It is a strong fit for students who enjoy discussion, creative projects, observation, and connecting ideas to everyday life.
Students should be ready to consider different explanations, participate respectfully in age-appropriate conversations about mental health, work with classmates on activities, and develop a final project around a question they choose. No previous psychology coursework is required. A completed program application is required.
Why UCLA?
UCLA gives middle-school students an energetic place to learn, have fun, and experience campus life in Los Angeles. The setting brings together science, technology, creativity, entertainment, and culture, helping new subjects feel connected to a wider world of ideas.
The program combines hands-on academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students become comfortable in a large university environment. Students can try new challenges, share interests with peers, and build confidence through participation without needing to decide where those interests will lead. For families, UCLA offers a structured middle-school experience that balances substantive learning with fun, community, and age-appropriate independence. Students leave with new memories and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive