Learn to think for yourself, analyze sources, and write critically

Hone your reasoning and argumentation skills and improve media literacy and writing
Join us for the Critical Thinking Summer Institute, a premier program for motivated high school students seeking to enhance their critical thinking skills and explore cutting-edge topics in today’s media landscape. Led by expert instructors, our program offers a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of critical thinking, including the application of logic and probability theory to evaluate arguments and the responsible and creative use of AI. Enrolled students will also have the opportunity to earn credit in Phil 9 (Principles of Critical Reasoning) and participate in an exclusive workshop on media literacy and journalism, run by industry-leading experts from the prestigious University of Queensland. In this workshop, you will learn to assess media, with a particular focus on new media, and gain firsthand experience in preparing an article for publication. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to hone your critical thinking skills, gain invaluable experience in media literacy and journalism, and prepare for success in the digital age!
Critical Thinking Summer Institute Program
Students in the Critical Thinking Institute will participate in lectures and informal discussion sections run by UCLA Faculty and Teaching Assistants. Students will also participate in a media literacy and publishing workshop. Planned topics include, but are not limited to:
- The psychology of reasoning
- The relationship between reasoning and logic
- Deductive and inductive logic
- Constructing and evaluating arguments
- How to ask a focused research question
- What is news and what makes a great story
- Preparing an article for publication
Students will learn to apply what they’ve learned in the course by working with the program staff and their peers on short problem sets and a final research article.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 8th – 11th in Spring 2023 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2023 deadline to apply: March 15.
UCLA Department of Philosophy Scholarship
The UCLA Department of Philosophy offers full or partial, need-based scholarships. The award is not intended to cover travel costs and may not cover textbooks or other course materials. The final award amount will reflect the fees of the Critical Thinking Summer Institute in which the applicant is enrolled.
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be considered for the UCLA Department of Philosophy Scholarship, students must meet the eligibility requirements of the Summer Scholars Support scholarship.
- You are attending grades 8 – 11 as of Spring 2023 in a California high school (international or out-of-state students are not eligible);
- You have not received UCLA Summer Scholars Support in the past;
- You will be a continuing high school student in Fall 2023 (current seniors graduating in Spring 2023 are not eligible);
- You have a family annual adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less; and
- You are enrolled in the 2023 Critical Thinking Summer Institute.
APPLICATION
Students interested in applying for the UCLA Department of Philosophy Scholarship must submit the Summer Scholars Support Online Application. There are no additional application requirements.
Please review the Summer Scholars Support page for full information related to eligibility and the application process before submitting an application form.
Summer 2023 deadline to apply: March 15
Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. However, if you would like to change your grade type to Pass/No Pass (P/NP), please contact your instructor. To receive a “Pass” notation, students must earn a letter grade of C or better. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
For participants of the Critical Thinking Summer Institute, the first week of the program will be conducted virtually (online). All meeting times will take place in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), unless otherwise noted on program schedule and syllabus. Participants must log-in to virtual sessions at the times indicated on the program schedule.
Living in on-campus housing during the second two weeks of the program is mandatory (July 23rd – August 5th). Housing is not available for the first week of the program.
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
Many of our precollege programs with mandatory housing (only) also feature non-curricular evening and weekend activities, the availability of which is at the sole discretion of the academic department offering the program, and are not operated by UCLA Summer Sessions. To learn more about whether (and when) your selected program will host such activities, please consult the schedules for each program or contact the department in question directly: jkardosh@humnet.ucla.edu
Most of our precollege programs with mandatory housing will hold check-in on the Sunday before the start of the program between 4-6pm, and hold check-out the Saturday after the final day of class at 11am. Please contact the department in question directly to confirm check-in and check-out times: jkardosh@humnet.ucla.edu
Program Dates: July 17, 2023 – August 5, 2023
Program Type: Open Enrollment / In-person (Hybrid)
Program Eligibility: 8th-12th grade in Spring 2023 & Ages 14-18
UCLA Coursework: Philosophy 9; 5 units
Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2023
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
Program Fee | $3,234 |
Registration Fee | $350 |
IEI Fee | $61 |
Document Fee (for first-time Summer Sessions students) | $50 |
Meet your instructors
John Kardosh
LecturerJohn Kardosh is completing his Ph.D. in philosophy at UCLA. His research focuses on the history and psychology of logic and reasoning. John has worked with organizations both in the US and abroad to help integrate critical reasoning into the K-12 curriculum. Outside of his academic work, John dabbles in software development. John is also passionate about teaching: he has won the Department of Philosophy’s Yost Prize for teaching excellence, as well as UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Assistant award.

Calvin Normore
ProfessorProfessor Calvin Normore is Brian P. Copenhaver Professor of Philosophy, UCLA, Emeritus Macdonald Professor of Moral Philosophy, McGill University, and Honorary Professor of Philosophy, the University of Queensland. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and former President of the Pacific Division of the American Philosophical Association. His Ph.D. is in Philosophy from the University of Toronto. He has held regular academic positions at Princeton, the University of Toronto, and (since 1998) at UCLA and irregular ones at the University of Alberta, York University, Columbia, U.C. Irvine, the Ohio State University and Yale. From 2008-2011 he also held the William MacDonald Chair of Moral Philosophy at McGill University. He specializes in the History of Philosophy and works (if you call it work) in such diverse areas as metaphysics, the philosophy of time, political philosophy, and logic. He is firmly convinced of philosophy’s breadth and its ties to other disciplines.

Critical Thinking Summer Institute FAQ
All required readings will be available for free on our CCLE course page. In our section on argument evaluation, we will learn to find and evaluate arguments using a variety of tools. One of these tools is a web application. A personal computer or tablet for practicing the web application outside of class would be helpful, but not required.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.