Santa Monica College Interaction Design

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Santa Monica College Interaction Design

Design your future with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interaction Design from Santa Monica College.

04/02/2026

SMC IxD x DNE: Designing for Authenticity in Spatial Reality 🚀✨

Our students performed AR surgery that felt straight out of The Pitt! 🩺 We visited the visionaries at in Santa Monica, a mixed reality studio pioneering the jump from polygons to Photonic Holographic Realism via 4D Gaussian Splatting (4DGS).

Director Ed Fraiman walked our students through his immersive storytelling techniques, and shared how 4DGS creates a visceral link between viewer and content that moves us beyond watching and into truly experiencing. Seeing the tech behind DNE’s iconic projects for U2 , Big Sean, NASCAR, and Rick and Morty gave our students a front-row seat to the careers of tomorrow.

This visit opened our students’ eyes to how spatial media and immersive tech can completely reshape the way we design experiences. So grateful to the DNE team for having us!✨

02/25/2026

SMC IxD Spring Kick-off!

We kicked off the spring semester in our IxD program with a studio conversation led by CNN Product Designer, Christian Eckels, on working with AI as designers.

It wasn’t a tutorial, a hot take, or a productivity hack. Instead, it was a conversation about judgement, followed by a hands-on workshop exploring prompting and how to intentionally utilize AI as a design tool.

We zoomed out to look at what’s changing for designers right now and asked bigger questions. Where does AI fit into your value as a designer? If AI can generate endlessly, what does that mean for your contribution?

During the workshop, after prompting AI with a design challenge, one student said:

“I think I just invented time-travel.”

And in a way… they had. Prompting AI can feel like jumping ahead, but this semester isn’t about moving faster, it’s about deciding better.

Excited to see these IxD students deepen their craft and refine what it means to design with AI this spring.

02/16/2026

Applications for our 11th Cohort are closing soon!

⏳ Submit everything by March 1st.
👉 Link in bio to learn more and apply.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the next cohort!

02/11/2026

Curious about turning ideas into meaningful digital experiences? Join us for the Santa Monica College Interaction Design B.S. Program Information Session, held online via Zoom.

Wednesday, February 25
7:00 PM PST
Online + Live Q&A

Learn how our thoughtfully developed, cohort-based program prepares students for creative, technology-driven careers, including Product Designer, Experience Designer, and Creative Technologist roles.

Through hands-on studio projects and collaboration within a tight-knit cohort, students build adaptable skills for tech and a rapidly changing work landscape.

The program also engages with leading industry partners, giving students exposure to real-world design challenges and professional feedback.

Whether you’re accelerating your growth or considering a meaningful shift for your future, this session is an opportunity to ask questions, connect with program faculty, and explore what’s possible.

👉 Link in bio to register
(Click “How to Apply!” → “Attend an Info Session”)

02/03/2026

Our IxD seniors leveled up their design journey. 🎮

During the Fall 2025 semester, students partnered with GameStop on a real-world industry project, presenting final concepts directly to the GameStop team.

The challenge was to bridge physical and digital experiences to foster community and growth, specifically within the trading card collector ecosystem.

From research → insights → wireframes → prototypes, students:
• Identified market opportunities and key business metrics
• Designed in-store and digital experiences that drive traffic and community
• Developed marketing strategies and tested concepts with real users

The result was fully realized prototypes, research handoff documentation, and launch-ready thinking grounded in both user needs and business realities.

As GameStop’s team shared:

“The quality of work the senior class put into this project is incredible! Every group presented heaps of valuable research which informed such insightful design decisions for their concepts. The internal teams at GameStop that this class got to partner with had a great time and were thrilled at the opportunity to work with the IxD program. We want to give a big thanks to all the professors and students who put so much energy into making this semester’s project such a success.” - Devin Anderson, Creative Director

“Seeing these students go from initial individual research proposals to fully realized prototypes has been incredible. They didn’t just design concepts, they poured their hearts and souls into work that bridges real user needs with business impact. That’s the kind of design thinking that moves the industry forward.” - Nick Braver, Lead Product Designer

For us, this was a special full-circle moment. Devin Anderson, an SMC IxD alum and now GameStop’s Creative Director, returned to create meaningful industry opportunities for the next generation of designers. Beyond grateful.

Thank you, GameStop, for giving our students an unforgettable, real-world learning experience.

This is hands-on learning.
This is SMC IxD.

01/21/2026

Curious about turning ideas into meaningful digital experiences? Join us for the Santa Monica College Interaction Design B.S. Program Information Session, held online via Zoom.

Tuesday, February 3
7:00 PM PST
Online + Live Q&A

Learn how our thoughtfully developed, cohort-based program prepares students for creative, technology-driven careers, including Product Designer, Experience Designer, and Creative Technologist roles.

Through hands-on studio projects and collaboration within a tight-knit cohort, students build adaptable skills for tech and a rapidly changing work landscape.

The program also engages with leading industry partners, giving students exposure to real-world design challenges and professional feedback.

Whether you’re accelerating your growth or considering a meaningful shift for your future, this session is an opportunity to ask questions, connect with program faculty, and explore what’s possible.

👉Link in bio to register
(Click “How to Apply!” → “Attend an Info Session”)

01/12/2026

Our junior IxD students were invited to to present their IxD Studio 1 projects, an incredible milestone for their very first interaction design studio.

Students tackled real-world mobility challenges across Los Angeles, including:
·  Dodger Stadium: improving fan access and flow
·  Hollywood: helping tourists navigate the Walk of Fame
·  Santa Monica’s Ocean View Park: designing for the visually impaired community and their caregivers
·  South LA: addressing women’s safety on public transit
·  SMC Main Campus: exploring the everyday mobility needs of students across a busy, commuter-focused campus

Their solutions explored app-based and AR-enabled interventions, all centered on improving user experience, accessibility, and safety at scale.

Reflecting on the work, Michael de Bono, Lead Design Strategist at Designworks, shared:

“What impressed me most was the maturity of the thinking and quality of ex*****on. The students weren’t chasing flashy ideas, they were listening closely, asking the right questions, and designing with real people in mind. That mindset is what defines strong designers, and it’s already clearly present here.”

We’re deeply grateful to the Designworks team for hosting our students in your stunning space and providing thoughtful, industry-level feedback that will shape their growth as designers.

👏 Huge congratulations to our juniors on a strong IxD Studio 1 presentation.

01/05/2026

🚀 Curious about turning ideas into real-world digital experiences?

Join us for the Santa Monica College Interaction Design B.S. Program Information Session

Wednesday, January 14
7:00 PM PST
Online + Live Q&A

Discover how our program prepares students for careers in UX, product design, and beyond through hands-on projects, mentorship, and a supportive design community.

✨ This is the only Interaction Design B.S. program offered at a community college in California—don’t miss your chance to learn more!

Link in bio to register
(Click “How to Apply!” → “Attend an Info Session”)

12/01/2025

Today is the day! Applications are now being accepted for our Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design. 🙌

Start your application now!

✨Link in bio.

11/24/2025

The countdown is on! Applications are almost live.

11/07/2025

Fall vibes next to CMD! 🍂 – a rare splash of fall color in Santa Monica.

11/05/2025

🚀 Curious about turning ideas into real-world digital experiences?

Join us for the Santa Monica College Interaction Design B.S. Program Information Session

Tuesday, November 18
7:00 PM PST

Learn how our program prepares students for careers in UX, product design, and beyond through hands-on projects, mentorship, and a supportive design community.

Don’t miss your chance to explore the only Interaction Design B.S. program at a community college in California!

✨ Link in bio to register.

Address

1660 Stewart St
Santa Monica, CA
90404

Website

https://ixd.smc.edu/

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