This summer, visit the most beautiful campus in Texas and learn real skills for college and beyond.
Summer courses at Texas State University give high school students the opportunity to explore university‑level learning in a focused, supportive environment on campus or fully online. Courses created to spark curiosity and build practical skills, these programs allow students to dive into areas of interest, experience a college setting, and stay intellectually engaged during the summer. With shorter timelines and interactive formats, students can challenge themselves, gain new perspectives, and build confidence outside the traditional school year.
Texas State University Continuing Education Summer Courses invite high school students grades 10 – 12 to explore creative and emerging fields through short, engaging courses led by university faculty and industry instructors. These courses are offered on the Main Campus of Texas State, in San Marcos, Texas and fully online. Designed for those who are curious, motivated, and ready to try something new, these programs emphasize hands‑on learning, real‑world skills, and exploration while providing portfolio-ready outcomes and certificates.
This June, students can choose from four focused programs, each offering a unique window into today’s most in‑demand and creative disciplines:
• AI Design (Hybrid/Fully Online)
The AI Design Studio is a high school AI summer program at Texas State University designed for students interested in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and future careers in computer science.
This pre-college Summer Intensive introduces foundational AI concepts through creativity, design thinking, and responsible innovation. No prior coding experience is required. Students build an original AI-powered artifact while documenting their design decisions and ethical considerations.
Participants gain structured faculty feedback, hands-on project development experience, and a portfolio-ready outcome within a university learning environment.
• AI Software Engineering (Hybrid/Fully Online)
As a part of the TXST Pre-College Summer Intensive Series, this high school coding course is designed for students with prior programming experience who want to deepen their software engineering skills.
In the intensive four-week course, students apply professional coding workflows, use GitHub for version control, and integrate AI tools into substantial software projects. Participants complete a functional application and technical reflection demonstrating applied problem-solving and engineering practice.
The course emphasizes real-world coding standards, structured feedback, and meaningful portfolio development.
• Mobile Storytelling (Hybrid)
Step inside Texas State's Live Oak TV Studio and learn to report, shoot, and produce compelling digital stories using just your phone.
The Mobile Storytelling Studio is a high school digital storytelling summer program at Texas State University focused on media production, communication skills, and creative storytelling.
In this course in the Pre-College Summer Intensive Series, students gain hands-on experience in storytelling, media production workflow, and on-camera communication in a professional broadcast environment while building portfolio-ready work.
• Online Filmmaking (Fully Online)
The Online Filmmaker Studio provided by EIF INDUSTRY is an online high school summer course where students will produce a short film and receive professional guidance and feedback.
As a part of the TXST Pre-college Summer Intensive Series, this course guides students through structured filmmaking modules, production workflow, and industry critique. Participants develop a completed short film utilizing Smashcut software while learning revision techniques and professional presentation standards.
Throughout the four-week program, students work independently within a guided framework and receive meaningful professional feedback.
For families, summer continuing education programs offer a meaningful way to invest in a student’s personal and academic growth. Students develop independence, time‑management skills, and a stronger sense of direction while learning from university instructors and professionals. Upon completion, participants earn a certificate recognizing their achievement, something they can proudly include in portfolios, applications, or resumes. These summer experiences help students return to school motivated, prepared, and inspired about their future possibilities.
Success starts here.