UCLA Extension's academic departments are hubs of innovation and exploration in sustainability, the arts, entertainment and much more. Our programs staff work hard to bring new courses and certificate opportunities online for lifelong learners of all ages.
Here are a few updates from our departments from the last six months:
Writers' Program debuts Southland Alibi
The UCLA Extension Writers’ Program continued to make its mark as one of the country’s most innovative sources for literary education with the digital release of Southland Alibi, a student-run magazine of poetry, art, fiction and non-fiction. The inaugural issue features everything from a Zen-style watercolor to a wistful poem about identity, interpretation and loss.
LAUSD grant for college counseling
UCLA Extension has partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest school district in the country, to provide college and career readiness training to all 600 of its middle and high school counselors. Funded by LAUSD’s Educator Effectiveness Grant, the program provides counselors with training that meets current state standards for post-secondary advising at no cost to them.
50 years of paralegal training
UCLA Extension’s Paralegal Training Program marked its 50th anniversary with a gala event for alumni, staff and students. More than 200 current and former legal professionals and administrators gathered to celebrate what has quickly become one of the largest certificate programs offered at UCLA Extension. The Paralegal Training Program is taught by UCLA School of Law-approved instructors and is among the first such programs to be recognized by the American Bar Association.
Collaboration with MBS Media Campus
A new partnership between MBS Media Campus and UCLA Extension’s Entertainment Studies Program got underway with a two-weekend immersion course on the role of grip and electric departments on professional film sets. Taught by top Hollywood gaffers and key grips, the workshop allowed students to work hands-on with the latest lighting and grip technology on the Media Campus soundstage in Manhattan Beach.
Horticulture therapy gets seal of approval
The American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) recently certified that two new UCLA Extension courses – Horticulture Therapy Techniques and Horticulture Therapy Program Management – meet nationally endorsed education and professional training standards. Alongside the previous approval of UCLA Extension’s Foundations of Horticultural Therapy course, the institution now offers all three horticulture therapy courses required for professional registration with the AHTA.
Health sciences launches infection prevention program
The Health Science and Sciences department welcomed its first cohort of scholarship students to its new Infection Prevention and Control Program. A collaboration between UCLA Extension, the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and UCLA Health, the program covers both the academic and practical aspects of an infection prevention career and can help students prepare for the certification exam administered by the CBIC.
