Overview and Guidelines for the Academic Approval Process for UCLA Continuing Education & Extension

Updated October 2019

UCLA Extension is committed to providing a quality educational experience for its students comparable to other UCLA courses and programs. To this purpose, Extension seeks to work in partnership with academic units to ensure the desired levels of quality. Most UCLA Extension
courses yield academic credit and, per University of California Academic Senate Regulations, Extension cannot promote a credit-bearing course without academic approval. Faculty review and approval of these courses provide important validation and quality assurance. This document provides a foundation for the continued maintenance of strong partnerships and effective oversight of academic quality.

The Senate regulations governing the approval of Extension’s instructors, courses and certificate programs can be found at:

https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/bylaws-regulations/regulations/rpart3.html#rpart3-IIIch5

Types of Courses and Instructors to be Approved

Baccalaureate Degree Credit Courses (X and XL 1-199)

UC Academic Senate Regulations authorize UC Extensions and thereby UCLA Extension to offer undergraduate degree credit courses that are deemed equivalent to courses offered in the regular UCLA session. Credit earned is transferrable to all baccalaureate degree programs in the UC system. Exams are always proctored, whether the course is offered in a traditional or online format.

These courses allow non-matriculated students to obtain degree transferable unit and subject matter credit to further their academic or professional goals. UCLA students may also enroll and apply credit from these courses prior to matriculation and between regular sessions.

When reviewing a proposed course at this level, look to the syllabus for equivalence in learning outcome with its counterpart in the regular session curriculum. It is essential that Extension courses be the same as those offered on campus.

The department responsible for the subject area at UCLA and the Undergraduate Council review instructors proposed by Extension to teach. Extension proposes instructors believed to be wellqualified to teach, typically with credentials considered for a lecturer or adjunct faculty member. In the lower division, graduate students can practice their craft with UCLA department approval. In the upper division, only instructors with terminal degrees in their field are proposed. Postdoctoral scholars and faculty from other institutions may be engaged to teach these courses as well. UCLA faculty are welcome to teach their own courses without further approval.

When reviewing a proposed instructor at this level, consider the curriculum vitae and letters of recommendation. Only those instructors endorsed by the campus department will be subsequently submitted for further review by the Undergraduate Council. Effective 2017-18, Undergraduate Council approval is not required for an instructor already approved to teach in the same discipline.

Approvals by the council expire after five years. For renewals, course and instructor evaluation scores and comments are included in lieu of letters of recommendation. If approved, instructors will be granted permission by the Curriculum Committee to teach X/XL 1-199 courses in the requested department for a specific amount of time (no less than 1 year and no more than 5 years).

Professional Credit Courses (X 300-399 and X 400-499)

UCLA Extension is authorized in Senate Regulations to offer courses at the 400-499 level for professional practice, and 300-399 for the practice of teaching. The bulk of UCLA Extension courses fall into this category. New course proposals will have syllabi that are academically rigorous, with high-level learning outcomes defined, with both traditional and experimental delivery formats in this category. The content of these courses is more specialized and focused than a typical undergraduate degree-credit course.

Instructors proposed to teach professional credit courses typically have qualifications similar to those of adjunct faculty. Though Extension seeks instructors with terminal degrees, a balance of professional experience and teaching experience combined with a masters-level degree can define a satisfactory background. On occasion—particularly in some business disciplines, writing, and art— those with a bachelor’s degree combined with extraordinary professional achievement and teaching experience will be proposed. Instructors are approved to teach courses in the professional series course by course. Approvals to teach in the professional series do not expire, but Extension Continuing Educators (CEs) will only extend appointments if direct observation and students’ evaluations show continuing measurable success in the classroom. Please refer to page 4 of this document for details on a delegation of approvals available for these X 300 – X 499 courses.

Non-credit Courses (700-999) — No approval needed for the courses or instructors

These courses bear no academic credit. The Regents have directly authorized UC Extension divisions to administer non-credit personal enrichment courses. A small proportion of UCLA Extension classes fall into this category. Although exempt from academic approval, it has long been Extension’s practice to respect faculty interests in the overall reputation of the University. Therefore advisory notices of any new non-credit courses will be forwarded in advance of the Extension catalog’s publication. Comments and feedback are welcome.

Approval Process and Dossier Contents

Instructor Approvals

In most cases, departments are asked to review instructor credentials in the context of courses that are already approved. In some cases, departments will be asked to review both the merits of the instructor’s credentials and the structure and objectives of a newly proposed course. In either case, departments will receive a dossier, by mail or email, containing:

• The instructor’s CV.
• The titles and course descriptions (as they would appear in the Extension catalog) for all courses for which instructor approval is sought.
• The course syllabus for each course for which an instructor approval is sought.
• A minimum of three letters of reference from persons familiar with the academic background of the instructor-candidate, and their assessment of the candidates’ qualifications for teaching in the proposed field of specialization. (In the case of a renewal of approval to teach a course numbered 1-199, or for an approval of an already approved instructor of a 300 – 499 course to teach a new 300 – 499 course, cumulative scores and reports of instructor and course evaluations will be provided in lieu of letters of reference.)
• For courses in the X/XL 1-199 range, the instructor’s Statement of Pedagogy will be included.

New Course Approvals

Extension will sometimes seek approval for a new course in the professional series that is unrelated to an instructor approval. This will occur when Extension CEs have authored a new course to round out a proposed certificate curriculum (see below), before it is offered for the first time and before the recruitment for an instructor has been made.

In these cases, departments will receive a dossier by mail or email containing:

• The title and course description of the course.
• A sample course syllabus.

Certificate Program Approvals and Reviews

Certificate programs are curricular sequences designed to support the high-level training needs of various entertainment, service and manufacturing industries, particularly those important to the local economy. UCLA Extension currently supports more than 140 different programs which lead to certificate award and in some cases licensure for professional practice in California. New certificate program proposals are subject to decanal-level approval and the review of UCLA academic chairs and other agencies. Proposals will explain the rationale for the program, present a market survey and needs assessment, define the curriculum, declare rules for the minimum requirements for completion, and describe the formation of a program advisory board. Advisory boards draw on content experts and distinguished professionals in the field to help develop the curriculum and to provide oversight after program launch. Extension’s goal is to have faculty participation on certificate program advisory boards. UCLA Extension CEs may reach out for recommendations of potential advisory board members.

Certificate programs are subject to comprehensive review every five years. These five year reviews and the work of the advisory boards assess a program’s health and may give rise to recommendations for curricular changes. If there are any changes to the listing of required courses, admission rules and standards, or to program duration and minimum unit valuations for completion, departments will receive an advisory notice. UCLA Extension welcomes comments and feedback.

Delegation of Approvals to Streamline the Process and Reduce Workload

On January 22, 2008, the Senate Committee on Continuing and Community Education (CCCE), without objection from the Graduate Council, approved a procedure by which UCLA’s academic departments and schools could elect to delegate highly routine professional series (X 300 – 499) instructor approvals to the Dean of UCLA Continuing Education & Extension. If such a delegation is elected, UCLA Extension would observe the following conditions:

• the proposed instructor has a PhD, (or other terminal professional degree such as an EdD in Education, JD in Law, or MFA in Art) in the discipline relevant to the course being taught plus a minimum of two years of professional experience in the field; or,
• the proposed instructor has an MA/MS in a discipline relevant to the course being taught plus a minimum of five years of distinguished professional experience in the discipline; or,
• the proposed instructor possesses other appropriate relevant qualifications as defined by the related School or academic department; and
• for courses numbered in the 300 series only, the proposed instructor has BA/BS and a teaching credential plus a minimum of five years of teaching experience at a level relevant to the course being taught.
• The campus department may request an audit for compliance with these standards for delegated instructor approval at any time.
• Delegations expire and are subject to renewal at five years.

Summary Note

For records of delegation agreements, audits, new delegation for instructors proposed to teach in the professional series, or election to not receive advisory notices for new non-credit courses numbered 700-999, contact Mark Sung Certificate Program Coordinator, at Extension’s Office of the Dean by email at msung@unex.ucla.edu. To learn the name of the UCLA Extension CE for a subject area, please also reach out to Extension’s Program Services unit/manager.

UCLA Extension strives to work closely with academic partners. To share suggestions regarding how the processes outlined above can be strengthened or how to enhance the relationship between academic units and Extension, please contact Extension’s Office of the Dean, Program Services unit via the methods listed above.