UCLA Extension Specializations are a short series of courses designed to help you quickly gain knowledge in a focused area of study and acquire in-demand skills sought by employers. Whether you want to build your resume or position yourself for a promotion, our open enrollment specializations will help you gain the knowledge you need.
Although specializations offer open enrollment, an application form is required to establish candidacy. You will enroll in each course individually. Once you have completed all the courses in your specialization, follow the steps to receive your award of completion.
Specializations are sequences of courses that offer 60-120 credit-bearing hours and provide relevant instruction in a particular area. Successful completion leads to documentation appearing on the student's official transcript and commemorated by an award of completion signed by the Dean of UCLA extension. All courses in specializations have been approved by the UCLA Academic Senate.
Academic certificate programs consist of a sequence of courses of at least 120 credit-bearing hours that provides instruction in a coherent body of knowledge within a specialized field. Successful completion leads to the award of a formal academic testimonial, appearing on the student's transcript and commemorated by a university gold-seal certificate document signed by the dean of UCLA Extension. All certificate program curricula have been approved by the appropriate dean or faculty of a UCLA or UC school, department, or college. For certificate programs, the full curriculum (in addition to individual courses) also meets University of California guidelines.
You can take as many courses as you feel you can handle during a quarter; most students who work full time take one per quarter. You are free to skip a quarter, as long as you complete the specialization within its defined time frame.
You do not need a college (bachelor's) degree to enroll in a course or program. Most specialization courses are at the academic level of post-baccalaureate (college/bachelor's degree) or some may be at the level of undergraduate major sequences. While most advanced courses typically have prerequisites, we usually offer introductory courses you can take if you're at a beginning level or need to refresh your knowledge. Typically you can also try a course to see if you're comfortable with the level. Your specialization programs advisor can work with you to plan your curriculum and review any potential transfer or substitution courses, depending on your academic background and professional accomplishments.
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