Is UCLA Extension still UCLA?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by jude84, Nov 19, 2012.

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  1. jude84

    jude84 New Member

    There is a program I am really interested in housed in the UCLA Extension. But I want to know if it's a low rent school lossely affiliated with UCLA or is it really a degree granting part of UCLA?
     
  2. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    UCLA Extension is part of UCLA, but it isn't a "degree granting" part. UCLA Extension only issues "Certificates". A UCLA Extension certificate may have value, but probably not as much as a UCLA degree.

    Some (not all) UCLA Extension courses count for college credit, and can be transferred into a UCLA degree program.
     
  3. jude84

    jude84 New Member

    The program I am interested in is a masters program. The program is run out of UCLA Extension but the degree I believe is conferred by Cal Poly Pomona. It's in interior design.

    First you earn a certificate from UCLA Extension and then earn the msters at UCLA Extension but it's conferred by Cal Poly Pomona, it's weird like that.

    I was just wondering if one could get the best of both worlds from the program? Are UCLA Extension degree candidates part of the university? Do they get access to facilities, lecutures, libraries, organizations, etc.?

    Cal Poly Pomona is top tier for design and architecture, so having a conferred degree from there is icing on the cake.

    What do employers think of UCLA Extension? What do students at UCLA proper think of it?
     
  4. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Do you a link to the program that you're talking about? I know UCLA Extension and other UC Extension do not offer degree, but only courses and certificates. It is strange that UCL Extension offers a degree for lower reputation school. That likes Harvard University Extension School offers degree that is conferred by Capella University.
     
  5. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

  6. jude84

    jude84 New Member

    When it comes to Architecture, Cal Poly Pomona is better than UCLA reputation wise. From what I know employers would look more favorably at an arch degree from Cal Poly Pomona over UCLA.

    So the fact that UCLA partnered with Pomona is a plus. The degree being conferred is not the issue. It would be closer to Harvard Extension offering a degree from Georgia Tech or Virgina Tech.

    While Harvard would remain the better school, the program would still be top tier.
     
  7. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    I still don't see UCLA Extension offers Master in Interior Designs.

    URL: https://www.uclaextension.edu/Pages/fos/Architecture.aspx

    I think Cal Poly and UCLA extensions partner up to agree taking credits from UCLA toward the Master degree at Cal Poly.
     
  8. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    That's how it looks to me. It's a collaborative master's program:

    -- The first part (82 units) is conducted through UCLA Extension, and culminates in a UCLA Extension Certificate.

    -- Once you have completed the UCLA Extension Certificate, you can transfer into a Master's program offered by Cal Poly Pomona's College of the Extended University. If you finish this part (63 units), you get a Master of Interior Architecture degree from Cal Poly Pomona (which is highly respected in this field).

    There may be confusion because the Cal Poly program is conducted in LA, at the UCLA Extension facilities. So both programs are physically in the same place; you don't have to take all your classes in Pomona after you finish the first part of the program. But they are still separate programs from separate universities. Cal Poly Pomona describes it like this:

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2012
  9. mcjon77

    mcjon77 Member

    Here is your answer about library usage:
    source: https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/BookstoresLibraries.aspx

    As far as lectures, student organizations, and other things. You will have to call UCLA Extension and ask them. There doesn't seem to be much info on their page and different schools do things differently.

    I only know how Harvard Extension does it. Folks taking classes, but not enrolled in a degree program have access to Extension School facilities and LIMITED access to other university resources. Folks who have been admitted into a degree program have the same access to facilities and resources as any other Harvard Student (including Graduate Student Housing for full time ALM candidates).
     
  10. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    It looks like a UCLA Extension student who enrolls in a certificate program can qualify for a "UCLA Bruincard". Once you have this card, you get access to the library, gym, campus events, etc. You don't qualify for a Bruincard if you are just taking Extension classes, you have to be in a certificate program.

    However, even with the Bruincard, there are some limitations:

    I would not expect a Bruincard to guarantee acceptance to all UCLA student organizations and social events.

    Note also that after completing the initial part of the program, you would not be a UCLA Extension Certificate student anymore. You would be a Cal Poly Pomona student. You would presumably then qualify for a Cal Poly Pomona ID, and would have access to the Pomona campus. But you would no longer have any special access to UCLA.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2012
  11. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    UCLA Extension classes and certificates are respected. In general, a UC Extension certificate is not a substitute for a college degree, but it could be considered a valuable supplement to a college degree.

    Frankly, they probably don't give much thought to the Extension School. Extension classes are typically held during the evenings or on weekends, often in separate facilities, so the traditional students may not have much interaction with the extension students. Even if they did, the average full-time college student is younger and has different priorities than the average extension student, who is typically a working adult. So they may not have much in common.

    Extension schools, in general, are easier to get into than traditional schools. Sometimes traditional students may resent an extension school for this reason: they may feel that the unselective extension school is "cheapening" the value of the selective traditional degree. However, this should not be an issue at UCLA, since the Extension School doesn't issue UCLA degrees.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2012
  12. jude84

    jude84 New Member

    All this makes sense. I am still wondering if one gets alumni status after graduating from a program.

    How do employers in LA see Cal Poly? I know in arch it's supposed to be tops
     
  13. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    You would be eligible to join the UCLA Alumni Association after graduating from a UCLA Extension certificate program. However, that's not as exciting as it may sound, because anyone who wants to pay $45/year can join the UCLA Alumni Association -- even if they have never attended UCLA.

    *****

    Your program is run by "Cal Poly Pomona". You can't abbreviate this as "Cal Poly", because that typically means "Cal Poly San Luis Obispo", which was the original Cal Poly campus. Cal Poly Pomona came second.

    The two Cal Poly campuses are among the strongest in the California State University system (which is different from the University of California system, which includes UCLA). They are particularly respected in technical fields like architecture, engineering, and agriculture. Overall San Luis Obispo has a slightly better reputation than Pomona, but both are well-regarded by employers; Pomona probably has a larger alumni network and better industry connections in the LA area specifically.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 20, 2012
  14. jude84

    jude84 New Member

    No way can anyone join. That is strange that UCLA would let just anyone join their alumni network.

    Maybe they meant everyone included in the listed.
     
  15. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Yes way. UCLA says "All UCLA graduates, students, parents and friends are eligible to join."

    A "graduate" is someone who has graduated from UCLA.
    A "student" is someone who attends (or formerly attended) UCLA, but has not graduated.
    A "parent" is someone whose child attends (or attended) UCLA, even if the parent did not.
    And a "friend" is anyone else who just wants to support UCLA.

    It's not strange. The real point of alumni associations is to make people feel connected to the school even after they graduate -- so that they keep donating money. Obviously the strongest financial supporters of schools tend to be alumni. But if you want to support a school that you've never attended, the school won't object.

    Now, here's the catch: some UCLA Alumni Association benefits are only available to degree holders. For example,

    - "Degree-holding members can join the UCLA group on the professional networking site LinkedIn.com."

    - "Search thousands of listings for jobs at every career level – 24 hours a day, seven days a week through UCLA’s official online job service. BruinView™ for Alumni is a subscription service exclusively for Association members who are UCLA or UC degree holders."

    Does a UCLA Extension Certificate make you a "degree holder" ? I don't know. Maybe, or maybe not. If this is a concern, you should ask the Alumni Association directly.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 21, 2012
  16. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    I don't know if it is like this everywhere, but in California, the alumni associations of the state schools are commonly open to people who have never attended those schools. Another example is Cal State Long Beach, which has three categories of membership:

    - CSULB Degree or Credential Recipient
    - Attended, but did not graduate from CSULB
    - Non-Alumni, Friend of the University

    As at UCLA, it wouldn't surprise me if some alumni association services are only available to members in the first category. But I expect that all members get a subscription to the university magazine and regular requests for donations.

    The alumni association is sort of like a fan club. Obviously alumni tend to be the biggest fans, but non-alumni can be fans too.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 21, 2012

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