UCLA Extension

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{{notability|Organizations|date=June 2016}}

{{third-party|date=June 2016}}

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{{short description|Public continuing education institution}}

{{Infobox university

| image_name = The University of California UCLA.svg

| image_size = 150

| name = UCLA Extension

| established = 1917

| type = Public continuing education institution

| parent = University of California, Los Angeles

| dean = Eric A. Bullard, Ph.D.

| students =

| city = Los Angeles

| state = California

| country = United States

| campus = Urban

| website = {{official URL}}

}}

UCLA Extension is a public continuing education institution headquartered in Westwood, Los Angeles, on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles. Classes are held at UCLA, in Downtown Los Angeles, and other locations throughout Los Angeles County.{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/extn/figcourtyard.aspx|title=UCLA Extension: UCLA Extension at Figueroa Courtyard|work=uclaextension.edu}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/locations.aspx|title=UCLA Extension: UCLA Extension Locations|work=uclaextension.edu}}

Founded in 1917, it is part of the University of California system, and all courses are approved by the University of California, Los Angeles, although it is financially self-supporting.{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/Pages/extn/aboutus.aspx|title=UCLA Extension: Welcome to UCLA Extension|work=uclaextension.edu}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/extn/GiftOpportunityFAQs.aspx|title=UCLA Extension: Gift Opportunity FAQs|work=uclaextension.edu}}

UCLA Extension is accredited, through UCLA, by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.{{cite web|url=http://www.wasc.ucla.edu/|title=UCLA Reaccreditation by WASC|work=wasc.ucla.edu}}

History

On February 14, 1893, the Regents of the University of California adopted the extramural instruction plan, which officially founded University Extension.{{cite web|url = http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/uchistory/general_history/institutions/institutions_u.html#university_extension|title = University of California History Digital Archives|work = berkeley.edu}}

In 1902, University Extension was reorganized as a self-governing body within the university. The doors of UC Extension in Los Angeles (officially "University of California Extension Division, Southern District"{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/businesswomenshe1937busi/businesswomenshe1937busi_djvu.txt|author=Lea Brunquist|title=Business Womens Herald|publisher=Oakland, Calif }}) were opened in September 1917.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/080912_extension_downtown|title=UCLA Extension reaches residents, professionals in downtown L.A.|author=Brian Bell|work=UCLA Newsroom}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/ucla-extension-wraps-deal/article_d81fc623-9af0-51c7-a012-9c591106da6e.html|title=UCLA Extension Wraps Deal|work=Los Angeles Downtown News - For Everything Downtown L.A.!}}

Extension's original location was in downtown Los Angeles. For the growing film industry, one early course was "Motion Pictures: The Film as a Factor in Molding Tomorrow's Citizenry." By 1919, more than 1,600 students attended almost 100 classes.{{cite web|url = http://magazine.ucla.edu/depts/quicktakes/downtown-extension/|title = East of Westwood|author= Mary Daily}}{{cite web|url = http://www.moviemaker.com/archives/blogs/blog-film-school-of-the-week/film-school-of-the-week-ucla-extension/|title = Film School of the Week|author=MovieMaker}}

Beginning in 1942, Dean Baldwin Woods guided University Extension through the revisionist era of World War II and the postwar years. "Long before many leaders in the community realized that the knowledge explosion had shattered the myth of ever 'finishing' one's education, he perceived the huge and unending task of continuing education."{{cite book |last=Woods |first=Baldwin |date=2010 |title=Baldwin M. Woods on University of California Extension: oral history transcript / and related material, 1956-1957 |publisher=Nabu Press |page=123 |isbn=978-1176211384}}

Academics

UCLA Extension offers more than 5,000 courses and more than 100 certificate programs.{{cite web|url=http://www.ucla.edu/academics/continuing-education|title=Continuing Education - UCLA|work=ucla.edu}}

Entertainment Studies

UCLA's Entertainment Studies program has graduated Emmy-, Grammy- and Oscar-nominated and winning alumni, more recently including: Gavin Hood (Ender’s Game, Tsotsi, Rendition, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Darryl Swann (Macy Gray, Black Eyed Peas, Mos Def). Award-winning instructors include Kirk Saduski (John Adams, The Pacific, Game Change, The Seventies), among others.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0755675/|title=Kirk Saduski|work=IMDb}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/InstructorBio.aspx?instid=29397|title=UCLA Extension Instructor: Kirk Saduski|work=uclaextension.edu}}

Writers' Program

The UCLA Extension Writers' Program is the largest open-enrollment writing and screenwriting program in the world.{{cite web|url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/fos/writing.aspx|title=UCLA Extension: Writers' Program|work=uclaextension.edu}}

Notable alumni include: Bryan Cogman, Game of Thrones;{{cite web|url=http://writers.uclaextension.edu/2010/03/24/student-pens-episode-of-new-hbo-series/|title=Success: Student Pens Episode of New HBO Series|work=uclaextension.edu}} Stuart Beattie, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; Australia; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; 30 Days of Night; Collateral; Zoanne Clack, Grey’s Anatomy; Tucker Cawley, Parks and Recreation, Everybody Loves Raymond; Eric Jerome Dickey, Resurrecting Midnight; Doug Ellin, Entourage; Janet Fitch, White Oleander (Oprah Pick); Alice Greenway, White Ghost Girls (winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction);{{cite web|url=http://events.latimes.com/bookprizes/previous-winners/winners-by-award/|title=Book Prizes – Los Angeles Times Festival of Books» Winners By Award|work=Los Angeles Times|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405013402/http://events.latimes.com/bookprizes/previous-winners/winners-by-award/|archivedate=2013-04-05}} Gavin Hood, Tsotsi (Academy Award winner, Best Foreign Film); Randi Mayem Singer, Mrs. Doubtfire; Melissa Rosenberg, adaptation of Twilight; Dexter; Earl W. Wallace, Witness (Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay); Joseph Wambaugh, The Onion Field; Kevin Williamson, Scream, Dawson’s Creek; Iris Yamashita, Letters from Iwo Jima (Academy Award nominee for Best Original Screenplay).{{cite web|url=http://writers.uclaextension.edu/category/success-stories/|title=Writers' Program - Category Archive - Success Stories|work=uclaextension.edu}}

Notable instructors and lecturers

Notable instructors and lecturers at UCLA Extension have included the Pablo Casals, Walter Cronkite, Steve Allen, Aldous Huxley, Henry Kissinger, Jascha Heifetz, and Peter Drucker, Giammario Villa, among others.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-to-host-dalai-lama-events-199893|title=UCLA welcomes Dalai Lama to campus May 2|author=Amanda Crater|work=UCLA Newsroom}}{{cite web |url=https://www.uclaextension.edu/unexPolicies/Pages/gallery/Approvals.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.uclaextension.edu |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627155339/https://www.uclaextension.edu/unexPolicies/Pages/gallery/Approvals.pdf |archive-date=27 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/071009_extension_history|title=UCLA Extension turns 90|author=Judy Lin|work=UCLA Newsroom}}

Notable alumni

People who have taken classes or graduated from UCLA Extension include:

  • Troy Aikman, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, earned his B.A. from UCLA by taking his last two courses online through UCLA Extension.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/ucla-s-famed-former-quarterback-84276|title=UCLA's famed former quarterback completes final 'pass'|author=Wendy Soderburg|work=UCLA Today}}
  • John R. Blythe, an independent film producer, member of Producers Guild of America, graduated in 2010 in the Business and Management of Entertainment Program. He has produced several award winning films include My Amityville Horror and The New Hands.
  • James Franco attended UCLA Extension, taking courses in literature and creative writing.{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/movies/profiles/67284/index1.html|title=Is James Franco For Real? -- New York Magazine|work=NYMag.com}}
  • Frederico Lapenda graduated in the Film & Television Program in 1994. He is a movie producer, MMA promoter, Allies of the Amazon co-creator with Stan Lee, Beverly Hills Film Festival President, and Brazilian Tourism Ambassador.
  • Marilyn Monroe attended UCLA Extension in April 1951, taking "Backgrounds of Literature" with teacher Claire Soule.{{cite book |last=Morgan |first=Michelle |date=2012 |title=Marilyn Monroe: Private and Confidential |publisher= Skyhorse Publishing |page=195 |isbn=978-1616087197}}
  • Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos received a journalism certificate from UCLA Extension.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/univision-news-anchor-honored-at-ucla-extension-graduation|title=Univision news anchor honored at UCLA Extension graduation|author=UCLA Newsroom|work=UCLA Newsroom}}
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger enrolled in Extension classes during the 1970s as a young actor and bodybuilder, and helped celebrate Extension's 90th anniversary.{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/071009_extension_history|title=UCLA Extension turns 90|author=UCLA Newsroom|work=UCLA Newsroom}}
  • Benson Taylor attended UCLA Extension, taking courses in game music production.
  • Ava DuVernay took filmmaking courses from UCLA Extension as part of her transition from a career in public relations to film. {{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ava-duvernay-awards-chatter-podcast-origin-13th-selma-1235786229/|title=‘Awards Chatter’ Podcast: Ava DuVernay on Fighting for ‘Origin,’ the Crazy Backstory of ‘13th’ and How Her Outlook Has Changed 10 Years After ‘Selma’|author=Scott Feinberg|work=Hollywood Reporter}}

References

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