Sagging Economy Creates Soaring
Enrollment at UC San Diego Extension

September 24, 2008

By Henry DeVries

The number of students at UC San Diego Extension has surpassed 22,500 for the first time, according to Edward Abeyta, registrar and director of student services for the university’s extended studies programs. A total of 22,616 students were served by the continuing education arm of the university during the 2007-2008 academic year, resulting in 49,932 enrollees in a total of 4,286 courses.

Abeyta credits strong interest in career development, and the university’s commitment to addressing that need, as the reason for the student increases.

“When the economy is down, enrollment is up,” says Abeyta. “We offer good information and connections to those wishing to change careers or to make themselves more marketable with specialized skills.”

Recent increases have pushed unemployment in California to the third-highest level in the country. The statewide rate of 7.7 percent compares with 5.5 percent in August 2007. While San Diego County performed better than the state, the local August unemployment rate of 6.4 percent is significantly higher than the August 2007 rate of 4.8 percent.

For the convenience of working adults, classes for most of Extension’s 90 certificate programs and more than 12 specialized study programs are held evenings and weekends on the UC San Diego main campus and three other locations in Sorrento Mesa, Rancho Bernardo and Mission Valley.  In addition Extension offers 295 easily accessible online courses.

Each student took an average of 2.2 classes and the average class size was 11.65 students. The student totals include online students from around the globe and 2,300 international students from 45 different countries in residence at UC San Diego Extension.

Classes for the fall term begin this week. Some of the areas of possible study for career changers or those wishing to add new skills to their resume include: Accounting; Business; Digital Arts; Education; Engineering and Defense Technology; English Language Studies; Foreign Languages; Healthcare and Behavioral Sciences; Humanities and Writing; Information Technology and Software Engineering; Law; Leadership and Management Development; Life Sciences; Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health; Photography, Art and Music and Public Service and Social Responsibility.

Three sample programs of note include:

• Designed in partnership with pharmaceutical and biomedical research industry leaders, the UC San Diego Extension Clinical Trials and Research Program began in 1998. This first-of-its-kind program not only serves the San Diego region, which is the third largest biotech cluster in the nation, but draws students from across America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The certificate follows the hybrid approach, which allows students to benefit from both methods of teaching: online and face-to-face.  Currently the curriculum is being translated for online delivery to Mexico with future expansion throughout Latin America.
• The newest of four specialized master’s degrees, the joint Health Law Master’s Degree conferred by UC San Diego and California Western School of Law is the first of its kind in the Western United States. The Health Law Master’s Degree equips participants with a comprehensive understanding of scientific, ethical, regulatory and management practices that intersect the healthcare and legal arenas.

• UC San Diego Extension’s Defense Technology Program serves the nearly $18 billion annual San Diego defense industry (which accounts for about 15% of the regional economy). The finest such academic program West of the Mississippi, the Defense Technology program works with the university’s Jacobs School of Engineering to provide technical training to the government, military and industry personnel who work in support of the nation’s armed forces.

Keeping The Public Informed

UC San Diego Extension, also the public programs arm of the university, provides monthly outreach to another 500,000 people through innovative free public lectures, special events, online programs and broadcast television. Highlights of the past year include visits of two Nobel Peace Prize winners, former Vice President Al Gore and micro lending champion Muhammad Yunus.

UC San Diego Extension administers UCTV, launched in 2000 to provide the public with programming that draws upon the vast intellectual, scientific and creative talents of the University of California, and UCSD-TV, which began 15 years ago and is available to 1 million homes. Over half a million viewers in San Diego tune in to UCSD-TV and another 200,000 visit the Web site at least once a month.

Both stations deliver documentaries, faculty lectures, cutting-edge research symposiums and artistic performances from each of the ten UC campuses. Programs are broadcast live and on-demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the Internet using the latest in Web-delivery technology, including 376,000 monthly downloads from YouTube and podcasting. UCTV is also available nationwide on Echostar Satellite's DISH Network and on cable in parts of California.

Another 2008 highlight was the The Bernard Osher Foundation awarding a $1 million endowment gift to support lifelong learning for older adults through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UC San Diego Extension’s adult education program for those who are at least 50 years of age and enjoy thought-provoking learning opportunities.

Although an integral part of the university since 1966, UC San Diego Extension does not receive any state support and relies on the revenue it generates from fees, contracts, grants and the assistance of sponsors and donors for its annual budget of approximately $30 million.

Media Contact: Henry DeVries, 858-534-9955