UCSC Silicon Valley Extension
In April 2016, UCSC Extension opened its doors to the UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus. Located at 3175 Bowers Avenue in Santa Clara, the Silicon Valley Campus is a beautiful new facility outfitted with the latest educational technologies just a stone’s throw from the Santa Clara Square. UC Santa Cruz undergraduates and graduate students, as well as community members seeking continuing education, have their choice of certificate programs in more than 40 disciplines and services designed to meet the needs of Silicon Valley and greater Bay Area.
UCSC Extension provides professional training that reflects the academic rigor of the University of California and the hands-on, roll-up-your-shirtsleeves practicality of Silicon Valley culture. Developed with guidance from key industry leaders and academic experts, UCSC Extension’s certificate programs match the demands of a wide range of industries, including engineering, business, education, bioscience, and environmental safety. The Silicon Valley Campus is also home to the University of California Scout program, graduate programs affiliated with UCSC's Baskin School of Engineering, and an English language school designed to equip English language learners with the skills necessary to accelerate learning or take the next step in their careers.
Extension’s career-oriented programs cover the latest best practices, tools, and technologies in engineering and technology, business and management, applied and natural sciences, and education. While most certificates can be completed within one year, coursework is graded and substantial, typically involving lectures, readings, presentations, and final projects or examinations.
Extension also has a robust international department, English language program, and Optional Training Program (OPT), and offers F1 visa guidance and internship opportunities.
Regularly enrolled UCSC students may obtain degree credit for Extension courses numbered 1–299. Lower division courses are numbered 1–099, upper division offerings are 100–199, and graduate-level courses are 200–299. Upon submission of the Extension transcript to the Office of Admissions, the course credit may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree at UCSC. Many Extension courses are recognized for graduate degree credit by other universities (acceptance of course credit is based upon approval by the accepting university).
Students can study in a few different ways: in classrooms or labs at our Silicon Valley location; online, via our dynamic learning platform; and in hybrid courses, which offer a combination of classroom meetings and online learning. Many courses have both online and classroom sections available each quarter to ensure that students with commutes, jobs, and family obligations can find courses that fit their schedules.
Visit UCSC Extension or call (408) 861-3700 to enroll or to learn more about courses and programs.
Open Campus/Concurrent Enrollment
Concurrent Enrollment Through Extension is a cooperative arrangement between UC Santa Cruz and UCSC Silicon Valley Extension that enables members of the public to enroll in one or two regular UCSC undergraduate or graduate courses per quarter for credit. The program is administered by UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, and course credit granted appears on a UCSC Silicon Valley Extension transcript. Participants must meet certain criteria outlined in the Concurrent Enrollment application. An application fee is charged for each quarter of enrollment in addition to course fees. A first-time application fee of $110 applies.
Concurrent Enrollment through Extension may be used as a path toward a part-time or full-time degree program or as a way of studying subjects of personal or occupational interest. Credit earned through this program may be used toward degree requirements, when applicable, if participants subsequently seek admission to the university and are accepted.
Financial aid is not available to participants in the Concurrent Enrollment program.
For further information and to obtain an application packet, contact UCSC Silicon Valley Extension, 3175 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95054, (408) 450-4920, or email opencampus@ucsc.edu.