The University of California, Berkeley, Extension (UC Berkeley Extension) is the continuing education division of the
University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) campus.[2] Founded in 1891, UC Berkeley Extension provides continuing education through self-supporting academic programs.[3][4]
The extension is headquartered outside the main UC Berkeley campus in
Berkeley, California, with classrooms in
downtown San Francisco and other
Bay Area locations.[5] UC Berkeley Extension serves more than 48,000 annual student enrollments in over 2,000 courses and 80 programs.[6]
Following years of calls from the public to open access to Berkeley’s excellent courses and programs, University Extension came to life in 1891 when three professors crossed the Bay by ferry to offer courses in San Francisco in history (Prof. Bacon), mathematics (Prof. Stringham) and English literature (Prof. Gayley). On February 14, 1893, UC Berkeley's Regents adopted the extramural instruction plan and authorized extension courses to be taught in California.[9][10]
In 1902, the University Extension became a self-organizing body within UC Berkeley and
Henry Morse Stephens was appointed Director of University Extension.[9]
In 1912, Ira W. Howerth was appointed Director. Howerth established a district organization to further extend the University Extension's reach to communities outside of Berkeley.[9]
After receiving a legislative appropriation to support University Extension in 1915, the extension began offering classes in
Southern California.[9] In 1917, Leon J. Richardson was appointed Director. During his tenure, Richardson standardized academic work at the extension.[9]
During
World War II and the postwar era, Director Baldwin Woods changed the extension's coursework from only offering degree courses to also offering courses in subjects such as the sciences, business, and industry. Woods also authorized the extension to train women for defense jobs during wartime.[11]
Mary S. Metz was appointed Dean of University Extension in 1991.[12] Metz oversaw the implementation of online learning at the extension for the first time.[13] In 1996, UC Berkeley Extension Online was developed in collaboration with the extension's Center for Media and Independent Learning.[14][15]
In 2007, the UC Berkeley Extension offered their first bilingual classes in Chinese and
Mandarin.[16] In 2008, Diana Wu was appointed Dean of the UC Berkeley Extension.[17] In 2012, Wu was also appointed as the first Executive Director of the Berkeley Resource Center for Online Education (BRCOE) after the extension created the new division.[18][19]
UC Berkeley Extension's classes take place in several locations including the Golden Bear Building in
Berkeley since 1995,[30] 160 Spear Street in
San Francisco, and Cañada College in
Redwood City.[31]
^Aug. 12, KAREN KAPLAN; Pt, 1996 12 Am (August 12, 1996).
"Going Away to School at Home". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 8, 2021.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)