Your Experience

For more than 65 years, UCR University Extension has been rewarding and enriching students of all ages - from right here in Riverside to the far-flung reaches of the globe - through professional development, academic advancement, and personal achievement. Part of the esteemed University of California system, UCR University Extension offers a welcoming and diverse environment in which to jumpstart existing career paths or embark on new ones, to continue an adventure of lifelong learning, or discover the waiting portal to new scholastic journeys and goals.

UCR University Extension is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

All UCR University Extension curricula are approved by the Academic Senate of the University of California, Riverside, whose worldwide reputation continues to grow. In the 2020 Center for World University Rankings, UCR placed 204th globally and 75th nationally, while US News & World Report ranked it 91st overall and 39th among all public universities in the US. In addition, US News pegged UCR as the 42nd Most Innovative, 58th Best for Veterans, and #1 Best Performer for Social Mobility. Money magazine listed UCR as the Most Transformative university in the country. Learn more about how UCR communicates the university’s impact, quality, and effectiveness across a variety of areas.

Additional noteworthy rankings:

• Ranks among the top 1.3% of universities worldwide [Center for World University Rankings 222-23]
• No. 1 public university in the U.S. for social mobility four years in a row [U.S. News & World Report]
• No. 2 in entomology research in the world [Center for World University Rankings]
• No. 9 among public universities for sustainability [Princeton Review]
• UCR's distinguished faculty boasts 2 Nobel Prize winners and 13 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine

UCR University Extension, through its professional, international, educator, youth, and elder programs, transforms lives around the world with innovative programs and learner-centered curricula taught by outstanding instructors. Our instructors bring passion, real-world practical skills, and top-notch educational and industry credentials to each and every course.

Every program is thoughtfully designed with all of our learners in mind. Our program experts know that in addition to exceptional content, it's flexibility, accessibility, and affordability that are also important to you. The design and delivery of all of our programs and courses check off each of those boxes.

Our courses are presented across multiple formats - in-person, online, webcast, and hybrid, delivered via the Canvas and Zoom platforms. Learn at your own pace, learn on a schedule with others - whichever suits your style.

Good online teaching involves designing an engaging learning experience using a variety of instructional tools and media, and then developing a strong online presence through interactions with students. UCR University Extension understands good online teaching, and delivers an exceptional online experience.

For both established professionals and recent graduates just entering the workforce who are looking to upskill, upgrade their credentials, or shift careers altogether, UCR University Extension's professional certificates and postgraduate diplomas provide a variety of choices, along with outstanding value and flexibility.

At UCR University Extension, your student experience is our number one priority. Our ultimate goal is to provide lifelong memories on the road to fulfilling new futures. Awareness, discovery, cultivation, advocacy, enrollment, and service will be at the heart of the student experience. It promises to be a results-oriented experience that is interactive, removes barriers to learning and fulfillment, and sets you up for both short- and long-term success. We want to design experiences that exceed expectations.

To support you on your educational journey, we have put in place our Student Success Team, and our enrollment advisors are on board, and ready to hear from you. We are waiting to engage and proactively champion YOU to achieve your lifelong learning goals. Our team will play a vital role in your successful journey - especially during the challenging times.