UCLA Extension courses

This hands‑on, exercise‑driven course introduces students to the foundational concepts, tools, and analytical techniques that underpin modern data‑driven decision‑making. Learners will explore the role of data science in organizational strategy while…

To make real impact in the world, you need to show what you can do, how you think and where you want to make design impact. As a designer, in the near future you will find yourself telling your story to potential collaborators, funders, employers and others.…

Designed for individuals or partners who are starting or have started a new business, this course teaches the realities of starting and managing a new business from idea to operation. Through planning, research, testing of viability, problem solving, decision…

The internship course offers eligible students the opportunity to earn credit toward their certificate program through a supervised internship of at least 120 hours, allowing for the practical application of knowledge and skills gained in their coursework.…

This 6-week Bootcamp introduces the fundamentals of user experience design through a mix of in-person and virtual sessions. Ideal for beginners and career changers, the course covers core UX terminology, the design process, and what it’s like to work as a UX…

Women’s stories are as diverse as women’s experiences. In this course, we focus on finding our voice on the page and allowing our writing to emerge naturally, without judgment, all in a nurturing, women- and female-identifying-empowered environment. The class…

Short, well-focused articles provide one of the surest pathways for breaking into publication. It's easier than you might think--if you know how the print and online publishing worlds work, understand the needs and demands of particular markets and put some…

After all the work of getting through a first draft, little seems so barbaric as the slashing and burning of entire characters and scenes—but making such vulgar literary sacrifices can enable the writer to unearth the heart of conflict and character, find…

Travel writing has been imaginatively transporting readers for centuries and remains one of the most robust areas of publishing. This course guides you to elevate the mere travelogue or guidebook entry into a thoughtful, well-crafted piece of literature as…

Reality is frequently inaccurate. Why not accurately depict that? This workshop is dedicated to kick-starting your imagination with the help of visualization and acting exercises, Oulipo writing prompts, and other creative techniques. We take a leap beyond…

Many aspiring novelists write with the hope that inspiration will come. The result is time wasted on a flabby novel with no clear shape and a sagging pace. On the other hand, story structure gives your novel a skeleton; it forms the bones of your story. And…

This holistic approach to movement, voice, and speech aims at liberating and enhancing the performer's natural capacity for moving, sounding and speaking as applied to performance on camera. Using techniques developed by Alexander, Spolin, and Sills, learn to…

Gain experiential understanding of improvisational acting and develop a strong improvisational perspective essential to scripted work. Through theater games and improvised scenes, develop tools to make you more trusting of your own impulses and more generous…

Constantin Stanislavski, master teacher, director, and author of An Actor Prepares (1936), revolutionized the way actors access the internal life of a character. He is the father of acting technique, the primary source for every process that followed. The…

This course is designed to develop the writer's individual theatrical style through the writing of scenes and a one-act play. You explore the dimensions of writing for the stage through key areas of craft, including language, dialogue, the essentials of…

This four-week workshop explores psychologist Carl Jung’s writings about dreams as examining x-rays of the spiritual state. Dreams are powerful engines to turn complex or unconscious ideas into vivid images. This workshop teaches writers and other creatives…

This course is designed to facilitate conversational practice and cultural enrichment in French. Before each class session, we watch a specified film in French. Then, we come to class to share our impressions, practice conversational skills, and further…

In 2009, journalist Sharon Boorstin wrote a Family Circle article about Christine Brady, an engineer who had walked away from her corporate career in San Diego to build and run a school for the neediest children in Tijuana. With the help of donors,…

Mindfulness, often looked to improve our attention, starts in the body. Based on the latest findings in neuroscience, the Feldenkrais Method® utilizes gentle, intentional movements to deepen self-awareness. In this course, we learn mindfulness in motion,…

In this course, we look closely at William Faulkner’s 1929 landmark novel, The Sound and the Fury , considered a masterpiece of modernist literature. The work challenges readers with its highly experimental style, shifting perspectives, and non-linear…

The Hero’s Journey describes a universal pattern of transformation: an individual leaves the familiar, faces uncertainty and challenge, undergoes a decisive trial, and returns changed. This narrative structure—often called the monomyth—appears across…

In this course, we learn to sketch and paint landscapes using gouache. Gouache is a vibrant, opaque, water-soluble medium that offers the fluidity of watercolor with the rich, matte finish of an oil painting. Unlike oils, it is incredibly versatile, portable,…

One of the most influential literary works of our time, One Hundred Years of Solitude , remains a dazzling achievement by the masterful Gabriel García Márquez, winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature. The novel is considered the defining example of…

The representation of the human body is a defining pillar of the art history canon. This course tracks the journey of the sculpted form, examining how artists have balanced realistic observation with idealized perfection and expressive abstraction. We…

The Baroque style was the first international art style of the western world. Originating in Rome, it quickly spread across continental Europe and into England, adapting its dynamic, dramatic energy to unique geographic regions and local patrons. In this…

From the monochromatic downtown of the silent era to the colorful late-1960s road trip in Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point (1970), this course journeys through the lost and imagined landscapes of a city often better known for its demons than the angels for which…

In this course, we view and discuss seven films from across cinema history that, while largely overlooked by American audiences, deserve to be seen—especially by a live audience. Though these films range from lighthearted to serious, they all offer a…

We are living in a golden age of photography, with near-universal access to high-quality, portable cameras. Yet, the bridge between a casual snapshot and an artful creation often feels elusive. This course offers an accessible, unintimidating introduction to…

In this course, we explore the ancient power of Qi emission, adapted specifically for self-therapeutic application. We learn to identify blocked and turbulent energy in the body and remove or transform this unneeded energy that may be sourcing the physical…

Shui-Mo Hua is a traditional Chinese ink wash painting style that emphasizes expressive brushwork and the spiritual essence of subjects rather than realistic depiction. In this course, we explore the foundations of East Asian ink painting through the Chinese…

The ideal group for those who love acting, theatre, language, and Shakespeare. Each week, we read scenes from the play aloud, then analyze and discuss them from an actor's perspective (scripts in hand, no memorization required). We explore the different ways…

Before Hollywood officially became the filmmaking capital of the world, downtown Los Angeles served as a magnet for fledgling silent filmmakers seeking creative independence and diverse locations. In this course, we discuss the incentives that pulled…

The rich history of Asian design reveals centuries of cultural and socio-political narratives expressed through objects of beauty. In this course, we explore the decorative arts of China, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam; including painting,…

When governments lose the trust of their people, revolutions become the primary engine of political change and remain one of the most powerful forces in modern history. In this course, we follow the evolution of revolution across four centuries. We begin with…

Claude Debussy was a foundational French composer and pianist of the fin de siècle who captured the essence of French Symbolist culture. His revolutionary harmonic idiom broke from the dominant Wagnerian influence of the 19th century, establishing a distinct…

Hollywood boasts a plethora of beautiful homes and glamorous retreats where legends of the film industry lived, worked, and played. As the Hollywood movie industry took hold, the stars and their directors cultivated a glamorous lifestyle through their homes,…

In this course, we explore the powerful connection between music, rhythm, and the aging brain—discovering how active engagement with sound can strengthen memory, elevate mood, and support a meaningful sense of self in the later chapters of life. Drawing on…

Many artists maintain rich writing practices—letters, journals, and personal reflections—that are rarely discussed alongside their visual work. Yet these writings often reveal how artists process, question, and give meaning to what we see on the canvas. In…

Cuba’s architecture evolved from its Spanish colonial past to the bold experimentation of the 20th century. In this course, we explore how the island nation’s unique history—from elegant baroque, neoclassical buildings, and grand plazas to iconic modernist…

Most people who want to cultivate their creativity rely on the same expected techniques, such as a regular routine, class instruction, or group accountability. This course instead identifies two secret side doors into your creativity. Techniques deployed…

Contemporary philosophy often utilizes film to ground abstract concepts, offering a visual language for exploring identity, reality, ethics, and the divine. This course features five thought-provoking films, using them as catalysts for deep discussion about…

A new generation of independent filmmakers emerged in the 1990s, including such luminaries as Quentin Tarantino, Allison Anders, Robert Rodriguez, Hal Hartley, and Spike Lee. They would become as synonymous with Generation X as MTV, grunge music, and flannel…

In the 1930s, Hollywood perfected the Wild West formula, painting the frontier as an exotic frontier awaiting conquest, while one-dimensional heroes and outlaws settled scores with a single bullet. In this course, we view iconic film clips from The Treasure…

The bebop era emerged in the early 1940s, marking a revolutionary shift in jazz toward harmonic complexity, rapid tempos, and intense improvisation. In this course, we explore bebop’s social, historical, and musical developments, focusing on the innovations…

Hotels are not always just simple backdrops in the world of cinema. In this course, we explore six films, in which hotels provide the central location and serve as a microcosm of society. The 1924 silent German film, The Last Laugh ( Der letzte Mann ), made…

This course provides a detailed investigation into the upcoming elections on November 3, spanning from federal contests to municipal elections. We analyze the high-stakes races for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives before shifting to California’s…

The nation is poised for a pivotal midterm election cycle that serves as both a battle for control of Congress and a referendum on the current administration. This election punctuates a tumultuous era in American politics, marked by a nearly successful…

Operetta and vintage musical comedy were once the western world's most popular form of stage entertainment. This course—utilizing video clips from live productions, early films, and television—traces the evolution of American musical comedy from its operetta…

According to a December survey from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan, Gen Z Americans spend more than five hours a day on social media - nearly double the amount of time as millennials. According to Deloitte's 2026 AI report, worker access to AI rose by…

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations must adapt quickly to complexity, uncertainty, and changing customer needs. Driving Value through Agile Principles and Mindset introduces students to the foundational concepts of Agile methodology…