Welcome to our quarterly newsletter, your front-row seat to what's new and what's next across UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies.
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Certificate Attainment is Growing Faster than Bachelor's Degrees
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Workforce trends from the Extended Studies Center for Research + Evaluation share that the from the National Student Clearinghouse point to a shift toward certificate-focused credentials. Undergraduate certificate attainment increased by 5.7%, with those earning undergraduate certificates as their highest award reaching decade-high levels (579,400).
This constitutes more than twice the growth rate for those earning bachelor's (1.99 million) or associate's (865,400) degrees at 2.8% and 2.6% growth over the previous year, respectively. The increase was especially pronounced , suggesting certificates are becoming a first credential rather than simply a tool for incumbent workers.
For colleges and workforce organizations, the trend highlights growing demand for shorter, career-aligned programs that can help learners enter high-demand occupations more quickly while providing stackable pathways toward future degrees.
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A partnership with UC San Diego’s Department of Mathematics has yielded the Extended Studies Accelerating to Calculus course, offered to help incoming undergraduate students with MATH 2 placement results prepare for the Math Placement Exam. New Math professor and Triton alumnus Scott Tilton, PhD '25 will instruct, helping participants gain the skills and confidence they need. Students who successfully place into the next course in the sequence will continue on with him in the fall to build on the foundations they've established.
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In its first year, the Degree Plus initiative enrolled 141 students across three certificate programs, exceeding the goal by 18%. Key partnerships include the California State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF), offering five full-time internships this summer, and FundaMental Health, a San Diego nonprofit organization that created an additional internship opportunity. Degree Plus also launched a UC San Diego Student Employment service model to simplify hiring and payroll processes for employers and help increase internships.
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Extended Studies has launched two key online resource pages to connect campus and community partners to valuable services: UC San Diego Campus Partnerships, sharing flexible and customizable operational and administrative solutions to self-supporting academic and professional programs at UC San Diego; and Host Your Event at 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive, providing rental access to the division’s flagship facility for hosting professional development, corporate training, lifelong learning and other special events..
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Representative Juan Vargas and NASA have earmarked funds for 60 full scholarships for high school students in California's 52nd Congressional District to participate in the Discover UC San Diego Summer 2027 residential program. This investment expands access to immersive STEM education and space-focused learning opportunities. During the 36-day program, scholarship recipients will complete two university-level courses, earn 6–8 quarter units of UC San Diego credit and join a community of 210 students exploring academic passions.
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The Center for Research + Evaluation (CR+E) partnered with Biocom to produce the 2026 California Life Sciences Economic Impact Report, aligning with the division's mission to support workforce development through applied research and evidence-based insights.
CR+E received funding from the Reimagining Refuge: California for Just Migrant Futures program, as part of the University of California Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives Grant. The funding will support CR+E's research with binational college students in the CaliBaja region.
With support from UC San Diego's Office of Research and Innovation Strategic Convene and Influence Grant, CR+E held a second convening, Researching Across Borders: Binational Populations in Focus, on Apr. 24. The gathering brought together educators, researchers, and practitioners to advance research on and with binational populations.
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The UC San Diego Earl Edwards Athletics and Society Forum series, a collaboration between Extended Studies, Athletics, and Alumni Relations, debuted on July 13 with a dynamic event featuring author, pastor and inspirational speaker Jolinda Wade, mother of NBA Hall of Famer Dwayne Wade. (Pictured above: moderator Henry Devries with Jolinda Wade. Photo credit Christelle Auzas.)
The Burnham Center for Community Advancement (BCCA), a UC San Diego Park & Market resident partner, reflects on five years of turning ideas into action, including early collaborations with the UC San Diego Design Lab and the use of Park & Market as a headquarters to establish a civic collaborator.
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- The Hidden Partner in Workforce Development, Dean Hugo Villar, Inside Higher Ed, 7/10/26
- Pre-College Preparation: How Much is Too Much?, The Parent Playbook, FOX5/KUSI Now app, 7/15/26; KUSI-TV, 7/19/26
- New UC Degree Plus Pilot Program shows demand for career-readiness training, gov.ca.gov, Governor Gavin Newsom, 5/01/26
- Upskilling the Next Generation: UC San Diego’s Workforce Skills and Problem-Solving Strategies, Spotlight on the Community podcast, 3/22/26
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UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
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- Intersections Concert Series featuring Daneen Wilburn: Gospel, soul, and jazz storytelling - 9/11/2026
- Burke Revival Film Series: Taxi Driver (1976), directed by Martin Scorsese - 10/22/26
- Intersections Concert Series featuring Allan Phillips: World fusion, Afro-Indigenous, and Latin traditions - 10/24/26
- Helen Edison Lecture Series welcomes Sheri Berman: Democracy, Political Change, and the Future of Liberal Governance - Nov 2026
- Intersections Concert Series featuring Peter Sprague & Friends – A celebration of musical storytelling, global influence, and American songcraft - 12/04/26
- Courses and certificates
- Fall Quarter registration begins 7/30/2026
- Fall Quarter courses begin 9/21/2026
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.png "Chart with title, Annual Growth in Postsecondary Credential Attainment and graphs showing measurements")
