- How much do UCLA online classes cost?

Course fees are determined by the unit value of a course. Undergraduate students at UCLA and other UCs pay $271 per unit. UC graduate students, visiting students and international students pay $339 per unit*.

Many courses also have an Instructional Enhancement Initiative Fee of $8 per unit.

Students who drop are assessed a $150 processing fee, even if they drop before class begins.

* Fees are subject to change.

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- Are UCLA online courses less expensive than on-campus courses?

Yes. UCLA summer courses delivered on campus are subject to campus and registration fees. UCLA online courses are not, so students pay the per-unit charge only. This means UC students (UCLA included) save $64, visiting students (non-UC) save $350 and international students save $700.

Campus and registration fees do apply to students who register for any on-campus course.

Many UCLA courses are subject to an Instructional Enhancement Initiative (IEI) fee of $8 per unit, which is assessed to both on-campus and online offerings.

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- Who can enroll in UCLA online classes?

Registration in UCLA Summer Sessions is open to the general public: college and university students, high school graduates, high school students entering grades 10-12, and adult learners. This applies to both on-campus and online courses.

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- Are there requirements? Is there an admissions process?

There is no admissions process. Students need only choose courses and enroll.

Some requirements may apply to international students. Visit the UCLA Summer Sessions website for more information.

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- Are any courses open to high school students?

Yes. A selection of UCLA online courses are open to high school students.

They are:

All courses open to high school students carry UCLA college credit.

High school students can find more information at the UCLA Summer Sessions website.

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- Who takes UCLA online classes?

The majority of students in online courses are UCLA undergraduates. Students from other University of California campuses are found in good numbers, followed by international students and undergraduates from colleges and community colleges across the country. Professionals, retirees and life-long learners register as well, bringing their varied perspectives to class.

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- I am an international student. Do I need to submit the visa and health insurance forms?

No. International students who are enrolled in only online classes need to submit just the registration form.

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- How do I register for a UCLA online course?

See the Enrollment and Fees page of this website.

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- How can I find UCLA online courses in the UCLA Schedule of Classes?

Some UCLA courses are offered online and on-campus at the same time. When browsing the Schedule of Classes, make sure the "Building" field reads "ONLINE". This indicates you are looking at an online offering of that course. You can also use the links found on the Course List page of this site.

The UCLA Schedule of Classes lists all online courses and their SRS numbers in one convenient place.

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- What is URSA?

URSA is UCLA's student record access system. It offers real-time access to your official student records and lets you update them instantly. Students can also order transcripts on URSA.

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- Is a UCLA online course equivalent to a UCLA course taken on-campus?

Yes. No substantive distinction is made between UCLA courses taken online and those taken on campus. Transcripts do not indicate a course was taken online. The equivalence is particularly transparent for UCLA students, who register and receive grades for all their classes - both online or on campus - through the same university systems, URSA and myUCLA.

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- Will academic credit from UCLA online courses transfer to my home institution?

While schools and departments have different policies regarding units earned outside the home institution, UCLA courses are generally accepted for transfer credit. It is advisable to consult a counselor at your home school or department to verify your units will transfer, particularly if you hope to apply units toward specific degree requirements, such as general education, a major or a minor.

For students from other UC campuses, all UCLA summer activity automatically appears on your home UC campus transcript, and the grades you earn at UCLA are included in your home UC campus grade-point average.

More information on transferring academic credit can be found on the UCLA Summer Sessions website. Transcripts can be ordered through URSA.

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- Do any of the courses fulfill the UCLA General Education requirements?

Yes, English 91C, History 1B, History 1C, History 13C, History 20, Honors Collegium 70A, Linguistics 1, MCD Biology 70, Philosophy 3 and Sociology 1, and Theater 106 are UCLA GE courses.

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- Who are my instructors? Who grades my work?

The professors who teach UCLA online courses are the very same faculty members who teach them on campus. UCLA online Teaching Assistants (TAs) are the very same UCLA graduate students overseeing course sections on campus.

UCLA online courses operate very much like their on campus counterparts. They fall into the following categories:

Lecture-based: Professors lecture, assign readings, etc. Graduate student TAs evaluate assignments under the professor's supervision. Questions about the material and assignments are directed to the professor, and more often, the TA. Students complete lectures and readings on their own schedule in preparation for a midterm and final.

Lecture-plus-discussion: Professors lecture, assign readings, etc. Graduate student TAs hold discussion sections on an electronic discussion board, where questions are posted and responses discussed. Live video-conferencing is sometimes used to conduct real-time discussions online. Questions about the material and assignments are directed to the professor, and more often, the TA.

Students complete lectures and readings on their own schedule. Written assignments are due on specific dates throughout the session. Written discussion board contributions are due weekly in most classes. Classes with live video conferences require that students attend those sessions at their registered section time.

Lecture-plus-activity: Professors lecture, assign readings, etc. Professors and Readers conduct interactive assessments in live weekly video conferences.

Workshop courses: No lectures are conducted. Readings and exercises are assigned by the professor. Benchmarks for completion of work, such as "revise the first 10 pages of screenplay by Lesson Four," for example, are established in the syllabus. Work is exchanged among students and discussed on an electronic discussion board. The professor participates on the board and provides private, individualized feedback when projects are graded.

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- Are exams taken and, if so, where?

Students in UCLA online courses are not required to report to campus or special "testing centers" for exams. All tests in UCLA online courses, including midterms and finals, are papers or creative writing assignments. Papers and assignment are submitted via Turn It In to prevent fraudulent submissions.

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- Do UCLA online classes have prerequisites?

UCLA online courses have the same prerequisite requirements as their on-campus counterparts. Check the UCLA Catalog or Schedule of Classes for prerequisite information for specific classes.

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- Is financial aid available?

Yes. UCLA and UC students who receive financial aid during the academic year are eligible for financial aid during Summer Sessions. UCLA students can refer to the UCLA Financial Aid Office. UC (non-UCLA) students should visit the financial aid office at their home campus for particulars.

Visiting and international students are not eligible for financial aid from UCLA.

Visit the UCLA Summer Sessions site for more information.

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- Can I use tuition assistance from the U.S. Military or Department of Veterans Affairs?

UCLA accepts tuition assistance from several VA and Military programs. Please contact Bernard Llanos, Veterans Affairs Coordinator, with all benefits questions at bllanos@registrar.ucla.edu.

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- What happens after I enroll?

Students receive an automated email after they enroll. A reminder email with login information is sent the week before class begins.

Please contact info@online.ucla.edu if you do not receive an automated email within twenty-four hours of registering. You may also want to check your SPAM folder and make sure that info@online.ucla.edu is added to your address book. Note that notifications are sent to the email address you have on record with the University. You can verify this email address on URSA.

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- Do I ever have to be online at a specific hour?

Most UCLA online courses do not require you to be online at a specific time. Professors set deadlines, but students choose the place and time to watch lectures and work on assignments. Students should plan on logging in to course websites at least three times each week.

Professors and TAs may schedule optional Skype chat sessions. The date and time for Skype chats is posted on the "Office Hours" panel in the Class Website. Notice of optional chats are emailed to students as well.

Three classes - HNRS 70A, MCDB 70 and Philosophy 3 - have live weekly discussion sections conducted via video conferencing. Students choose the section time that works for them when they register from class.

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- How do I access the Class Website?

On the top right corner of this website you will find a button to "LOG IN TO YOUR ONLINE CLASS". Clicking on the button opens a login page where students can enter their UCLA Logon ID. Entering a valid UCLA Logon ID opens the Class Website starting on the first day of class.

Students can bookmark the Class Website for convenience. Bookmarking Class Websites is especially helpful for students registered in more than one class.

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- How do I view lectures?

Lectures can be viewed in the Class Website from your computer or mobile device. An Internet connection is required to view lectures.

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- What kind of interaction do I have with my professor and TA?

Students interact with their professors and TAs online in various ways.

TAs and professors are active on the discussion board, both as moderators and participants. Each board has a special forum where the professor and TA can respond to questions about the course and its assignments. Courses with discussion sections include a blog where the professor and TA can post images, links, commentary and video to respond to issues and questions that arise during the six weeks of class.

Optional Skype chats are often scheduled by professors and TAs, particularly before major assignments are due.

Students can email their TA directly with questions of individual concern.

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- Can I get all my assignments in advance?

No. Most assignments, like weekly discussion section questions, midterm and final papers, are posted as they are assigned in the normal flow of the course. In general, students cannot "work ahead."

Some courses may list assignment topics in advance, but students may not be prepared to properly attempt them until they have completed the preceding coursework.

The due dates of major assignments are available from the first day of class to allow students flexibility in scheduling work and managing their time. Syllabi are also available on the Course List page of this website to give students a general idea of assignments.

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- How do I get my textbooks?

Textbooks for UCLA online courses are available at the UCLA campus bookstores. If you are not on campus, you can order your text books online from the ASUCLA Textbook Store.

Books can often be found at Amazon.com as well.

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- Which UCLA Summer Sessions Online courses have live sections?

Three UCLA online courses use video conferencing technology to achieve live sections online:

Philosophy 3: Historical Introduction to Philosophy
Honors Collegium 70A: Genetic Engineering in Medicine, Agriculture, and Law
MCD Biology 70: Genetic Engineering and Society

The use of video conferencing in Professor Copenhaver's Philosophy 3 allows his teaching assistants to engage students in live philosophical discourse. Professor Goldberg's MCDB 70 and HNRS 70A use a fast-paced "question and answer" style of teaching. The midterms and finals in Professor Goldberg's classes are conducted orally. Video conferencing makes these strategies possible.

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- What is video conferencing?

Video conferencing is a powerful technology for teaching online. It allows professors, teaching assistants and students to communicate live using sound and video. Participants use webcams and headsets with microphones. The experience is similar to an on-campus discussion section.

Click on image to see full size

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- Do special policies apply to these courses?

All students are required to purchase a proper microphone/headset for video conferencing. See the UCLA Online Technical Specifications for Video Conferencing document for more information.

Students are responsible for connecting successfully to the conference. Inability to connect or remain connected during a conference is not an excuse for failing to participate in live sections.

Attendance is mandatory in all section meetings. Students must contact their professor if they expect to miss the first section meeting.

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- Is my Internet connection fast enough for conferencing?

Video conferencing requires a very fast Internet connection. Think of video chat over Skype and multiply by 10 for an idea of just how much bandwidth it requires. Most providers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) recommend their fastest tier of service for video conferencing. We require the following minimum Internet connection speeds:

Download speed: 12 Mb/s
Upload speed: 0.5 Mb/s (512 Kb/s)

You can test the speed of your connection at the link below:

http://www.speedtest.net

If your connection does not meet the minimum requirement you will have to contact your Internet service provider to upgrade your connection for the six weeks of your class. Inability to connect or remain connected is not an excuse for failing to participate in live sections.

NOTES: 1) Hotel Internet connections and WiFi at coffee shops (Starbucks, Coffee Bean, etc.) are not sufficiently fast for conferencing. 2) WiFi connections cannot deliver the consistency required for conferencing. Make sure you are able to connect directly to your router or cable modem via Ethernet cable.

See the UCLA Online Technical Specifications for Video Conferencing document for more information.

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- Is my computer fast enough for conferencing?

The multiple simultaneous video chats used in video conferencing demand a good deal from your computer. Newer computers are more likely to meet the minimum technical specifications for conferencing, but every computer you plan to use must meet the following hardware and software requirements:

WINDOWS USERS

Supported Platforms:
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7

Minimum System Requirements:
2.2 GHz Pentium 4, 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo or equivalent
512MB of RAM or greater
64MB of Video Card RAM

Optimal/Recommended System Requirements:
2.8 GHz Pentium 4 or faster processor
1024MB of RAM
64MB of Video Card RAM or greater

MAC USERS

Supported Platforms:
10.4+ (Tiger or higher)

Minimum System Requirements:
1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo
512MB of RAM
64MB of Video Card RAM

Recommended System Requirements:
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster
1024MB of RAM or greater
64MB of Video Card RAM or greater

Optimal System Requirements:
Mac OS X 10.6+ (Snow Leopard or higher)
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster
1024MB of RAM or greater
64MB of Video Card RAM or greater

See the UCLA Online Technical Specifications for Video Conferencing document for more information.

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- Do I need a webcam and a headset?

Yes, you will need both:

- Some computers have built-in webcams. You will need to purchase a webcam if the computer you plan to use does not have one.

- Headsets with built-in microphones are required. The built-in speakers and microphone on your computer will cause an echo during the conference. Your professor and/or teaching assistant will not allow you participate in a conference without the proper, required headset.

Recommendations for suitable models of webcams and headsets can be found in the UCLA Online Technical Specifications for Video Conferencing document.

NOTE: Apple's Earphones with Remote and Mic (the item that comes standard with an iPhone) are not acceptable for video conferencing.

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- Do I need special software to conference?

No special conferencing application is required for conferencing in UCLA online classes. Connections are realized through the class website.

You will however, need the latest version of Flash:

http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

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- What kind of technical support is available?

Students will be given the opportunity to test their configuration prior to the first discussion session. Details will be provided by email. Questions can be addressed to info@online.ucla.edu.

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- What is the UCLA screenwriting course continuum?

UCLA film majors pursuing a concentration in screenwriting take four courses known as the undergraduate screenwriting continuum. They are:

While the last two courses of the continuum (Film TV 135B and Film TV 135C) are offered on campus during the academic year, enrollment is restricted to UCLA Film TV majors only. Now, for the first time, these two courses and the entire UCLA undergraduate screenwriting curriculum is available to minors, non-majors and students everywhere online in summer session.

The continuum begins with Film TV 133 (formerly 130B). It consists of a series of lectures by "Screenwriting Guru" and UCLA professor Richard Walter. He introduces basic concepts and strategies employed by artists who write stories for the screen. Students in Film TV 133 also work with a TA from the UCLA MFA Screenwriting Program to develop an original story idea for a feature-length film. Their final project consists of a short treatment and fifteen pages of screenplay.

Students who complete Film TV 133 can begin the Film TV 135A-B-C Advanced Screenwriting Workshop series. In the first course of the series, Film TV 135A, students refine the treatment they drafted in Film TV 133 and write the first act of their script, roughly thirty pages. Act II is written in Film TV 135B. The final act is written in Film TV 135C. All three courses are conducted in a workshop setting, where drafts are exchanged under the guidance of the professor.

Students who begin the course sequence in Session A with Film TV 133 can complete the entire series over two summers and earn 28 units of undergraduate credit. Students who have completed 135A in previous years can now enroll in 135B in Session A and 135C in Session C.

Professor Richard Walter is teaching Film TV 135A on campus this summer in Session A. Local students can work with Professor Walter on campus in Session A and continue their study of screenwriting with Film TV 135B online in Session C.

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- Are UCLA online courses only offered during Summer Sessions?

Yes. UCLA online courses are not currently offered during the academic year.

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- Does UCLA offer complete degrees online?

UCLA currently offers one online degree - the Master of Science in Engineering. All other online courses are intended to be part of an undergraduate degree program or provide instruction for personal edification.

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- Experience and outcomes: how do online classes differ from those taken on campus?

Online courses and their on-campus counterparts share the same syllabi and are identical in terms of learning objectives and material covered. Differences are most apparent in how each context lends itself to different learning styles.

Some students appreciate the structure of an on-campus class. The physical presence of a lecturer can be inspiring, the presence of fellow students in a room stimulating and the structure of a "place and time" schedule grounding. Other students are good at managing their time and appreciate a greater degree of flexibility. These students tend to do very well in the online environment.

Students in online classes work at their own speed, review lectures and class exhibits as often as needed and thoughtfully craft arguments in writing for the discussion board.

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- Why does the UCLA Summer Sessions offer courses online?

UCLA Summer Sessions' online education program is a collection of some of UCLA's most popular courses delivered online. Every course is an official UCLA Catalog course taught both on-campus and online, often at the same time. Online delivery during summer gives students the option of earning academic credit while away from campus.

Online education enables UCLA Summer Sessions to make some of its best courses available beyond the UCLA campus, in keeping with the University of California's mission of public service. Offering courses online gives students across the country and around the globe the opportunity to study with renowned UCLA faculty. It also allows students to take classes in a variety of subjects when their home institution has limited offerings.

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- When is the deadline for registration?

Registration is open for Session A until June 28 or as late as July 5 with permission of instructor.

Registration is open for Session C until August 9 or as late as August 16 with permission of instructor.

Students seeking permission of instructor should email info@online.ucla.edu for instructions.

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- Are classes at UCLA Extension the same as Summer Sessions?

No. UCLA Extension offers continuing education at the college level for adult students. Enrollment in Extension does not constitute enrollment in UCLA, and Extension courses do not appear on your UCLA transcript, although some of the classes will transfer for credit. The majority of classes are in the evening and on weekends. For more information, visit UCLA Extension.

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- I am enrolled but cannot access the class website. What should I do?

Students are unable to access the class website until 8 am PDT on the first day of class. If the course is underway and you get an "access denied" message, you are likely enrolled in a different session or have been dropped from the class for nonpayment.

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- How much do I owe and how do I pay?

You can review and pay your Summer Sessions bill via URSA. You may pay by Mastercard, Discover or American Express or by e-check.

Students are required to pay a $150 deposit upon enrollment. As long as the student remains enrolled in at least one Summer Sessions class, the deposit is applied to the cost of tuition. If the student drops all classes, the $150 deposit is not refunded.

Summer Sessions has a series of payment deadlines to encourage students to pay early. If you have not paid your fees by the payment deadline, you will be automatically dropped. You can re-enroll through the second week of the session without a financial penalty as long as there are spots available in the class.

Students who have been dropped for nonpayment cannot access the class website and cannot participate in class.

See the Enrollment and Fees page for the per-unit cost of UCLA courses.

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- I have been dropped for nonpayment. How do I re-enroll? 


Students can re-enroll through in URSA through the end of the first week of each session. After the first week, you must email info@online.ucla.edu to request re-enrollment, which is at the discretion of the instructor.

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- I was dropped from my class for nonpayment and was not able to access the course website to submit my assignment on time. Will I be penalized?

Students receive numerous emails from Summer Sessions warning them of outstanding balances. Those who fail to pay by the deadline are dropped from class, lose access to the course website, and are not able to submit assignments. Access is regained when you re-enroll.

Being dropped for nonpayment is not accepted as an excuse for a late submission of work. In the event you are dropped, email info@online.ucla.edu for permission to re-enroll. Further instructions will be given at that time.

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- I get this message when I try to order from the UCLA Bookstore: "The textbooks for this section could not be found at this time. Please check back at the bookstore later for more information."

Textbooks are available about six weeks before the course begins. If you are checking prior to that time, you will get this message.

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- What are the technical requirements for participating in an online class?

The class websites support the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer 8 and above
• Safari 4 and above
• Firefox (latest version)
• Chrome (latest version)

Viewing multimedia in the class websites requires Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or above.

There are specific technical requirements for the three UCLA online courses with live weekly discussion sections: MCDB 70, HNRS 70A, and Philosophy 3. For more information on live sections and video conferencing see the Live Sections part of this FAQ and the UCLA Online Technical Specifications for Video Conferencing document.

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- I was enrolled in an online class. How do I view my grades?

You can access your grades through the Gradebook function of MyUCLA. Final grades will be posted in MyUCLA no later than August 13 for Session A and September 24 for Session C. Note that online courses do not use the gradebook function of Turnitin.com.

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