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Online Information

Two Types of Online Courses

Online learning is instructional delivery that does not require you to be physically located in the same site as your instructor. Online classrooms are accessed remotely using computers with Internet access. In addition to text content such as lecture notes and course assignments, they incorporate message boards, chat rooms and multimedia technologies. Some courses also require textbooks and other supplementary materials, which can be ordered online. To show what you have learned, you submit assignments and projects to your instructor via our website and, in most courses, sit for a proctored final examination at an approved offline site.

Self-Paced Courses

You can enroll in self-paced courses at any time. You must allocate a minimum of one month per semester unit to complete a course; this time frame allows for instructor-led interaction and feedback between assignments. For courses of 3 and 4 semester units, you must remain in the course for a minimum of three months. You have a maximum of six months from the date of enrollment to complete any self-paced course unless otherwise noted in the course description. Look for "Online, enroll anytime" to find self-paced courses in the online or print catalog.

Fixed-Date Courses

Fixed-date courses feature specific start and finish dates, like a classroom course. In addition to 12-week courses, Extension offers accelerated fixed-date courses that you can complete in 8 weeks.

Enrolling in an Online Course

For courses with published start and end dates, you must enroll prior to the start date. These courses must be completed within the specific dates posted in the course section information.

Many online courses are self-paced, which means you may enroll at any time and progress at your own pace. You must allocate a minimum of one month per semester unit to complete a course; for courses of 3 and 4 semester units, you must remain in the course for a minimum of three months. You have a maximum of six months from the date of enrollment to complete any self-paced course unless otherwise noted in the course description. Submit no more than one assignment per week to your instructor, and wait until this assignment has been returned to you before submitting the next one. Students who are unable to complete their coursework and do not officially withdraw from the online course will receive a grade of F.

If the course you wish to take is marked temporarily closed, you can be automatically notified when enrollment reopens. To initiate this, click on the "notify me" button in the course section block, provide your contact information, and you will be notified by email when the course becomes available again.

Most courses conclude with a proctored final examination, which may be taken at any number of sites, nationally or internationally, provided the location and proctor have been certified by UC Berkeley Extension.

Access to your online classroom ends on the course end date (see your Welcome Letter email for start and end dates). Plan ahead and print out any course information you think you might need before your end date.

Please note: As a condition of your enrollment and to ensure your successful completion of an online course, our courses require your participation in chat rooms and message boards specific to the course. The email address and/or online identity you use when entering chats, or as you post on message boards, will be visible to all other participants. By enrolling in an Extension online course, you authorize the disclosure of your email address and/or online identity for this purpose.

Enrollment in courses through UC Berkeley Extension Online does not constitute admission to the University of California.

Confirming Your Enrollment in an Online Course

You will receive an automatic confirmation of payment for online courses that you have enrolled in on the Web. All Extension correspondence will be sent to the email address you provide.

Within two to three business days of your enrollment, you will also receive an automated Welcome Letter email that will detail how to gain access to your classroom and begin your course. If you do not receive an email confirmation for an online course, please contact Registration at (510) 642-4111.

Not receiving your enrollment confirmation before the course begins is not justification for seeking a refund.

Technical Requirements

For you to get the most out of our online courses, we recommend that you have the following computer setup.

Minimum required Windows browser software:

Minimum required Mac OS browser software:

Browser Plug-ins

Some of our classrooms require browser plug-ins; those that do will mention which ones are needed in their introductory information.

Some of the required plug-ins may already be installed on your computer. If they are not, they are available for free download for both the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

Browser Settings

You will need to have both JavaScript and cookies enabled in your browser's settings to successfully use our online classrooms.

Firewall Settings

If you intend to access classroom Message Boards from behind a network firewall, be sure your firewall is configured to allow traffic on port 8080.

Operating System and Other Software

In general, the operating system (PC, Macintosh, etc.) your computer uses, as well as what version of that operating system is installed, is not important when you take one of our courses. Meeting the browser requirements above should suffice. If a course you are interested in taking requires a specific operating system or other software, that requirement is noted in the course's description in our online catalog.

Online Course Transfers

For fixed-date online courses, students can request transfers up to five business days after the course start date. For example, if the course starts on a Thursday, students must request their transfer by the close of business on the following Thursday (Pacific time). As another example, if the course starts on January 18, students must request their transfer by the close of business on January 25 (Pacific time). For self-paced online courses, students can request transfers up to five business days after their Welcome Letter has been emailed. For example, if a student’s Welcome Letter is emailed on a Thursday, he or she must request a transfer by the close of business on the following Thursday (Pacific time). As another example, if the Welcome Letter was emailed on January 18, students must request a transfer by the close of business on January 25 (Pacific time).

All transfer requests are subject to a $35 course change fee, except transfer requests that are a result of course cancellations.

Approvals for transfers will be based on course and space availability and the scheduled course start date, as applicable. Any difference in course fees will be assessed and due at the time of the transfer. If students have any questions regarding the transfer or refund policy, please call (510) 642-4111.

Special requirements and deadlines apply to UC Berkeley–equivalent (XB and XBW) courses.

Online Course Refunds

For fixed-date online courses, students can request refunds up to five business days after the course start date. For example, if the course starts on a Thursday, students must request their refund by the close of business on the following Thursday (Pacific time). As another example, if the course starts on January 18, students must request their refund by the close of business on January 25 (Pacific time).

For self-paced online courses, students can request refunds up to five business days after their Welcome Letter has been emailed. For example, if a student’s Welcome Letter is emailed on a Thursday, he or she must request a refund by the close of business on the following Thursday (Pacific time). As another example, if the Welcome Letter was emailed on January 18, students must request a refund by the close of business on January 25 (Pacific time).

If it is necessary for UC Berkeley Extension to cancel a course, the full course fee will be refunded. We do not reimburse travel or accommodation costs or any expense other than the full course fee in the event of course cancellation. We do not reimburse textbook fees. Please use Specialty Books to ensure the ability to return a book if the class should cancel.

Online Course Limit

You may enroll in a maximum of three (3) online learning courses simultaneously. Once you have made substantial progress in one or more courses, you may enroll in additional courses.

To maximize the benefit of instruction, you are allowed to submit only one assignment at a time to your instructor. Individual instructors would be able to make exceptions to this policy on a case-by-case basis.

Final Exam Procedures

Most online courses require you to take a final examination under the supervision of a proctor in order to receive credit for the course. Please check your course description.

If there is a charge for examination supervision, you are responsible for the fee. There is no proctoring fee to take a final exam at our facility for students enrolled in UC Berkeley Extension online courses.

Final exams must be completed no more than two weeks after the course end date. Midway through your course, you should begin thinking about who will proctor your final exam.

Get instructions for arranging your final exam.

Students take examinations under the supervision of a proctor. We have authorized proctor centers, or you may find an authorized proctor who meets the needs of your schedule and location. You may have your exams proctored by any one of the following in your area:

Under no circumstances can a family member or tutor serve as proctor, nor can the exam be sent to a home address.

Our office will review your proctor selection, and should you choose someone not previously authorized to proctor, we will send verification forms to that person. These forms must be completed and returned to our office. Please allow extra time for this process. We will send the final exam to the approved proctor, who will monitor you during the exam and return your exam to us. We will then forward it to your instructor for grading.