FUTURES Programs

College and Career Pathway Programs for High School Students

Home / Courses & Programs / FUTURES Programs

Your Future Lies Just Ahead

Choosing the right college or career pathway is not an easy decision. The UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies Futures programs enable students to fulfill their passions, explore new interests and gain hands-on experience before they enter the workforce or apply for college. Each program is designed specifically for high school students. The cutting-edge coursework is taught by leading industry experts in high demand fields. All programs culminate in an Award of Completion issued by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies for use on college applications and resumes.

🗹

Shape your future today in the areas of Computer Science, Business Management, Design and Life Sciences.

Hear from our students

🗹

Scholarship opportunities are available for all Futures programs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Apply Now!

🗹

Si quieres ver la información de esta página en español haz

CLICK AQUÍ

Choose a Program to Get Started

Program

Android Programming

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Through the course of this program, students will learn how to work with the Android Studio to write numerous Android applications for a wide range of phones and tablets.

Program

AutoCAD

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Start at the very beginning of computer aided design (CAD), and use AutoCAD to draft CAD symbols, kitchen and bath fixtures, and then create a floor plan.

Program

Business Management

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

In this program, high school students develop a practical understanding of business management from policy creation to aligning resource allocation with institutional objectives.

Program

Digital Circuit Design

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Digital Circuit Design studies the behavior and movement of electrons in physical components and applies these fundamental concepts to the design and construction of the electronic products we use every day.

Program

Front End Web Development

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Throughought this program high school students will learn how to develop engaging websites and applications using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and jQuery.

Program

Internship Programs

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

These courses will prepare students with the attitudinal and behavioral skills that are essential to success in the workplace.

Program

iOS Programming

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Throughout this program, high school students become proficient in iOS, a mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for use with its hardware, including iPhone, iPad, and more.

Program

Machine Learning

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Learn about machine learning and its ability to imitate intelligent human behavior through the use and development of computer systems.

Courses are A-G certified in Science (D) / Computer Science.

Program

Revit

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Learn to use Building Information Modeling (BIM) using Revit to become design professionals involved in the construction industry.

Program

Robotics with JavaScript

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Program robots while learning the popular JavaScript language in preparation for the careers of the future.

Program

Wireless Communications Technologist

Grades: 9-12

Format: Online

Status: Enrolling Now

Obtain the knowledge and skills required to differentiate, configure, test, and maintain differing communication system technologies and regulating bodies that ensure safe and harmonious utilization of available spectrum.

Learn More

About Futures

The UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies Futures initiative gives high school students the opportunity to explore career and college pathways through programs that offer practical and applied learning in high demand fields. Our courses and programs not only provide students with real-world skills and personal development, but also with opportunities for internships, professional employment, and educational advancement. In addition, parents/guardians have the opportunity to take these courses alongside their students, strengthening the sense of community and pride within the family unit. These programs are specifically designed for high school students and adhere to the same rigor and standard of excellence upheld by the University.

About the Department of Education and Community Outreach (ECO)

The Department of Education and Community Outreach offers a uniquely holistic and service-based approach to education, incorporating opportunities for students in PreK- postsecondary; parents; teachers and school personnel; community members; and adults over the age of 50. ECO attends to the needs of over 30,000 learners per annum in contextually grounded, dynamic and personalized ways, employing face-to-face, blended and online formats. Beyond courses, certificates and programs leading to professional licensure, ECO works with communities across the globe to cultivate capacity and to serve as catalysts for transformation.

ECO serves as home to a host of cutting-edge programs and initiatives aligned with the needs of education and industry, including Sally Ride Science, the Futures initiative, and the University of California Professional Development Institute (UCPDI), a system-wide applied research organization. ECO partners with schools, districts and postsecondary institutions across the United States in support of developing avenues for enhanced access, equity and inclusion in education. ECO also works cooperatively public libraries, YMCAs and other community-based organizations to bring to them the best of what the University of California has to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What credit do students receive for participating in Futures?
Students receive three (3) pre-college credits per course. Some participating high school locations accept these credits to serve as elective credits on students’ high school transcripts potentially being applied to high school graduation requirements. Contact your school counselor to confirm credit acceptance. In addition, some higher education institutions will accept these credits as transferable credits to be applied to undergraduate requirements. Please contact the institution as to specific guidelines on credit transfers. Students can request official transcripts from UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies to include in college applications and for professional pursuits.
How do students enroll?
Students enroll directly through the Futures website. Upon choosing a course within one of the program offerings, add the course to your cart and select your grading preference. Read and accept the terms and conduct policies to move forward with checkout. If you have a UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies student account, login to process your enrollment. If you do not have a UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies student account, create a new account here, then login with your new credentials. Follow the above steps until enrollment and payment is processed. If you have questions during this process, please contact Student Services at (858) 534-3400, option 3.
How do students request transcripts?
Visit UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies’s website and click order your transcript. Login with your student account credentials and follow the step-by-step prompts. If you have questions during this process, please contact Student Services at (858) 534-3400, option 3.
What opportunities await students upon completion of the program?
Students will have access to internship opportunities through Extended Studies’ affiliation with San Diego Workforce Partnership. Students themselves are ultimately responsible for applying for internships. By participating in this program, students will gain a specific set of skills that make them standout in collegiate applications and future career pursuits.
Do students need to take courses in a certain order?
Yes, courses will be offered in sequential order as curriculum builds upon proceeding courses.
Are scholarships available for the Futures program?
Scholarship opportunities are open to students who qualify to free or reduced lunch and are awarded on a first-come, first-served, basis. Students must apply through the online application posted on the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies website within the designated timeframe. Scholarship applications open during the month of August and close during the month of September. Students will receive notification via email if they received or did not receive a scholarship. It is important to note that students who receive scholarship opportunities are required to complete the entire program or may be financially responsible for reimbursing UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies up to $1,200. All scholarship questions should be directed to precollege@ucsd.edu.
Is financing or payment plans for Futures tuition an option through UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies?
Yes, payment plans are available on a case-by-case basis through UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. In addition to the tuition cost, there is a $40 processing charge. To qualify for payment plans, you must commit to all courses within a program. Payments are evenly broken up during the duration of a program and are automatically charged to a credit card on file one time per month. For more information on payment plans, please contact precollege@ucsd.edu.
How do students request their Award of Completion?
Once students have completed all three required courses within a Futures program track, students need to request an audit of their completion status by emailing precollege@ucsd.edu. A UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies staff member will complete the audit and contact Extended Studies' Student Services team to process the Award of Completion. Awards of Completion will be mailed directly to the address listed in the student account.
What grade is considered a passing grade for a Futures course?
Students are required to earn a C- or higher to receive credit for a course and apply the course toward the requirement to earn a certificate of completion.
When do new Futures courses start?
Futures courses run in line with a traditional academic year with enrollment opening by August and classes running from approximately September to June.

Have any questions or interested in a specific course?

Please submit your request here.

We will not share your email. Read our privacy policy.

Hear From Our Students

Melissa Bahena Hernández

I learned a lot about business management and marketing for a business. I had a wonderful experience with my profesor and them going above and beyond for me and my peers. I had a great experience during this program. I was able to learn so much about the main elements of marketing and business while also being able to feel welcome and confident in my learning.

Anissa Ward

If I had one word for my experience in this program it would be: metamorphic. I learned many facts, information, and simply knowledge about business management in this program. In addition, this program also is a way to create lasting bonds with other individuals in your age group, especially with those who have similar interests.

Daniela Gonzalez

It was a great experience and very helpful. I got to meet great professors from UCSD.

Donny Chau

iOS Programming was a great course to take and I felt that I learned a lot through this. I was able to understand the basic knowledge and idea of how to code. Throughout this whole program, we created apps on Xcode and this was a genuinely enjoyable experience as we had to brainstorm how to write the code to make an app function.

Elisha Liu

During my sophomore year, participating in the UCSD business management course, I learned fundamental knowledge, and the team working activities were enjoyable especially through online.

Hector Avila

I had a slight interest in pursuing a business career and this program was useful in showing me some components of a job in business. It helped me refine my potential majors list for when I apply to colleges. I also found that my instructors were very friendly and I felt that they were really good at explaining things.

Kylie Staebler

This program was a great way to test the waters of the CAD world! The videos were very easy to follow and their asynchronous nature made it easy to accommodate the rest of my schooling simultaneously. The teacher was also available by email and was extremely good about responding to questions in a timely manner.

Nayeli M.

The courses were easily accessible in location and for its materials which were provided by the YMCA at the time luckily. The professor was really nice and made the lectures very interesting. I was in high school so having my course later in the day helped. I gained 9 pre-college units after high school hours. I really enjoyed and loved this program.

Nick Ivey

The AutoCAD program was great. The instructor went through the examples and explained every step clearly. It was very helpful that I could stop and replay the lectures over and over to really understand everything.

Yusuf Morsi

These programs gave me a lot of knowledge in iOS and front-end web development, which I believe helped pave my way into software. At the time I started the programs, I was in high school, and wasn't sure of the career path I wanted to pursue, but after taking the FUTURES courses, I knew that I wanted to pursue a major involving software.