UC Berkeley Extension is the continuing education branch of the University of California, Berkeley. Extension provides professional and personal enrichment in the classroom and online for adults in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. In addition to more than 1,500 courses per year, UC Berkeley Extension offers more than 75 professional certificates and specialized programs of study. Most courses, certificates and programs are open to the general public, with no formal admissions process. Prospective students can learn more about Extension through free information sessions and public lecture series held throughout the year.