Interview mit der UC Davis Extension

COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Please tell us a little bit about UC Davis – what kind of university it is and what is its reputation within the US?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: The University of California at Davis (UCD) is part of the University of California family. It is useful to describe first the University of California and then its campus in Davis.

The University of California, recognized worldwide for its academic distinction, includes more than 220,000 students, 180,000 faculty and staff, and a $19 billion annual budget at its 10 campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. UC's five medical centers support the clinical teaching programs of the university's medical and health sciences schools and handle more than three million patient visits each year. The university offers programs in more than 150 disciplines, many of which are ranked among the top 10 nationally, and for the last 14 years has generated more patents than any other university in the nation. In addition to managing the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, the UC system is also involved in managing DOE national laboratories at Livermore and Los Alamos, New Mexico. For more information on the University of California, visit: www.universityofcalifornia.edu.

UC Davis, a top-ranked public research university, is located in Northern California about halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe region. Davis is a sophisticated yet small and safe university town known for its environmental consciousness and use of bicycles. Davis is within easy driving distance to the California coast, the Napa Valley wine regions, Sacramento (the state capital), and the California Gold Country, where gold was discovered in 1848.

UC Davis has more than 30,000 students and stretches over 2,000 hectares. A comprehensive university with more than 100 majors, it consists of schools, colleges and divisions of Letters and Science, Engineering, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Law, Management, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Ranked as one of the top 10 public research institutions in the country, UC Davis supports numerous laboratories and off-site facilities throughout the state. Its faculty is recognized worldwide for distinguished scholarly and scientific achievements. Students come from all over the United States and from countries throughout the world. The University of California, Davis, is one of the most distinguished universities in the United States.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What subject areas is UC Davis especially known for?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: UC Davis is especially known for its School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Medicine, and College of Engineering, as well as its Viticulture and Enology Department and Agriculture, Biological and Environmental Sciences. The Law School and the Graduate School of Management are also well-known.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What is UC Davis Extension and what is its role within the university?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: With a strong commitment to fostering lifelong learning, UC Davis Extension (UCDE) is the professional and continuing education provider for the University of California, Davis. In addition to its Intenational English and Professional Programs, UCDE also draws international participants to many of its more unique public courses, such as law, agriculture, IT, business management, viticulture and brewing.

The International English and Professional Programs at UC Davis Extension on the campus of the University of California, Davis, offer a number of opportunities for international participants to connect to this top-ranked research university.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Where in the city is UC Davis located and what does the campus have to offer?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: The campus is located to the South and West of downtown Davis. It offers all the amenities a major campus has to offer. In addition to its academic and research activities, the university boasts excellent sports facilities and a variety of student organizations and clubs creating an active and engaging student life. In fact, UC Davis has been ranked 14 out of 660 colleges in the country for fostering a healthy, "fit" lifestyle.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: We would like to learn more about the ‘Bridge Program’ – can you please give us a short overview as to what this program is about?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: The Bridge Program is an eleven-week academic study program offering the opportunity for international students to enroll in undergraduate courses at the University. Bridge students earn credits that can be applied to degree requirements at universities around the world. The academic schedule is the same as on campus: ten weeks of class followed by one week of exams. For dates, tuition and more info, please go to: http://extension.ucdavis.edu/unit/international_english/bridge.asp


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Who can apply?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: The Bridge Program is designed to meet the needs of university-level students and professionals from around the world who have strong English language skills, excellent academic preparation and who wish to take courses in their academic fields of specialization. Students must test and place into our advanced levels or have the minimum TOEFL requirement of 550 PBT (79 iBT, 6.5 IELTS) to qualify for taking campus classes.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Do students have to submit an official English language test score (TOEFL or IELTS) along with their application or can they also take a placement test upon arrival in Davis? What if they do not reach the required score?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: It is not necessary to submit the TOEFL or IELTS score as all of our students need to take our placement tests. These tests will determine if students can take campus classes. If they do not place into our advanced levels, they will be advised to take the the Intensive English Program as part of the Bridge Program.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What kind of courses can students choose from when they are participating in the ‘Bridge Program’? Are all subject areas and levels open to them or are there certain limitations?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: Students testing at the advanced level are given individual counselling on how to construct a program that best suits their needs and academic background. They have a choice of course offerings in nearly all of the colleges and departments of the university, as well as all courses offered at UCDE. As with all UCD students, enrolment in any course is on a space-available basis.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: How do students enrol in their classes – can they register online before they arrive or do they have to do this in person once they are on campus?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: They will do it in person with the guidance of our Academic Advisor.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: How difficult is it for students to get into the courses that they would like to take – provided that they meet the prerequisites? (Many German students have to discuss their course selection with their home university prior to their study abroad term in order to ensure that they will receive transfer credit once they are back in Germany, so it might be difficult for them to change their course selection later on because they would have to go through the approval process for their new selection again.)

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: It is not difficult to get into the selected courses if they are not full. To avoid problems, it is advisable to select a multitude of accepted courses.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Where can international students live while they are enrolled in the ‘Bridge Program’? What are the typical costs for accommodation and living expenses in Davis per month?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: International students have many choices regarding housing. They can live in homes with American families (Homestay), they can live in the campus dorms (only during summer quarters), they can rent a room or an apartment on their own or with other students. For further details, please visit this link: http://extension.ucdavis.edu/unit/international_english/housing.asp


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: What kind of activities and services does UC Davis Extension – International English and Professional Programs offer to international students?

GREGORY ZEBOUNI: We provide a wide variety of daily social activities for our students, allowing them to become better acquainted with their fellow classmates including: ice cream socials, arts and crafts, conversation groups, sports, games and tournaments, cultural potlucks and dances, movie and book discussion groups, and many more.

We also organize trips. Our optional day and overnight trips add to the overall California experience. The time spent away from campus provides students with a more complete view of American life and culture. Trips include: hiking and observation of nature in Yosemite National Park, visiting and learning about California history in Sacramento, the state’s capital, discovering the diversity of American culture in San Francisco, experiencing Disneyland and Universal Studios in Los Angeles, tasting world-famous California wines in the beautiful Napa Valley, showing off athletic abilities while skiing and snowboarding at Lake Tahoe, screaming on the roller-coasters at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, rooting for your favourite team at an exciting Sacramento Kings NBA basketball game or a San Francisco Giants baseball game, standing in awe of the majestic Grand Canyon, walking the famous Las Vegas strip.


COLLEGE-CONTACT.COM: Thank you for the interview, Mr. Zebouni!