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Welcome to the CULA Website!  

Since 1974 CULA has been a leader in providing quality off-campus educational programs for mature, older adults who were seeking higher educational opportunities that took into consideration their needs for "less time and more options," for courses that could be taken without the demand to have to be present or to sit in a classroom setting.  In the early days, it was called "off-campus" studies.  Some referred to this newer option as 'distance learning,' 'universities-without-walls,' and even 'guided, independent studies.'  CULA was among the first institutions to offer 'alternative higher education' that helped competent individuals earn degrees that matched their skills.

If you are a "visitor" to the CULA website, I trust you will find what you are looking for in alternative higher education.  We appreciate your interest and look forward to assisting you in achieving your educational and/or career objective/s.  In this day of Economic Stimulus and Bailout Packages, here are at least four ways CULA can help:

 1.  CULA will give scholarship assistance to as many needed students as it can, while assisting less needed students in meeting their academic and financial requirements.

2.  CULA will give a 25% TUITION DISCOUNT to each accepted student enrolling in a "Cluster Program" (4 or more individuals applying together and matriculating as a self-contained group).

3.  CULA will accept a PAY-AS-YOU-GO arrangement whereby a Bachelor student pays as little as  $200 per month of enrollment; a Master student $300 per month; and a Doctoral student as little as $400 per month.  In a 'Minimum Program,' Bachelor students pay $121 per unit of credit; Master students pay $546 and Doctoral students pay $213 per quarter unit of credit.  These fees are "below market" and are mailed in with the course work for which the student seeks earned credit.

4.  CULA will also consider--and evaluate--a complete Proposal from a candidate, for both the amount of Annual Tuition to pay, and the amount of course work to meet the balance of degree level requirements.  CULA requires the normal number of credits at each degree level--no more, no less.  For example, most schools require 180/120 quarter or semester credits to earn a bachelor degree.  So, if you come to CULA with 93 acceptable credits, CULA subtracts 93 from the 180, and you need only complete 87 to satisfy traditional bachelor-level academic credit requirements.  You may earn up to 45 credits in a calendar year.  Questions?  Call us.

5.  CULA will partner with non-degree-granting, specialty training schools and programs to add an appropriate degree option to interested students who qualify for an academic program which can be completed through its world-famous distance education model. 

For any questions about the above, call Dr. Andy Lee, Director of Admissions at 310-347-5205.  And, thank you, again for your visit.  Perhaps I will get to know you as a student of CULA! 

Note:  A Brief History

On January 20, 2009 Barack Hussein Obama took the Oath of Office as President of the United States of America, the 44th President and the first African American to sit on the most powerful 'throne' of government in the world.  His promise of being "the change the world needs," is echoed in his call for developing and sharpening employment skills of those who left high school and dropped out of college.  These "schollege" candidates are needed by our country to manage our infrastructure and sure up and maintain our competitive edge in this global economy. 

The needs of our country must be met as top priority, whether or not young women and young men can afford to pay tuition.  CULA supports President Obama's call for inclusiveness--in education as well as in all areas of national and human endeavor.  Support for indepth across-the-board skills training and acadmic development is reflected in the following brief history of CULA.

In 1970, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education published a then 'startling' report which caught the education community totally unprepared. First viewed with considerable skepticism, the Commission's report was much discussed and reluctantly implemented. It became known for its now famous admonition colleges and universities should provide mature adults with "less time and more options" to finish appropriate degree requirements.

In 1973, President Ewald B. Nyquist of the University of the State of New York said: "There are thousands of people...who contribute in important ways to the life of the communities in which they live, even though they do not have a college degree."

At the urging of worldwide alumni, faculty, trustees, administrators, supporters and friends, CULA welcomed invitations to provide educational services in various states and sovereignties, while implementing more global options for competent adults to complete "home study" and part-time course work for an appropriate degree through "distance education," and "guided independent study" and research.

CULA more vigorously imposed its admissions criteria, and 'discouraged the proliferation of Ph.D. degrees by requiring a doctoral committee approval, and advising potential applicants of the "Oral Defense," requiring candidates to appear in person at their own expense to defend their dissertations, at the option of the Doctoral Committee. This requirement was waived for non-research or non-scholarly degree programs.

CULA has entered the "Information Super Highway" making accessible to our members the benefits of new ' technology.'  New students are able to enroll through the Internet and enrolled students have the option of communicating with their instructors and with the University via email.

Candidates are invited to apply who meet these essential criteria: (1) they are academically qualified for the degree program they apply for; (2) they can achieve reasonable personal and/or career objectives through a distance education program; (3) they can comfortably manage the Annual Tuition in U.S. dollars, set for the program for which they seek admission; and (4) they can demonstrate a satisfactory propensity for 'guided, independent research and study.'

Students with special skills and unique talents seem to find their way to "the doors of CULA."  It is to their credit are able to sense this school's dedication to scholarship, and its tenacious support of individual talent, direction, and declared focus whatever the area of specialization!

And, for those who want "to receive recognition for experience," three types of Certificate Programs are offered to qualified candidates. And, those with 90 semester or 135 quarter credits may still qualify to take the 14-hour, 3-day Bachelor's Challenge Exam/tm pioneered by this school in 1976 to accommodate qualifying adults with many earned credits but no degree.

Employers and others are encouraged to take heed of a State of California warning: "Because accreditation is granted by a private, non-governmental body, requiring candidates for professional licensure to obtain education from an accredited institution as a prerequisite for licensure may be a denial of the candidates' constitutional rights."

 CULA welcomes applications from qualified adults, enrolling from any place in the world, and are able to achieve personal or career objectives through custom-designed programs of study which are completed through 'distance education' and guided independent study that do not require the physical presence of students with mentors or at the school itself.

CULA faculty are well respected in their fields and provide expert and professional guidance for students whose programs and degrees often are encouraged, paid for and appreciated by employers both from the private and the public sectors.

During 2008, as CULA celebrates its 34th year of providing viable higher education options to "accomplished individuals worldwide," we hope you will celebrate with us by beginning, if not completing, your personal degree objective.  Remember, you must start in order to finish.

Thank you for considering our school to finish your bachelor, non-bar law or graduate degree. And, remember this: there are two groups of university graduates in the world - those who hold CULA degrees, and those who do NOT!  We want you to be one who does....

Yours for more training and higher education opportunities, 

 Henry L. N. Anderson, LL.D., L.H.D., Ph.D., D.D., Th.D.
            B.S.Ed. - Cheyney University of Pennsylvania ('57)
            M.A.R. - Yale University, New Haven, CT ('73)
            Ed.D. - University of California, Los Angeles ('72)