Photography
UCSD Division of Extended Studies · La Jolla, CA
- Cost
- $5,975
- Length
- 45 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 60%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 100
- Finished the program
- 100%Based on 27 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 60%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
No regional figures for this program's city
La Jolla is not one of the metropolitan or rural areas California names when it publishes wages and openings. A neighbouring area's figures would look exactly like a correct answer, so none are shown and the statewide figures stand alone. About half of California's programs are in this position.
Art Directors
Job ads may call this: Art Director · Art Supervisor · Design Director · Creative Manager
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
- Present final layouts to clients for approval.
- Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
- Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
- Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
- Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
- Typical pay in California
- $141,637per year
- Projected openings
- 30,370
- Projected change
- +5.5%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- 5 years or more in a related job
- Training after you are hired
- None
Most people hired for this job have already spent 5 years or more in a related one. Finishing this program may not be enough on its own. Ask the provider who hires their graduates, and what those people did before.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 42% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 44% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 3%
- High school diploma
- 15%
- Started college, no degree
- 17%
- Two-year degree
- 9%
- Four-year degree
- 42%
- Master's degree
- 13%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 2%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Graphic Designers
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Artist · Designer · Brand Designer · Graphic Artist
- Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
- Review final layouts and suggest improvements, as needed.
- Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
- Use computer software to generate new images.
- Prepare digital files for printing.
- Typical pay in California
- $77,233per year
- Projected openings
- 24,970
- Projected change
- +1.2%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 60% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 30% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 1%
- High school diploma
- 5%
- Started college, no degree
- 13%
- Two-year degree
- 12%
- Four-year degree
- 60%
- Master's degree
- 9%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 1%
Photographers
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Photo Editor · Photographer · Photojournalist · Sports Photographer
- Adjust apertures, shutter speeds, and camera focus according to a combination of factors, such as lighting, field depth, subject motion, film type, and film speed.
- Create artificial light, using flashes and reflectors.
- Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
- Transfer photographs to computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Use traditional or digital cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments.
- Take pictures of individuals, families, and small groups, either in studio or on location.
- Manipulate and enhance scanned or digital images to create desired effects, using computers and specialized software.
- Test equipment prior to use to ensure that it is in good working order.
- Typical pay in California
- $49,179per year
- Projected openings
- 21,270
- Projected change
- +6.4%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- 1 to 12 months
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 43% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 3% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 3%
- High school diploma
- 11%
- Started college, no degree
- 22%
- Two-year degree
- 12%
- Four-year degree
- 43%
- Master's degree
- 9%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 1%
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
The Professional Certificate in Photography offers concentrated study in the photographic arts and is designed for the novice and the intermediate photographer alike.Develop a Comprehensive Photography Portfolio as you Enhance your Creative and Technical Photographic Skills.This program will help you develop solid photography skills including an understanding of the aesthetic and technical processes essential to the field. You may choose an area of concentration and enroll in the electives that meet your personal interests and career goals.Throughout this program, you will improve your ability to observe, find innovative solutions, and express your individual creativity. The final product of your journey is a portfolio of finished photographs.This Program is Designed For: Novice photographers with little or no photography background.Intermediate-level photographers who want to diversity their portfolios.Individuals with a burgeoning career in photography who want to specialize and concentrate in an area of focus and help guide career advancement.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 14.3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 16.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 19.1 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →