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Enroll in most Fall 2009 courses through

Open University!

• Admission to CSULB notrequired

• Enroll on a “space available”basis

• Earn academic credit• Update your professional

training

Fall semester beginsMonday, August 31.

Call for more information:(800) 963-2250www.ccpe.csulb.edu

Reach Higher

Your Access to…

California State University, Long BeachCollege of Continuing and Professional Education

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It doesn’t take a viticulturist to know that the U.S. job market has soured on the vine. With national unemployment figures ris-ing to 9.5% in June and California unem-

ployment figures soaring even higher, you may think that the only thing a viticulturist can do is suggest a nice merlot to take the edge off.

But before you go looking for the solution toyour professional woes at the bottom of a bottle of vino, consider this: There’s never been a better time to look at all those career paths not taken. Infact, with the right education, you could find your calling in a career you never knew was within reach — anything from viticulture to bioethetics to theage-old art known as carpentry.

Here are seven outside-the-box academicprograms throughout Southern California that

could be the ideal way to come out on top of this economic downturn.

BioethicsLoyola Marymount University,

Los Angeles

Programs: Graduate certificate program,master of arts or 10-week survey courseFall courses begin: Aug. 31Cost: $886 a unit for the graduate program

Bioethics is the study of the moral dimensionof the life sciences and healthcare. (Think: the conscience of scientific innovation.)

Loyola Marymount’s bioethics program takesa closer look at such critical issues through the prism of the Roman Catholic philosophical andtheological tradition.

Out-of-the-Box DegreesThis fall, seven degrees separate you fromthe dream job you didn’t know existedBy John Hobbs Special Advertising Sections Writer

Los Angeles Trade Technical College offers degrees in carpentry at $20 a unit.

See SEVEN DEGREES page 20

In addition to a master of arts program, which takes two to three years to complete, the institute offers a graduate certificate program, which can be finished in a year, and a 10-week survey course for healthcare and legal professionals.

With evening-only classes taught by clinical bioethicists from hospitals across Los Angeles and Orange County and the availability of fi-nancial aid (for the master’s program only), this program is ideal for the 9-to-5 set.

For more information, go to www.lmu.edu/bioethics.

CarpentryLos Angeles Trade Technical College,

Los Angeles

Programs: Associate of science,associate of artsFall courses begin: Aug. 31Cost: $20 a unit for California residents

Build a new career with your own two handswith a carpentry associate of science or a carpen-try construction technologies associate of artsdegree at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

“The ideal student is one who likes to putthings together and to see the results of [his]labor,” said Thomas Vessella, instructor and ap-prenticeship coordinator for the college. “There

are places for both the detail-oriented individualto the more get-it-done types.”

Topics covered in the two-semester-long pro-gram include hand and power tool skills, concreteforming, estimation and blueprint reading, finish-ing and residential construction.

Don’t forget your hard hat: the day courseoffers plenty of opportunities for hands-on ex-perience.

For more information, go to www.lattc.edu.

Crime Scene InvestigationUC Riverside Extension, Riverside

Programs: UC certificate programFall courses begin: Sept. 11Cost: $395 to $649 per class

Go behind the yellow police tape with a cer-tificate from UC Riverside Extension in crime scene investigation. The program — which is offered in a year-long format or a four-week intensive format during the summer — preparesstudents to enter the field as an entry-level ortrainee CSI.

Most students are working professionalsseeking to expand their skill sets. Classes include crime scene photography, crime investigative analysis, fingerprint techniques and impression

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SEVEN DEGREES Continued from page 17

evidence, and forensic entomology. Aside from a cast-iron stomach to handle grue-

some crime scenes, there are no prerequisites forthe certificate program. Night and weekend classesare available for aspiring CSIs who work a tradi-tional schedule during the week.

Investigate further at www.extension.ucr.edu.

Game Art and DesignThe Art Institutes of California, various So-Cal locations

Programs: Bachelor of scienceFall courses begin: Oct. 5Cost: $8,048 a quarter or $503 per credit hour

“Game Wizards is our most exciting class. Students pitch game ideas to each other, theyvote on which idea would make the best game and then that game is worked on collectively bythe class for close to nine months,” said NicholasMarks, academic department chair for game artand design at the Art Institutes of California.“Students end the class with a finished product that they can then use in their portfolio.”

But don’t think that any video game geek with calloused thumbs can get into this program.

“Students have to be creative, be good at artand love to draw,” said Marks.

Students must also meet the Art Institutes’general admission requirements, have earned a cu-mulative high school grade point average of 2.5 and submit a portfolio of their original work for review.

Twelve quarters later, burgeoning artists leavethe institute with a bachelor of science degree and a professional art portfolio in hand, which have helped past alumni land such creative positions as environment artist, character artist, animator, level designer and game designer.

Financial aid is available, but there are no weekend or night courses.

Learn more at www.artinstitutes.com.

GemologyGemological Institute of America, CarlsbadPrograms: Diploma and certificate Fall courses begin: Depends on the program.Because classes fill up quickly, students are encouraged to sign up two to three months in advance. Online students can begin their courseafter receiving study materials.Cost: Ranges from $395 for the online programto $17,400 for a graduate gemologist degree

With a curriculum focused a little less on the traditional three Rs (reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic)and a little more on the four Cs (cut, clarity, color and carat weight), the Gemological Institute ofAmerica gives students interested in a career in gems and jewelry a chance to take their futures intotheir own hands, literally: The Graduate Gemolo-gist program requires its graduates to have 580hours of hands-on lab experience.

Other GIA curricula include a program in pearls, colored stones and jewelry design — allof which can be completed in 26 weeks or less if

students attend classes on campus.Though it takes longer, distance learners can

take advantage of GIA’s eLearning program that can be completed during nights and weekends forwannabe jewelers who work bankers’ hours.

“At GIA, students meet like-minded people and develop lifelong relationships with people they may work with someday,” said Donna Bak-er, GIA president and CEO of the school.

To sign up, go to www.gia.edu.

Homeland SecurityICDC College, various SoCal locationsPrograms: Vocational diploma program, as-sociate of occupational studies Courses begin: weeklyCost: For tuition and financial aid informa-tion, call 800.213.5229.

Think you’ve got what it takes to keep America safe from harm? Find out at ICDC College, which offers a certificate program and an associate’s degree in homeland security.

One of the few homeland security programs offered by a vocational institution, ICDC teaches students about disaster and emergencypreparedness, first-responder and hazardousmaterials, intelligence collection and analysis, and crime scene security and evidence collection.

The Graduate Gemologist program requires graduates to have 580 hours of hands-on lab experience.

See SEVEN DEGREES page 21

CUSTOM PUBLISHING

Executive VP and CMO, Targeted Media and Marketing JOHN T. O’LOUGHLIN

Director, Product Development ANNASTASIA STAFFORD

Senior Marketing Manager ANTONIO CUEVAS

Editor JAMIE WETHERBEArt Director JOY JACOB

Questions? Comments? Write to jamie.wetherbe@latimes.com.

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