phd programs at berkeley

• Skip to Content
• Berkeley Academic Guide Home
• Institution Home

Berkeley Berkeley Academic Guide: Academic Guide 2023-24

Graduate education.

Graduate education embraces study for all degrees and certificates beyond the bachelor's degree — principally, the master's and doctoral degrees. Graduate degrees fall into two broad categories:

Academic: Degrees awarded in recognition of a student’s command of a wide range of subject matter and research methodologies within an academic field, and, at the doctoral level, generation of original research leading to a significant contribution to a field of study. 

Professional: Degrees awarded in recognition of a student’s command of a comprehensive body of professional knowledge and demonstrated ability to organize and carry out investigation of significant problems in the field. These degrees are offered largely by the professional schools, although some academic departments also offer professional degrees.

Graduate study aims to inspire independence and originality of thought in the pursuit of knowledge and new insights. Graduate students are expected to achieve mastery of their chosen field through independent study and research as well as advanced course work. Graduate courses demand a capacity for critical analysis and a specialization of research interests beyond the expectations for an undergraduate major. Course offerings include:

Advanced lecture courses

Seminars in which faculty and students critically examine specific problems within the subject field

Independent study or reading courses

Research projects conducted under faculty supervision

For a complete list of doctoral and master's degrees offered at UC Berkeley, and links to the programs offering them, see the  Graduate Division website .

Interdisciplinary Graduate Degrees: Graduate Groups

Berkeley offers graduate programs in a number of fields that constitute distinct cores of knowledge while cutting across traditional departmental lines. These officially approved Graduate Groups are administered by faculty from several related departments (and include faculty from another campus, if it is a joint degree). 

Individual ( Ad Hoc ) Doctoral Programs

If students wish to pursue a field of study outside the disciplinary parameters of an academic department or an interdisciplinary graduate group, they may establish an ad hoc interdisciplinary PhD program, subject to Graduate Council approval. To be considered for an interdisciplinary program, students must have completed at least two semesters of graduate study in a doctoral program on this campus and have shown superior academic performance in their graduate studies here. To apply for an individual major, students prepare a proposal for a course of study under the sponsorship of five faculty members. Final approval of each graduate program and admission of each student into such a program must be granted by the Graduate Council. Interdisciplinary students must complete degree requirements in accordance with Plan A of the Graduate Council policies, and the degree is awarded in the field approved. For more information, see the  Graduate Division website .

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Minors: The Designated Emphasis

Berkeley offers a variety of interdisciplinary minors for PhD students. A Designated Emphasis is defined as an area of study constituting a new method of inquiry or an important field of application relevant to two or more existing doctoral degree programs. It is administered by participating faculty in an approved Graduate Group. Students are required to complete the academic work in the Designated Emphasis in addition to all the requirements of their PhD program. Students must apply to a DE before taking the qualifying examination, as they must have completed required course work and have faculty representation from the DE on their qualifying examination committee as well as their dissertation committee. The DE is shown on the diploma and transcript. For more information, contact the DE graduate group of interest.

DE graduate programs offered:

• Cognitive Science
• Computational and Data Science and Engineering
• Computational and Genomic Biology
• Computational Precision Health
• Critical Theory
• Development Engineering
• Dutch Studies
• Energy Science and Technology
• European Studies
• Film Studies
• Global Metropolitan Studies

Indigenous Language Revitalization

• Jewish Studies
• Political Economy
• Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
• Science and Technology Studies

Sociology of Organizations and Markets

Study of Religion

• Women, Gender and Sexuality

Applying for Graduate Admission

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. A complete list of graduate academic departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Schools with Separate Applications: Haas Business (opens in a new tab) , Berkeley Law, (opens in a new tab), Optometry OD,  (opens in a new tab), Information Data Science MIDS, (opens in a new tab), and Cyber Security MICS (opens in a new tab) applicants should apply through their respective schools.

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page . It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here .

For commonly asked questions, please refer to the Graduate Division’s Admissions FAQ page or email [email protected].

Degree Requirements

The master's degree.

A partial description of basic Master’s degree requirements follows. For complete and up-to-date information, refer to the  Guide to Graduate Policy .

Academic Residence Requirement

A minimum of two semesters of academic residence is required for the master's degree. Academic residence is defined as enrollment in at least four units in 100-200 series courses, but enrollment in 12 units per semester is required for all degree programs, except for part-time self-supporting degree programs.

Transfer of Credit

A maximum of four semester or six quarter units completed in graduate status at an institution outside the University of California system may be transferable if: 

• The units were not required for the completion of a previous degree.
• The units involved are equivalent to work normally offered within the current program of study and were completed previously in graduate status at an institution of high standing.
• The grade recorded was at least a B; and
• An overall scholastic record of at least a 3.3 GPA was maintained at both the original institution and at Berkeley.

Note:  The units transferred cannot be used to reduce the minimum required in the 200-series courses or the minimum residence requirement.

Concurrent Enrollment—UC Berkeley Extension

Courses taken concurrently through UC Berkeley Extension but held on the Berkeley campus under the instruction of a regular member of the Berkeley faculty are not applicable toward a Berkeley master's degree unless they have the "XB" designation. These courses are intended to provide Extension students with an opportunity to take courses that would not ordinarily be available to them. Concurrent enrollment cannot replace normal registration by Berkeley graduate students, nor may it be used to accumulate credit toward a Berkeley degree by an individual not formally admitted to graduate standing at Berkeley.

Master's Degree Plans

A student working toward a master’s degree on the Berkeley campus must complete one of two plans, as authorized for the program. Many programs require more units than the minimums listed below.

• Plan I  requires a minimum of 20 semester units of upper division and graduate courses and a thesis. At least 8 of these units must be in graduate courses (200 series) in the major subject. Course units are not granted for the thesis. A degree program may require more than the minimum of 20 units. If the degree requires more than the 20-unit minimum, 40% of the unit total must be 200-level course work.
• Plan II  requires a minimum of 24 semester units of upper division and graduate courses, followed by a comprehensive final examination administered by the school, department, or group. At least 12 of the units must be in graduate courses (200 series) in the major subject. Degree programs may require more than the 24-unit minimum. If the degree requires more than 24 units, half of the unit total must be 200-level course work.

Advancement to Candidacy: Master's Plan I

All students under Master’s Plan I who plan to file a thesis are required to submit an approved advancement to Candidacy application no later than the end of the fifth week of the semester in which the degree will be awarded. Students must be advanced to candidacy to be eligible to receive their degree.  The Advancement to Master’s Candidacy form is available from the  Graduate Division website . The application must be approved by the program's head graduate advisor. Students should consult their advisors as early as possible about constituting their thesis committee. 

The Master's Thesis

A student who follows Plan I, described above, must submit a thesis according to the Library-designated format described in Thesis Writing and Filing Guidelines . For filing deadlines, refer to the Graduate Division website .

The thesis explicates results obtained in an original investigation of a problem. The problem in question is limited in scope; however, the thesis should be comparable to a doctoral dissertation in style and organization.

A student must submit the thesis to a committee of three Academic Senate faculty appointed by the Graduate Division, one of whom may be chosen from a department other than that of the major subject. A student must confer with all members of the committee before beginning the thesis. If it involves use of human subjects or animals, see that subsection below. The Graduate Division will not accept a thesis that involves human or animal subjects without official evidence of an approved protocol number from the appropriate committee.

Use of Human Subjects or Animal Subjects

If the research for a master’s thesis involves the use of human subjects, the student is required to have an approved protocol from the  Committee for Protection of Human Subjects  before beginning any research. Students using human subjects also must complete the “Course in the Protection of Human Subjects” (referred to as the CITI course), which is available online at  citiprogram.org , and print out the certificate of completion. The certificate of completion must be submitted with the advancement form.

Students whose research projects involve the proposed use of live vertebrate animals must contact the Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) before the initiation of research and, if so advised by the ACUC: (1) The faculty member who is supervising the research must obtain ACUC approval prior to any proposed use of live vertebrate animals; and (2) The student must ask the ACUC to inform the Graduate Division of the advisor’s approved Master Animal Use Protocol number within six months of the advancement to candidacy date.

The Doctoral Degree

The doctoral degree is awarded in recognition of a student’s knowledge of a broad field of learning and for distinguished accomplishment in that field through an original contribution of significant knowledge and ideas that demonstrates high critical ability.

Basic requirements for the doctoral degree are described in the sections below. However, consult with the individual program to verify all its program requirements, in particular what courses must be undertaken. For complete and up-to-date information on specific topics, refer to the  Guide to Graduate Policy .

A minimum of two years or four semesters of academic residence is required for the PhD degree. For a joint doctoral degree, a minimum of one year of academic residence is required at each campus.

Foreign Language Requirement

Programs may have a foreign language requirement to ensure that students have the ability to acquire wide knowledge in the field of study and to monitor developments in the field in a language other than English. Students are urged to complete the foreign language requirement early in their graduate career. Students must fulfill the foreign language requirement before admission to the qualifying examination and advancement to candidacy. Prospective students are urged to inquire about the foreign language requirement as soon as possible and, if possible, to fulfill it while still an undergraduate. In some graduate programs, applicants for admission must have satisfied the foreign language requirement before applying.

Qualifying Examinations

To be admitted to doctoral candidacy, a student must pass an oral qualifying examination administered by a four- or five-member committee approved by the Graduate Division on behalf of the Academic Senate’s Graduate Council. The student must be registered in the semester in which the examination is taken. To be eligible to apply to take the qualifying exam, any previous deficiencies in training must be addressed or removed, including incomplete grades in courses required by the graduate adviser for the program. A student must have at least a B average in all coursework undertaken in graduate status and must have fulfilled any language requirement(s).

Some programs have performance standards that are higher than the minimum B average required by the Graduate Division. Some may also require passage of preliminary examinations before a student is eligible to apply for the qualifying examination.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student must have completed all doctoral degree requirements except the dissertation before becoming advanced to candidacy. As soon as possible after passing the qualifying examination, a student must submit an approved Advancement to Candidacy petition, available on the  Graduate Division website . It must be endorsed by the head graduate advisor and dissertation chair. Payment of a fee is required when filing the application, and students must have completed all doctoral degree requirements except the dissertation before they may be advanced to candidacy.

Advancement to Candidacy and Reduced Nonresident Supplemental Tuition

For nonresident graduate students who have been advanced to candidacy for the doctorate, nonresident supplemental tuition (NRST) is reduced by 100 percent, for a maximum calendar period of three years. All such students who continue to be enrolled or who re-enroll after the three-year period will be charged the full nonresident supplemental tuition rate that is in effect at that time.

Satisfactory Academic Progress and Normative Time

Normative time is the elapsed time (calculated to the nearest semester) recommended by program faculty and approved by the Graduate Council that students need to make satisfactory progress in completing requirements for the doctorate. Normative time has two components:

Time from the beginning of the student’s graduate work to advancement to doctoral candidacy; and

Time in candidacy until the dissertation is filed. Graduate programs have total normative times ranging from five to seven years (10 to 14 semesters). In order for a student to be considered in good standing, the student must be progressing within the normative time established for the program. The student is responsible for being aware of the program’s normative time standards.

Annual Review of Doctoral Candidates: the Doctoral Candidacy Review

The Graduate Council requires all doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy to meet annually with at least two members of their dissertation committees to discuss progress during the last year and to set goals for the next. Prior to the meeting, students complete the Doctoral Candidacy Review (DCR).The dissertation chair reads the student’s report, works with the student to schedule a progress meeting, and records the results in the DCR. For full information, see the  Graduate Division website .

The Doctoral Dissertation

The dissertation, the product of independent investigation under faculty supervision, is the capstone requirement for the doctoral program. The dissertation must be submitted to the committee in charge (see below) and must receive its approval. The dissertation must be filed according to  Graduate Division procedures . For filing deadlines see the  Graduate Division website . A student may work under one of two plans, as authorized for the degree program:

• Plan A:  On behalf of the Graduate Council, the Graduate Division appoints a committee of five Academic Senate members which determines whether a candidate has met the requirements for the degree. Three members of the committee, one of whom must be from a department other than that of the major subject, guide the student in research and judge the merits of the dissertation. The entire committee conducts a final oral examination dealing with the relationship between the dissertation and the general field of study in which the subject of the dissertation lies. Admission to the final oral examination may be restricted to the members of the committee, members of the Academic Senate, and guests of equivalent rank from other institutions.
• Plan B:  On behalf of the Graduate Council, the Graduate Division appoints a committee of three Academic Senate members, one of whom must be an Academic Senate member outside the unit administering the degree program. This committee may require any necessary conferences to elucidate the subject treated in the dissertation. After submission of the dissertation but before final action is taken upon it, the committee may, at its discretion, require the candidate to defend the dissertation in a formal oral examination.

After the student’s committee has approved the dissertation, the dissertation must be filed according to  Graduate Division Guidelines .

Programs using Plan A:  Buddhist Studies, Interdisciplinary Program, Logic and the Methodology of Science Programs using Plan B:  All other programs not listed above

More Information on Academic Policies and Procedures

For up-to-date and detailed information, see the  Graduate Division website  and the  Guide to Graduate Policy .

Academic Opportunities

Exchange programs.

Graduate students in good standing who are not enrolled in self-supporting professional degree programs may participate in several campus exchange programs. These programs enable them to take advantage of research facilities, courses, and faculty expertise that might not be available at Berkeley. Applications and further information on all of the programs are available from the department’s Graduate Degrees Adviser in the  Graduate Degrees Office or the Guide to Graduate Policy .

Berkeley students will not automatically receive credit for courses taken at schools that are not part of the University of California system. For information on transferring credit; see the  Degree Requirements tab .

University of California Intercampus Exchange Program for Graduate Students

This program allows students to study at any of the other UC campuses. This opportunity is available to graduate students who would like to associate with fields of study not available on the home campus, or who seek the use of special facilities and collections. This opportunity will be granted where there is evidence of serious and high-quality scholarship.

The Berkeley registration fee entitles students to library, health service, and other services at the host campus. Students who participate in the intercampus exchange program can receive credit for courses they take at the host campus. Students in self-supporting programs at Berkeley cannot enroll in state-supported courses at another UC.

To be eligible for the Intercampus Exchange Program, a student must be registered at Berkeley by the semester deadline and have the approval of the Head Graduate Adviser, the Chair of the host department, and the Dean of the Graduate Division (or equivalent title) at both Berkeley and the host campus. Students must apply for this program at least three weeks before the beginning of the term of enrollment at the host campus (all other UC campuses except Merced are on the quarter system). Applications are available on the Graduate Division website . Students should make personal arrangements with faculty members on both campuses to ensure that the courses, seminars, and facilities will be available to them.

Stanford-California Exchange Program

Students may participate in this program if they want to take courses that are not offered at Berkeley. Their participation must be approved by the Graduate Division, their departments, and Stanford University. Students are not usually allowed to participate in the Stanford program until they have completed a year of graduate study at Berkeley. Participants register and pay the applicable fees at Berkeley and are exempt from tuition and fees at Stanford. Students who want to apply for this program must enroll in at least one course at Berkeley.

Exchange Scholar Program

This program permits doctoral students from Berkeley, Brown, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale to study at one of the other participating universities. Berkeley registration entitles students to student privileges at the host campus for up to a year. Students are not usually eligible for this program until they have completed one year in a Berkeley graduate degree program. Students who wish to enter this program should review this form and familiarize themselves with its “Terms and Conditions” statement on page nine, which provides information on additional fees for which the student is responsible. For example, the host institution is responsible for assuring that hospitalization and health services are locally available. However, the host institution may charge the student additional fees for local health services.

Cross Registration Programs with Local Institutions

With the approval of the Graduate Division and the departments involved, students may attend any of the campuses of the California State University or the Community Colleges systems, as well as Dominican, Holy Names, Mills, and St. Mary’s Colleges, and John F. Kennedy University. Students may enroll for only one course per semester, and they must register and pay applicable fees at Berkeley. For more information, contact the Degrees Office .

Graduate Theological Union (GTU) Reciprocity Program

Students registered at either UC Berkeley or GTU may take courses at the other institution, subject to appropriate academic approvals. Contact your department’s  Graduate Degrees Office Adviser for information. 

Studying Abroad

Graduate students may be granted permission to study abroad. To be eligible, they must have completed at least one year in residence at Berkeley before departing for study abroad, and they must demonstrate appropriate language proficiency when required. Graduate students may be eligible to apply to most of the study centers under the University-wide Education Abroad Program (UCEAP). For more information, students should contact the program at 160 Stephens Hall, 510-642-1356, or consult Berkeley Study Abroad website Graduate students who study abroad must have the approval of their departments and the Graduate Division.

To avoid jeopardizing their immigration status, international students in F or J status intending to participate in any of the exchange programs described above must consult with an international student adviser at the Berkeley International Office (International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; 510-642-2818).

Teaching and Research Appointments

At Berkeley, graduate students can take advantage of employment in a teaching and/or research appointment.  At Berkeley, for teaching appointments we use the terms Teaching Assistants or  Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) interchangeably. Research Assistants are named Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs). 

Many programs hire qualified graduate students as GSIs, Readers and Tutors as well as GSRs. Students should contact the department for more information, refer to the Graduate Division’s Graduate Student Academic Appointments page and see the Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section of the Berkeley Guide.

Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA)

Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) is the central UC Berkeley unit for administrative guidance, support, and resources for postdoc scholars and the visiting researcher community. Supporting thousands of scholars and students each year, the VSPA plans, implements, and evaluates training, professional development, and wellness initiatives that add value to the UC Berkeley research experience. Established in 1994, the VSPA is one of the first postdoc offices in the nation, and the first within the University of California.

Appointments at UC Berkeley are contingent upon the interest and ability of a campus department or organized research unit (ORU) to accommodate the affiliate for the period of time desired. A postdoc, visiting scholar, or visiting student researcher appointment must be sponsored by a UC Berkeley faculty member and approved by the VSPA. 

Visiting scholars and visiting student researchers (but not postdoctoral appointees) are assessed an annual University Services Fee , which enables access to bConnected , University libraries , career and professional development, social, networking, and wellness programs, and other campus resources. 

Access to campus work space is dependent on the sponsoring unit.

For more information, visit the VSPA website .

Print Options

When you print this page, you are actually printing everything within the tabs on the page you are on: this may include all the Related Courses and Faculty, in addition to the Requirements or Overview. If you just want to print information on specific tabs, you're better off downloading a PDF of the page, opening it, and then selecting the pages you really want to print.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

UC Berkeley is a catalyst of economic growth and social innovation. It is the place where the Free Speech movement was born and a pivotal hotspot in the Disability Rights Movement, — and where they continue to influence and evolve through over 100 trail-blazing programs.

Berkeley scholars invent technologies for faster computer chips, engineer medicine for global diseases and discover planetary systems across the galaxies. New generations of Berkeley students and scholars cross disciplines to explore questions of culture and history, business and politics, global poverty and environmental change.

Berkeley graduate students become part of a prestigious community that boasts 110 Nobel laureates, 103 MacArthur Fellows, and 30 Pulitzer Prize winners among our alumni and faculty. You’ll learn from pioneers and innovators, be inspired by your peers, and make a difference through your research, teaching and social activism.

The National Research Council gives more of UC Berkeley’s graduate programs top ranks than it does any other U.S. university. Over the last decade, more Berkeley students have won National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships than students at any other school.

New students join an active, engaged graduate community of peers from 106 countries and all 50 U.S. states in a vibrant setting featuring historic architecture, redwood groves and sunny meadows. Recreational opportunities abound. Performances range from Yo-Yo Ma to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, while recent lectures have featured such influential thinkers and leaders as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Michael Pollan and Isabel Allende. Fans cheer on the Golden Bears football and basketball teams or join in club sports and activities, from rock climbing to windsurfing. San Francisco and Silicon Valley’s attractions are near and accessible via Bay Area Rapid Transit.

The core values of equity and inclusion underpin UC Berkeley’s academic excellence. Resources such as the Office for Graduate Diversity and the Disabled Students Program help offer equitable access and support for all students.

Graduate students can find a wealth of support programs through the Graduate Division, from the moment you consider graduate studies through the day you receive your degree and prepare to enter the job market. Support services include the Office for Graduate Diversity, Graduate Professional Development, Graduate Student Instructor Teaching and Resource Center, Graduate Student Life and many more. 

UC Berkeley is a catalyst of social innovation, economic growth and data science breakthroughs. UC Berkeley scholars invent technologies for faster computer chips, engineer medicine for global diseases and discover planetary systems across the galaxies. New generations of UC Berkeley students and scholars cross disciplines to explore questions of culture and history, business and politics, global poverty and environmental change. UC Berkeley consistently ranks among the top schools globally. 

Each year, Berkeley awards close to 800 doctoral degrees. Prominent doctoral and master’s alumni include Ghanaian university founder Patrick Awuah Jr., former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Google leader Eric Schmidt and Indiegogo founder Danae Ringelmann. In 2020, UC Berkeley celebrated the 150th anniversary of the UC Regents’ unanimous decision to admit women “on equal terms in all respects with young men.” Fiat Lux!

Office for Graduate Diversity

OGD (Office for Graduate Diversity) serves as a resource for the admissions process, academic support, financial advice, and professional development. It also provides a forum for ideas and programs designed to enhance the educational experience of underrepresented students, including those who are undocumented, first -generation college students, and those who are educationally and financially challenged. 

For over 45 years, UC Berkeley has been committed to encouraging and supporting underrepresented students on the Berkeley campus. The Office for Graduate Diversity was established to provide outreach, confidential advising, and mentoring support to students who seek to obtain graduate degrees at UC Berkeley.

Our Diversity Initiatives

In July 2020, Vice Provost Lisa García Bedolla and fellow Graduate Division staff convened a working group to meet with graduate students and hear their concerns and suggestions about increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at Cal. Using what we heard in that forum, together with what other students and departments have shared with us in the past and the recommendations of the Graduate Diversity Task Force, we worked to co-create a set of concrete initiatives, focused on areas within our purview, that would begin to address needs of graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds. 

We’ve met all the goals outlined in 2020, and have addressed some of the structural pipeline challenges to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body. But there is still much work to be done, and our division looks forward to continuing to partner with students and the rest of our campus community to make Cal a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion for graduate students.

Undergraduate research opportunities

Completing a research project before you apply to graduate school can help you become a competitive applicant. You don't have to be a UC Berkeley student to take advantage of the campus's programs. Learn more about research at the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships . 

Contact information

UC Berkeley Graduate Divsion Office   Graduate diversity contact [email protected] (510) 643-6010

Enrollment Profile

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Center for Computational Biology

Computational Biology PhD

The main objective of the Computational Biology PhD is to train the next generation of scientists who are both passionate about exploring the interface of computation and biology, and committed to functioning at a high level in both computational and biological fields.

The program emphasizes multidisciplinary competency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and transdisciplinary research, and offers an integrated and customizable curriculum that consists of two semesters of didactic course work tailored to each student’s background and interests, research rotations with faculty mentors spanning computational biology’s core disciplines, and dissertation research jointly supervised by computational and biological faculty mentors.

The Computational Biology Graduate Group facilitates student immersion into UC Berkeley’s vibrant computational biology research community. Currently, the Group includes over 46 faculty from across 14 departments of the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Natural Resources, and the School of Public Health. Many of these faculty are available as potential dissertation research advisors for Computational Biology PhD students, with more available for participation on doctoral committees.

The First Year

The time to degree (normative time) of the Computational Biology PhD is five years. The first year of the program emphasizes gaining competency in computational biology, the biological sciences, and the computational sciences (broadly construed). Since student backgrounds will vary widely, each student will work with faculty and student advisory committees to develop a program of study tailored to their background and interests. Specifically, all first-year students must:

• Perform three rotations with Core faculty (one rotation with a non-Core faculty is acceptable with advance approval)
• Complete course work requirements (see below)
• Complete a course in the Responsible Conduct of Research
• Attend the computational biology seminar series
• Complete experimental training (see below)

Laboratory Rotations

Entering students are required to complete three laboratory rotations during their first year in the program to seek out a Dissertation Advisor under whose supervision dissertation research will be conducted. Students should rotate with at least one computational Core faculty member and one experimental Core faculty member. Click here to view rotation policy. 

Course Work & Additional Requirements

Students must complete the following coursework in the first three (up to four) semesters. Courses must be taken for a grade and a grade of B or higher is required for a course to count towards degree progress:

• Fall and Spring semester of CMPBIO 293, Doctoral Seminar in Computational Biology
• A Responsible Conduct of Research course, most likely through the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology.
• STAT 201A & STAT 201B : Intro to Probability and Statistics at an Advanced Level. Note: Students who are offered admission and are not prepared to complete STAT 201A and 201B will be required to complete STAT 134 or PH 142 first.
• CS61A : The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. Note: students with the equivalent background can replace this requirement with a more advanced CS course of their choosing.
• 3 elective courses relevant to the field of Computational Biology , one of which must be at the graduate level (see below for details).
• Attend the computational biology invited speaker seminar series. A schedule is circulated to all students by email and is available on the Center website. Starting with the 2023 entering class, CCB PhD students must enroll in CMPBIO 275: Computational Biology Seminar , which provides credit for this seminar series.
• 1) completion of a laboratory course at Berkeley with a minimum grade of B,
• 2) completion of a rotation in an experimental lab (w/ an experimental project), with a positive evaluation from the PI,
• a biological sciences undergraduate major with at least two upper division laboratory-based courses,
• a semester or equivalent of supervised undergraduate experimental laboratory-based research at a university,
• or previous paid or volunteer/internship work in an industry-based experimental laboratory.

Students are expected to develop a course plan for their program requirements and to consult with the Head Graduate Advisor before the Spring semester of their first year for formal approval (signature required). The course plan will take into account the student’s undergraduate training areas and goals for PhD research areas.

Satisfactory completion of first year requirements will be evaluated at the end of the spring semester of the first year. If requirements are satisfied, students will formally choose a Dissertation advisor from among the core faculty with whom they rotated and begin dissertation research.

Waivers: Students may request waivers for the specific courses STAT 201A, STAT 201B, and CS61A. In all cases of waivers, the student must take alternative courses in related areas so as to have six additional courses, as described above. For waiving out of STAT 201A/B, students can demonstrate they have completed the equivalent by passing a proctored assessment exam on Campus. For waiving out CS61A, the Head Graduate Advisor will evaluate student’s previous coursework based on the previous course’s syllabus and other course materials to determine equivalency.

Electives: Of the three electives, students are required to choose one course in each of the two following cluster areas:

• Cluster A (Biological Science) : These courses are defined as those for which the learning goals are primarily related to biology. This includes courses covering topics in molecular biology, genetics, evolution, environmental science, experimental methods, and human health. This category may also cover courses whose focus is on learning how to use bioinformatic tools to understand experimental data.
• Cluster B (Computational Sciences): These courses are defined as those for which the learning goals involve computing, inference, or mathematical modeling, broadly defined. This includes courses on algorithms, computing languages or structures, mathematical or probabilistic concepts, and statistics. This category would include courses whose focus is on biological applications of such topics.

In the below link we give some relevant such courses, but students can take courses beyond this list; for courses not on this list, the Head Graduate Advisor will determine to which cluster a course can be credited. For classes that have significant overlap between these two clusters, the department which offers the course may influence the decision of the HGA as to whether the course should be assigned to cluster A or B.

See below for some suggested courses in these categories:

Suggested Coursework Options

Second Year & Beyond

At the beginning of the fall of the second year, students begin full-time dissertation research in earnest under the supervision of their Dissertation advisor. It is anticipated that it will take students three (up to four) semesters to complete the 6 course requirement. Students are required to continue to participate annually in the computational biology seminar series.

Qualifying Examination

Students are expected to take and pass an oral Qualifying Examination (QE) by the end of the spring semester (June 15th) of their second year of graduate study. Students must present a written dissertation proposal to the QE committee no fewer than four weeks prior to the oral QE. The write-up should follow the format of an NIH-style grant proposal (i.e., it should include an abstract, background and significance, specific aims to be addressed (~3), and a research plan for addressing the aims) and must thoroughly discuss plans for research to be conducted in the dissertation lab. Click here for more details on the guidelines and format for the QE. Click here to view the rules for the composition of the committee and the form for declaring your committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

After successfully completing the QE, students will Advance to Candidacy. At this time, students select the members of their dissertation committee and submit this committee for approval to the Graduate Division. Students should endeavor to include a member whose research represents a complementary yet distinct area from that of the dissertation advisor (ie, biological vs computational, experimental vs theoretical) and that will be integrated in the student’s dissertation research. Click here to view the rules for the composition of the committee and the form for declaring your committee.

Meetings with the Dissertation Committee

After Advancing to Candidacy, students are expected to meet with their Dissertation Committee at least once each year.

Teaching Requirements

Computational Biology PhD students are required to teach at least two semesters (starting with Fall 2019 class), but may teach more. The requirement can be modified if the student has funding that does not allow teaching. Starting with the Fall 2019 class: At least one of those courses should require that you teach a section. Berkeley Connect or CMPBIO 293 can count towards one of the required semesters.

The Dissertation

Dissertation projects will represent scholarly, independent and novel research that contributes new knowledge to Computational Biology by integrating knowledge and methodologies from both the biological and computational sciences. Students must submit their dissertation by the May Graduate Division filing deadline (see Graduate Division for date) of their fifth–and final–year.

Special Requirements

Students will be required to present their research either orally or via a poster at the annual retreat beginning in their second year.

• Financial Support

The Computational Biology Graduate Group provides a competitive stipend (the stipend for 2023-24 is $43,363) as well as full payment of fees and non-resident tuition (which includes health care). Students maintaining satisfactory academic progress are provided full funding for five to five and a half years. The program supports students in the first year, while the PI/mentor provides support from the second year on. A portion of this support is in the form of salary from teaching assistance as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) in allied departments, such as Molecular and Cell Biology, Integrative Biology, Plant and Microbial Biology, Mathematics, Statistics or Computer Science. Teaching is part of the training of the program and most students will not teach more than two semesters, unless by choice.

Due to cost constraints, the program admits few international students; the average is two per year. Those admitted are also given full financial support (as noted above): stipend, fees and tuition.

Students are also strongly encouraged to apply for extramural fellowships for the proposal writing experience. There are a number of extramural fellowships that Berkeley students apply for that current applicants may find appealing. Please note that the NSF now only allows two submissions – once as an undergrad and once in grad school. The NSF funds students with potential, as opposed to specific research projects, so do not be concerned that you don’t know your grad school plans yet – just put together a good proposal! Although we make admissions offers before the fellowships results are released, all eligible students should take advantage of both opportunities to apply, as it’s a great opportunity and a great addition to a CV.

• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (app deadlines in Oct)
• Hertz Foundation Fellowship (app deadline Oct)
• National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (app deadline in mid-Fall)
• DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (Krell Institute) (app deadline in Jan)

CCB no longer requires the GRE for admission (neither general, nor subject). The GRE will not be seen by the review committee, even if sent to Berkeley.

PLEASE NOTE: The application deadline is Wednesday, November 30 , 2023, 8:59 PST/11:59 EST

If you would like to learn more about our program, you can watch informational YouTube videos from the past two UC Berkeley Graduate Diversity Admissions Fairs: 2021 recording & 2020 recording .

We invite applications from students with distinguished academic records, strong foundations in the basic biological, physical and computational sciences, as well as significant computer programming and research experience. Admission for the Computational Biology PhD is for the fall semester only, and Computational Biology does not offer a Master’s degree.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have, but please be sure to read this entire page first, as many of your questions will be answered below or on the Tips tab.

IMPORTANT : Please note that it is not possible to select a specific PhD advisor until the end of the first year in the program, so contacting individual faculty about openings in their laboratories will not increase your chances of being accepted into the program. You will have an opportunity to discuss your interests with relevant faculty if you are invited to interview in February.

Undergraduate Preparation

Minimum requirements for admission to graduate study:

• A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution.
• Minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Undergraduate preparation reflecting a balance of training in computational biology’s core disciplines (biology, computer science, statistics/mathematics), for example, a single interdisciplinary major, such as computational biology or bioinformatics; a major in a core discipline and a combination of interdisciplinary course work and research experiences; or a double major in core disciplines.
• Basic research experience and aptitude are key considerations for admission, so evidence of research experience and letters of recommendation from faculty mentors attesting to the applicant’s research experience are of particular interest.
• GRE – NOT required or used for review .
• TOEFL scores for international students (see below for details).

Application Requirements

ALL materials, including letters, are due November 30, 2023 (8:59 PST). More information is provided and required as part of the online application, so please create an account and review the application before emailing with questions (and please set up an account well before the deadline):

• A completed graduate application: The online application opens in early or mid-September and is located on the Graduate Division website . Paper applications are not accepted. Please create your account and review the application well ahead of the submit date , as it will take time to complete and requests information not listed here.
• A nonrefundable application fee: The fee must be paid using a major credit card and is not refundable. For US citizens and permanent residents, the fee is $135; US citizens and permanent residents may request a fee waiver as part of the online application. For all other students (international) the fee is $155 (no waivers, no exceptions). Graduate Admissions manages the fee, not the program, so please contact them with questions.
• Three letters of recommendation, minimum (up to five are accepted): Letters of recommendation must be submitted online as part of the Graduate Division’s application process. Letters are also due November 30, so please inform your recommenders of this deadline and give them sufficient advance notice. It is your responsibility to monitor the status of your letters of recommendation (sending prompts, as necessary) in the online system.
• Transcripts: Unofficial copies of all relevant transcripts, uploaded as part of the online application (see application for details). Scanned copies of official transcripts are strongly preferred, as transcripts must include applicant and institution name and degree goal and should be easy for the reviewers to read (print-outs from online personal schedules can be hard to read and transcripts without your name and the institution name cannot be used for review). Do not send via mail official transcripts to Grad Division or Computational Biology, they will be discarded.
• Essays: Follow links to view descriptions of what these essays should include ( Statement of Purpose [2-3 pages], Personal Statement [1-2 pages]). Also review Tips tab for formatting advice.
• (Highly recommended) Applicants should consider applying for extramural funding, such as NSF Fellowships. These are amazing opportunities and the application processes are great preparation for graduate studies. Please see Financial Support tab.
• Read and follow all of the “Application Tips” listed on the last tab. This ensures that everything goes smoothly and you make a good impression on the faculty reviewing your file.

The GRE general test is not required. GRE subject tests are not required. GRE scores will not be a determining factor for application review and admission, and will NOT be seen by the CCB admissions committee. While we do not encourage anyone to take the exam, in case you decide to apply to a different program at Berkeley that does require them: the UC Berkeley school code is 4833; department codes are unnecessary. As long as the scores are sent to UC Berkeley, they will be received by any program you apply to on campus.

TOEFL/IELTS

Adequate proficiency in English must be demonstrated by those applicants applying from countries where English is not the official language. There are two standardized tests you may take: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL minimum passing scores are 90 for the  Internet-based test (IBT) , and 570 for the paper-based format (PBT) . The TOEFL may be waived if an international student has completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better while in residence at a U.S. university (transcript will be required). Please click here for more information .

Application Deadlines

The Application Deadline is 8:59 pm Pacific Standard Time, November 30, 2023 . The application will lock at 9pm PST, precisely. All materials must be received by the deadline. While rec letters can continue to be submitted and received after the deadline, the committee meets in early December and will review incomplete applications. TOEFL tests should be taken by or before the deadline, but self-reported scores are acceptable for review while the official scores are being processed. All submitted applications will be reviewed, even if materials are missing, but it may impact the evaluation of the application.

It is your responsibility to ensure and verify that your application materials are submitted in a timely manner. Please be sure to hit the submit button when you have completed the application and to monitor the status of your letters of recommendation (sending prompts, as necessary). Please include the statement of purpose and personal statement in the online application. While you can upload a CV, please DO NOT upload entire publications or papers. Please DO NOT send paper résumés, separate folders of information, or articles via mail. They will be discarded unread.

The Computational Biology Interview Visit dates will be: February 25-27, 2024

Top applicants who are being considered for admission will be invited to visit campus for interviews with faculty. Invitations will be made by early January. Students are expected to stay for the entire event, arriving in Berkeley by 5:30pm on the first day and leaving the evening of the final day. In the application, you must provide the names of between 7-10 faculty from the Computational Biology website with whom you are interested in conducting research or performing rotations. This helps route your application to our reviewers and facilitates the interview scheduling process. An invitation is not a guarantee of admission.

International students may be interviewed virtually, as flights are often prohibitively expensive.

Tips for the Application Process

Uploaded Documents: Be sure to put your name and type of essay on your essays ( Statement of Purpose [2-3 pages], Personal Statement [1-2 pages]) as a header or before the text, whether you use the text box or upload a PDF or Word doc. There is no minimum length on either essay, but 3 pages maximum is suggested. The Statement of Purpose should describe your research and educational background and aspirations. The Personal Statement can include personal achievements not necessarily related to research, barriers you’ve had to overcome, mentoring and volunteering activities, things that make you unique and demonstrate the qualities you will bring to the program.

Letters of Recommendation: should be from persons who have supervised your research or academic work and who can evaluate your intellectual ability, creativity, leadership potential and promise for productive scholarship. If lab supervision was provided by a postdoc or graduate student, the letter should carry the signature or support of the faculty member in charge of the research project. Note: the application can be submitted before all of the recommenders have completed their letters. It is your responsibility to keep track of your recommender’s progress through the online system. Be sure to send reminders if your recommenders do not submit their letters.

Extramural fellowships: it is to your benefit to apply for fellowships as they may facilitate entry into the lab of your choice, are a great addition to your CV and often provide higher stipends. Do not allow concerns about coming up with a research proposal before joining a lab prevent you from applying. The fellowships are looking for research potential and proposal writing skills and will not hold you to specific research projects once you have started graduate school.

Calculating GPA: Schools can differ in how they assign grades and calculate grade point averages, so it may be difficult for this office to offer advice. The best resource for calculating the GPA for your school is to check the back of the official transcripts where a guide is often provided or use an online tool. There are free online GPA conversion tools that can be found via an internet search.

Faculty Contact/Interests: Please be sure to list faculty that interest you as part of the online application. You are not required to contact any faculty in advance, nor will it assist with admission, but are welcome to if you wish to learn more about their research.

Submitting the application: To avoid the possibility of computer problems on either side, it is NOT advisable to wait until the last day to start and/or submit your application. It is not unusual for the application system to have difficulties during times of heavy traffic. However, there is no need to submit the application too early. No application will be reviewed before the deadline.

Visits: We only arrange one campus visit for recruitment purposes. If you are interested in visiting the campus and meeting with faculty before the application deadline, you are welcome to do so on your own time (we will be unable to assist).

Name: Please double check that you have entered your first and last names in the correct fields. This is our first impression of you as a candidate, so you do want to get your name correct! Be sure to put your name on any documents that you upload (Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement).

California Residency: You are not considered a resident if you hope to enter our program in the Fall, but have never lived in California before or are here on a visa. So, please do not mark “resident” on the application in anticipation of admission. You must have lived in California previously, and be a US citizen or Permanent Resident, to be a resident.

Faculty Leadership Head Graduate Advisor and Chair for the PhD & DE John Huelsenbeck ( [email protected] )

Associate Head Graduate Advisor for PhD & DE Liana Lareau ( [email protected] )

Equity Advisor Rasmus Nielsen ( [email protected] )

Director of CCB Elizabeth Purdom ( [email protected] )

Core PhD & DE Faculty ( link )

Staff support Student Services Advisor (GSAO): Kate Chase ( [email protected] )

PhD Program

Academic Program

The Berkeley Haas PhD Program offers eight fields of academic study, for a curriculum of unusual richness and breadth. Since the program enrolls only 14 to 16 new PhD students each year, you work very closely with the faculty members in their chosen specialties. This strong partnership, combined with the high intellectual caliber and diverse academic and cultural backgrounds of PhD students, creates an atmosphere of close cooperation and intellectual excitement.

Field of Study

The Berkeley Haas PhD Program is strongly oriented toward discipline and research. Emphasis is placed on preparing you to evaluate the state of knowledge in your particular field and to advance it through the application of theory from the social sciences, mathematics, or statistics.

Upon applying to the program, you are required to choose a field of study, which will not only determine your coursework but also your future employment opportunities. You may choose from the following fields:

• Business and Public Policy
• Management of Organizations-Macro
• Management of Organizations-Micro
• Marketing Consumer Behavior
• Quantitative Marketing
• Real Estate

Instruction

Instruction in the program is separated into three general phases. The first encompasses formal coursework in basic and advanced subjects and generally requires two years. The second and third phases together usually require two to three years for completion. In addition to coursework, students are normally expected to serve as either teaching or research assistants for one or more semesters.

Next: Accounting

PhD Program

**new** graduate student guide, expected progress of physics graduate student to ph.d..

This document describes the Physics Department's expectations for the progress of a typical graduate student from admission to award of a PhD.  Because students enter the program with different training and backgrounds and because thesis research by its very nature is unpredictable, the time-frame for individual students will vary. Nevertheless, failure to meet the goals set forth here without appropriate justification may indicate that the student is not making adequate progress towards the PhD, and will therefore prompt consideration by the Department and possibly by Graduate Division of the student’s progress, which might lead to probation and later dismissal.

Course Work

Graduate students are required to take a minimum of 38 units of approved upper division or graduate elective courses (excluding any upper division courses required for the undergraduate major).  The department requires that students take the following courses which total 19 units: Physics 209 (Classical Electromagnetism), Physics 211 (Equilibrium Statistical Physics) and Physics 221A-221B (Quantum Mechanics). Thus, the normative program includes an additional 19 units (five semester courses) of approved upper division or graduate elective courses.  At least 11 units must be in the 200 series courses. Some of the 19 elective units could include courses in mathematics, biophysics, astrophysics, or from other science and engineering departments.  Physics 290, 295, 299, 301, and 602 are excluded from the 19 elective units. Physics 209, 211 and 221A-221B must be completed for a letter grade (with a minimum average grade of B).  No more than one-third of the 19 elective units may be fulfilled by courses graded Satisfactory, and then only with the approval of the Department.  Entering students are required to enroll in Physics 209 and 221A in the fall semester of their first year and Physics 211 and 221B in the spring semester of their first year. Exceptions to this requirement are made for 1) students who do not have sufficient background to enroll in these courses and have a written recommendation from their faculty mentor and approval from the head graduate adviser to delay enrollment to take preparatory classes, 2) students who have taken the equivalent of these courses elsewhere and receive written approval from the Department to be exempted. 

If a student has taken courses equivalent to Physics 209, 211 or 221A-221B, then subject credit may be granted for each of these course requirements.  A faculty committee will review your course syllabi and transcript.  A waiver form can be obtained in 378 Physics North from the Student Affairs Officer detailing all required documents.  If the committee agrees that the student has satisfied the course requirement at another institution, the student must secure the Head Graduate Adviser's approval.  The student must also take and pass the associated section of the preliminary exam.  Please note that official course waiver approval will not be granted until after the preliminary exam results have been announced.  If course waivers are approved, units for the waived required courses do not have to be replaced for PhD course requirements.  If a student has satisfied all first year required graduate courses elsewhere, they are only required to take an additional 19 units to satisfy remaining PhD course requirements.  (Note that units for required courses must be replaced for MA degree course requirements even if the courses themselves are waived; for more information please see MA degree requirements).

In exceptional cases, students transferring from other graduate programs may request a partial waiver of the 19 elective unit requirement. Such requests must be made at the time of application for admission to the Department.

The majority of first year graduate students are Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) with a 20 hour per week load (teaching, grading, and preparation).  A typical first year program for an entering graduate student who is teaching is:

First Semester

• Physics 209 Classical Electromagnetism (5)
• Physics 221A Quantum Mechanics (5)
• Physics 251 Introduction to Graduate Research (1)
• Physics 301 GSI Teaching Credit (2)
• Physics 375 GSI Training Seminar (for first time GSI's) (2)

Second Semester

• Physics 211 Equilibrium Statistical Physics (4)
• Physics 221B Quantum Mechanics (5)

Students who have fellowships and will not be teaching, or who have covered some of the material in the first year courses material as undergraduates may choose to take an additional course in one or both semesters of their first year.

Many students complete their course requirements by the end of the second year. In general, students are expected to complete their course requirements by the end of the third year. An exception to this expectation is that students who elect (with the approval of their mentor and the head graduate adviser) to fill gaps in their undergraduate background during their first year at Berkeley often need one or two additional semesters to complete their course work.

Faculty Mentors

Incoming graduate students are each assigned a faculty mentor. In general, mentors and students are matched according to the student's research interest.   If a student's research interests change, or if (s)he feels there is another faculty member who can better serve as a mentor, the student is free to request a change of assignment.

The role of the faculty mentor is to advise graduate students who have not yet identified research advisers on their academic program, on their progress in that program and on strategies for passing the preliminary exam and finding a research adviser.  Mentors also are a “friendly ear” and are ready to help students address other issues they may face coming to a new university and a new city.  Mentors are expected to meet with the students they advise individually a minimum of once per semester, but often meet with them more often.  Mentors should contact incoming students before the start of the semester, but students arriving in Berkeley should feel free to contact their mentors immediately.

Student-Mentor assignments continue until the student has identified a research adviser.  While many students continue to ask their mentors for advice later in their graduate career, the primary role of adviser is transferred to the research adviser once a student formally begins research towards his or her dissertation. The Department asks student and adviser to sign a “mentor-adviser” form to make this transfer official.  

Preliminary Exams

In order to most benefit from graduate work, incoming students need to have a solid foundation in undergraduate physics, including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, special relativity, thermal and statistical physics and quantum mechanics, and to be able to make order-of-magnitude estimates and analyze physical situations by application of general principles. These are the topics typically included, and at the level usually taught, within a Bachelor's degree program in Physics at most universities. As a part of this foundation, the students should also have formed a well-integrated overall picture of the fields studied. The preliminary exam is meant to assess the students' background, so that any missing pieces can be made up as soon as possible. The exam is made up of 4 sections, as described in the  Preliminary Exam Policy *, on the Department’s website.  Each section is administered twice a year, at the start of each semester. 

Entering students are encouraged to take this exam as soon as possible, and they are required to attempt all prelims sections in the second semester. Students who have not passed all sections in the third semester will undergo a Departmental review of their performance. Departmental expectations are that all students should successfully pass all sections no later than spring semester of the second year (4th semester); the document entitled  Physics Department Preliminary Exam Policy * describes Departmental policy in more detail. An exception to this expectation is afforded to students who elect (with the recommendation of the faculty mentor and written approval of the head graduate adviser) to fill gaps in their undergraduate background during their first year at Berkeley and delay corresponding section(s) of the exam, and who therefore may need an additional semester to complete the exam; this exception is also further discussed in the  Preliminary Exam Policy * document.

* You must login with your Calnet ID to access Physics Department Preliminary Examination Policy.

Start of Research

Students are encouraged to begin research as soon as possible. Many students identify potential research advisers in their first year and most have identified their research adviser before the end of their second year.  When a research adviser is identified, the Department asks that both student and research adviser sign a form (available from the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North) indicating that the student has (provisionally) joined the adviser’s research group with the intent of working towards a PhD.  In many cases, the student will remain in that group for their thesis work, but sometimes the student or faculty adviser will decide that the match of individuals or research direction is not appropriate.  Starting research early gives students flexibility to change groups when appropriate without incurring significant delays in time to complete their degree.

Departmental expectations are that experimental research students begin work in a research group by the summer after the first year; this is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged.  Students doing theoretical research are similarly encouraged to identify a research direction, but often need to complete a year of classes in their chosen specialty before it is possible for them to begin research.  Students intending to become theory students and have to take the required first year classes may not be able to start research until the summer after their second year.  Such students are encouraged to attend theory seminars and maintain contact with faculty in their chosen area of research even before they can begin a formal research program. 

If a student chooses dissertation research with a supervisor who is not in the department, he or she must find an appropriate Physics faculty member who agrees to serve as the departmental research supervisor of record and as co-adviser. This faculty member is expected to monitor the student's progress towards the degree and serve on the student's qualifying and dissertation committees. The student will enroll in Physics 299 (research) in the co-adviser's section.  The student must file the Outside Research Proposal for approval; petitions are available in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.   

Students who have not found a research adviser by the end of the second year will be asked to meet with their faculty mentor to develop a plan for identifying an adviser and research group.  Students who have not found a research adviser by Spring of the third year are not making adequate progress towards the PhD.  These students will be asked to provide written documentation to the department explaining their situation and their plans to begin research.  Based on their academic record and the documentation they provide, such students may be warned by the department that they are not making adequate progress, and will be formally asked to find an adviser.  The record of any student who has not identified an adviser by the end of Spring of the fourth year will be evaluated by a faculty committee and the student may be asked to leave the program. 

Qualifying Exam

Rules and requirements associated with the Qualifying Exam are set by the Graduate Division on behalf of the Graduate Council.  Approval of the committee membership and the conduct of the exam are therefore subject to Graduate Division approval.  The exam is oral and lasts 2-3 hours.  The Graduate Division specifies that the purpose of the Qualifying Exam is “to ascertain the breadth of the student's comprehension of fundamental facts and principles that apply to at least three subject areas related to the major field of study and whether the student has the ability to think incisively and critically about the theoretical and the practical aspects of these areas.”  It also states that “this oral examination of candidates for the doctorate serves a significant additional function. Not only teaching, but the formal interaction with students and colleagues at colloquia, annual meetings of professional societies and the like, require the ability to synthesize rapidly, organize clearly, and argue cogently in an oral setting.  It is necessary for the University to ensure that a proper examination is given incorporating these skills.”

Please see the  Department website for a description of the Qualifying Exam and its Committee .   Note: You must login with your Calnet ID to access QE information . Passing the Qualifying Exam, along with a few other requirements described on the department website, will lead to Advancement to Candidacy.  Qualifying exam scheduling forms can be picked up in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.   

The Department expects students to take the Qualifying Exam two or three semesters after they identify a research adviser. This is therefore expected to occur for most students in their third year, and no later than fourth year. A student is considered to have begun research when they first register for Physics 299 or fill out the department mentor-adviser form showing that a research adviser has accepted the student for PhD work or hired as a GSR (Graduate Student Researcher), at which time the research adviser becomes responsible for guidance and mentoring of the student.  (Note that this decision is not irreversible – the student or research adviser can decide that the match of individuals or research direction is not appropriate or a good match.)  Delays in this schedule cause concern that the student is not making adequate progress towards the PhD.  The student and adviser will be asked to provide written documentation to the department explaining the delay and clarifying the timeline for taking the Qualifying Exam.

Annual Progress Reports

Graduate Division requires that each student’s performance be annually assessed to provide students with timely information about the faculty’s evaluation of their progress towards PhD.  Annual Progress Reports are completed during the Spring Semester.  In these reports, the student is asked to discuss what progress he or she has made toward the degree in the preceding year, and to discuss plans for the following year and for PhD requirements that remain to be completed.  The mentor or research adviser or members of the Dissertation Committee (depending on the student’s stage of progress through the PhD program) comment on the student’s progress and objectives. In turn, the student has an opportunity to make final comments. 

Before passing the Qualifying Exam, the annual progress report (obtained from the Physics Student Affairs Office in 378 Physics North) is completed by the student and either his/her faculty mentor or his/her research adviser, depending on whether or not the student has yet begun research (see above).  This form includes a statement of intended timelines to take the Qualifying Exam, which is expected to be within 2-3 semesters of starting research.  

After passing the Qualifying Exam, the student and research adviser complete a similar form, but in addition to the research adviser, the student must also meet with at least one other and preferably both other members of their Dissertation Committee (this must include their co-adviser if the research adviser is not a member of the Physics Department) to discuss progress made in the past year, plans for the upcoming year, and overall progress towards the PhD.  This can be done either individually as one-on-one meetings of the graduate student with members of the Dissertation Committee, or as a group meeting with presentation. (The Graduate Council requires that all doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy meet annually with at least two members of the Dissertation Committee. The annual review is part of the Graduate Council’s efforts to improve the doctoral completion rate and to shorten the time it takes students to obtain a doctorate.)

Advancement to Candidacy

After passing the Qualifying Examination, the next step in the student's career is to advance to candidacy as soon as possible.  Advancement to candidacy is the academic stage when a student has completed all requirements except completion of the dissertation.  Students are still required to enroll in 12 units per semester; these in general are expected to be seminars and research units.  Besides passing the Qualifying Exam, there are a few other requirements described in the Graduate Program Booklet. Doctoral candidacy application forms can be picked up in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.

Completion of Dissertation Work

The expected time for completion of the PhD program is six years.  While the Department recognizes that research time scales can be unpredictable, it strongly encourages students and advisers to develop dissertation proposals consistent with these expectations.  The Berkeley Physics Department does not have dissertation defense exams, but encourages students and their advisers to ensure that students learn the important skill of effective research presentations, including a presentation of their dissertation work to their peers and interested faculty and researchers.

PhD Program Admissions

Visualization of copper in normal (top row) and mutant (bottom row) zebrafish brains. Image by Tong Xiao, Chang lab.

The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission was November 27th, 2023 (by 8:59 pm Pacific Standard Time). 

The Neuroscience PhD Program grants PhDs only. We do not offer a master’s degree. Applications are accepted from the middle of September through the end of November for admission for Fall of the following year. We do not accept applications for spring semester. All application materials must be received by the deadline. Late applications are not accepted or reviewed. 

Applications will be reviewed holistically, using a rubric that considers academic preparation, research experience, contributions to diversity and community, initiative and motivation, and synergy with the program, each evaluated in the context of the individual applicant.

For more information please visit:

• Which Program is Right For You
• Steps to a PhD
• Application Requirements
• Review Process

Areas of Neuroscience

The Neuroscience PhD Program provides research training in four broad areas of neuroscience: cellular & molecular neuroscience, circuit, systems & behavioral neuroscience, human cognition, and computational neuroscience. Read more about each below.

Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience

Molecular and cellular neuroscientists at Berkeley study neuronal cell biology, cellular physiology, and molecular and genetic basis of neuron, synapse, and glial function. Specific topics include sensory transduction, cellular-level neuronal development, synaptic transmission and plasticity, ion channel physiology, neurodegenerative disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Many faculty develop novel molecular genetic tools to more precisely measure cellular physiology or to develop new therapeutical approaches to disease. Methods from molecular biology, computational biology (bioinformatics), and cellular physiology are often used in this research.

Circuit, Systems & Behavioral Neuroscience

Circuit, systems and behavioral neuroscientists at UC Berkeley study how neural circuits, ensembles, and large-scale neural systems process information in order to interpret the sensory world, make and recall memories, and produce specific behaviors. Our faculty study neural systems for sensory processing (vision, audition, touch), innate behaviors, memory, navigation, motivated behaviors, sleep, circadian rhythms, social behaviors, decision making, and more. This research often involves neurophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics experiments, usually in behaving animals. Computational models of neural circuits, and sophisticated data analysis involving modeling and machine learning, are often used in this research.

Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscience at UC Berkeley focuses on human cognition and its brain correlates. Our faculty study the human cognitive abilities and neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory, decision making, perception, reasoning, attention, sleep, motor control, etc. Berkeley human cognition labs employ a broad range of experimental techniques, including functional and structural neuroimaging, electrophysiology, brain stimulation, pharmacology, computational modeling, and quantitative behavioral analyses.

Computational Neuroscience

Although quantitative methods are used in all sub areas of neuroscience for analyzing complex data sets, the focus of Computational Neuroscience is to model the brain or brain function: computational models can attempt to model experimental data obtained in neurophysiological experiments (biophysically plausible models) or model functions achieved by the brain such as object recognition, language comprehension, symbolic manipulations, etc. A strong mathematical and programming background is required for research in Computational Neuroscience.

Please see the Neuroscience Department page:  Diversity, Equity & Inclusion .

Recorded Info Session:

Friday, November 3, 2023 11am-12pm Pacific Time Neuroscience PhD Program – Diversity Admissions Fair Info Session Hosted by Program Faculty with Current Students Session Recording

Previously Recorded Info Session:

Friday, November 4, 2022 10-11am Pacific Time AMA Grad Student Panel for Prospective Applicants Hosted by Current Students Session Recording

Epidemiology PhD

Epidemiology is concerned with the study of factors that determine the distribution of health and disease in human populations.

The purposes of epidemiological research are to discover the causes of disease, to advance and evaluate methods of disease prevention, and to aid in planning and evaluating the effectiveness of public health programs. Epidemiologists are interested in the study of infectious and noninfectious diseases. In recent years, they have turned their attention increasingly toward the study of conditions affected by forces in the social and physical environment.

Our program takes most students four and one half years to complete. In addition to the required courses, students identify an area of scientific knowledge in which they develop competence. Qualifying examinations as well as a dissertation are required for completion of the program. Students who are interested have the opportunity to complete a Designated Emphasis (DE) in Computational and Genomic Biology .

Qualifications

The amount of coursework necessary for each doctoral student varies greatly, depending on a student’s previous coursework, experience and background. A master’s degree in epidemiology or a related field is preferable. Successful applicants often have work experience in a public health setting or in epidemiologic research.

Graduates are prepared for academic careers in research and teaching.

Admissions Statistics

Care faculty.

• Meet CED Alums
• Work at CED
• Undergraduate Majors + Minors
• Graduate Programs
• Degrees + Certificates
• Summer Programs
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Fees + Financial Aid
• CED Undergraduate Advising
• Graduate Advising
• Centers & Institutes
• Climate Solutions
• Equity + Social Justice
• Technology + Material Innovations
• Publications
• Research Collaborations
• Environmental Design Archives
• Student Work
• Student Organizations
• Student Support
• Building Safety
• Student Fees and Waivers
• Fabrication + Materials
• IT + Computing
• Environmental Design Library
• Facility Services
• Awards, Scholarships and Fellowships
• Careers & Work Opportunities
• Accreditation and Licensure
• Bachelor of Arts
• Minor in Environmental Design and Urbanism in Developing Countries
• Minor in the History of the Built Environment
• Minor in Social and Cultural Factors in Environmental Design
• Minor in Sustainable Design

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Master of advanced architectural design (maad).

• Master of Science
• Concurrent Programs
• 2024 Spring Courses
• 2024 Summer Courses
• 2024 Fall Courses
• + About LAEP
• Minor in Landscape Architecture
• Master of Landscape Architecture

Concurrent Degrees

• + About DCRP
• Master of City Planning
• Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies
• Faculty Work
• Studio Work
• + About IURD
• About MRED+D
• For Students
• News + Events
• Research + Design
• Student Resources

As a Berkeley graduate student, you’re part of a diverse community of change-makers known worldwide for innovation and academic excellence. At the College of Environmental Design, we’re committed to launching our students to be agents of environmental and social change, poised to make a tangible impact on our world. We offer six professional degrees and five academic graduate degrees, as well as opportunities for earning concurrent degrees within the college and with other Berkeley departments. Whichever you choose,  your CED degree will set you the path to succeed in your chosen field.  

Professional Degrees 

Our top-ranked, rigorous MArch prepares you for the practice of architecture in an environment that fosters design excellence and encourages multidisciplinary collaboration and experimentation. The nationally accredited professional program is committed to addressing the most pressing issues of our time, including the climate crisis, housing affordability, and the integration of technology into both research and practice. As an MArch student, you’ll be part of an international cohort of motivated and talented design students from diverse backgrounds and work with faculty who are leaders in their fields.

Master of City Planning (MCP)

Berkeley’s top-tier MCP is a two-year nationally accredited STEM program that empowers you to successfully practice planning in a variety of urban, metropolitan, and regional settings. As an MCP student, you’ll develop analytical, research, and communication skills, as well as expertise in various fields and subfields of city and regional planning. Berkeley’s MCP is distinguished by its focus on the human impacts of planning decisions, with particular attention to equity, diversity, and social justice.

Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

Berkeley’s MLA program is known for centering ecological integrity and social equity. It offers accredited degrees in landscape architecture and environmental planning, which focuses on land use and the management of natural resources. You’ll study with faculty who have expertise in design, planning, urbanism, history, sustainability, hydrology, ecology, geographic information science, landscape modeling, and social practices. Your MLA will prepare you to serve as a leader in the field, building thriving communities in a world of rapid political, economic, and environmental change.

Master of Urban Design (MUD)

Berkeley’s MUD, the only degree program of its kind in California,  is a one-year interdisciplinary program of advanced study for architects, landscape architects, and planners who already hold professional degrees. As a MUD student, you’ll innovate design strategies for sites at the urban, suburban, and territorial scales and develop a practice supported by research and analysis that is grounded in economic, political, and social contexts.

Abbey Master of Real Estate Development + Design (MRED+D)

Integrating design with the fundamentals of real estate markets, the one-year Abbey MRED+D prepares you to build sustainable, equitable, and prosperous cities. The curriculum focuses on finance, urban economics, property and land use law, and project feasibility analysis, as well as  excellence in urban design, planning, and sustainability. As an MRED+D student, you’ll discover how  design thinking is foundational to producing the most valued — and valuable — real estate projects.

Master of Design (MDes)

A three-semester professional graduate program jointly offered with the College of Engineering, the MDes prepares you to be a thought leader in the area of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the internet of things. You’ll develop core skills in design process, prototyping, and communication, as well as a critical lens on technology and design. You’ll leave the program as an engaged and responsive designer with an informed awareness of people, contextual needs, and societal impacts.

Academic Degrees

Master of science in architecture (ms).

Our MS in Architecture is an academic, nonprofessional degree program that offers you the opportunity to engage in advanced research in the ever-broadening and increasingly complex subfields within architecture. Two tracks are offered:  Building Science, Technology and Sustainability , focused on how the environmental conditions and processes of buildings affect occupants, and History, T h eory and Society , which situates a history of the built environment in broad social, political, and cultural frameworks.

If you already have a professional degree in architecture and wish to continue to explore current design issues in a stimulating, rigorous, and experimental studio setting, our one-year MAAD post-professional program is for you. A year-long studio is at the core of this non-accredited program, and it’s integrated with seminars and lectures in design theory, history, digital applications, and building technology.

PhD in Architecture

Berkeley’s PhD program in architecture is interdisciplinary in outlook, reaching into the various disciplines related to architecture and incorporating substantial knowledge from outside fields. You have the option to choose between two areas of focus: Two tracks are offered:  Building Science, Technology and Sustainability , focused on how environmental conditions and processes of buildings affect occupants,  and  History, Theory and Society , which situates a history of the built environment in broad social, political, and cultural frameworks.

PhD in City & Regional Planning

The PhD in City & Regional Planning provides training in urban and planning theory and the practice of planning. You’ll work with faculty who have expertise in community and economic development, transportation planning, urban design, international development, environmental planning, and global urbanism. 

PhD in Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning

Berkeley’s PhD in Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning focuses on the theories and methods that underlie the field and the processes of planning and design as they relate to the solution of problems in the natural and urban environments. 

Concurrent Master of Architecture/Master of City Planning

Concurrent Master of Architecture/Master of Landscape Architecture

Concurrent Master of Architecture/ Master of Science in Engineering

Concurrent Master of City Planning/Master of City Landscape Architecture

Concurrent Master of City Planning/Master of Public Health

Concurrent Master of City Planning/Master of Science in Transportation Engineering

Concurrent Master of City Planning/Juris Doctor (Law)

• UC Berkeley
• Sign Up to Volunteer
• I School Slack
• Alumni News
• Alumni Events
• Alumni Accounts
• Career Support
• Academic Mission
• Diversity & Inclusion Resources
• DEIBJ Leadership
• Featured Faculty
• Featured Alumni
• Work at the I School
• Subscribe to Email Announcements
• Logos & Style Guide
• Directions & Parking

The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.

• Career Outcomes
• Degree Requirements
• Paths Through the MIMS Degree
• Final Project
• Funding Your Education
• Admissions Events
• Request Information
• Capstone Project
• Jack Larson Data for Good Fellowship
• Tuition & Fees
• Women in MIDS
• MIDS Curriculum News
• MICS Student News
• Dissertations
• Applied Data Science Certificate
• ICTD Certificate
• Citizen Clinic

The School of Information offers four degrees:

The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program educates information professionals to provide leadership for an information-driven world.

The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) is an online degree preparing data science professionals to solve real-world problems. The 5th Year MIDS program is a streamlined path to a MIDS degree for Cal undergraduates.

The Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) is an online degree preparing cybersecurity leaders for complex cybersecurity challenges.

Our Ph.D. in Information Science is a research program for next-generation scholars of the information age.

• Spring 2024 Course Schedule
• Summer 2024 Course Schedule
• Fall 2024 Course Schedule

The School of Information's courses bridge the disciplines of information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. We welcome interest in our graduate-level Information classes from current UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students and community members.  More information about signing up for classes.

• Ladder & Adjunct Faculty
• MIMS Students
• MIDS Students
• 5th Year MIDS Students
• MICS Students
• Ph.D. Students

• Publications
• Centers & Labs
• Computer-mediated Communication
• Data Science
• Entrepreneurship
• Human-computer Interaction (HCI)
• Information Economics
• Information Organization
• Information Policy
• Information Retrieval & Search
• Information Visualization
• Social & Cultural Studies
• Technology for Developing Regions
• User Experience Research

Research by faculty members and doctoral students keeps the I School on the vanguard of contemporary information needs and solutions.

The I School is also home to several active centers and labs, including the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) , the Center for Technology, Society & Policy , and the BioSENSE Lab .

• Why Hire I School?
• Request a Resume Book
• Leadership Development Program
• Mailing List
• For Nonprofit and Government Employers
• Jobscan & Applicant Tracking Systems
• Resume & LinkedIn Review
• Resume Book

I School graduate students and alumni have expertise in data science, user experience design & research, product management, engineering, information policy, cybersecurity, and more — learn more about hiring I School students and alumni .

• Press Coverage
• I School Voices

The Goldman School of Public Policy, the CITRIS Policy Lab, and the School of Information hosted the inaugural UC...

Dr. Diag Davenport has been appointed as an assistant professor at UC Berkeley as part of a joint search in...

At the Women in Data Science conference held at UC Berkeley this past week, four educators affiliated with the...

At the UC Berkeley School of Information, two educators have taken the initiative to begin incorporating data...

• Distinguished Lecture Series
• I School Lectures
• Information Access Seminars
• CLTC Events
• Women in MIDS Events

• MIMS Program
• 5th Year MIDS Program
• MIDS Program
• Chang Award
• Spring 2024 Projects
• Ph.D. Program
• Graduate Certificates
• Application

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Discover Berkeley. Discover Yourself.

Join an institution that is internationally renowned for its excellence across disciplines. Engage with faculty who are the best in their field. Conduct research with faculty, graduate students, or initiate your own. And experience a one-of-a-kind academic experience through our innovative programs and pathways.

Berkeley students have access to more than 3,000 courses, lectures and sections. With 14 colleges and schools and over 100 majors and minors, there is something available for everyone to discover.

We are proud that Berkeley’s student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, one of the lowest among large institutions. With the average class size being 53 and larger lectures being connected to smaller discussion sections, 71% of courses have less than 30 students. Berkeley students have direct access to world-renowned faculty and talented graduate students who are emerging experts in their field.

For those worried about choosing courses or concerned about course availability, we recommend considering the following programs:

Fall Program for First-Semester

• Letters and Sciences Pathways
• Berkeley Connect

Opportunities to engage in research are plentiful at Berkeley. At least 48% of Berkeley undergraduates participate in research. Berkeley encourages students to engage in research, which can be done in a variety of disciplines. Learn more about the following opportunities for research and discovery.

• Discovery Hub
• Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP)
• Haas Scholars
• Other research opportunities

Berkeley prides itself on the numerous opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning, from internships, to study abroad, to public service. Berkeley students care about making a difference in the community and the world. Below are ways that Berkeley facilitates opportunities for learning outside of the classroom.

Study Abroad Over 200 study abroad programs in over 40 countries around the world AND $500,000 in scholarships awarded annually for Study Abroad. Learn more about study abroad opportunities .

Internships and Student Employment Many students ask whether internships are available at Berkeley, and we are proud to say that there are a plethora of opportunities. More information can be found through Berkeley and Career Engagement . Students also use on-campus employment opportunities as a form of paid-internships, and can be a pathway to a career. View the workstudy website for more information.

Are you undecided? Interested in potentially changing your major? Will you add a major or minor? Or are you just curious about the majors and minors Berkeley offers? The Berkeley Academic Guide is your one-stop shop for major exploration. Each academic department provides a description of each program and course requirements to declare or complete the major or minor. Be sure to check out the “major maps” that connect students to related student organizations and communities, academic pathways, and career opportunities.

Undergraduate Colleges

College of chemistry.

Undergraduate Advising Center  |  121 Gilman Hall  |  (510) 664-5264

• In-person & virtual hours: Monday- Friday 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-5 p.m.
• Please contact an adviser to set up an appointment!
• Or reach out to a CoC Peer Adviser for the student perspective on life in the College of Chemistry.
• Please join us at one or more of our Events for Admitted Students

Go to chemistry.berkeley.edu/ugrad/degrees for information about our degree programs.

College of Engineering & Engineering Student Services

308 McLaughlin  |  (510) 642-7594

In-person hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

If you are unable to attend a Berkeley Engineering April Information Session , you may visit with Engineering Student Services Peer Advisers. They will be available to answer questions during in-person office hours or virtual front desk hours. You can also email [email protected].

College of Environmental Design

Office of Undergraduate Advising  |  250 Bauer Wurster Hall  |  (510) 642-4943

Advising Office : Monday-Friday, 10am-12pm; 1-4pm

New admits can also connect with current CED Admissions Ambassadors for building tours and conversations on the student experience.

Check out CED on Instagram for more exciting info on our programs!

College of Letters and Science

Office of Undergraduate Advising  |  156 Dwinelle Hall  |  [email protected]

• Check out our New Student Guides !
• Have a burning question? Write to L&S Peer Advisers at [email protected] or visit their L&S Peer Advisers website .
• Follow L&S Advising on Instagram for updates and reminders !
• Watch our L&S Advising videos for tips

Rausser College of Natural Resources

Rausser Student Resource Center  |  260 Mulford Hall  |  (510) 642-0542  |  [email protected]

• Advising Office & Student Resource Center Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30AM – 4:30PM Wednesday 12:00PM – 4:00PM
• Connect with Rausser College Undergraduate Peer Advisors
• Contact your Rausser College major advisor with questions or to schedule an appointment.
• Check out RCNR Advising on Instagram !!

Haas School of Business

Haas Undergraduate Program Office |  S460 Student Services Building  |  [email protected]

• Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00AM – 4:00PM Wednesday 1:00PM – 4:00PM Closed for lunch 12:00PM – 1:00PM
• Schedule an appointment with Haas Undergraduate Advisors
• Visit the Haas Undergraduate website for more information about admissions, academics and student services.

College of Computing, Data Science, and Society

Office of Undergraduate Advising  |  Contact Us  

Department and Program Advisors:

• Data Science Advising ([email protected])
• Statistics Advising ([email protected])
• Computer Science Advising ( [email protected] ) 

Explore our Departments and Programs 

The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) at UC Berkeley brings together programs, schools, departments, and partners to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities and catalyze groundbreaking research that meets society’s greatest challenges. We are reimagining inclusive collaboration to tackle the technical, scientific, social, and human dimensions of urgent challenges in health and biomedicine, climate and sustainability, and human welfare and social justice.

Student Resources and Information

Undergraduate Education – The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society offers quality undergraduate education programs in computer science, data science, and statistics.

FAQs : Undergraduate Students in Computer Science, Data Science, and Statistics

Berkeley School of Education

Berkeley School of Education  |  Berkeley Way West  |  510-642-9476  |  [email protected]

• Advising hours: M-Thur 1-4pm
• Please contact a BSE advisor to set up an appointment! 

Visit bse.berkeley.edu to learn about the Education Minor and the new Educational Sciences Major!

Other Academic Programs

Berkeley changemaker.

• Inclusive academic program open to all based on three through-lines — critical thinking, communication, and collaboration — and enrolling some 20% of undergraduates.
• To learn more about our over 30 courses offered in departments across campus, click here or search for “Berkeley Changemaker” as a “course type” in the Academic Guide’s class schedule.
• Please contact us at [email protected] to learn more.
• Go to https://changemaker.berkeley.edu/berkeley-changemaker-certificate-completion for information about our certificate.

Berkeley Dual Degree Programs

160 Stephens Hall  |  [email protected]  |  (510) 664-7243

UC Berkeley Dual Degree Programs provide students the opportunity to pursue degrees from a choice of two different Universities: UC Berkeley and either Sciences Po in France or The University of Hong Kong. Each dual degree program awards two degrees, one from each university, in four years.

Berkeley Study Abroad & Global Edge Program

160 Stephens Hall  |  (510) 642-1356  |  [email protected]  |  [email protected]

Start planning early and you can make the most of your time at Berkeley! Explore programs for your major, fulfill breadth requirements, learn a language, or intern abroad. Berkeley Study Abroad advisers can help you find a summer, semester, or year-long program that fits into your academic plans.

See our advising page for services and appointments. Financial aid and scholarships are available.

Want to study abroad your first year? Global Edge gives newly admitted Berkeley first-years the Berkeley experience with a global perspective! Spend your summer at Berkeley then fall semester abroad in London! To register for the program, select Global Edge as your First Year Pathway option in your MAP@Berkeley account.

Berkeley Student Learning Center

César E. Chávez Student Center  |  (510) 642-7332  |  [email protected]

The Student Learning Center is the primary academic support unit on campus, with five discipline-specific academic programs and a rapidly expanding co-curriculum that spans from global book clubs to academic coaching to peer facilitated workshops. Staffed by 300 peer tutors and 21 professional learning specialists, the Center serves about 10,000 students–or 30% of the undergraduate population–in many of the gateway courses to some of Cal’s most impacted majors. Through services that promote collaborative intelligence and emphasize learning as a process, the Center supports Cal students in meeting the academic rigor of Cal and locating their voice and confidence as scholars.

Instagram Facebook

Berkeley Summer Bridge

133 César E. Chávez Student Center  |  (510) 643-9908  |  [email protected]

Summer Bridge is a six-week academic residential program designed to support entering first-years in making a successful transition to Cal. Each cohort serves approximately 300 undergraduates from all over California and the world. Summer Bridge students take a full course load, enrolling in two academic courses and a mentorship program that helps them navigate the rigor of the research university. They also receive high-touch, high-quality academic support to further solidify their subject-matter confidence. The program takes a holistic approach to serving students, working to ensure they possess the skills, the mindset, and the connections necessary to Make the Golden Bear Leap to Success!

Evans Hall, 4th Floor  |  (510) 642-3813

Are you interested in a science, technology, engineering, or math major? Are you thinking of exploring a career in education? Why not do both? With CalTeach, in just four years you can: complete your STEM major, minor in Science and Math Education, and earn a California Teaching Credential.  Sign up for our introductory CalTeach course — UGIS 82: K-8 Teaching and Inquiry-based Design in the Science and Mathematics Classroom (two units) to get started!

• Check out the CalTeach website to learn more about the program and schedule an advising appointment.
• Feel free to visit our Student Resource Center (located at 30 Evans) to speak with one of our peer advisors.

1995 University Avenue, Suite 200 (Golden Bear Center)  |  Berkeley, CA 94704  |  (510) 643-0379  |  [email protected]

Fall Program for First-Semester (FPF) is a First Year Pathway for newly admitted students in the College of Letters & Science (excludes transfers or returning students) that want a small, collaborative learning community. Over its 40-year history, FPF has become a cornerstone experience for new students to support their entry to UCB, with small class sizes that allow for high-impact learning and proactive academic advising. Like other collegiate first-year programs, FPF equips students with a curated curriculum with thematic threads and a strong network of relationships among peers, advisors, and instructors. Below are all the ways that you can learn more about FPF.:

• Attend our online FPF Information Sessions with staff and former students (April 20 & April 27)
• Connect with current Cal students who were in FPF
• Check out our YouTube , Instagram , and online brochure where we highlight FPF instructors and the FPF student experience
• Review our Frequently Asked Questions

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

• Whether you are simply entrepre-curious or ready for another round of funding, visit the BEGIN site to see all the UC Berkeley resources available to you.
• Get inspired by stories of how Berkeley innovators change the world.
• Please contact us at [email protected] to learn more. Go to https://iande.berkeley.edu/ie-prospective-new-students for more information and a virtual tour.

L&S First-Year Pathways

[email protected]

L&S First-Year Pathways is an exciting new program for first-year undergraduate students at UC Berkeley. It consists of three courses — linked by a common theme — that you take in your first semester at Berkeley. By combining interdisciplinary course clusters and immersive learning within a small cohort experience, Pathways helps new students successfully transition to life at Berkeley. Pathways provides:

• Early Class Enrollment: Incoming first-year students will have access to priority enrollment into three courses
• Small Class Experience: Exciting small-class experiences with a professors renowned in their fields
• New Friendships: A chance to make friends with other new students through shared personal interests
• Degree Progress: < Progress through the L&S breadth requirements in a topic that interests you

To learn more about L&S First-Year Pathways:

• Bookmark and visit lsfirstyear.berkeley.edu for the latest information and updates
• Watch the L&S First-Year Pathways video featuring students from Fall 2023
• Look for us at Cal Day!

Student Tech Services

• Long-term laptop and accessory loans for students with financial need ( STEP )
• Free on-campus tech support for all students
• Opportunities to work in IT departments across campus

• Student & Alumni Work
• What It’s Like To Be Here
• A Revolutionary Past & Vibrant Future
• Master’s of Journalism
• Concurrent Degrees
• For Undergrads
• For Mid-Career Journalists
• Costs & Funding
• News & Events
• Faculty & Lecturers
• Alumni Network
• Media Guide to Faculty Experts
• Reserve Radio & TV Studio

Quarterly Newsletter From Dean Geeta Anand

March 27, 2024

Spring 2024

Dear Berkeley Journalism community:

With great optimism about the future of our school, I share with you news of the largest gift in the history of Berkeley Journalism: Alum  Angela Filo  (’99) and her husband  David Filo , the co-founder of Yahoo, have pledged $10 million to Berkeley Journalism.

This foundational gift in our five-year $54 million Campaign for Berkeley Journalism will give us the opportunity to support our students as never before and strengthen our world-class programs. We will begin by doubling the financial aid we offer to the incoming class this fall.

The gift advances our goal of changing who gets to be a journalist in this world. Increasing financial aid is key to liberating our graduates from the burden of student debt so they can go on to build careers in journalism.

In addition to directly providing endowment support for future generations of students, the gift provides a matching gift challenge to inspire other donors to create new Berkeley Journalism master’s fellowship endowments.

The gift will also enable Berkeley Journalism to expand its reporting on major issues, such as the climate crisis, and continue to address the decline of local news.

“Great journalism is essential to a thriving democracy,” said Angela Filo, a member of the school’s Advisory Board. “We have to invest in training the next generation of journalists who will ensure that communities have access to reliable and responsive information they can trust.”

Read the full announcement here about this extraordinary gift.

With elections threatened by disinformation, an accelerating climate crisis and ongoing violence globally, the role of journalists is more vital than ever before. So, too, is our role in educating the people we are counting on to hold the powerful to account and ensure that all stories are told.

Our democracy needs us to educate a new generation of exceptional fact-finders, storytellers and boundary breakers. This gift and our Campaign for Berkeley Journalism will enable us to achieve our ambitious vision that is essential to the future of journalism, democracy and our planet.

Geeta Anand Dean and Professor

What follows are some of the highlights from our prolific journalism community over the past few months. We share these snapshots knowing it is impossible for us to feature all of the accomplishments in this limited space. Please follow our social media channels to learn more about our community’s important work and accolades in real time. We ask for your grace if we have inadvertently left anyone out.

Campaign for Berkeley Journalism

It’s a big goal for a big vision. We’ve just publicly launched a five-year $54 million Campaign for Berkeley Journalism. We’re changing who gets to be a journalist. Reinventing climate journalism. Training the next investigative reporters. Supporting local news. And investing in a world-class journalism education. Please watch our Campaign video , learn more and get involved here .

Awards and Honors

Nani Sahra Walker (’18) with her Oscar for “The Last Repair Shop.”

It’s been quite a few months of awards and accolades for the Berkeley Journalism community.

Nani Sahra Walker (’18) and Professor Jason Spingarn-Koff (’01) were executive producers of L.A. Times Studios’ “The Last Repair Shop,” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Brian Howey (’22) won a George Polk Award for Justice Reporting, for a piece he developed — with Professor David Barstow ’s guidance while he was a student — on a deceptive police tactic used on the families of victims of police violence. Alum Brett Murphy (’16), was part of ProPublica’s team that won a Polk Award and the Selden Ring Award for reporting on the Supreme Court. Both Murphy and Howey are also finalists for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Steve Saldivar (’10) was awarded the 2023 National Ruben Salazar award in Digital from the CCNMA Latino Journalists of California for “ The Zoot Suit Riots Cruise brings back ‘a forgotten era ,'” which was published in the Los Angeles Times.

Berkeley Journalism Advisory Board members Bill Whitaker (’78/’16) and Carrie Lozano (’05) were awarded top honors from the UC Berkeley Foundation and the Cal Alumni Association. Whitaker was named Alum of the Year and Lozano awarded the Campanile Excellence in Achievement Award. Whitaker said about his time at Berkeley: “We were photographers, writers, anchor people and camera people — we did it all. It was wonderful training for my life in journalism.”

Dean Geeta Anand and State Senator Steven Glazer were awarded service awards from the NorCal chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the oldest U.S.-based journalism organization of its kind.

Investigative reporters Brett Murphy (‘16) and Brian Howey (’22)

Student News

The Developing Your Blockbuster Investigative Story class pictured in the newsroom of the IRP, from left to right: Marissa Muller, Sasha Schell, Charles Ayitey, Saumya Gupta, Laura Fitzgerald, Professor David Barstow, Hana Beach, Beki San Martin, Kathleen Quinn, Max Harrison-Caldwell, Cayla Mihalovich, Tarini Mehta, Kate Raphael and Cara Nixon. Photo by Marlena Telvick.

Students in our Investigative Reporting Program have published major stories in leading publications over the past few months. IRP students and alums contributed to the second series of “ On Our Watch ,” a podcast on KQED about “New Folsom” prison. Cayla Mihalovich (’24) investigated how survivors of forced sterilization in California were denied reparations.

As part of the IRP’s “Aging in America” series funded by the SCAN Foundation, Holly McDede (’25) published a story on the push to urge specialized training for California police officers interacting with people with dementia. Luiz H. Monticelli (’25) was the photographer. Celeste Hamilton Dennis (’24) wrote “It’s a Crisis. Hoarding is Costing some Older People their Homes” in the San Francisco Chronicle, with photos by Florence Middleton (’24).

Class of 2024 student commencement speakers Tarini Mehta and Jeremiah O. Rhodes.

Current and former IRP students Bella Arnold (’24), Hanisha Harjani (’23), Simmerdeep Kaur (’24), Grace Marion (’24), Adam Solorzano (’24) and Krissy Waite (’23) contributed research to a story in The Guardian by the IRP’s Lisa Pickoff-White (’09), exposing how at least 22 Californians have died while being held face down by police since 2016.

In “Veil of fire and smoke over Richmond from what Chevron says is a flare,” first-year students Erika Zaro , Amaray Alvarez , Yichong Qiu and Reporter-in-Residence Fellow Ana Tellez-Witrago covered a breaking story about a fire at the Chevron refinery.

Negar Ajayebi (’25) was named a White House Correspondents’ Association scholarship recipient. Ajayebi has been a freelance audio journalist researching, editing and hosting podcasts for almost a decade. She’ll be attending a special luncheon for scholarship winners and the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C. at the end of April.

Sasha Schell (’24) reporting in Brazil for his thesis project. Photo by: Cicero Pedrosa.

Alumni News

The New York Times Magazine recently published a 26-page cover story featuring Richard Barnes ‘ (’79) photographs documenting the collections of seven notable individuals who died in 2023, for its annual “The Lives They Lived” issue. Barnes was also featured in the fall/winter edition of California, the UC Berkeley alumni magazine, about the backstory of photographing “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski’s cabin, his first assignment for the magazine in 1998.

Richard Barnes’ (’79) photos were featured in a recent cover story in The New York Times Magazine.

At our annual “Cal @ Sundance” event in January, there was much to celebrate. Myah Overstreet (’23) debuted her thesis film, “To Be Invisible,” co-edited by Noah McMillan (’23) and William Jenkins (’23) — only the third student thesis to show at the festival. Professors Jason Spingarn-Koff and Jennifer Redfearn were supervising producers. Director, producer and cinematographer Daphne Matziaraki ’s (’16) “The Battle for Laikipi” competed in Sundance’s World Cinema Documentary Competition. Four alums worked on the film, including Maya Craig (’17), James Pace-Cornsilk (’16), Lauren Schwartzman (’18) and Emily Thomas (’18). Sweta Vohra (’10) produced “Power” (commissioned by Spingarn-Koff at Netflix), which also screened as a world premiere.

Edward Wong (’98) and the cover of his new book “At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning With China.”

Lecturer and Advisory Board member Edward Wong (’98), a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times who reports on foreign policy from Washington, D.C., has a new book out titled “At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning With China.” Named one of Foreign Policy’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024, it’s a dual narrative that tells the story of modern China by braiding an intergenerational family memoir with first-person contemporary reporting.

Pete Nicks (’99), Sean Havey (’14) and Chris L. Jenkins ‘ (’00) documentary “ Anthem ” (Proximity Media) had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and is available to watch on Hulu. Reflecting upon “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Anthem” follows acclaimed composer Kris Bowers and music producer Dahi as they take a musical journey traveling across America to create a new sound, inspired by what our country’s national anthem might be if written in today’s time.

Director Alexis Bloom ‘s (’01) latest film “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg” recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is slated for release by Magnolia Pictures in May.

Jason Cohn (’98) and Camille Servan-Schreibrer ‘s (’98) latest film “ Modernism, Inc ” had its California premiere at the SF Indie Film Fest in February. Talia Mindich (’22) was the associate producer and assistant editor. Nina Goodby (’11) was assistant editor.

As an IRP student in the second-year seminar, “Developing Your Blockbuster Investigative Story,” with support from IRP Managing Editor Bernice Yeung , Iqra Salah (’23) produced a report on patients forced to turn to racketeers in Nigeria due to severe blood shortages, for Al Jazeera. Additional reporting by Linus Unah (’23).

Faculty News

Professor Bill Drummond, Professor Lisa Armstrong, Berkeley undergraduates Sandhya Dharini Ganesan and Esther Jeromine Cannesson and Wendy Medina (’24) at the San Quentin Guild Commencement. Photo by Vincent E. O’Bannon.

Professor Jennifer Redfearn , who received UC Berkeley’s prestigious Philomathia Prize in January, used the honor to organize “Immersive Environmental Storytelling” and showcase multidisciplinary storytelling about the climate crisis.

Professor Edward Wasserman wrote a powerful op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Why I still encourage my students to pursue journalism, even in the face of mass layoffs.”

Professor Lisa Armstrong wrote a story in The Guardian about why Black women are more likely to experience infertility than white women. Listen to a fascinating interview with her about the story here . She was also interviewed by KTVU about the crisis in Haiti. Armstrong and Professor Bill Drummond were on hand for the San Quentin Guild Commencement at the prison on March 15 (see photo above).

Professor Jennifer LaFleur was part of a Center for Public Integrity team whose investigation into the patchwork safety net for homeless students was recognized with a special citation in the Investigative Reporters & Editors’ Philip Meyer Journalism Award.

Our new spring lecturers include NPR Senior White House Correspondent Tamara Keith (’01) co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, who is teaching a 5-week online political reporting course focused on the 2024 elections. Caron Creighton (’19), resident filmmaker at SFFilm FilmHouse teaches “Video Reporting and Storytelling.” Tom Giles , who works with Bloomberg’s San Francisco, New York and London bureaus, teaches “Covering Silicon Valley” as part of our new Business Journalism program, a joint initiative with Haas School of Business. The Washington Post’s Daron Taylor , a senior animator and video editor, teaches an online course called “Animating the News.” Ankita Mukhopadhyay Kumar , a journalist and documentary filmmaker, is teaching the Reporting on India class.

Lecturer Nick Romeo wrote “An Economics Lesson from Tolstoy” for The New Yorker. His recently published book “The Alternative: How to Build a Just Economy” was reviewed by The Guardian.

Lecturer Adam Hochschild ’s latest book “American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis” (Mariner) was named to History Today’s (Britain’s leading history magazine) 2023 Books of the Year list.

California Local News Fellowship

As part of our state-funded California Local News Fellowship program, forty reporters are working in newsrooms across the state, writing stories about housing and rent control, health care, prison life and more. Watch this brief video that features alum Williamena Kwapo (‘23), a reporter for the Black-owned Sacramento Observer.

In January, the program selected incarcerated journalist Steve Brooks as its 40th Fellow. Read about Brooks and the contributions he’s making to local news in the Bay Area.

The applicant pool for our second California Local News Fellowship cohort grew by 28 percent this year. By this fall, we will have almost 80 early career journalists — many of them graduates of our school — working at nearly 80 California outlets.

Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellows

The 2024 Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellows have been announced and include alum Anne Marshall-Chalmers (’22). The groundbreaking fellowship, established by leading podcaster and bestselling author Tim Ferriss in 2021, is a project of the U.C. Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. Launched in 2020, the BCSP was co-founded by Michael Pollan , a longtime faculty member at Berkeley Journalism.

Emeritus Professor Michael Pollan to speak at Zellerbach Playhouse on May 3. Photo by: Tabitha Soren.

March 27 : Investigative Reporting Program Managing Editor Bernice Yeung talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond at City Arts & Lectures, co-presented by the San Francisco Public Library, 7:30 pm at the Sydney Goldstein Theatre about his latest book, “Poverty, by America.”

April 3 : Professor Shereen Marisol Meraji talks with Hanif Abdurraqib at City Arts & Lectures, 7:30 pm at the Sydney Goldstein Theater about his new book, “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension.”

April 9 : Professor Ken Light hosts the Fotovision Lecture: An evening with photographer James Nachtwey at the David Brower Center in Berkeley. More information and tickets here .

April 12 : The 5th annual Media Mayhem virtual career fair and networking event, co-hosted by our student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), will bring together recruiters from outlets such as The New Yorker, KQED, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Associated Press, The Athletic, Seattle Times, Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, Mother Jones, Inside Climate News and Chicago Public Media, among many others. Our reputation is that our students are that good. Is your news organization interested in attending? Contact Director of Career Development Betsy Rate , here .

April 19–21 : 16th Annual Reva and David Logan Symposium on Investigative Reporting .

April 23 : The Possibility Lab presents Conversations with Possibility: Journalism & Public Policy featuring leading political reporters Marisa Lagos (KQED), Melanie Mason (’10) (POLITICO), and Laurel Rosenhall (’02) (Los Angeles Times). The reporters will discuss the important intersections between government, politics and journalism — and share best practices for current and aspiring policy practitioners. More info here .

Carrie Lozano

Filmmaker Carrie Lozano (’05), president and CEO of ITVS, will be the keynote speaker at Berkeley Journalism’s 2024 Commencement ceremony May 11. Read more here .

Through April 26 : The Reva and David Logan Gallery of Documentary Photography hosts “ For Better or Worse : The beauty and desperation of downtown San Francisco.” The exhibit of student work will be up until Friday, April 26. We invite everyone to stop by the school on weekdays to see these remarkable images in the halls of North Gate Hall.

May 3 : KQED’s Mina Kim talks with Emeritus Professor Michael Pollan at Zellerbach Playhouse about our individual and collective well-being, from changing what’s on our tables to what’s on our minds. The event celebrates Michael Pollan’s body of work and the establishment of a new Michael Pollan Narrative Journalism Fund at Berkeley Journalism. Tickets go on sale April 2.

Photojournalism students currently exhibiting their photos in the Logan Gallery clockwise from top left: Florence Middleton, Gisselle Medina, Samuel Tanner, Max Harrison-Caldwell, Shannon Faulise, Najim Rahim, Jule-Sophie Hermann, George Alfaro, Grace Marion, Khwaga Ghani and Emily Brower. Photos: Jule-Sophie Hermann.

First-year producers of the outstanding short documentaries that premiered at Showcase pictured in the courtyard of North Gate Hall with their J283 instructors Cassandra Herrman and Caron Creighton March 19, 2024. From left to right: Caron Creighton, Cassandra Herrman, Veronique Eshaya, Zoe Rosenblum, Matthew Busch, Liliana Cortés, Zane Karram, Cecil Egbele, Becca Duncan, Thomas Sawano, Denis Akbari, Walter David Marino, Amin Muhammad, Isabella Marzban, Sophia Sun, Nadia Akbar, Alicia Chiang, Neenma Ebeledike and Hallie Applebaum.

Alumni and student meetup at IRE and NICAR’s annual data journalism conference March 7-10 in Baltimore, hosted by Professor Jeremy Sanchez Rue (‘07).

About this letter : The Dean’s Quarterly News is sent to alumni, donors, students, faculty, media partners and others in Berkeley Journalism’s broad community. If you’d like to follow ongoing developments in real-time, find us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , YouTube and X . Have alumni news or accomplishments to share? Please send it, along with a high-res headshot and bio to [email protected] . Are you hiring? Please reach out to [email protected] . Want to learn more about donating to the school? Contact [email protected] . Sign up for our mailing and events lists  here .

Upcoming Events

Dean's Newsletter

June 15, 2023

Quarterly Newsletter from Dean Geeta Anand

Geeta Anand. Photo by Christopher Michel. Dear Berkeley Journalism Community, We live in a moment like no other. The threats to democratic culture posed by weaponized disinformation, partisan disharmony, and…

November 30, 2022

November 2021 Dean’s Letter

November 22, 2021

Programs & Resources

Undergraduate journalism minor.

Learn about our new year-around minor in journalism

Food & Farming Journalism Fellowship

Opportunity for early and mid-career journalists to report on food systems

Investigative Reporting Program

Committed to reporting stories that expose injustice and abuse of power

Two-year fellowship matching early-career journalists with California newsrooms

Stay Up To Date

Get the latest news.

Education PhD

The Berkeley School of Education (BSE) prepares leaders in education practice, policy, and research. BSE faculty members support a vision of public education that promotes equity and social justice by empowering practitioners to meet the highest standards of engagement and enrichment in classrooms, schools, communities, and districts. Through this commitment, the Berkeley School of Education supports cutting-edge research and positive social transformation in education. The faculty and students at the Berkeley School of Education develop projects and strategies in interdisciplinary scholarship and field studies that positively impact educational outcomes at the state, national, and international levels.

The Berkeley School of Education offers Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master's of Arts (MA), and credential degree programs as well as an Education major and minor for undergraduate students.

PhD and Master's Programs at the Berkeley School of Education

Students collaborate in dynamic learning environment that develops expertise in areas including:

Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Policy, Politics, and Leadership

Social Research Methodologies

Leadership and Excellence in K-12

Students develop professional leadership skills and explore new opportunities in pedagogy, curricula, and policy. Innovations in teaching and leadership in the classroom prepare students for influential administrative roles - e.g. for principals, district and system-wide administrators, and policy influencers.

Learn more about the Berkeley School of Education's Professional Programs .

Additional Programs

Graduate Group in Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME) SESAME is the Berkeley School of Education's interdisciplinary graduate program for students who seek advanced expertise in a scientific discipline. SESAME students earn a doctoral degree by researching the educational theories and research methodologies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

Intersection of Sport and Education In the Intersection of Sport and Education program students research facets of institutionalized sports that complements and conflict with the educational missions of American secondary and post-secondary schools.

School Psychology The Berkeley School of Education's School Psychology program brings together psychology professionals, teachers, and educational leaders to clarify and resolve problems regarding the educational and mental health needs of children in classrooms.

Special Education (Joint Doctoral Program with San Francisco State University) The Special Education Joint Doctoral program prepares leaders in research, teaching, administration, and supervision to address the professional needs facing children, youth, and adults with disabilities. By combining the resources of both Berkeley and SFSU, students pursue theoretical interests and applied practices in a broad spectrum of specializations within Special Education.

Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) Berkeleys educational doctorate (EdD) is a three year program that engages passionate, equity-conscious leaders who apply practice, theory, and research design to develop excellence and integrity in education. Using guiding principles, operational efficiencies, and professional networks, LEAD doctoral students influence all-encompassing change and innovation in education.

Contact Info

[email protected]

2121 Berkeley Way

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 4, 2023

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

Berkeley School of Education

Undergraduate major in educational sciences, major course requirements.

To complete the major requirements, students must take 13 total courses. Eleven of those courses are in four domains (Teaching and Learning; Educational Contexts in a Global World; Education and Social Transformation; and Educational Research and Practice). Within these areas, students are able to choose among a subset of courses, as listed below. Two of the courses will be  of upper-division elective coursework, either within the School of Education (including graduate level courses) or from a pre-approved list of electives outside of the School.

Grading Options and Required Grades

• All courses counting towards the Major must be taken for a letter grade
• All courses counting towards the Major must receive a C- or greater
• No more than two overlapping upper divison courses may be used for the Major
• Overall GPA must be at or above 2.0 for graduation

Teaching and Learning

Required (select two):

EDUC 130: Knowing and Learning in Math and Science (3)

EDUC  140AC / *EDUC W140A: The Art of Making Meaning: Educational Perspectives on Literacy and Learning in a Global World (4)

Select one:

EDUC  114A: Early development and Education (4)

EDUC  132: Language Learning in Chicanx/Latinx Communities (4)

EDUC  166: Will STEM Save US? The Promises and Perils of STEM Education (3)

EDUC  170: Teaching and Learning Data/Computational Science (3)

Educational Contexts in a Global World 

Select three:

EDUC  40AC: From Macro to Micro: Experiencing Education (In)equality in and Beyond Schools (3)

* EDUC  141: Exploring Digital Pedagogy (3)

* EDUC  142: Education in a Global World (4)

EDUC  154: Language in/and the World (3)

* EDUC  161: Digital Learning Environments (3)

* EDUC  165: Early Learning Environments for Diverse Learners (4)

EDUC  167: Higher Education Policy (3)

Education and Social Transformation  

EDUC  155AC: Asian American Struggles and Collective Learning for Racial Justice (4)

EDUC  163: Contemporary Issues in US Education (3)

EDUC C 181: Race, Identity, and Culture in Urban Schools (3)

EDUC  182AC: The Politics of Educational Inequality (4) 

EDUC  188: Language, Race and Power in Education (3) 

* EDUC  190AC/ EDUC W190A: Critical Studies in Education (4)

EDUC W190: Critical Studies in Education (3)

Educational Fieldwork, Research, and Project Capstone 

Required capstone research/practicum course (Choose one):

* EDUC  W144: Practicum in Education/Capstone project (3)

EDUC 150/EDUC 187A: Teachers of Color In the United States (3)

Please note: Students who took EDUCW144  Spring 2024 or prior for 1-2 units are permitted to count these units towards the Capstone requirement, and can repeat EDUC W144 for 1-2 units to reach the 3 unit requirement.

Students taking EDUCW144  after Spring 2024   are expected to take  EDUCW144 for the full 3 units  to satisfy the Capstone requirement.

EDUC  122: Research Methods for Science and Mathematics K-12 Teachers (3)

* EDUC  153: Research in Education: Studying Educational Inequality and Possibility (4)

EDUC  168: Educational Testing in the USA: Issues and a Practical Experience (3)

Two elective courses

Students must take an additional 6-8 units (two courses) of upper-division elective coursework, either within the School of Education (including graduate level courses, see the Academic Guide  or from a pre-approved list of electives outside of BSE, aligned with elective courses already approved for our undergraduate maojr and minor ( see the Education approved course list ).

Degree Requirements

View full Degree requirements for the School of Education

Declaring the Educational Sciences Major

Education courses, bse undergraduate advisor.

email:  [email protected]