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With a legacy spanning over a century, The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) — the US’s #1 public university — consistently ranks among the world’s top universities. Prestige aside, it has a reputation for groundbreaking research, transformative education and societal impact. These may sound like buzzwords, but not for UC Berkeley, making it the best place to explore, ask questions and improve the world. Thousands join its over 300 degree programmes each year to do just that.
UC Berkeley’s vast range of programmes fulfils many aspirations — including those that take place in just a semester or an academic year. Berkeley Global, part of the university’s continuing education branch UC Berkeley Extension, offers Visiting-Student Programmes that let you focus on specific subjects or combine several while experiencing all that the US and the university has to offer.
Meru Sharma left her job as a software engineer at Ericsson to master the art of tackling complex business challenges through an MBA. However, she felt there was still something missing. “To accelerate my career in a global fast-moving and entrepreneurial environment, I decided to be closer to a thriving innovative community,” she explains. “This led me to UC Berkeley, which is close to the heart of Silicon Valley.”
Joining the Berkeley Haas Global Access Programme (BHGAP), she found the perfect blend of academic excellence and industry immersion. To her, the best part about joining was that she would be able to tailor her journey to match her interests in entrepreneurship and innovation. “So after a long corporate stint, I wanted to be back in the classroom to unlearn and relearn new skills in the collaborative company of a dynamic, international cohort at the top innovation hub of the world; And BHGAP provided me with exactly that,” Sharma says.
However, a Berkeley Global experience isn’t reserved just for aspiring entrepreneurs. Through the Berkeley Global Access Programme (BGA), students can experience a semester or full academic year exploring many of thousands of undergraduate or graduate-level courses spanning various disciplines.
Popular subject areas include the Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Humanities, Business, and Economics. All are delivered through cutting-edge teaching methodologies that transcend rote memorisation. And for all BGA students, units earned can be transferred to their home university, or help prepare them for graduate and professional schools.
Guiding each educational voyage are expert faculty members. “The instructors come from the industry and bring in relevant experience and up-to-date knowledge,” says Garima Sikdar, an advocate for UX design in accessibility products from India who chose the Full-Time Certificate in UX/UI Design programme for its flexibility and rigour. “I see them working hard to bring the in-class experience to the online world.”
Online or on campus, students are always immersed in Berkeley Global’s vibrant community — a melting pot of diversity that cultivates not only global awareness but also professional connections that span continents and industries. Of course, those on campus get to call the Bay Area home during their studies, and more often than not, visiting students find every reason to stay.
Despite her rigorous academic schedule, Sharma always found moments of respite by experiencing the best of Berkeley — exploring iconic landmarks and indulging in the city’s array of culinary delights. She took leisurely strolls around Sather Gate and Instagrammed awe-inspiring vistas from the Campanile observation platform. She also made full use of her campus’s prime location.
“I spent most of my weekends and summer break beyond campus exploring new restaurants in San Francisco, taking trips around California — like the must-visit freshwater Lake Tahoe and visiting the upscale Beverly Hills area in Los Angeles, snorkelling in Hawaii and reliving my childhood by re-visiting Walt Disney World in Florida,” shares the graduate, who now resides in the Bay Area, serving as a global innovation manager at a Belgian multinational drink and brewing company AB InBev.
Inspired? Your dream education and life are closer than you think. Berkeley Global welcomes applicants from across the globe to apply to its scholarship programmes worth up to US$2,000. Learn more about applying for the Fall 2024 semester. Applications open on March 1, 2024. Priority deadlines fall on April 1, 2024 and May 1, 2024, with the final application deadline set for June 1, 2024.
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