In this article we will explore the fascinating history of UC Berkeley College of Engineering, a topic that has captured the attention of people of all ages and cultures. From its origins to its relevance today, UC Berkeley College of Engineering has left an indelible mark on the world. Over the decades, UC Berkeley College of Engineering has been the object of study, debate and admiration, being a source of inspiration for artists, scientists, writers and people from all areas. Through this article, we will discover the most relevant aspects of UC Berkeley College of Engineering, its impact on society and its meaning today. Get ready to enter the exciting world of UC Berkeley College of Engineering!
Engineering school of the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley College of Engineering
The University of California, Berkeley College of Engineering (Berkeley Engineering) is the engineering school of the University of California, Berkeley (a public research university in Berkeley, California). The college occupies fourteen buildings on the northeast side of the main campus and also operates the 150-acre (61-hectare) Richmond Field Station. Established in 1931, the college is considered to be one of the most prestigious and selective engineering schools in both the nation and the world.
It has become a top university incubator in the United States and worldwide; according to PitchBook, from 2006 to 2017, Berkeley produced 1,089 venture capital-backed entrepreneurs (second only to Stanford University) and created 961 start-up companies (more than any other university in the world). According to a 2023 report, Berkeley has produced the most company founders amongst all American public universities in the following categories: undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and female-specific.
Academics
The College of Letters and Science (L&S) offers a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science, which requires many of the same courses as the College of Engineering's Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS), but has different admissions and graduation criteria. It is one of the university's most selective undergraduate programs, along with the College of Engineering's EECS program; acceptance rates have been at or below 5% for both freshman and transfer applicants in recent years—5.2% for Fall 2020 EECS freshman applicants, which was lower than the MIT acceptance rate. Berkeley's chemical engineering department is under the College of Chemistry.
There are approximately 4,100 undergraduates in the College of Engineering, which for the 2021—22 application cycle had an acceptance rate of 7.6%, while Berkeley as a whole had a 14% acceptance rate. The Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (MET) program, a dual-degree track offered in collaboration with the Haas School of Business, is even more selective, with an acceptance rate of less than 3%. Applicants to the college may apply directly to one of the departments and enter with a declared major or may apply as an undeclared matriculant; major declaration is required at the end of sophomore year. Once within the college, it is possible to change majors with the approval of Engineering Student Services but it is difficult for undergraduates in other colleges at Berkeley to transfer into Engineering. The college accepts transfer applications, although only 9% of the over 2,300 junior transfer applicants were admitted for the 2015—16 academic year.
Over 81% of undergraduates receive a bachelor's degree in four years, with over 90% doing so within six years. 85% of undergraduates admitted to the college graduate from the college, and 91% graduate from some college at Berkeley. The college has a 4-year graduation policy, with extra semesters approved only in certain cases. Engineering Student Services provides academic advising, peer tutoring, and career services to engineering students. Various student organizations are run in conjunction with the college and many students belong to the student chapters of their corresponding professional organizations. Graduate admissions in the College of Engineering is administered by department. During the 2021—22 academic year, the college had 2,513 graduate students and awarded 228 masters and 244 doctorate degrees as well as 889 professional master's degrees.
The college's enrollment is approximately 32% women. Berkeley has one of the oldest, most active and award-winning sections of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE); established in 1975, it has been recognized with the "Outstanding Collegiate Section Gold Mission Award" at the annual SWE national conference, which is the largest gathering for women in engineering and technology. Among Berkeley engineering alumnae are a 2018 Nobel laureate, a 2008 Turing Award winner, a 2012 Turing Award winner, the first woman to receive a bachelor's degree in engineering from an American university, and the co-founders of Marvell Technology, Atheros Communications, and many other technology companies.
Black Engineering and Science Student Association (BESSA)
Robotics @ Berkeley
Machine Learning @ Berkeley
Mobile Developers of Berkeley
Research units
All research facilities are managed by one of five Organized Research Units (ORUs):
Earthquake Engineering Research Center (EERC) — research and public safety programs against the destructive effects of earthquakes
Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) — the largest ORU; advanced research in novel areas within seven different university departments, organized into five main divisions:
Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center
Berkeley Wireless Research Center
Berkeley Northside Research Group
Micro Systems Group
Engineering Systems Research Center (ESRC) — focuses on manufacturing, mechatronics, and microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS)
Institute for Environmental Science and Engineering (IESE) — focuses on applying basic research to current and future environmental problems
Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) — sponsors research in transportation planning, policy analysis, environmental concerns and transportation system performance