Student Experience

Through its state-of-the-art online platform, datascience@berkeley provides students with live classes, dynamic coursework, valuable networking opportunities, and lasting relationships. This unique Master of Information and Data Science program seamlessly brings UC Berkeley’s on-campus student experience online.

Live Classes

datascience@berkeley classes are taught by tenured UC Berkeley School of Information (I School) faculty, leading industry practitioners and post-doctoral scholars. Our state-of-the-art online platform features live classes, which are collaborative seminars driven by problem solving and discussion. Our online classroom has no back row; faculty and students join in every conversation to create a rich learning experience. Request information.

SMALL CLASSES:
Classes are capped at 18 students.

RECORDED SESSIONS:
Access to class recordings is available 24/7.

DYNAMIC FUNCTIONALITY:
Classrooms can be used for group meetings and faculty office hours.

Immersive Coursework

Between their weekly live classes, datascience@berkeley students complete coursework on their own time. Coursework is designed to be immersive and dynamic, engaging students in materials that prepare them for classroom discussions with their peers and instructors. Our faculty have worked with world-class course developers, creating an I School curriculum that is designed specifically for an online learning environment. This content includes dynamic videos, interactive case studies, self-paced lectures, and collaborative activities that foster teamwork.

Video Lectures
MIDS students watch recorded lectures, which are discussed during live sessions. This shows how I School Professor Coye Chesire incorporates a PowerPoint presentation into a recorded lecture.

Roundtable Discussion
By showing experts debating and discussing a topic, professors are able to demonstrate multiple points of view from those working in the field. In this example, Professor Coye Chesire and data science experts discuss how to operationalize a complex construct.

Case Study
I School faculty create video case studies for students to explore. Here, Professor Steve Weber examines the Cuban Missile Crisis as a discussion-starter about making decisions in crisis situations.

Bidirectional Learning Tool
Through this completely revolutionary learning tool, professors can engage with students through assignments. Students are able to comment on the content they watch, and even receive feedback from professors and classmates. In this example Professor Steve Weber addresses online students in a conversation about decision-making in a crisis.

Immersion Experience

datascience@berkeley students will attend an immersion program on the UC Berkeley campus. Offered twice a year, each immersion is custom crafted to deliver additional learning, networking, and community-building opportunities. During these three- to four-day programs, students will meet faculty and classmates while attending lectures and workshops, participating in networking events with industry leaders, and taking part in social networking mixers. Read about our immersion.

Social Engagement

datascience@berkeley is hosted on an online platform that facilitates collaboration and leads to real connections. On the platform, students create profiles just as with any social networking tool, and the same level of networking and connection develops. Students can get to know one another outside of class, meet for study sessions, work on group projects, or even attend a virtual happy hour.

REAL NETWORKING:
Personal profiles help students keep in touch.

REAL ENGAGEMENT:
Classmates collaborate in small groups.

REAL CONNECTIONS:
Students socialize outside of class.

Global Access to a Network of Workspaces Through WeWork

Starting in July 2018, all datascience@berkeley students will receive a Global Access subscription to WeWork workspaces. WeWork is a global community of workspaces that stretch over 240 locations in more than 20 countries. You will be able to utilize any WeWork workspace as a go-to study space, a resource while traveling, or as a place to meet with classmates you connect with in your city.

As a datascience@berkeley student, you will have access to all WeWork locations, events, and amenities, including: Wi-Fi, printing and copying, private rooms, refreshments, on-site support, etc.

Student Support

Support begins the moment you request information about datascience@berkeley and continues beyond graduation. A dedicated Admissions Counselor will assist you throughout your application process. Once enrolled, you will receive academic and tech support. After graduation, you join the I School’s global alumni network. Learn more about student support.

"The first step in supporting my students is to understand their needs and wants. I take the time to understand how they learn and how each prefer to stay connected."

—Ryan McLaughlin, Senior Director of Student Support