Double Majors
From The Unofficial Guide to Engineering
==College of Engineering==!!! Double majors consist of two majors in the same college. Many engineering fields encompass overlapping areas of interest. Double major programs are specifically designed to allow you to earn two engineering degrees in eight semesters, or even nine if necessary.
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2 Simultaneous Degrees with Letters and Science (Majors in both colleges) |
Application Process for Double Major
To declare a double major, you must petition to change to a double major program at the beginning of your fourth semester (at the earliest). Junior transfer student may apply for a double major program directly.
You begin by getting a Change of Major petition from the Engineering Student Affairs Office (308 McLaughlin), and any other forms that might be necessary. Currently, Associate Dean Robert Giomi is in charge of handling double major applications. You’ll need to attach a copy of your transcript and a personal statement.
Personal Statement: When writing the personal statement, state specifically what your reasons are for applying into another engineering major. Tell the reader why you believe you deserve to be in this major and what motivates you to apply, keeping in mind that this is what will distinguish you from all the other applicants. You should include something unique about yourself so that you stand out. Your student affairs advisor or associate dean Mr. Giomi might be willing to look it over for you. Remember to start early so you will have plenty of time to edit.
Once submitted, your petition will be reviewed by the department you’re applying into. Depending on the person who will review the petitions and the guidelines he uses, any number of applicants may be admitted to the double major program. Although a GPA of 3.0 is required to petition for a change in major, there is no set requirement that decides who is admitted. Anyone with a GPA above 3.0 stands a fair chance of getting in. The admittance rate into double major programs is significantly better than high school students’ admittance rate into UCB.
Once you are admitted or rejected, you will be sent a letter at the end of the semester. If you are admitted, you will be sent a second letter asking you to call the Student Affairs Office to confirm your acceptance. Note that this process may change in the future.
Being in a Double Major Program
Once you are admitted to the major program you’ll be assigned one faculty advisor from each department. Because of how rigorous double major programs are, you will be required to report any schedule changes to your student affairs advisor. They want to make sure you can graduate in eight semesters. You should get to know the faculty from both departments as you’ll be taught by professors in both departments.
Current Double Major Programs
http://www.coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/announce/engineeringannouncement0506.pdf
These are double major programs are currently available.
- Bioengineering/Materials Science and Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering/Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
- Nuclear Engineering/Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
- Materials Science and Engineering/Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering/Nuclear Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering/Chemical Engineering
If the two majors you want to go into are not listed above, you will have to sit down with the associate dean to discuss the program. College of Engineering is very flexible about what program you can pursue, and will most likely work out a program guideline just for you. This means you have a little less leeway on what classes you can take but you can pursue both majors nevertheless. Note: Chemical Engineering is considered a part of the Chemistry Department so any double major involving Chemical Engineering require a different application form.
Other Things to Keep in Mind
Plan for a double major program early; if you are serious about pursuing a double major, you should plan your freshman and sophomore classes accordingly. You can find the course requirements either in the catalog or on the web at http://www.berkeley.edu/catalog/ “Remember that double major typically means quite a bit more work, but that also means you learn a lot more. This is a great way to get more out of your college tuition. Two degrees are better than one. “Here are my words of wisdom to help you decide whether or not to do a double major; college is like a buffet, don’t bite off more than you can chew, but don’t be afraid to eat your fill.” – David Huang
Haas School of Business
The undergraduate program at the Haas School of Business is two years long and provides students with a general background in business. Upon graduation, you will receive a B.S. in Business Administration. The program was recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the third best in the nation, after Wharton (UPenn) and Sloan (MIT).
Applying to Haas
Each year, the undergraduate program accepts 350 Haas students. Students apply during the fall semester of their sophomore year, after completing a set of pre-requisites which including:
- UGBA 10 (Principles of Business)
- Econ 1 or 2 (Introduction to Economics)
- Calculus
- Statistics 21
- Computer Science
- Literature/Writing
- English/Reading and Composition http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/ucb_prereq.html (for details)
Acceptance letters are mailed out in the spring, and the program begins the summer before the student’s junior year. As part of the effort to expand the undergraduate program, students are required to attend two classes (UGBA 100 and UGBA 107) during the summer.
Earning the Degree
The core classes include a Business Communication, Micro- and Macroeconomics, Financial and Managerial Accounting, Finance, Organizational Behavior, Marketing and Ethics. In addition these cores, there are many elective classes to choose from, so students can focus on a specific aspect of business.
To graduate, students much accumulate 32 upper-division Haas units, 18 upper-division non-Haas units, 9 breadth courses and a few other requirements. Please visit http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/requirements_for_degree.html for the complete list of requirements.
Simultaneous Degrees with Letters and Science (Majors in both colleges)
While a double major consists of two majors within one school or college, a simultaneous degree program consists of two majors from two different schools or colleges on this campus. For example, you might want to pursue simultaneous degrees in Economics (L
