Berkeley Public Health

UC Berkeley Reviews (11)

North America

In the summer of 2010 I took part in the “Summer Session D” at the University of Berkeley and would now like to briefly report on my experiences.

A total of seven different “Summer Sessions” were available in the summer of 2010. These differ in the length of the courses as well as in the range of courses. There are so many different courses offered that it can be almost difficult to get an overview at the beginning, but on the other hand it guarantees that one or more courses are available for every situation. But if you can’t find your way around, or if you can’t find anything suitable for you, it is best to contact the I-Office (= International Office) in Berkeley. The staff there are used to working quickly, competently and helpful with international students and were always polite and tried to help us as quickly as possible.

Once you’ve chosen your courses, don’t forget to get a visa in good time. This is either a student visa or a tourist visa, depending on how many ECTS points you receive for your courses. In this regard, it is best to either ask again at your website or simply inquire at your embassy or the international office of Berkeley. Check toppharmacyschools to see more reviews from current students.

A general tip regarding the choice of courses: It is without a doubt advisable to first clarify with your university which courses are creditable for your studies and which are not. Unimagined possibilities often emerge here. In my opinion, it is also advisable, once this has been agreed, to document this agreement in writing (e-mail traffic) in order not to experience a nasty surprise in this regard in the end.

Once you have made your course selection, do not forget to make a careful note of the exact date from which you can register for your courses. The time should not be disregarded, because UC Berkeley releases all courses from a summer session for registration at the same time. In the best case scenario, you should therefore not lose any time and actually register immediately after the registration forms have been activated, in order to minimize the possible risk that the courses are already full and that you therefore no longer get a place. Since this is by no means an unimportant point in your preparation for Berkeley, I would recommend working closely with your website.

I have chosen two courses from the “Haas Business School”, “Financial Accounting” and “Managerial Accounting”. It should be noted that the courses in the “Haas Business School” differ slightly from the other courses in the Summer Sessions. Since many “full-time students” at UC Berkeley also take part in courses at the “Haas Business School” and I only met a few international students there, a solid knowledge of English and good specialist vocabulary are absolutely necessary for the respective courses because, as perhaps in rather common in other courses, the language barrier is rather neglected. Some students who had misjudged themselves on this point, however, still had the opportunity to change course (s) in the first week. Changing courses is still possible in a certain short period of time at the beginning without incurring additional fees. After that, however, it is no longer possible for most courses, which is why a well thought-out course selection is definitely an advantage.

The courses are all very well and tightly organized and show a very high technical level as one would expect from a university like UC Berkeley. The professors tirelessly encourage cooperation which they consider necessary to pass the course. Almost all courses have a “midterm” and a “final exam”. In the “Haas Business School” there were also unannounced “quizzes” and a “long project” that had to be submitted at the end of the “summer session” about every 3 units.

Despite the enormous pressure in the courses, which I felt very strongly at the beginning, I really enjoyed my time at Berkeley and at the same time was able to make many new friends. On the weekends I was also able to find the time to take some fantastic “short trips” through California and get to know the attractions and sights that California has to offer a little better.

Berkeley Public Health