Computer Science

University of California, Berkeley

About the Program

Choosing a Computer Science Path

There are two ways to study Computer Science (CS) at UC Berkeley:

  1. Be admitted to the Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS) major in the College of Engineering (COE) as a freshman. Admission to the COE, however, is extremely competitive. This option leads to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. This path is appropriate for people who want an engineering education.
  2. Select the Computer Science major in the College of Letters & Science (L&S) on the UC Berkeley application. Once admitted to UC Berkeley, students may petition to be admitted to the L&S Computer Science major after successful completion of the prerequisite courses to declare and if they are in good academic standing. More information may be found here. This path is appropriate for people who are interested in a broader education in the sciences and arts (such as double majoring in other L&S fields), and/or are not sure at the time of application that they can gain admission to EECS. This option leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

There is no difference in the CS course content between the BS and BA programs. The difference is in what else you take: mainly engineering, or mainly humanities and social sciences. In particular, an interest in hardware suggests the EECS route; an interest in double majoring (for example, in math or cognitive science) suggests the L&S route.

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Science

For information regarding the BS degree, please see the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences program information in this Guide. 

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Computer Science

This CS major is for students enrolled in the College of Letters & Science (L&S). Berkeley emphasizes the science of computer science, which means much more than just computer programming. It includes the theory of computation, the design and analysis of algorithms, the architecture and logic design of computers, programming languages, compilers, operating systems, scientific computation, computer graphics, databases, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing. Our goal is to prepare students both for a possible research career and long-term technical leadership in industry. We must therefore look beyond today's technology and give students the primary ideas and the learning skills that will prepare them to teach themselves about tomorrow's technology.

Declaring the Major (BA only)

Students who selected Computer Science on their UC Berkeley application must complete the prerequisite courses and be in good academic standing in order to declare the Computer Science major. Information on this GPA and the process to petition for admission to the major can be found on the Petitioning to the Computer Science Major website.

Transfer students must select the Computer Science major on their application to UC Berkeley in order to be considered for this major. Transfer students admitted to UC Berkeley who chose Computer Science on their application will be directly admitted to Computer Science. More information may be found here. Questions may be directed to the CS advising office, 349 Soda Hall, 510-664-4436, or via email at cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu. 

Five-Year BS/MS Program

This program is geared toward students who would like to pursue an education beyond the BS/BA, allowing them to achieve greater breadth and/or depth of knowledge, and who would like to try their hand at research as well. For information, please see the Five-Year BS/MS Requirements tab on this page. 

Honors Program

Computer Science majors with an overall GPA of 3.70 or above are eligible to apply to the EECS honors degree program.

Minor Program

A minor in Computer Science is available to all undergraduate students at Berkeley with a declared major, with the exception of EECS majors. For information regarding minor requirements, please see the Minor Requirements tab on this page.

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements (BA)

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

  1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be 3 or more units and taken for a letter grade.
  2. All courses for the major must be technical in nature. Courses numbered 199, 198, 197, 196, 195, plus select 194, 191, 190, and various seminars do not count. If you are unsure, please check with the CS advisers (cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu).

  3. Only one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs. No more than two upper division courses can overlap between two majors.
  4. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

 
Lower Division Prerequisites
COMPSCI 61AThe Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs4
COMPSCI 61BData Structures4
COMPSCI 70Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory4

Lower Division Requirement

MATH 1ACalculus4
MATH 1BCalculus4
MATH 54Linear Algebra and Differential Equations 14
or EECS 16A Designing Information Devices and Systems I
COMPSCI 61CGreat Ideas of Computer Architecture (Machine Structures)4

Upper Division Requirements

Select one design course from the following:
COMPSCI 152Computer Architecture and Engineering4
COMPSCI 160User Interface Design and Development4
COMPSCI 161Computer Security (effective Spring 2019)4
COMPSCI 162Operating Systems and System Programming4
COMPSCI 164Programming Languages and Compilers4
COMPSCI 168Introduction to the Internet: Architecture and Protocols4
COMPSCI 169Software Engineering4
COMPSCI 169AIntroduction to Software Engineering4
COMPSCI 169LSoftware Engineering Team Project2
COMPSCI 182Designing, Visualizing and Understanding Deep Neural Networks4
COMPSCI 184Foundations of Computer Graphics4
COMPSCI 186Introduction to Database Systems4
EECS 149Introduction to Embedded and Cyber Physical Systems4
EECS 151Introduction to Digital Design and Integrated Circuits3
EL ENG C106AIntroduction to Robotics4
EL ENG C106BRobotic Manipulation and Interaction4
EL ENG C128Feedback Control Systems4
EL ENG 130Integrated-Circuit Devices4
EL ENG 140Linear Integrated Circuits4
EL ENG 143Microfabrication Technology4
EL ENG 192Mechatronic Design Laboratory4
Select 8 units upper-division CS courses and 8 units upper-division CS/EE/EECS courses from the following, or from the above list.
(INFO 159, STAT/DATA/COMPSCI C100, and Data 101 are the only non CS/EE/EECS titled classes that may be used to fulfill this requirement)
COMPSCI/STAT C100Principles & Techniques of Data Science4
or DATA C100 Principles & Techniques of Data Science
COMPSCI 161Computer Security4
COMPSCI 170Efficient Algorithms and Intractable Problems4
COMPSCI 172Computability and Complexity4
COMPSCI 176Algorithms for Computational Biology4
COMPSCI 188Introduction to Artificial Intelligence4
COMPSCI 189Introduction to Machine Learning4
COMPSCI C191Introduction to Quantum Computing4
COMPSCI 194Special Topics (15-Parallel Computing, 16-Introduction to Data Science [discontinued], 26-Computational Photography, 28-Computational Design and Fabrication, 30-Practical Networking, 31-Technology and Social Networks, 32-Computing for Social Good, 34-Cryptography [spring 2019], 35-Data Engineering, 73-Software Engineering for Scientific Computing, 80-Full Stack Deep Learning, 100-EECS for All: Social Justice in EECS, 126-PCP Design, 129-Designing, Visualizing and Understanding Deep Neural Networks [also fulfills design requirement], 131-Designing Technology to Counter Violent Extremism [Des Inv 190 does not count], 133-Collaborative Intelligent Agents and The DARPA Spectrum Challenge, 138-Cyberwar, 172-Computational Genomics, 177-Intro to Decentralized Finance, and 196-Technology of Decentralization and Decentralized Intelligence.)1-4
DATA 101Data Engineering4
EL ENG 105Microelectronic Devices and Circuits4
EL ENG 113Power Electronics4
EL ENG 117Electromagnetic Fields and Waves4
EL ENG 118Introduction to Optical Engineering4
EL ENG 120Signals and Systems4
EL ENG 121Introduction to Digital Communication Systems4
EL ENG 122Introduction to Communication Networks4
EL ENG 123Digital Signal Processing4
EECS 126Probability and Random Processes4
EECS 127Optimization Models in Engineering4
EL ENG C128Feedback Control Systems4
EL ENG 130Integrated-Circuit Devices4
EL ENG 134Fundamentals of Photovoltaic Devices4
EL ENG 137AIntroduction to Electric Power Systems4
EL ENG 137BIntroduction to Electric Power Systems4
EL ENG 140Linear Integrated Circuits4
EL ENG 142Integrated Circuits for Communications4
EL ENG 144Fundamental Algorithms for Systems Modeling, Analysis, and Optimization4
EL ENG C145BMedical Imaging Signals and Systems4
EL ENG C145LIntroductory Electronic Transducers Laboratory3
EL ENG C145MIntroductory Microcomputer Interfacing Laboratory3
EL ENG C145OLaboratory in the Mechanics of Organisms3
EL ENG 147Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)3
INFO 159Natural Language Processing4
Technical electives: Effective Summer 2022, in addition to the 20 units of required CS coursework above, 4 units of technical electives must be taken from the list of approved non-computer science technical electives (see list below) for a total of 24 units for the major. See eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/cs/degree-reqs/tech-electives for the most current list of approved technical electives. Students may not use CS upper division classes to fulfill the technical elective units. Contact cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu with questions.24

Approved Non-Computer Science Technical Electives

ANTHRO 107Evolution of the Human Brain4
ARCH 122Principles of Computer Aided Architectural Design4
ARCH 129Special Topics in Digital Design Theories and Methods4
ARCH 222Principles of Computer Aided Architectural Design4
ARCH 229Special Topics in Digital Design Theories and Methods4
ART 178Advanced Digital Media: Game Design Methods4
ASTRON C162Planetary Astrophysics4
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in BIO ENG, except BIO ENG 100, C181, 190, 192, and 196
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in CHEM
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in CHEM ENG, except CHEM ENG 180 and 185
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in CIV ENG, except CIV ENG 167, CIV ENG 192, CIV ENG 252L, and CIV ENG 290R
COG SCI C101Cognitive Linguistics4
COG SCI 131Computational Models of Cognition4
or COG SCI C131 Computational Models of Cognition
DATA C100Principles & Techniques of Data Science4
DATA 101Data Engineering4
DATA C102Data, Inference, and Decisions4
DATA C104Human Contexts and Ethics of Data - DATA/History/STS4
DATA C140Probability for Data Science4
DATA 144Data Mining and Analytics3
ECON 100AMicroeconomics4
ECON 100BMacroeconomics4
ECON 101AMicroeconomics (Math Intensive)4
ECON 101BMacroeconomics (Math Intensive)4
ECON 136Financial Economics4
ECON 140Econometrics4
ECON 141Econometrics (Math Intensive)4
ECON/DEMOG C175Economic Demography4
All technical upper division undergraduate and approved graduate courses in EL ENG
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in ENGIN, except ENGIN 102, 125, 157AC
EPS 104Mathematical Methods in Geophysics4
EPS C162Planetary Astrophysics4
GEOG 142Global Climate Variability and Change4
GEOG 183Cartographic Representation5
GEOG 187Geographic Information Analysis4
GEOG C188Geographic Information Science4
IND ENG 185Course Not Available (Blockchain)
IND ENG 185Course Not Available (Internet and Data Privacy)
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in IND ENG, except IND ENG 171, select 185, 186, 190 series, and 191 series
INFO 159Natural Language Processing4
INFO 213Introduction to User Experience Design4
INFO C262Theory and Practice of Tangible User Interfaces4
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in integrative biology
LINGUIS C105Cognitive Linguistics4
LINGUIS 100Introduction to Linguistic Science4
LINGUIS 120Syntax4
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in MATH, except MATH 160
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in MECH ENG, except 191K
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in MCELLBI
MUSIC 108Music Perception and Cognition4
MUSIC 158ASound and Music Computing with CNMAT Technologies4
MUSIC 159Computer Programming for Music Applications4
MUSIC 209Advanced Topics in Computer Music4
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in PHYSICS
NWMEDIA 190Special Topics in New Media (1/290-Critical Practices)4
NWMEDIA C203/MEC ENG C205Critical Making4
NWMEDIA 290Special Topics in New Media (Making Sense of Cultural Data)4
PHILOS 140AIntermediate Logic4
PHILOS 140BIntermediate Logic4
PHILOS 143Modal Logic4
POL SCI C135Game Theory in the Social Sciences4
POL SCI W135Game Theory in the Social Sciences4
PSYCH C123Computational Models of Cognition4
PB HLTH 142Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health4
PB HLTH 150AIntroduction to Epidemiology and Human Disease4
PB HLTH 162APublic Health Microbiology4
PB HLTH 252BInfectious Disease Modeling2-4
All technical upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in STAT
THEATER 177Sound Design for Performance4
UGBA 103Introduction to Finance4
UGBA 120AAIntermediate Financial Accounting 14
UGBA 120ABIntermediate Financial Accounting 24

Five-Year BS/MS

This program is geared toward students who would like to pursue an education beyond the BS/BA, allowing them to achieve greater breadth and/or depth of knowledge, and who would like to try their hand at research as well. It is not intended for students who have definitely decided to pursue a PhD immediately following graduation. Those students are advised to apply for a PhD program at Berkeley or elsewhere during their senior year. Students who have been accepted into the Five-Year BA/MS or BS/MS are free to change their minds later and apply to enter the PhD program or apply to a PhD program at another university. Note that admission is competitive with all our PhD applicants.

The program is focused on interdisciplinary training at a graduate level; with at least 8 units of course work outside EECS required. Students will emerge as leaders in their technical and professional fields.

  • Focused on interdisciplinary study and more experience in aligned technical fields such as physics, materials science, statistics, biology, etc., and/or professional disciplines such as management of technology, business, law, and public policy.
  • If admitted to the program, students must begin the graduate portion in the semester immediately following the conferral of the bachelor's degree.
  • Only one additional year (two semesters) beyond the bachelor's degree.
  • Only available to Berkeley EECS and L&S CS undergraduates.
  • Participants in the program may serve as graduate student instructors (GSIs) with approval from their faculty research advisor and the Five-Year MS Committee.
  • Participants in the program are self-funded.

For further information regarding this program, please see the department's website

Minor Requirements

Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements and are noted officially on the diploma and the awards section of the transcript.

General Guidelines

  1. All minors must be declared before the first day of classes in your Expected Graduation Term (EGT). For summer graduates, minors must be declared prior to the first day of Summer Session A. 

  2. All upper-division courses must be taken for a letter grade. 

  3. A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.

  4. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required in the upper-division courses to fulfill the minor requirements.

  5. Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement, for Letters & Science students.

  6. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.

  7. All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. If students cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time, they should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.

  8. All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Requirements

Lower Division Prerequisites
COMPSCI 61AThe Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs4
COMPSCI 61BData Structures4
or COMPSCI 61BL Data Structures and Programming Methodology
COMPSCI 61CGreat Ideas of Computer Architecture (Machine Structures)4
COMPSCI 70Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory4
Upper Division
Select three upper-division, technical courses in Computer Science or EECS

College Requirements

Undergraduate students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please review the College of Letters & Sciences page in this Guide. For College advising appointments, please visit the L&S Advising Pages. 

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university, should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Berkeley Campus Requirement

American Cultures

All undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass this course in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

College of Letters & Science Essential Skills Requirements

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition in sequence. Students must complete parts A & B reading and composition courses in sequential order by the end of their fourth semester.

College of Letters & Science 7 Course Breadth Requirements

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

  • 120 total units

  • Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

  • Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years, or two years for transfer students. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through UC Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to meet an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley Summer Session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP), Berkeley Summer Abroad, or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding UCEAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

UC and Campus Requirements

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by satisfying the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR). The UC Entry Level Writing Requirement website provides information on how to satisfy the requirement.

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions (AH&I) requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Campus Requirement

American Cultures

The American Cultures requirement is a Berkeley campus requirement, one that all undergraduate students at Berkeley need to pass in order to graduate. You satisfy the requirement by passing, with a grade not lower than C- or P, an American Cultures course. You may take an American Cultures course any time during your undergraduate career at Berkeley. The requirement was instituted in 1991 to introduce students to the diverse cultures of the United States through a comparative framework. Courses are offered in more than fifty departments in many different disciplines at both the lower and upper division level.

 

Plan of Study (BA)

For more detailed information regarding the courses listed below (e.g., elective information, GPA requirements, etc.,), please see the Major Requirements tab.

Freshman
FallUnitsSpringUnits 
COMPSCI 104COMPSCI 61A4 
MATH 1A4MATH 1B4 
Reading & Composition A4Reading & Composition B4 
L&S Breadth3L&S Breadth3 
 15 15
Sophomore
FallUnitsSpringUnitsSummerUnits
COMPSCI 61B4COMPSCI 704Internship 
EECS 16A or MATH 544L&S Breadth4
OR
 
Lower/Upper Division Elective4American Cultures Reqt4Study Abroad 
Lower Division Elective3  
 15 12 0
Junior
FallUnitsSpringUnitsSummerUnits
COMPSCI 61C4Upper Division CS major course (2 of 5)4Internship 
UD CS major course (1 of 5)4Upper Division CS major course (3 of 5)4
OR
 
L&S Breadth4Lower/Upper Division Elective3Study Abroad 
Lower/Upper Division Elective3L&S Breadth4 
 15 15 0
Senior
FallUnitsSpringUnits 
Upper Division CS major course (4 of 5)4Upper Division CS major course (5 of 5)4 
Upper Division Elective major non-CS technical elective4Lower/Upper Division Elective4 
UD L&S Elective4Lower/Upper Division Elective3 
UD L&S Elective3  
 15 11
Total Units: 113
 

Course Definitions

Upper Division major CS major course: course meeting the 20 units of upper division CS requirement (at least one of these must be a Design Course).

Upper Division major technical elective: course meeting the 4 units of non-CS technical electives requirement.

NOTES

This is a sample program plan. This plan assumes that the student has completed the Entry Level Writing, American History and Institutions, Quantitative Reasoning, and Foreign Language requirements prior to admission.

Students are strongly advised to work with an academic adviser to determine a personal program plan. Your program plan will differ depending on previous credit received, your course schedule, and available offerings.

COMPSCI 152, COMPSCI 162, COMPSCI 164, COMPSCI 169, COMPSCI 170COMPSCI 184, and EECS 151 are known to have heavy workloads. It is not recommended to take these courses in combination.

Students are strongly advised to work with an academic adviser to determine a personal program plan. Your program plan will differ depending on previous credit received, your course schedule, and available offerings. Current students may make an appointment with a Computer Science Advisor in CalCentral; prospective students may make an appointment at https://berkeleycs.youcanbook.me/.

Accelerated Program Plans

For students considering graduating in less than four years, it's important to acknowledge the reasons to undertake such a plan of study. While there are advantages to pursuing a three-year degree plan such as reducing financial burdens, they are not for everyone and do involve sacrifices; especially with respect to participating in co-curricular activities, depth of study,  and summer internships, which typically lead to jobs upon graduation. All things considered, please see the tables for three and three and a half year degree options.

3.5 and 3 Year Plans

Plan of Study (BS)

For more detailed information regarding the courses listed below (e.g., elective information, GPA requirements, etc.), please see the Major Requirements tab.

Freshman
FallUnitsSpringUnits
MATH 1A4MATH 1B4
COMPSCI 61A4COMPSCI 61B or 61BL4
Natural Science Elective13-5EECS 16A4
Reading and Composition course from List A4Reading and Composition course from List B4
 15-17 16
Sophomore
FallUnitsSpringUnits
MATH 534MATH 544
PHYSICS 7A4PHYSICS 7B4
EECS 16B4COMPSCI 61C or 61CL4
Humanities/Social Sciences course3-4Humanities/Social Sciences course3-4
 15-16 15-16
Junior
FallUnitsSpringUnits
COMPSCI 704EECS Upper Division Electives28
EECS Upper Division Electives28Humanities/Social Sciences course3-4
Humanities/Social Sciences course3-4Ethics/Social Implications of Technology31-4
 Free Elective2
 15-16 14-18
Senior
FallUnitsSpringUnits
EECS Upper Division Elective24Technical Elective43
Technical Elective43Free Electives12
Free Electives8 
 15 15
Total Units: 120-129
1

Students must complete one course from the following list: ASTRON 7AASTRON 7B, BIOLOGY 1A and BIOLOGY 1AL (must take both), BIOLOGY 1BCHEM 1A and CHEM 1AL (must take both), CHEM 1B, CHEM 3A and CHEM 3AL (must take both), CHEM 3B and CHEM 3BL (must take both), CHEM 4ACHEM 4B, MCELLBI 32 and MCELLBI 32L (must take both), PHYSICS 7C, or an upper-division course of 3 units or more in astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and planetary science, integrative biology, molecular cell biology, physics, or plant & microbial biology. This requirement is listed in the freshman year curriculum, but many of the options would not be appropriate for a first year student. Complete this requirement in the semester when it is most appropriate to do so (i.e., take PHYSICS 7C after completing PHYSICS 7B). Your ESS or faculty adviser can help guide your selection on this requirement.

2

Students must complete a minimum of 20 units of upper division EECS courses. One course must provide a major design experience, and be selected from the following list: EECS 149,  EL ENG C128, EL ENG 130, EL ENG 140, EL ENG 143, EL ENG 192COMPSCI 160, COMPSCI 162, COMPSCI 164, COMPSCI 169, COMPSCI 184, COMPSCI 186, EECS 151 and EECS 151LA (must take both), EECS 151 and EECS 151LB (must take both).

3

Students must complete one course about engineering ethics or social implications of technology. This may be fulfilled by completing one of the following courses: BIO ENG 100*, COMPSCI 195COMPSCI H195, ENE,RES C100*, ENGIN 125*, ENGIN 157AC*, IAS 157AC*, ISF 100D*. Courses marked with an asterisk fulfill both a humanities/social science requirement and the EECS ethics/social implication of technology requirement.

4

Students must complete a minimum of 45 units of engineering coursework. The 45 units of engineering courses cannot include:

Accelerated Program Plans

For students considering graduating in less than four years, it's important to acknowledge the reasons to undertake such a plan of study. While there are advantages to pursuing a three-year degree plan such as reducing financial burdens, they are not for everyone and do involve sacrifices; especially with respect to participating in co-curricular activities, depth of study,  and summer internships, which typically lead to jobs upon graduation. All things considered, please see the tables for three and three and a half year degree options.

Student Learning Goals

Mission

  1. Preparing graduates to pursue postgraduate education in electrical engineering, computer science, or related fields.
  2. Preparing graduates for success in technical careers related to electrical and computer engineering, or computer science and engineering.
  3. Preparing graduates to become leaders in fields related to electrical and computer engineering or computer science and engineering.

Learning Goals for the Major

  1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
  2. An ability to configure, apply test conditions, and evaluate outcomes of experimental systems.
  3. An ability to design systems, components, or processes that conform to given specifications and cost constraints.
  4. An ability to work cooperatively, respectfully, creatively, and responsibly as a member of a team.
  5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
  6. An understanding of the norms of expected behavior in engineering practice and their underlying ethical foundations.
  7. An ability to communicate effectively by oral, written, and graphical means.
  8. An awareness of global and societal concerns and their importance in developing engineering solutions.
  9. An ability to independently acquire and apply required information, and an appreciation of the associated process of lifelong learning.
  10. A knowledge of contemporary issues.
  11. An in-depth ability to use a combination of software, instrumentation, and experimental techniques practiced in circuits, physical electronics, communication, networks and systems, hardware, programming, and computer science theory.

Major Map

Major Maps help undergraduate students discover academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities at UC Berkeley based on intended major or field of interest. Developed by the Division of Undergraduate Education in collaboration with academic departments, these experience maps will help you:

  • Explore your major and gain a better understanding of your field of study

  • Connect with people and programs that inspire and sustain your creativity, drive, curiosity and success

  • Discover opportunities for independent inquiry, enterprise, and creative expression

  • Engage locally and globally to broaden your perspectives and change the world

  • Reflect on your academic career and prepare for life after Berkeley

Use the major map below as a guide to planning your undergraduate journey and designing your own unique Berkeley experience.

View the Computer Science Major Map PDF.

 

Courses

Select a subject to view courses

Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Computer Science

Electrical Engineering

Contact Information

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

253 Cory Hall

Phone: 510-664-4436

Visit Department Website

Letters & Science

Computer Science

http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/major/compsci.html

College of Engineering

Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

253 Cory Hall

Phone: 510-642-3214

Fax: 510-643-7846

http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/

Department Chair

Claire Tomlin, PhD

721 Sutardja Dai Hall

Phone: 510-643-6610

tomlin@berkeley.edu

EECS Associate Chair

Clark Nguyen, PhD

574 Cory Hall

Phone: 510-642-6251

ctnguyen@berkeley.edu

EECS Associate Chair

David Wagner, PhD

733 Soda Hall

Phone: 510-642-2758

daw@cs.berkeley.edu

Executive Director, Center for Student Affairs

Susanne Kauer

221 Cory Hall

Phone: 510-642-3694

skauer@eecs.berkeley.edu

Director of Undergraduate Affairs and Advising

Antoine Davis

377 Soda Hall

Phone: 510-642-7214

antoined@eecs.berkeley.edu

Director of Student Diversity

Audrey Sillers

203 Cory

Phone: 510-664-7181

araya@eecs.berkeley.edu

Director of Undergraduate Student Instruction

Christopher Hunn

341C Soda

Phone: (510) 664-7546

cthunn@cs.berkeley.edu

CS Scholars Program Associate Director/CS Advisor

Charlene Duncan

349 Soda Hall

Phone: 510-642-2357

cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu

Assistant Director of Undergraduate Affairs and Advising

Lydia Raya

349 Soda Hall

Phone: 510-664-4436

cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu

CS Scheduler

Cindy Conners

379 Soda

Phone: 510-643-6002

cs-enrollments@eecs.berkeley.edu

Computer Science Advisor

Carol Marshall

349 Soda Hall

cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu

Computer Science Advisor

Leslie Mach

349 Soda Hall

Phone: 510-664-4600

cs-advising@cs.berkeley.edu

Back to Top