UNDERGRADUATE Profiles Publish Date 2/26/09

University of California-Berkeley

Haas School of Business

Getting In

PROGRAM BASICS

Haas Undergraduate Program

S450 Student Services Bldg. #1900
Berkeley , California 94720-1900

Public Institution

Web site

http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Undergrad/

Program e-mail address:

uginfo@haas.berkeley.edu

Program telephone number:

(510) 642-1421

AACSB accredited:

Yes

Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded:

1898

Length of entire institution:

Four Year

Business program length:

Two Year

Degrees offered:

Degree/Program Name:
BS in business administration

PROGRAM COSTS

Annual Tuition (Resident):

$ 8,982

Annual Tuition (Non-Resident)

$ 20,608

Books:

$ 1,268

Room and board:

$ 14,494

ENROLLMENT

Full-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

668

Total College enrollment for 2008-09:

35,409

ADMISSIONS

Interviews for entire college:

Not offered

Additional application requirements for entire college:

Freshman Applicants: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman Transfers: Http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/transfer

Upcoming application deadlines for entire college:

Semester: Fall 2009
Deadline: 11/30/2008

Freshmen admitted into business program:

Are the freshman admits to the business program required to complete pre-business courses before beginning upper-lever courses in the junior year?

Internal transfers handled by:

Declare business major

Minimum requirements for business program:

Entrance exam requirement other than SAT/ACT for business program:

Interview to enter business program:

Not offered

Additional application requirements for freshman admits:

N/A

Additional requirements for internal transfers:

Completion of Principles of Business, Calculus, Economics, Statistics, Literature, English/Reading and Composition (2 course). They must have completed 7 breadth requirements. Applicants must also complete 2 essays and a resume of activities.

Total number of full-time applications for entire college:

61,106

International applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

8 %

Female applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

51 %

Selectivity--applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

23 %

Yield -- applicants enrolled in undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

47 %

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

Secondary School Record:

Very Important

Class Rank:

Not Considered

Talent/Ability:

Important

Interview:

Not Considered

Extracurricular Activities:

Important

Volunteer Work:

Important

Character/Personal Abilities:

Important

Application Essay:

Very Important

Work Experience:

Important

SAT/ACT Scores:

Important

High School GPA:

Very Important

Admissions program managed by:

The business program office

Total undergraduate business program applicants, 2008-09:

2,017

Applicants enrolled in undergrad business program 2008-2009:

96 %

Applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

18 %

CLASS PROFILE

Class Profile:

Female: 45 %
International : 6 %

Entering students by age:

Mean: 21
Median: 21

Citizenship of Entering Students

U.S.: 72 %
Canada: <1 %
Other countries: 6 %
Unknown: 21 %

Percentage of US citizens in entering class who are:

African American: 3 %
Asian American: 45 %
Hispanic or Latino American: 3 %
Native American: <1 %
White (Non-Hispanic): 23 %
Chose not to report: 22 %
Other: 4 %

Entering students from the following region:

Northeast: >1 %
Mid-Atlantic: >1 %
Southwest: 2 %
Midwest : >1 %
West: 97 %

SAT Scores for full-time entering business students on 1600 scale:

Mean: 2074
Median: 2110

SAT middle 50% range on 1600 scale:

From: 1,970
To: 2,200

Mean: N/A Median: N/A

From: N/A To: N/A

Percent of Students Who Were In:

Top 10% of high school class

98 %

Top 25% of high school class:

100 %

HS GPA of 3.75 or higher

100 %

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid handled by:

Central financial aid office at the university

Scholarships awarded to students in the business program based on:

A combination of need and merit

Scholarship consideration process:

All candidates are considered for scholarships

Other scholarship considerations:

N/A

School offers guaranteed loans:

Financial aid web site

http://students.berkeley.edu/fao/

Academics & Lifestyle

PROGRAM BASICS

Business students who graduate within four years:

99 %

Freshman retention rate:

97 %

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Credit hours required for graduation:

Degree: BSBA
Hours: 120

Other degree requirements:

Complete all prerequisite (application) requirements Business Communications Micro and Macro Economics Financial and Managerial Accounting Finance Organizational Behavior Marketing Social, Political and Ethical Environment of Business 5 units additional upper division business electives 18 units additional upper division non-business electives Any additional breadth requirements (total of 9 for degree) University requirements: American History, American Institutions, American Cultures Minimum of 120 units total General: Minimum of 32 upper-division business units, includes 27 core requirements Minimum of 18 upper-division non-business units Any remaining breadth requirements University requirements: American History, American Institutions, American Cultures Minimum of 120 units total * Organizational Behavior * Marketing * Social, Political and Ethical Environment of Business * 5 units additional upper division business electives * 18 units additional upper division non-business electives * Any additional breadth requirements (total of 9 for degree) * University requirements: American History, American Institutions, American Cultures * Minimum of 120 units total General: * Minimum of 32 upper-division business units, includes 27 core requirements * Minimum of 18 upper-division non-business units * Any remaining breadth requirements * University requirements: American History, American Institutions, American Cultures Minimum of 120 units total

ACADEMICS

Average class size in required business courses:

Average class size in business electives:

Class size:

Classes with fewer than 20 students: 5 %
Classes with 21 to 50 students: 53 %
Classes with more than 50 students: 42 %

Required business courses that reached maximum enrollment by the first day of class, previous academic year:

86 %

CURRICULUM

Number of elective courses available in business program:

Electives added current year:

Strategic Cost Management
Global MarketingCultures and Strategies
Personal Financial Management
Improvisation and Leadership
Financial Derivatives

Year of the last major change to the business program's core curriculum:

2002

Leading areas of study:

Accounting

Consulting

Finance

Marketing

Real Estate

Special programs for business students:

Each Fall the Undergraduate Program Office sponsors a Valuation workshop for business students, followed by a Financial Modeling workshop in the Spring. Also, we offer a yearlong faculty program series which delivers career exploration and candidate preparation in key business areas of interest. Finally, Haas offers a concentration in Global Management.

Business program offers work study or co-op opportunities:

Yes

The University of California, Berkeley offers an extensive workstudy program.

Business program offers study abroad opportunities:

Yes

Study abroad program description:

Haas encourages all students to participate in international study programs as a means of broadening their education and developing a global view of business. Typically 20-30 Haas students will go abroad each semester, either through a UC-administered EAP (Education Abroad Program), or by registering through another sponsoring college. Students will take both business and non-business courses and can choose to go through a language intensive program or study at a university where English is the language of instruction.

Volunteer work and community service opportunities:

Yes

Volunteer opportunities description:

Haas encourages all students to submerse themselves in volunteer work and community service activities. Through our numerous student groups, a variety of opportunities exist, from tutoring and youth mentoring to business consulting and tax preparation.

Business clubs and extracurricular activities:

FACULTY

Faculty:

Full-time faculty : 26
Adjuncts and visiting faculty: 48
Permanent/tenured professors: 9
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are women: 33

STUDENT LIFE

Largest on-campus organizations for business students:

Haas Business Association
Future Business Leaders of America
Asian Business Association

Freshmen are required to live on campus:

Business students are grouped in learning communities:

TECHNOLOGY

Wireless network available:

Yes

Technological improvements made in the last three years:

Concierge-style laptop support, Macintosh support. Smartphone support: iphone, windowsmobile, PalmOS, and Blackberry. Complete remote desktop services. Site licensed Microsoft software products for students. SAKAI learning management system. Professionally facilitated, custom IT training. Social Networking Tools and “Cloud” Computing applications support. New Web 2.0 Student Registration System.

Trading laboratory available:

COMMENTS

The Haas School of Business offers a two-year upper division business major. Financial aid: UC Berkeley offers guaranteed loans to US citizens and permanent residents following federal guidelines.

Alumni Affairs & Careers

ALUMNI

Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception:

24,936

Total living alumni:

18,161

Single donation in excess of $10 million in 2007-08?

Prominent alumni:

CAREER SERVICES

Percent of 2008 graduates who provided employment information:

63 %

Seeking full-time employment in business: 94 %
Not Seeking full-time employment in business: 6 %

Number of companies recruiting undergraduate students on campus in previous academic year:

467

Companies that posted full-time job offers/positions on school job boards, previous academic year:

2,900

Other activities and services provided for business majors:

The Career Center’s comprehensive Business Portfolio delivers specialized services to undergraduates for career exploration and recruitment. Partnerships with Haas MBA/alumni, faculty and student groups deliver top industry advice to prepare candidates to market themselves at fairs featuring 800+ employers annually. Business Team coaches provides personalized assessment, search and mock-interview appointments and events. At annual Haas-sponsored Career Conferences, students network early with recruiters to learn tips for career planning and on-campus recruiting, featuring 350+ employers annually.

Job offer results, 2008 graduates:

Accepted first job offer by graduation: 86 %
Accepted first job offer in three months following graduation: 5 %
Did not report having accepted a job offer: 9 %

Top hiring firms:

Ernst & Young
PricewaterhouseCoopers
KPMG LLP
Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
Bain & Company
Bank of America Corp.
Goldman Sachs Group
Google Inc.
Mercer Consulting
Morgan Stanley
Clorox

Accenture
Cornerstone Research
Deloitte Consulting
Gap

Graduate compensation:

Mean base salary: $ 56,078
Median base salary: $ 55,000
Mean signing bonus: $ 6,169
Median signing bonus: $ 5,000

Grads accepted jobs in following functional areas:

Consulting: 21 %
Finance/Accounting: 65 %
General Management: 2 %
Human Resources: 2 %
Management Information Systems: 2 %
Marketing/Sales: 6 %
Operations/Production: 1 %
Other: 1 %

Grads accepted jobs in following industries:

Accounting: 32 %
Consumer Products/Retail: 5 %
Consulting Services: 23 %
Financial Services: 26 %
Government/Education: 1 %
Media/Entertainment: 2 %
Petroleum/Energy: 2 %
Real Estate: 1 %
Technology/Science: 7 %
Other: 1 %

Percentage of job acceptances, US and Canada:

US: 100 %

Grads accepted jobs in the following US regions:

Northeast: 4 %
Midwest: 1 %
West: 95 %

Number of companies recruiting interns on-campus, 2007-08 academic year:

307

Internship postings on job boards, previous academic year:

711

Top internship recruiters, 2007-08:

Graduate Comments

Haas provides the most top-notch undergraduate business program imaginable. The core, required classes are all very solid, taught by knowledgeable professors with relevant real world work experience in the area and an obvious passion for the subject. The best part about Haas courses, however, is the electives. Professors and guest lecturers are distinguished in the field that they teach, have extensive contacts, experiences galore to share, and are eager to help students enter the field, meet with their contacts, and provide additional color outside of class. Professors are always available to meet outside of class. Haas makes UC Berkeley feel like a small, intimate school where faces are familiar. The undergraduate office could not possible be run better.

After transferring into Haas from a community college, this program has transformed me into a business professional with a full-time job paying over $70K while still finishing my senior year. The knowledge and skills I learned at Haas have been essential in my ability to do my job on a daily basis just as well or even better than graduates from Stanford and NYU with over a year�s experience in the field. I would that recommend everyone who is interested in getting an undergraduate business degree attend Haas as it has the best resources and professors to prepare you for your career.

Anyone that graduates from Haas has the perfect platform to accomplish anything he or she desires.

While sometimes classes are a drag, as they can be anywhere, I must admit that the Haas School of Business does an EXCELLENT job of providing learning resources if you aren't too lazy to use them. For example, MBAs and PhD student TAs are always there to help. I was able to walk into office hours with a visiting former executive of marketing from Yahoo and chat with him. I do sometimes say I don't like the school, but the reality is, it is a place that offers so many resources. The only thing I do not like is the student culture of extreme competition and a mind-set that a good grade by any means is the most important thing, aside from landing the highest paying, most prestigious job.

Despite the "red tape" that Berkeley is infamous for, you learn to navigate the system and end up enjoying the experience. What I mean is that you discover a wealth of resources within the undergraduate business program � top-notch students, caring faculty, and an undergraduate career center that prepares you for a great career in business.

Our professors are extremely dedicated to the students' educations. Throughout holidays and at all hours of the day, they will send emails and answer questions. Even with professors that are only lecturers and have another outside company or job, I have never felt like my education was taking second place to anything. They strive to not just give us a grade we deserve, but to teach us the material as well as possible.

We share facilities and lots of other resources with our MBA program, which I feel exposed undergrads to excellent networks and experiences. Exceptional faculty members who are passionate about teaching their expertise even though they could be making a lot more money in the industry.

The program requires that students take introductory courses in every field (accounting, finance, marketing, economics, etc) that makes individuals well-rounded in knowledge. Technical classes are my weakness, so having to take them constantly challenges me to exceed my limits. Had I been at another university's business school, I do not think I would have challenged myself as much because Haas is so competitive-minded.

Grading curve is a little harsh � on a normal curve, the median grade usually represents a B.

Haas is unique because the application process creates an environment where everyone in the program has a proven track record of success at the college level. While other Business programs admit students based on their successes in high school, Haas forces candidates to square off in seven ultra-competitive "weeder" classes. Additionally, U.C. Berkeley offers a unique learning environment where there are cutting edge researchers in almost every field, great extracurricular activities and a beautiful campus. From football game days to sunny December finals weeks, Berkeley is truly a great place to study.

While it may seem slightly generous, the grade distribution at Haas's undergraduate program is quite strict and unmerciful. The competition amongst undergraduate business students is severe and a breeding ground for rampant cheating, which has become an ailment easily observable in many of the undergraduate business classes. � The Haas professor is often hard to approach and has a penchant for ineffective teaching. However, this may be due to his/her own heavier focus on research and producing academic papers. Professor-student relationships are typically not fostered in this program; it is quite unheard of. But to totally dismiss the program would also not be valid. I have learned much through Haas classes and have met many passionate and intellectual students who I consider now as friends. My friends greatly assisted me in preparing for interviews, resume/job applications, and recruiting at career fairs. This network of fellow business students has proved extremely valuable during my times of recruitment for internships and full-time positions.

We have a highly ranked undergraduate business program in the top public university. We may not have the funding to attract the most expensive professors in the country, but we still receive a high-quality education. Because of our school's location to both San Francisco and Silicon Valley, our career opportunities give us high salaries and great benefits. Our professors all have a West Coast attitude of being extremely open-minded to new ideas and concepts about business.

Haas is truly a great institution. However, the people there can sometimes be a little rude and lack compassion. For example, when I was studying abroad in Paris I received an offer to intern there at Cond� Nast over the summer. All I needed was for someone at Haas to sign a form saying I was a full-time student. The Haas Student Services department refused because even though I had been accepted to the program in April, I didn't count as a student until July when summer classes began. For both administrators and students at Haas, their diligent commitment to the rules, rather than the principles behind them, limits opportunities and creativity at the school.

The diversity of the student body and the faculty is definitely something that differentiates the Haas brand. The high number of transfer students and foreign students not only allows a good percentage of the students to have in-depth international perspective, but it also allows a good percentage of the students to have unique, non-conventional life experiences. With a wider age-spectrum, backgrounds of transfer students who are admitted into Haas range from individuals who have lived in multiple continents during their lifetime to individuals who have served in the US army. It's interesting to be able to converse with both in the same setting. In addition, Haas instructors, too, possess different backgrounds in their fields of expertise. There are tenured professors who are centered on the theories of academia, while some are successful professionals who willingly share their business experiences in the real world. Having a balance of both creates a unique learning experience for the typical Haas student. The mixing of all these different ideas and perspectives that occur in classes and lounges ultimately shapes the Haas brand of thinking that is unique, innovative, and out of the ordinary.

Biggest drawback of the program: There is a mandatory summer session for new Haas students. Haas administration doesn't care if you have a great internship offer during the summer and doesn't make any accommodation at all. If you don't attend these 1.5 months' of summer classes, you will have to be withdrawn from the business program. So, basically you have to choose between a summer internship and Haas education. One of the Haas alumni working at JPMorgan described this policy as "the dumbest policy" ever. Second biggest drawback of the program: Several Haas professors announced that they will adopt a much stricter grading curve for Haas undergraduates. In each class, only 5% of the students will get As. This has put us ad a great disadvantage to students from Ivy League, where the GPAs are very inflated. What's worse is that employers, especially those from the east coast, won't know this grading policy at all. I talked to Haas alumni at JPMorgan and they were shocked to hear about this policy.

The staff and faculty genuinely care about students. There is a great variety in terms of extra curricular activities and organizations you can participate in. There are an excessive number of competitions such as case competitions and business plan competitions you can join. Current events in business are tackled in classes and in seminars or talks. These seminars and talks involve business professionals brought in by the school. MBAs and PhDs mentor undergraduates.