The I School Online Student Experience

I School online students become full members of the UC Berkeley School of Information community through our expertly designed student experience. Students participate in a combination of interactive online learning, face-to-face discussions, and in-person experiences.

Online Learning Environment

Our programs feature lectures and course work designed by I School faculty and expertly converted into an online format.

Live Classes

Students form close relationships with their classmates and instructors in small, face-to-face, weekly video lectures capped at 18 students. During class, students discuss the weekly course work and participate in group problem-solving.

Course Work

Students complete self-paced course work that prepares them for the weekly lecture. Course content includes dynamic videos, interactive case studies, self-paced lectures, and collaborative activities that foster teamwork.

Mobile App

Students can access all course work and live lectures online or on the mobile app. Through the mobile app, they will also have access to recorded lectures, networking tools, and student support resources.

In-Person Connections

Immersion Experience

The immersion experience is an opportunity for students to meet faculty and peers in person on the UC Berkeley campus or in other locations relevant to data science and cybersecurity. Currently offered three times a year, each three- to four-day immersion is crafted to deliver additional learning, networking, and community-building opportunities to students.

During the immersion, students further their expertise and exposure to their respective industry culture through a full itinerary, including:

Presentations about current trends by I School faculty and industry experts
Socializing with classmates from all over the world
Career advancement workshops
Networking with local professionals and alumni
Possible attendance of an I School conference

Past immersions have welcomed industry professionals from:

Airbnb
Boston Consulting Group
Capital One
Cloudera
DataKind
Dropbox
Enlitic
Facebook
Kaiser Permanente
LinkedIn
Netflix
Pandora
Salesforce
Splunk
Square
Udemy
Wells Fargo

Relationships with Industry Leaders

Students join a community of diverse classmates who work in a wide range of industries across the globe. They form strong connections with UC Berkeley faculty, including tenured professors, postdoctoral scholars, and leading industry practitioners who teach on campus and who are dedicated to remaining accessible to students throughout their careers.

“I was most looking forward to seeing how companies like Netflix used analytics to drive value and enhance their business proposition. My biggest takeaway was that analytics is very powerful but can be challenging to implement! By far, spending time with my classmates was the most memorable experience. After taking over a year of classes with many of them, seeing them in person was a wonderful experience. We went out, explored Berkeley, and had a great time!”

— Filip Krunic, MIDS student

Form Lasting Connections in the Field

Develop relationships while learning through the flexible online format.

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Student Support

Support for students begins during the application process and continues beyond graduation throughout each student’s career.

Prospective

All prospective students have a dedicated Admissions Counselor to help guide them throughout the application process. Admissions Counselors are a go-to resource for questions about the program, admissions requirements, and application tips.

Enrolled

Upon enrollment to the program, students are assigned a Student Success Advisor to provide support throughout the program. Enrolled students become full members of the I School community and gain access to all on-campus resources in addition to online resources.

Alumni

Students are invited to participate in the I School graduation ceremony and join the global network of I School alumni, accessible on our I School Connect platform. Students can receive career help from our career services team before and after graduation.

Career Services

Through the services provided by the I School and the connections formed with industry leaders,
students graduate ready to succeed in the data science and cybersecurity fields.

Career Planning

Our career services team helps students form career plans to reach their goals. This includes finding organizations and roles that fit with students’ interests, developing plans for career advancement, preparing effective resumes and interview skills, and setting up networking opportunities.

Leadership Sessions

Students receive help assessing and developing their leadership skills and potential. The I School offers interactive leadership sessions during the on-campus immersion and webinars to help students refine their career development strategy.

Career Connections

Students have in-person and online opportunities to explore possible career paths within this diverse industry and connect with leaders and employers. The I School job portal and customized resume books are just a few of the tools used to directly connect students with engaging career opportunities.

“I came to the I School with a background in systems engineering and a goal of changing to a career in data science. Through many personalized meetings, Career Services helped me through every step of achieving this goal. … Before I had even finished the degree program, I had landed a job as an AI engineer and now will get to pursue my dream of working in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. I couldn’t be more thankful; I would never have had the confidence or interview skills to go in and land that job without the guidance and support from MIDS Career Services.”

— Alex Dauenhauer, MIDS alumni

Experience the UC Berkeley I School from Anywhere