FAQ

The program offers three distinct features to position graduates for higher-level positions and more influence in your organization:

• A cross-disciplinary cohort that completes a core curriculum in engineering leadership.
• The completion of a hands-on capstone project with industry relevance and tangible impact.
• The benefits of tailored career advising focused on professional development and career placement.

In the MEng program, students deepen their technological expertise by completing 12 units of graduate-level engineering coursework. This is balanced with 8 units of leadership coursework covering the essential business and management concepts engineers must know to advance to higher positions in industry. Additionally, 5 units of focused work on the capstone project integrates the technical and leadership elements of the curriculum.

For those seeking a research or academic career, an MS/PhD program may be the best fit. However, if you ever intend to start a firm or take on managerial roles within industry, or simply want to multiply the effectiveness of your technical research, the MEng is an excellent choice. The MEng will provide the leadership and technical skills for advancement toward these goals after just one year of intensive, industry-oriented study.

In a 5th-year master’s, you continue to take engineering coursework, but you do not have access to the leadership coursework or the integrative capstone experience.

The Berkeley MEng is a 2-semester program with 400-500 students that develops leadership and professional skills in engineers. The program allows students to select a technical focus from over 35 concentrations in the College of Engineering, including a product design concentration in the Mechanical Engineering department which is focused on design methodologies. The MDes is a 3-semester, interdisciplinary design and innovation program with between 30-45 students per year, offered through both the College of Engineering and College of Environmental Design. The current tuition/fees for MEng are approximately $57,200 (for 10 months), and the anticipated tuition/fees for MDes are approximately $71,000 (per year) for the first cohort beginning fall 2020. Both are professional degree programs for students targeting a career in industry, entrepreneurship, nonprofit or other non-academic positions.

The chances of landing a higher-level industry position improve greatly with the MEng degree on one’s résumé. If you currently do not have any type of leadership experience, gaining professional work experience first may make the program more fulfilling.

We recognize that students do not always follow a linear trajectory from education to career. The MEng program welcomes early-career professionals who opt to resume their education. Industry experience will be an advantage in the leadership and Capstone courses. Being out of school for more than 5–7 years, however, may make it harder to do well in the technical or quantitative graduate courses. In the selection process, we will be looking for a balance of these two skill sets.

In 2019, we received over 2,600 applications and enrolled a class of 470.

Certainly! The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor’s degree, or recognized equivalent, in engineering or a related scientific or mathematics discipline from an accredited institution. Holders of advanced degrees are welcome to apply.

The one-year MEng program follows a cohort model, in which students start and complete the program as part of a closely knit group. This cohort becomes a professional network you can rely on throughout your career. For this reason, spring admission is unfortunately not an option.

This is a one-year professional program that culminates in the Master of Engineering (MEng) degree. If, partway into the MEng program, you decide to pursue a research career instead, you will need to submit a new application to a doctoral program in a future application cycle. You may be able to apply credits earned in the MEng program toward a PhD, provided you are accepted and at the department’s discretion.

Yes, you will be a regularly matriculated graduate student and be accorded all the rights and responsibilities associated with this status.

Work experience is not required. The program is designed for recent college graduates and early-career technical professionals. About 2/3 of the current cohort are recent graduates.

International students are encouraged to apply as we seek a globally diverse student cohort. Student visas are available to students admitted into the full-time MEng program.  Student visas are not available for students pursuing the program part-time.

We strongly encourage Berkeley Engineering undergraduates and alumni to apply, although we do not have an official policy giving them preference for admission.

See: Berkeley MEng application fee & GRE waiver for Cal undergrads and alumni

Upon completion of program requirements, students receive the Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in their chosen technical concentration; i.e., Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences, Industrial Engineering & Operations Research, Materials Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Nuclear Engineering.

Yes, although bear in mind that admission is very competitive and that we will need to be confident of your ability to handle the technical rigor of your engineering concentration, at the graduate level.

The 2018-19 cohort is 352 students. Technical class sizes ranges from typically 10-30 students in a technical course, to a weekly lecture of 150. The Engineering Leadership classes range from 25-50 students, depending on the course.

The current MEng cohort consists of students across all seven departments:

BIOE – 34
CEE – 16
EECS – 89
IEOR – 104
ME – 85
MSE – 13
NE – 11

You may choose to apply to either the full-time one-year program,  or the decelerated, part-time program for working professionals.  You will be asked to choose which option you will be considered for during the application process.  Both options employ the same standards and criteria for admissions. All classes are taught on campus by top Berkeley Engineering faculty and industry partners.

We offer engineering concentrations across all seven Berkeley Engineering departments. Concentrations specificity and flexibility vary by department, please view our list of engineering concentrations by department.

The course sequence for your 12 units of technical electives has been carefully designed to give you the optimal exposure to your chosen field in just two semesters. If you have an interest in, for example, energy, your home department (the one offering your technical concentration) may allow you to choose some energy-related technical electives.

The 25-unit Master of Engineering Program is an intensive, accelerated degree focused on preparing you for leadership roles in industry. We think the balance of 8 units for your leadership and management coursework, 12 units for your technical electives and 5 units of capstone project work is the best preparation. It is possible to take more than 13 units per semester, but we believe that will make a demanding program even more demanding.

MEng students cannot transfer in required classes to decrease the number of units taken while in the MEng program. All 25 required units must be taken on the UC Berkeley campus as an MEng admitted student.

In your 8 units of leadership and management coursework, you will learn how technology innovation is managed in both entrepreneurial ventures and established companies. The required skill set is the same in both settings: finding a market for your idea, identifying risks and opportunities, motivating stakeholders and securing resources.

You cannot apply to more than one UC Berkeley graduate program at a time. You will need to decide which graduate program is the best fit for your goals, and apply to that one program. If you are seeking a research or academic career, apply to an MS/PhD program. If you are seeking a professional or management career, apply to the MEng program.

You can only apply to one MEng department per admission term. Before starting your application, review the department technical courses and concentrations, and choose the department that is best fit for your skill set and professional goals.

Yes, you’ll need to provide all materials required for a standard UC Berkeley graduate application, such as academic transcripts, a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, current GRE scores and (if applicable) TOEFL scores. Please review the complete application instructions. In selecting candidates for the professional MEng, the College of Engineering will use the same criteria used for evaluating MS candidates, with extra emphasis on leadership potential. Your statement of purpose and letters of recommendation will be especially important in that regard.

Yes, you’ll need to supply current GRE scores and (if applicable) TOEFL scores. Complete application Instructions.

The Berkeley MEng application opens in September and is due in early January for Fall enrollment. The deadline to apply for Fall 2019 is on Monday, January 6, 2020. Remember to follow your department’s instructions for submitting your letters of recommendation, GRE (and TOEFL, if required) scores and other supplemental materials.

Academic records should be issued in the original language and accompanied by English translations if required by the reviewing department. Learn more on the Graduate Division Admissions Requirements page.

In high-tech settings, the program facilitates a career path leading to positions such as technology manager, director of R&D, director of engineering, vice president of engineering and so forth. Virtually all companies and organizations in today’s global economy rely heavily on technology. This program prepares graduates to play a key strategic role in influencing how technology can be managed to advance business objectives.

Across the program’s three dimensions – leadership coursework, technical concentration and capstone project – you’ll have regular contact with industry leaders and organizations. Guest lecturers will describe what they’ve learned from their successes and failures. Industry partners will help you apply your technical knowledge to real-world challenges and opportunities.

The MEng cohort will benefit from career advising services tailored exclusively for students in this program. These services emphasize professional development and career search support/career services.

For the current schedule of fees, visit the Office of the Registrar‘s website. Please note that tuition quoted is per semester, and that University fees are subject to change.

Financial assistance, in the form of grants and loans, is available.  All admitted students are automatically considered for a merit-based Fung Excellence Scholarship.  To be considered for the MEng Opportunity Grant, fill out the College of Engineering Grant Application section within the online application completely. More Information is available under Tuition & Financial Aid.

The UC Office of the President has compiled a comprehensive Preferred Lender List with fixed rate options, variable rate options, and interest payment (while in school) options. The selection process considered the needs of our students in the categories of pricing, service, and technology. International students will need a US co-signer in most cases.