Finance and Accounting Degrees at Berkeley
The University of California-Berkeley appears in our ranking of the 25 Great Master of Financial Engineering Programs.
Founded in 1898, the Walter A. Haas School confers a Bachelor of Science in Business for University of California-Berkeley undergrads to build foundational career skills in The Economist’s third-best college. Overseen by Dr. Rich Lyons, this 57-unit, upper-division major admits juniors ready to study enterprise intricacies in five core specializations, including Accounting and Finance. Expect interactive courses like Investments, Federal Income Tax, Cost Management, and Behavioral Finance with an 18:1 student-faculty ratio. Each summer, the Berkeley Charter of Professional Accountancy Program is offered online for 30 CPA units. Other opportunities include attending the Conference on Financial Reporting, interning at Deloitte, entering the Sustainable Investing Challenge, accessing the AAER Dataset, joining Beta Alpha Psi, and exchanging to Cambridge.
Currently enrolling 282 from 42 countries, the Full-Time MBA Program lets University of California-Berkeley graduates strengthen leadership traits in a rigorous, AACSB-accredited curriculum. The 51-unit plan directed by Dr. Morgan Bernstein spans four 15-week semesters with 11 emphasis areas, such as Finance. MBA courses like Asset Management are applied using the $2 million Socially Responsible Investment Fund. Students seeking a STEM degree could focus on more technical problem-solving methods in Berkeley’s Master of Financial Engineering instead. Chaired by Dr. David Sraer, the 30-unit program hosts around 80 post-grads completing courses like Derivatives with a 12-week internship and Morgan Stanley capstone. At the highest level, the Haas Ph.D. has four-year, research-oriented tracks in Accounting and Finance for substantial faculty preparation.
About the University of California-Berkeley
The University of California-Berkeley was chartered in March 1868 by 10th Governor Henry H. Haight as the Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College. Heavily funded by Phoebe Hearst and Levi Strauss, it became coeducational in 1871 and graduated 189. By the 1930s, Berkeley had developed countless innovations, including Jerzy Neyman’s statistical theory. The Vietnam Era brought upon a student activist culture of the Free Speech Movement. Worth $7.8 billion, the University of California-Berkeley now enrolls 41,910 Golden Bears, including Finance and Accounting majors. The “Public Ivy,” land-grant AAU member occupies a 1,232-acre, Beaux Arts Classical-style campus in Alameda County. Linked to 326,077 LinkedIn alumni, UCB has trained billionaires Eric Schmidt, Masayoshi Son, Cher Wang, and more.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Berkeley the 21st best national university, 20th most innovative college, eighth best finance school, and third top accounting program. On Niche, UCB boasts America’s 24th best student life, 28th best business school, and 33rd hardest academics. Financial Times placed Haas ninth globally for career services. The Master of Financial Engineering was #1 on QuantNet. Bloomberg declared the University of California-Berkeley the country’s 10th best school for high starting salaries. PayScale calculated the 21st highest 20-year net ROI of $732,000 at Berkeley. Forbes picked UCB 29th overall with the 18th best international program. The Princeton Review named Berkeley 23rd for career placement and 32nd for green practices. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance also crowned Cal the 64th best value.
University of California-Berkeley Accreditation Details
In February 2015, the University of California-Berkeley passed its 10-year comprehensive evaluation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission to retain Level VI accreditation under Chancellor Carol Christ, Ph.D. Based just 28 miles southwest in Burlingame, this two-state Pacific accrediting body is authorized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to review Berkeley’s 106 baccalaureate, 88 master’s, 97 doctoral, and 31 professional degrees. The Haas School had its prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation extended in April 2017 too.
University of California-Berkeley Application Requirements
Classified as “most difficult” by Peterson’s, the University of California-Berkeley only accepted 13,975 of the 82,561 Fall 2016 applications for 17 percent admission. First-year Golden Bears eyeing the Bachelor of Science in Business must graduate high school with the A-G subject prerequisites. The minimum satisfactory GPA for grades 10-11 is 3.0, but the average is 3.87. Scoring at least 1500 on the SAT or 33 on the ACT is suggested. Full matriculation for transfers depends on completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter hours with “B” grades. The Full-Time MBA requires a four-year bachelor’s GPA above 3.0 with two prerequisites: College Mathematics and Statistics. Further, the Master of Financial Engineering necessitates Matlab experience, C++ or Python tools, and econometric application skills.
The University of California-Berkeley has an undergrad application period from August 1st to November 30th. Haas School entrants apply to the Full-Time MBA until September 27th, January 10th, and April 4th yearly. Hopeful Master of Financial Engineering cohorts also meet October 3rd, January 24th, April 4th, and June 20th deadlines. Create an online ID to submit the UC Application. If needed, send extra materials to Box 5800 at 110 Sproul Hall in Berkeley, CA 94720. Please contact (800) 207-1710 or ucinfo@applyucsupport.net for further help. Finance and accounting majors typically need these:
- $70 application fee ($105 for graduate)
- One official transcript from every institution
- Entrance tests; i.e. SAT, ACT, or GMAT
- Two recommendation letters from non-relatives
- Four personal insight responses of 350 words
- Recorded two-minute video essay (MFE only)
- English language proficiency requirement
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, the University of California-Berkeley will charge full-time annual tuition of $14,194 to in-state Bachelor of Science in Business students. Non-resident undergrads will pay $42,184. Living at the Bay Area campus’ dorms like Clark Kerr Hall adds $16,160 yearly. Berkeley budgets $1,604 for food, $850 for books, $390 for transport, and $1,832 for personal needs. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals $35,030 in-state and $65,003 out-of-state. The BCPA Accounting Program has a $10,995 fee. In the Haas School of Business, Full-Time MBA students are billed $32,225 total. But other degrees like the Master of Financial Engineering cost Californians $9,404 and non-residents $16,955 per semester.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 57 percent of full-time UC Berkeley Bears share $297 million total for median annual financial aid offers worth $17,777. Haas School of Business funds include the Carlston Family Scholarship, Chengchun Qi Award, Dr. Tahir Fellowship, Blue Duck Scholarship, Song Feiqing Fellowship, Ulatowski Fellowship, Full-Time MBA Parent Grant, and Galloway MBA Fellowship. The San Francisco Chapter of the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance offers two $1,000 awards. Federal assistance, including the Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, are available after FAFSA forms coded 001312. Golden State natives can use the Cal Grant, Transfer Entitlement Award, and National Guard Education Assistance Award. Graduates can pursue Mentored Research Awards with full-tuition coverage and $16,000 stipends. Ranked #4 by Money magazine, Berkeley also creates an average debt of $13,597 from Direct, Grad Plus, and private loans.
Learn more about the University of California-Berkeley at the Haas School of Business website.
