What’s better than one Master’s degree? Two specialized degrees that multiply your impact.
At the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, we understand that business doesn't exist in isolation—it intersects with other disciplines like law, engineering, health, and environmental science in powerful ways. For ambitious professionals seeking to combine carefully honed leadership skills with specialized expertise, Haas offers four transformative dual degree programs designed to propel careers at these critical intersections.
Exploring the Dual Degree Options
Berkeley offers four innovative MBA dual degree programs plus an MBA exchange program for those interested in an international experience. Let’s explore each option before hearing from a couple of students who’ve taken the leap.
Business & Law: JD/MBA
This strategic four-year program begins with two years of law coursework at Berkeley’s law school. The third year is entirely composed of MBA courses at Haas, and the final year blends selective courses from both programs to create a customized education experience.
Students involved in this program also have access to the Berkeley Center for Law and Business. The mission of this center is to “convene business, government, civil society, and academia to create momentum and align priorities” in a way that “leverages the power of business to help solve some of society’s most difficult challenges.” According to Flora Morgan, JD/MBA 24 and practicing lawyer, “This experience really catapults you to another level.”
Business & Engineering: MBA/MEng
The MBA and Engineering program is an exciting addition to the dual degree options. Because of Berkeley’s unique proximity to some of the most cutting-edge technologies and innovations, students have a unique opportunity to be totally immersed in all the latest developments in engineering while also learning from the best-of-the-best in their business courses to develop essential leadership skills.
Students in this track are required to have an undergraduate degree in some type of technical field. After admittance to the program, they can choose from seven specialized engineering tracks within an integrated curriculum where business and engineering coursework happens concurrently.
Business & Public Health: MBA/MPH
The MBA and Master’s in Public Health dual degree is a highly selective track, available to only 20 students per year. It is especially suited to those who want to be leaders in health-related businesses.
In this track, students will take MBA and MPH courses at the same time, instead of sequentially. All students will begin with the MBA core courses plus one healthcare course, and after that, students can customize their educational journey according to their specific interests and goals.
Business & Climate Solutions: MBA/MCS
Designed for sustainability-focused leaders, this dual degree equips students to tackle environmental challenges while driving business success. The program emphasizes “developing critical skills and knowledge in climate data science, carbon accounting, and lifecycle analysis, as well as technological and nature-based solutions.”
Students begin with MBA fundamentals before transitioning to climate-solutions coursework. The experience culminates in a semester-long capstone project where students apply their cross-disciplinary knowledge to real-world climate challenges.
International Business & Exchange Program
While not formal dual-degree, the MBA international exchange program offers comparable transformative value. Students can choose to partner with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, London Business School, or Columbia Business School in New York. By spending time in one of these world-wide business hubs, students can not only earn their degree but earn priceless knowledge about cultures, international business considerations, and languages.
Of special note, MBA/MPH students can participate in the exchange program at the same time that they’re earning their dual-degree—greatly deepening their knowledge base and experiences in order to be powerful future leaders.
Building a Transformational Network
Trishla Jain, MBA/MPH 20, took to Medium to pen some reflections on her time at Berkeley in the MBA/MPH dual degree program. Her conclusion? She “would not trade this experience for anything.”
Throughout her reflections, Trishla touches on several key aspects of her experience. She loved getting to talk and bond with her MBA/MPH cohort. Having a community of peers to talk about “all things healthcare” led to priceless learning experiences. In addition to more traditional learning experiences, she also had the opportunity to travel the world with some of these classmates, before the onset of the pandemic.
Beyond experiences with her cohort, she says she genuinely enjoyed all of the courses and will take lessons from every professor into her future career. Additionally, she loved being able to participate in multiple internships and capstone-type of projects that gave her a wide breadth of hands-on experiences in healthcare. From “foundations, non-profits in stealth mode, a safety-net medical center, and startups in various stages,” these experiences were all crucial in shaping her MBA/MPH experience.
What ties all these experiences together? The people. She says Berkeley is special because of the people and throughout her time in the program, at every turn, she was able to meet inspiring leaders and faithful friends who truly made this experience what it was.
Being involved in a dual-degree program widens your network across disciplines, allowing you to interact with the kinds of leaders, mentors, friends, and peers who will transform you for a lifetime.
When a Dual Degree is a Dream Come True
Joy Wang, MBA/MEng 26, shares that for her, this program was a dream come true. “Pursuing a dual degree in MBA and MEng was a long-time dream that stemmed from my undergraduate experience, where I double-majored in Statistics and Economics. While I loved the analytical rigor of both, I always felt like I missed the chance to dive deeper into the engineering and technical foundations of machine learning. When I discovered Berkeley’s MBA/MEng program — a rare opportunity to integrate both worlds in just two years — it felt like the perfect fit.”
In the future, Joy hopes to work as a Project Manager in a tech-forward company. This kind of role draws on both her technical expertise and the leadership skills she’s honed during the program. She says, “With my technical background, I can understand how systems work and make data-driven decisions. My business training helps me stay grounded in user needs, market dynamics, and ethical impact.”
While Joy openly acknowledges that such a rigorous path isn’t necessarily the easiest path, her advice to those considering the program is to “do it!” The keys to success start with clear priorities and staying organized. But beyond that, the most important thing is to immerse yourself in the right support system. “Your classmates are some of the most collaborative and inspiring people you’ll meet. The dual-degree community is small but tight-knit, and that makes the experience even more valuable. There will be moments where the workload feels heavy, but the cross-disciplinary exposure is incredibly rewarding.”
Double the Influence
At the beginning we said that two master’s degrees is better than one. To be honest, that’s only sort of true. Because as these student stories illustrate, dual degrees at Haas aren’t just about credentials—they’re about expanding your ability to lead, innovate, and drive meaningful change across disciplines. The dual degree experience at Haas develops leaders with influence, integrity, and a competitive edge. The extra letters on the diploma are exciting, but the true power is how those degrees equip graduates for amplified impact in their chosen fields.
Whether your passion lies in healthcare, sustainability, law, or engineering, explore how a dual degree from Haas can prepare you to lead with confidence and purpose. (And maybe, like Joy, turn your professional dreams into reality.)
