Haas MBA alumni and students have been able to match curriculum and learning to their unique career paths and goals.
Academic institutions have traditionally been known to follow the rules. Students who pursue higher education may think they are expected to fit into the mold that’s been put into place. Some people might even be put off by the idea of more schooling because they don’t think their goals or ideas would suit an academic setting. But the MBA programs at Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley have opened its eyes to square pegs fitting into round holes.
There isn’t just one way that Haas is able to offer tailored learning to students as there’s a variety of unique paths within one’s own unique path. Many students come to Haas with the intention of finding their own way, “I wanted to get exposure to a lot of different paths that I may not even know existed,” says Joanna Shujman, MBA 17. She continues,” Haas seemed like the perfect place to expose me to all of those different potential paths so that I could understand more about them and make them my own.”
Since Haas is part of one of the top universities in the world, MBA students with varied interests have the option to take classes or even a joint degree program with another department at UC Berkeley. Learning experiences don’t end with classes either, as UC Berkeley offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations. The most prevalent way for students to get the most out of the experience is through Haas’ innovative and interesting electives. Many of these electives work in the concept of experiential learning, allowing students to get hands-on opportunities.
Experiential learning for MBA students
Although experiential learning is not a new concept, it can be difficult to implement because of all of the moving parts involved. Haas has been giving students hands-on experiential learning experiences for over 25 years. This style of learning allows students to actually experience and gain a deeper understanding of situations or problems in real world settings. It’s attractive to potential employers because it can showcase a student’s potential if they haven’t had much work experience in a certain area.
More than half of the electives in the MBA program feature hands-on projects. With over 20 Applied Innovation courses, students work on teams that tackle everything from corporate innovation to sustainability initiatives.
A minimum of one Applied Innovation course is required for every MBA student. Just a few of these courses include International Business Development, Cleantech to Market, Haas@Work, Haas Impact Fund, Social Sector Solutions, and many, many more. These Innovation courses are taken along with a teamwork module which are designed so that students get maximum benefit out of the classes and the experiences.
The Haas Impact Fund (HIF) gives budding entrepreneurs in the social sector the opportunity to learn about the ever-important process of raising capital. The class is offered during the spring semester and in April, students participate in the Haas Impact Fund Pitch Day where they have the opportunity to present their ideas to experts.
“HIF was an incredible learning experience. My takeaways and true level of understanding could only have been gained through this experiential class format,” says Brianna Beighle, MBA 24. She continues, “My understanding of Venture Capital and the positive impact it can have went from 0 to 60 in one semester, and I’m truly grateful for all I’ve learned.”
Sometimes Applied Innovation courses can take a student down a path they hadn’t planned on. Tiffany Tran, MBA 20, ended up in the Wine & Spirits industry, something she didn’t know much about until she got involved in a class on International Business Development (IBD). “IBD was huge for my learning about the kind of experience I wanted to have in my work life after Haas,” she said. “I learned that I wanted to be on the company/brand side, rather than work as a consultant, and also, how important working internationally is to me.”
Environmental initiatives are important to a lot of individuals and many businesses are embracing clean energy as a company value. Haas students can get involved in the Cleantech to Market (C2M) course. C2M allows students to identify the most viable initial markets, prospective customers and partners, funding sources, and related strategies in low-carbon energy, green chemistry, food, and water technologies. It’s a unique capstone where companies partner with the students while they guide one another to solve problems.
When students were anonymously surveyed about their experiences, they had many positive comments. “It was a really good experience learning how to commercialize new technology; first understanding the technical hurdles,then the commercial hurdles, and then working with an interdisciplinary team to package that into a coherent story,” says one student. The experience was a step in the right direction because, they say, “That basically describes my current job.”
A full 100% of the corporate partners surveyed in 2023 said that C2M exceeded their expectations, “I feel so lucky and grateful to receive so much support from truly world-class students, along with many connections through the C2M staff,” says Margaret Lumley, CEO & Founder of Roca Water. “We've already incorporated learnings gained from the C2M team into some of our startup's grant proposals and roadmap plans.”
Concurrent degree programs and partnerships
C2M is a Haas-based program, but students from other graduate programs at UC Berkeley are welcome to participate. Students with interest in combining multiple fields are able to tailor their degrees thanks to internal partnerships at Berkeley. It’s not uncommon for engineers, health professionals, or even artists to take a business track in order to better open up doors within their industries. Business students can do the same.
Daniel Clayton, MBA 19, was drawn to data. He saw an opportunity to enroll in classes through the Master of Financial Engineering program. Although the program is based at Haas, not all MBA students opt for quant heavy courses. “I set the goal early that I should try to graduate with three or more of these courses to add more quantitative skills to my strong finance base,” says Clayton, who worked in finance prior to starting his MBA. His reasoning for taking the courses was career driven, “It’s the ‘quants’ who will be key to the future of the investment field by driving markets, developing new and innovative investment strategies, and disrupting decades-old industries.”
Haas has recently teamed up with UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism allowing journalism and business students to take classes across both disciplines. “In order to cover business, journalists need to understand how business operates and how money moves through the economy,” says former Haas Dean and current professor Dr. Ann E. Harrison. “And business leaders can benefit from having a deeper understanding of the media. This is a win-win for students at both schools.”
Taking a few courses can help students shape a more diverse career path, but the opportunity to get two degrees at once is also an option through Haas. There are four Concurrent Degree Programs where students can get an MBA along with another graduate level degree. The MBA/Master of Climate Solutions (MCS) is designed for people wanting to combine business leadership with an understanding of sustainability and climate change challenges and opportunities. An MBA/Master of Public Health (MPH) combines business and the healthcare sectors. Students can become leaders in business and technological innovation in any industry with an MBA/Master of Engineering (MEng). The fourth concurrent degree combines business with law and students graduate with a JD/MBA.
Clubs and organizations for a deeper dive
In addition to innovative curriculum and interdepartmental partners, Berkeley Haas plays host to multiple clubs and organizations where students can get exposure and experience doing what they love. These groups can be tied closely to existing coursework, giving students a deeper dive in order to prepare for their future careers. Many include the added bonus of giving back to the community, all while having fun and making friends.
Professional clubs allow students to further explore potential career paths and network with others. Multiple fields and demographics are represented. Like everything at Berkeley, all people are welcome to participate. Career-focused clubs include aerospace, real estate, and consulting, among others. Clubs that are focused on demographics include groups for people who are Asian, European, LGBTQ+, women, and more.
The FinTech Club, combining finance and technology, has 144 student members and 700 total as of this writing. The group was founded in 2016 and aims to develop the next generation of fintech business leaders by providing them with the network and knowledge to pursue careers in fintech.
Ashley Lannquist, MBA 18, co-founder of the Haas FinTech Club, started the group with fellow students because they felt that the field was faster moving and more exciting than traditional finance. “It’s also usually more socially beneficial because you’re building products that can deliver financial services more cheaply, transparently, and directly to the broad population or even the under- or unbanked,” she says. “It’s also useful in a lot of emerging market countries, and that interests a lot of Haas students.”
Haas is an amazing place to not know what you want to do. You’ll be surrounded by people who have passions and interests that you probably never heard of or considered."
Women in Leadership (WiL) aims to serve the entire Haas community through a series of professional, educational, and social events designed to enhance the understanding and appreciation of women's roles in business while equipping WiL members for success. People of all genders are welcome to join to learn and network. The men in the group are called “Manbassadors” and serve as allies to female leaders. WiL has held an annual conference for the past 28 years.
Although they aren’t as career focused, social groups through Haas still provide networking opportunities for students. They can get involved in the Haas Music Club, a Beer Club, and even Redwoods@Haas for outdoor enthusiasts. There are many options for many interests and new clubs are encouraged.
Rankings show that it works
With its variety of class offerings, business centered clubs, and cross-pollination of Berkeley programs, the Haas MBA has consistently been ranked by US News report as having top tier MBA programs. Although not everyone knows exactly where they’ll end up when they start, they appreciate the opportunity to explore, “Haas is an amazing place to not know what you want to do,” says Chen Song, MBA 18. “ You’ll be surrounded by people who have passions and interests that you probably never heard of or considered.”
If you’re someone with unique career goals or if you’re open to exploring a non-traditional path, the Haas MBA can help you find what will work for you. Get in touch with us today.
