Thank you for visiting our Berkeley Changemaker courses page.
We'd love to hear what you think and what future courses you might like to see: changemaker@berkeley.edu.
Printable flyer available here:
Note: Effective Spring 2025, UGBA C12 or C1916C The Berkeley Changemaker® course or the UGBA 156 Living with Agency course are required to achieve the Berkeley Changemaker Certificate of Completion.
The Berkeley Changemaker®
Lower-Division Version: UGBA C12 - CLASS # 19850
Upper-Division Versions UGBA C196C - CLASS # 19833
Instructors: Christyna Maria Serrano, Chelsea Gregory
3 units
Berkeley Changemaker impact occurs across many fronts: scientific, artistic, social, and entrepreneurial. This course helps students identify as a Berkeley Changemaker and learn the critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills to become one. Combining disciplines across UC Berkeley, the course also helps launch the Berkeley Discovery arc. Students develop their own leadership styles and discover how they can create and lead diverse teams to act upon the world. Values in Berkeley’s DNA like Questioning the Status Quo and going Beyond Yourself support students in leading from whatever position they occupy, preparing them to leave their mark on campus, in their communities, or beyond.
UGBA 156 Berkeley Changemaker: Living with Agency(link is external)
Instructor: Laura Paxton Hassner
Class #20269 (link is external) -- Click Here for Course Flyer(PDF file)
2 units
What does it mean to “live with agency”? This course emphasizes the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking, effective communication, and productive collaboration. You will combine critical examination of evidence-based, multi-disciplinary research and theories with personal self-reflection. These are interwoven with implementable strategies, directly applicable to the business context, to help you develop a sharper sense of who you want to be, along with tools to make that happen. Frequent guest speakers, simulations, and discussions allow you to learn from others as you expand your network. L&S/UGBA C12/C196C is not a pre-requisite but is highly recommended since this course complements and builds on that class.
COLWRIT 11 Berkeley Changemaker: Public Speaking
CLASS #25421
Instructor: Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Margi Wald
1 unit
Emphasizing the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking and communication, this variable unit (1 or 2) practicum is designed to help students refine their academic speaking skills. Students will learn the techniques of effective public speaking, practice their skills, and develop confidence in oral communication. Online, asynchronous class sessions will be complemented by “live” opportunities that enable students to practice course content in front of an instructor and audience and receive feedback.
Instructor: Christyna Serrano
Course #30187
4 units
This course examines how learning environments can empower and disempower individuals and explores the role of education in the social construction of hierarchy, inequality, difference, identity, and power. It embodies a democratic philosophy and practice, creating a learning community that encourages students to take responsibility for their own education and learn through theory, experience, dialogue, and a capstone course project titled: the Digital Changemaker Project.
ENGIN 183 Special Topics in Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Applied Resilience | Your Innovation Springboard-A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Class # 29430, 3 Units
Instructor: Victoria Howell
Why do some innovators and their ventures seem successful while others fail? What is the secret to feeling fulfilled, despite challenges? While likely a combination of attributes and skills, resilience is one of the most often suggested and least researched traits enabling founders and founding teams to flourish (source: Phebe Tucker, MD, What is Resilience). We posit that resilience can be learned, a skill related to growth mindset. For this course, we define resilience as the ability to bounce back; explore options; take action and learn from mistakes while experiencing tension. Lack of resilience presents itself in fear; frustration at receiving negative feedback; overwhelming guilt; regret and even depression. The course objective is to provide new awareness of the brain science behind impediments to resilience, present and apply tools to increase your resilience and test various practices to improve your ability to successfully launch yourself, your venture and your ideas. Together we will learn about and analyze experiments, literature, movies and group activities to understand:
- The meaning of resilience and how it applies to your situation as an individual, venture team member and/or venture team lead;
- Neuroscience and cognitive science, at a high level, and how it impacts your actions, feelings and ability to thrive
- A variety of practical tools (and evaluation relative to your needs) to help you understand what is happening in your brain that impedes your resilience, that work for you and those around you that are proven to increase resilience
- Alternative perspectives, so that you can choose what works for you to you push forward in your work and your leadership, through challenges and opportunities
- As you work through group-, partner- and individual- activities, this class is designed to help you and your current or future team. With your commitment to ongoing survey participation, you will leave a lasting legacy of best practices to build resilience in others going forward.
ENGIN 183 A and 283 A -- A. Richard Newton Lecture Series
Engin 183A (for undergraduates): Class # 29418
Engin 283A (for graduate students): Class # 29802
Instructor: Victoria Howell
1 Unit
This class is open to students from all majors. This class is a great introduction to technology entrepreneurship and innovation and is required for two tracks of the SCET Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Technology.
All majors will feel welcome. It is also part of the Berkeley Changemaker suite of courses, which is designed to activate passions and sharpen your sense of where you want to go and how to make that happen, with particular focus on critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
This class is combined with a graduate section ENGIN 283A. Undergraduates can ONLY enroll in 183A.
ENG 183C Challenge Lab: Design of plant-based foods | A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Ricardo San Martin
Class # 29425, 4 units
"The sustainable food market is poised for rapid growth as consumers increasingly prioritize reducing the environmental impact our food systems and improving animal welfare. This class serves as a vibrant hub where students engage directly with entrepreneurs, companies, venture capitalists, and leading organizations in the sustainable food sector, gaining a comprehensive understanding of this fast-evolving industry. Through immersive, hands-on learning, students engage deeply with the principles of food science, animal welfare and sustainable agriculture, applying their expertise to the design and development of cutting-edge food products and solutions. Working in teams, they tackle real-world challenges and create high-impact innovations, laying the groundwork for potential startups. The program emphasizes animal-free, health-conscious design and sustainability, equipping graduates to launch successful ventures or join top companies in the sustainable food industry." Application link: https://forms.gle/CXzdzitd8ggu9qFD6
ENGIN 183C Challenge Lab: Designing Startups to Transform Society | A Berkeley Changemaker® Course
Instructor: Anita Balaraman
Class #: 29423, 4 units
This course is meant for students in engineering and other disciplines who seek a challenging, interactive, team-based, and hands-on learning experience in entrepreneurship and technology. In this highly experiential course, students work in simulated start-up teams to create products or start-up ideas to address a broadly-defined need of an industry partner or social challenge.
AI and automation have significantly changed the way business is done. We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and have the opportunity to harness converging technologies to create an inclusive human-centered future. This course asks students to envision solutions that leverage tech to intentionally promote equitable economic mobility and to transform systems to benefit society. Students in the Designing Startups to Transform Society Challenge Lab will be immersed in an entrepreneurial journey to discover and develop disruptive business models for transforming society, addressing sustainability, and reimagining the future of work. From access to jobs, job skills, and upskilling, to innovative approaches to transforming education, climate, government, and businesses for the good of society, we need solutions that leverage technology to accelerate positive impact. Students will develop an understanding of the value and velocity of AI and disruptive technologies, understand the frameworks of ‘specialized’ vs ‘generalized’ intelligence; and explore ethical and inclusive innovation design. Students will explore complex societal challenges and invent startup solutions that leverage digital tech (e.g. data, ML, AI, IoT); prototype solutions; and explore customer ‘value’ models; all while gaining equal fluency in the cultural values and ethical principles that should ground and govern how these tools are designed and used.
Engin 183 C - Challenge Lab: From Idea to Impact: Designing Tech Solutions for Youth Mental Health
Instructor: Gail C. Gannon
Class # 29424
What if your next class could change lives? This 16-week immersive course is part of the ENSURE Program – Equitable Neurotech Solutions for Underserved Regions Everywhere, a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students passionate about making a positive social impact through entrepreneurship and technology innovation. You'll collaborate with local schools and mental health organizations to design tech solutions, like engaging apps, to improve the behavioral health of grade-school youths who are at risk and underserved. The course will challenge you to think and act like a social entrepreneur, balancing a heart set for social change with a mindset for scalable innovation.
The course blends entrepreneurial skills, methods, and approaches with social impact, giving students the tools to innovate and empathize with the challenges faced by vulnerable populations. By the end of the course, you’ll have created a portfolio-ready prototype. This course is your chance to lead social change while developing critical thinking skills often demanded in real-world practice.
Supported by the expertise and resources of the Neurotech Collider Lab at Berkeley, participants are immersed in an environment that combines technology, business acumen, and a deep understanding of cognitive and behavioral science to forge impactful solutions.
By the end, you will have helped tackle pressing mental health issues and come away with a fully developed portfolio—from ideation to prototype—highly regarded in the tech and healthcare industries. This course is about real-world impact, entrepreneurial growth, and making a difference.
ENG 183C Challenge Lab: SportsTech, Entrepreneurship & the Future of Sports | A Berkeley Changemaker® Course
Instructor: Christyna Maria Serrano
Class #29421, 4 units
Are you passionate about transforming the future of sports through innovation and entrepreneurship? Welcome to SportsTech, a course designed for the next generation of changemakers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Situated at the intersection of one of the world’s leading engineering programs and a top-tier Division 1 athletic program, this course offers a unique platform for multidisciplinary collaboration. In this course, students will utilize AI to accelerate various aspects of the entrepreneurial process. From identifying market gaps to crafting compelling pitches and developing a Minimum Viable Prototype (MVP), the course integrates AI ethically and transparently as a tool for business development. Additionally, students will leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn for customer interviews, market validation, and professional branding. Guest speakers from the industry will join the course to share insights on sports innovation and changemaking. Students will also engage in Berkeley Changemaker's three core pillars: Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration. These elements aim to equip students with the skills and mindsets required to become changemakers in the sports industry. The course culminates in a demo and pitch session where students present their MVPs to a panel of venture capitalists and industry judges, offering real-world validation and next-level venture development opportunities.
(NEW!!) JOURN 298 (Group Study - Special Topics) Berkeley Changemaker: Creating New Models for Journalism (3 Units)
Instructor: Lisa Armstrong
CLASS # 16534
Psst! Wanna help save democracy?
So first the bad news–the ways that journalism has traditionally been created and published is not working. Legacy news organizations and newer outlets alike are laying people off, and are often chasing technology (and are then in some ways beholden to, say, social media platforms) rather than coming up with their own ways to reach audiences. Now the good–there will always be a need for journalism. The country’s earliest newspapers were created to inform citizens, and seen as an essential part of guaranteeing their freedom. Thomas Jefferson famously wrote: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.” And therein lies the opportunity. American journalism was created to serve a select few, and has not done a great job of reaching the very diverse communities across the country in ways that they want to consume news. I believe the future of journalism depends in part on whether we can figure out how to serve everyone in this country, and then create ways to make that news production, dissemination and revenue streams more sustainable. And that’s where you come in.
Over the course of the semester, you will work in teams to do in-depth interviews with people in one of three areas–legacy news organizations, non-profit/local news outlets and audiences (the people these news organizations are trying to reach). You will use what you learn from these interviews to come up with solutions. We will have class guests—newsroom leaders, entrepreneurs and funders–who will help us consider the possibilities: How do we package and share news in ways audiences want to consume it? Do we use existing platforms or come up with something new? And, where do we get the money to make this all sustainable?
UGBA 192T-1 Sustainable Capitalism in the Nordics: A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Robert Strand
1 unit
Course #19066(link is external)
Course Flyer here(PDF file)
We face big challenges in this world. Climate change, poverty, health & wellbeing, access to quality education, decent work, loss of biodiversity, and growing inequalities are just a few of the interconnected sustainability challenges represented by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the face of these challenges, the Nordics can offer inspiration. Nordic countries and companies are cited as global sustainability leaders, frequently topping sustainability performance indicators like the SDG Index. This discussion-based course explores sustainability in the Nordics and considers what learnings may be prosperously applied in the US. Our inquiry focuses on the very concept of capitalism itself, and the relationship between capitalism, sustainability, democracy, and freedom. In doing so, we consider the ideas of “American shareholder capitalism” vis-à-vis “Nordic stakeholder capitalism” to compare American and Nordic policies and cultures, and their effects on sustainability practices and performances.
FALL 2024
The Berkeley Changemaker®
Lower-Division Version: UGBA C12
Upper-Division Version: UGBA C196C
3 units
Berkeley Changemaker impact occurs across many fronts: scientific, artistic, social, and entrepreneurial. This course helps students identify as a Berkeley Changemaker and learn the critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills to become one. Combining disciplines across UC Berkeley, the course also helps launch the Berkeley Discovery arc. Students develop their own leadership styles and discover how they can create and lead diverse teams to act upon the world. Values in Berkeley’s DNA like Questioning the Status Quo and going Beyond Yourself support students in leading from whatever position they occupy, preparing them to leave their mark on campus, in their communities, or beyond.
PB HLTH 155E: Seeing People: Understanding Homelessness' Roots, Stigmas, & Solutions - A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Colette (Coco) Auerswald
Class #30699
3 units
The goal is to support you as an informed citizen who understands homelessness, its roots, the multilevel systems & services that exist to address it, & the levers at each level to effect change. We will focus on developing skills to be a changemaker by working together to address homelessness & “housism” in our community. “Housism” is the belief that people experiencing homelessness are intrinsically less worthy/human. We will be informed in our growth by counter-narratives by people experiencing homelessness & by theoretical frameworks, such as the Social Determinants of Health, Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, the Ecological Model, & theories of stigma. Students who have experienced homelessness or unstable housing are welcome.
INDENG 171 Berkeley Changemaker: Ethical and Effective Entrepreneurship in High Tech
Instructor: Lee Fleming
Course #29879
4 units
This course explores key management and leadership concepts relevant to the high-technology world. Topics include the firm's key operations, strategic issues, and managerial leadership including personal leadership and talent management. This course prepares technical and business minded students for careers focused on professional and management track careers in high technology. Students undertake intensive study of actual business situations through rigorous case-study analysis.
PUBPOL 190: War? Emerging Technologies & National Security Policy (A Berkeley Changemaker Course)
Instructor: Andrew W Reddie
Course #17403
4 units
Will artificial intelligence technologies revolutionize warfare? Can the threat of cyber attacks be used to deter adversaries? How do governments drive technological innovation in support of national security? What is the responsibility of the private sector when engaging in R&D with dual-use applications? To answer these questions, this course examines the intersection between politics, security, and technology both in the United States and across the globe. The course is divided into four parts: 1) Linking Politics, Security, and Technology in Theory 2) Technology and War: A History; 3) Today’s “Emerging” Technologies; and 4) Tomorrow’s Technologies. Given the necessary breadth, our seminar will consider work from international relations, economics, science and technology studies, law, as well as non-academic writing in popular outlets. Topics include: offset strategies, offense-defense balance theory, grey-zone competition, conceptualizing strategic stability, escalation, the economics of industrial policy, and innovation policy. Technologies considered include: robotics, autonomous platforms (UAVs, UUVs), sensors for remote detection, machine learning, hypersonic missiles, missile defense technologies, and nuclear modernization.
ENGIN 183A(link is external) or 283A(link is external): A. Richard Newton Lecture Series
Instructor: Victoria Howell
1 unit
This lecture series serves as an entry point for undergraduate and graduate curriculum sequences in entrepreneurship and innovation. The series, established in 2005, is named in honor of A. Richard Newton, a visionary technology industry leader and late dean of the University of California Berkeley College of Engineering. The course features a selection of high-level industry speakers who share their insights on industry developments, leadership, and innovation based on their careers.
Instructor: Christyna Serrano
Course #30100
4 units
This course examines how learning environments can empower and disempower individuals and explores the role of education in the social construction of hierarchy, inequality, difference, identity, and power. It embodies a democratic philosophy and practice, creating a learning community that encourages students to take responsibility for their own education and learn through theory, experience, dialogue, and a capstone course project titled: the Digital Changemaker Project.
COLWRIT 11 Berkeley Changemaker: Public Speaking
Instructors: Carmen Acevedo Butcher and David Wiese
Class #32376
1 or 2 unit
Emphasizing the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking and communication, this variable unit (1 or 2) practicum is designed to help students refine their academic speaking skills. Students will learn the techniques of effective public speaking, practice their skills, and develop confidence in oral communication. Online, asynchronous class sessions will be complemented by “live” opportunities that enable students to practice course content in front of an instructor and audience and receive feedback.
Leading High Impact Teams
Instructor: Brandi Pearce
Class #:33145
3 Units
This course helps students hone and develop the leadership skills needed to lead dynamic, complex, global teams. Globalization, rapid technological change, and a shift towards an innovation-based economy have resulted in more dynamic, distributed, cross-functional, as well as demographically and culturally diverse teams. Students will learn to create team developmental plans and accountability, coach teams through challenges, encourage teams to recognize and avoid bias and misattributions, and lead from a distance and across boundaries.
Photo credit: Jim Block
SUMMER 2024
The Berkeley Changemaker®
Lower-Division Versions: L&S C12 or UGBA C12(link is external)
Upper-Division Versions: L&S C196C(link is external) or UGBA C196C(link is external)
Instructor: Christyna Maria Serrano
2 units
Berkeley Changemaker impact occurs across many fronts: scientific, artistic, social, and entrepreneurial. This course helps students identify as a Berkeley Changemaker and learn the critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills to become one. Combining disciplines across UC Berkeley, the course also helps launch the Berkeley Discovery arc. Students develop their own leadership styles and discover how they can create and lead diverse teams to act upon the world. Values in Berkeley’s DNA like Questioning the Status Quo and going Beyond Yourself support students in leading from whatever position they occupy, preparing them to leave their mark on campus, in their communities, or beyond.
COLWRIT 11 Berkeley Changemaker: Public Speaking
Instructor: Becky Hsu
Class #14637
1 unit
Emphasizing the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking and communication, this variable unit (1 or 2) practicum is designed to help students refine their academic speaking skills. Students will learn the techniques of effective public speaking, practice their skills, and develop confidence in oral communication. Online, asynchronous class sessions will be complemented by “live” opportunities that enable students to practice course content in front of an instructor and audience and receive feedback.
EDUC W141: Exploring Digital Pedagogy
Instructor: Christyna Maria Serrano
Class #15141
3 units
This course explores the convergence of online and classroom-based education through digital pedagogy. As a Berkeley Changemaker offering, students will engage in critical thinking, communication, and collaboration to understand the impact of technology on 21st-century education.
Through discussions, case studies, and hands-on experiences with cutting-edge technologies such as AI and Spatial Computing (VR/AR/MR), students will investigate how digital tools can transform learning experiences. Guest speakers from the EdTech industry will provide insights into the latest trends and innovations.
By delving into the changing roles of instructors and learners, designing engaging virtual learning environments, and exploring the potential for digital pedagogy to revolutionize education and society, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to not only survive but thrive in the digital age of learning.
Whether you aspire to be an educator, are a curious learner, or a passionate Berkeley Changemaker, this course will empower you to critically analyze and shape the future of education in the 21st century.
Photo credit: Jim Block
Spring 2024
The Berkeley Changemaker®
Lower-Division Versions: L&S C12 or UGBA C12
Upper-Division Versions: L&S C196C or UGBA C196C
Instructor: Christyna Serrano
3 units
You could have gone almost anywhere and you chose UC Berkeley—we’re so glad you did! For generations, people like you have come to Berkeley to leave their marks on the world, questioning the status quo as they think, and act, beyond themselves. Our gateway course will activate your passions and help you develop a sharper sense of who you want to be, providing the tools you’ll need along the way. Whether you want to start your own company, launch an NGO, discover your passion, or learn how to effect positive, lasting change from wherever you are, our Berkeley Changemaker community has a place for you. In this asynchronous online course, you can engage with our lectures, assignments, and readings at the time of day which works best for you. Our class is taught by an all-star team of 26 UC Berkeley faculty members, representing 19 diverse departments and 8 schools across our campus. Our guest faculty includes Chancellor Carol Christ, former Federal Reserve Chair & Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and 9 Distinguished Teaching Award winners. This is the only course on campus that introduces you to how more than 25 of our most distinguished faculty think about changemaking and leadership, and how to put all of that into action. This course includes an optional "live" one-hour weekly session featuring guest speakers and opportunities for you to build your Berkeley Changemaker network.
UGBA 159: Becoming a Changemaker
Instructor: Alex Budak
Class #14522
2 units
This course inspires, trains and equips participants to convert raw energy and enthusiasm for creating a better world into real leadership skills and mindsets which will empower you to create positive change at an individual, organizational and societal level. Anchored in change leadership and bringing together the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership & social impact, the course is focused on moving from ideas to action; gaining inspiration from diverse changemakers across roles and sectors; learning how to navigate, shape and lead change to thrive amidst uncertainty; and helping you become the kind of leader our companies, our communities and our world need right now.
CHEM 171H Berkeley Changemaker: The Green Materials Innovation Challenge
Instructor: Megan Arnett and Kim Hazard
Class #14780
3 units
At the same time as chemistry has dramatically improved our lives, it has also exposed people to hundreds of harmful synthetic chemicals and pollutants via air, water, food, consumer products, and workplaces. Green chemistry aims to develop chemicals and materials that are inherently safer for human health and the environment.
This course is a project-based class that partners students with companies, non-profits, community groups, and government agencies that are interested in adopting safer, greener chemistry for their products and processes. The course is designed to give students a foundation in the principles of green chemistry by providing a real-world green chemistry challenge that students will work to solve throughout the semester. Students will have the opportunity to meet and work with multiple on and off campus partners, including industry, non-profit, and government collaborators, via guest lectures and a final student presentation given to a broad audience of BCGC partners.
Instructor: Christyna Serrano
Course #16721
4 units
This course examines how learning environments can empower and disempower individuals and explores the role of education in the social construction of hierarchy, inequality, difference, identity, and power. It embodies a democratic philosophy and practice, creating a learning community that encourages students to take responsibility for their own education and learn through theory, experience, dialogue, and a capstone course project titled: the Digital Changemaker Project.
ENGIN 183A or 283A: A. Richard Newton Lecture Series
Instructor: Victoria Howell
1 unit
This lecture series serves as an entry point for undergraduate and graduate curriculum sequences in entrepreneurship and innovation. The series, established in 2005, is named in honor of A. Richard Newton, a visionary technology industry leader and late dean of the University of California Berkeley College of Engineering. The course features a selection of high-level industry speakers who share their insights on industry developments, leadership, and innovation based on their careers.
UGBA 13 Berkeley Changemaker: Human Health
Instructor: Darren Daniel Cooke
Course #32991
2 units
Do you wonder how you might play a part in changing human health and improving the lives of others? Find your path with Berkeley Changemaker: Human Health. In this course you will apply the core principles of the Berkeley Changemaker curriculum by Critically exploring a full understanding of an important human health issue, Collaborating with diverse colleagues on a project team to investigate solutions using gold-standard discovery techniques, and Communicating what you’ve learned and providing thoughtful feedback to your classmates. Each week you will also research and then have a curated conversation with a changemaking expert on a range of human health topics, from startup solutions, to healthcare economics, to health equity issues
For more information and a past course flyer, see lsec.berkeley.edu/bc-hh(link is external)
UGBA 192T-1 Sustainable Capitalism in the Nordics: A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Robert Strand
1 unit
Course #14135
We face big challenges in this world. Climate change, poverty, health & wellbeing, access to quality education, decent work, loss of biodiversity, and growing inequalities are just a few of the interconnected sustainability challenges represented by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the face of these challenges, the Nordics can offer inspiration. Nordic countries and companies are cited as global sustainability leaders, frequently topping sustainability performance indicators like the SDG Index. This discussion-based course explores sustainability in the Nordics and considers what learnings may be prosperously applied in the US. Our inquiry focuses on the very concept of capitalism itself, and the relationship between capitalism, sustainability, democracy, and freedom. In doing so, we consider the ideas of “American shareholder capitalism” vis-à-vis “Nordic stakeholder capitalism” to compare American and Nordic policies and cultures, and their effects on sustainability practices and performances.
ENGIN 183C Challenge Lab: Design of Plant-Based Foods | A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructors: Ricardo San Martin and Sarah Klass
Course #16480
4 units
The current food system heavily reliant on animal-based products must undergo a transformation to mitigate its adverse impact on global warming and alleviate animal suffering. However, despite the initial enthusiasm surrounding plant-based foods, progress in product development and sales has plateaued. There is an urgent need for innovation in the form of more delectable and cost-effective ingredients, advancements in plant cultivation, utilization of by-products, and the integration of automation to facilitate scaling up. This course serves as a dynamic nexus where students engage closely with entrepreneurs, corporations, venture capitalists, and plant-based organizations, allowing them to gain a comprehensive understanding of the plant-based food landscape. Students will delve into the principles of food science as applied to the conception and production of plant-based edibles. Through collaborative teamwork, they will confront industry challenges and endeavors to create innovative, tangible plant-based products.
This course requires an application.
SPRING 2024
UGBA 156 Berkeley Changemaker: Living with Agency
Instructor: Laura Paxton Hassner
Course #33270
2 units
What does it mean to “live with agency”? This course emphasizes the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking, effective communication, and productive collaboration. You will combine critical examination of evidence-based, multi-disciplinary research and theories with personal self-reflection. These are interwoven with implementable strategies, directly applicable to the business context, to help you develop a sharper sense of who you want to be, along with tools to make that happen. Frequent guest speakers, simulations, and discussions allow you to learn from others as you expand your network. L&S/UGBA C12/C196C is not a pre-requisite but is highly recommended since this course complements and builds on that class.
UGBA 191L Leadership Communication | A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Suzanne Houlihan, Ingrid M Gavshon, Mark Rittenberg
Course #14509
3 units
Leadership Communication is a workshop in the fundamentals of public speaking in today's business environment. Through prepared and impromptu speeches aimed at moving others to action, peer coaching, and lectures, students will sharpen their authentic and persuasive communication skills, develop critical listening skills, improve abilities to give, receive, and apply feedback, and gain confidence as public speakers.
ENGIN 183C Challenge Lab: SportsTech, Entrepreneurship & the Future of Sports - A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Christyna Maria Serrano
Course #16482
4 units
The University of California, Berkeley, is home to one of the best engineering programs in the world and a world-class athletic program. Cal is also #2 in the world for Venture-Backed Startups (and gaining) among elite universities. This course brings together and harnesses this excellence within an environment where diverse student teams will create technology-driven innovations to shape the future of sports.
Together, multidisciplinary teams of Berkeley Changemakers, future engineers, student-athletes, and students from a variety of majors will engage in active learning through the practice of entrepreneurship in identifying and addressing an issue in the field of sports--such as health and wellness, performance optimization, or Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI).
THEATER 100 / UGBA 190T From Imagination to Innovation: Activating creativity for transformational change
Instructors: Lisa Wymore and David Allen Rochlin
3 units
It is often said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” But how do you ignite and harness your imagination - the inspiration for your dreams? And once you have a dream, what does it take to innovate – to turn the dreaming into doing and bring it to life? The class explores these topics and provides practice in innovation as not only a mindset, but also a process involving a series of tools and steps that can guide us in making ethical change in the world. Through hands-on, project-based exercises, this course will teach students to put their imaginations into action to better observe, frame, critique, make, and reflect upon their ideas for change.
ENGIN 183C Challenge Lab: Designing Startups to Transform Society - A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructors: Anita Balaraman and Jill Kathryn Finlayson
Course #16483
4 units
AI and automation have significantly changed the way business is done. We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and have the opportunity to harness converging technologies to create an inclusive human-centered future. This course asks students to envision solutions that leverage tech to intentionally promote equitable economic mobility and to transform systems to benefit society.
Students in the Designing Startups to Transform Society Challenge Lab will be immersed in an entrepreneurial journey to discover and develop disruptive business models for transforming society, addressing sustainability, and reimagining the future of work. From access to jobs, job skills, and upskilling, to innovative approaches to transforming education, climate, government, and businesses for the good of society, we need solutions that leverage technology to accelerate positive impact.
ENGIN 183/283: Deplastify the Planet - A Berkeley Changemaker® Course
Instructors: Mathieu Aguesse and Kelly Chou
3 units
The world is drowning in plastic that we've created, most of which takes hundreds of years to decompose. To solve this problem, we must find ways to replace or at least reduce plastic in manufacturing, to reuse, recycle or re-purpose plastic currently in use, to rescue discarded plastic from oceans or landfills, and to dispose of plastic responsibly.
For this course, we find companies that want to achieve the same and will partner with SCET and Schoolab around this problem. Each company prepares a “deplastify challenge” based on their own business, and will be given student teams that work together to develop an entrepreneurial solution. Supported by representatives from their partner companies, students will work to understand the industry and challenge, then design prototypes and pitch their final solutions. Past company sponsors include Whole Foods, Faurecia Automotive, Microsoft, Allbirds, Nestle, Recology SF, Method, Bank of the West, Surfrider Foundation, Samsung and more!
This class requires an application to be considered for enrollment. Find the application on the course website.
ENGIN 183/283 Leadership Exploration and Discovery (LEAD): A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Carrie Requist
3 units
Leadership Exploration and Discovery (LEAD) is an introspective class where you will learn who you are as a leader and how you can become the leader you want to be. Instruction takes many forms including individual learning through assigned reading, videos, case studies and self-assessments; and in-class learning with lectures, immersive activities, and dynamic guest speakers. These allow students to explore what is important to them and who they are authentically as a leader. The goal of this class is to arm students with specific knowledge both about leadership and about themselves for them to be effective leaders now and into the future.
This course explores key leadership concepts relevant to firms of all sizes from startups to large corporates. Topics include leadership traits and characteristics, leading when not in charge, leading through change/uncertainty/chaos, creating and leading teams, effective leadership communication, leading remote/distributed workforce, how to promote innovation, and motivating employees. We cover leadership at all levels from individual contributor to founder/CEO, and students will examine techniques required for success in various entities. Students will get a sense of how leadership impacts an organization, and how they can lead, grow, and improve to ensure their organizations are successful.
This course requires an application. Previous leadership experience is not required.
ENGIN 183C Challenge Lab: Transforming Brain Health with Neurotech: A Berkeley Changemaker Course
Instructor: Gail Gannon
Course #16481
4 units
The mental health crisis and the long-term impact on our brains has risen to epidemic proportions, globally. For example, in the US, one in twenty people are diagnosed with depression, with certain demographics disproportionately affected by depression, (e.g. women and Black and Latinx communities); many go undiagnosed and neglected.
This course will challenge you to build multi-disciplinary teams of co-founders and unleash your business, technical, marketing and entrepreneurial creativity to develop a new business from the ground-up that addresses one of the key mental health challenges in modern healthcare here or abroad. All majors are welcome (science, arts, and the humanities). The goal is to build a course full of passionate students willing to push their boundaries and learn to create amazing innovations and, possibly, create a start-up. Experienced business leaders, entrepreneurs, and technologists will mentor you in addition to the course introducing you to several methodologies, processes and tools that will guide you through company ideation and creation process; help you refine and test your business ideas, plans, and models; design and build first prototypes and collateral; and analyze markets and competitive landscapes.
This course requires an application.
COLWRIT 11 Berkeley Changemaker: Public Speaking
Instructors: Margi Wald and John Levine
Course #22050
1 unit
Emphasizing the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking and communication, this one-unit practicum is designed to help students refine their academic speaking skills. Students will learn the techniques of effective public speaking, practice their skills, and develop confidence in oral communication. Online, asynchronous class sessions will be complemented by “live” opportunities that enable students to practice course content in front of an instructor and audience and receive feedback.
Previously Offered Courses
HUM 12: (link is external)Berkeley Changemaker: Humanists at Work(link is external)
Instructor: David Dodick
Class #30120
2 or 4 units
In this course, you will learn the value and application of the arts and humanities to a wide variety of careers. In addition to exploring transferrable skills, career readiness, and public projects, the course features weekly visits by high-profile Berkeley Arts and Humanities alumni. They are leaders and changemakers in their fields, who will reflect on the value of a humanities education in forging their success. HUM 12 is a connector course to L&S 12 “The Berkeley Changemaker,” and can be taken for 2 credits or for 4 credits in conjunction with an internship or public service project.
Students can take this course for 2 units or 4 units. The 4 unit option requires students to complete an internship. Please contact the instructor before enrolling in the 4 unit option.
Political Science 198: Berkeley Changemaker: Topics In International Ethics(link is external)(link is external)
Class #23807
1 unit
Instructor: Amy Gurowitz
As Berkeley Changemakers, how do we apply ethics to critical policy questions? Designed for students who have had, or are currently taking, PS 124C Ethics and Justice in International Affairs, this 1 unit course allows a small group of students to select and engage deeply with a critical policy question that emerges from the course. Working in groups to develop a specific question, you'll craft solutions grounded in the ethical theories of the course while gaining a new perspective on how to lead change by engaging with the practical implications of implementation. This course also features practitioners in areas such as humanitarian intervention, international criminal justice, etc. who provide their perspectives on both the ethics and courses of action required for implementing change.
The Berkeley Changemakers' inclusive curriculum activates your passions and helps you to develop a sharper sense of who you want to be, while providing you the tools to take those next steps. Our curriculum focuses on critical thinking, communication, and collaboration complemented by an emphasis on creativity, community, and belonging.
In conjunction with PS124C, the two courses meet the following requirements:
- Meets International Studies, L&S Breadth
- Meets Philosophy & Values, L&S Breadth
- Meets Social & Behavioral Sciences, L&S Breadth
- Meets the Human Rights Course Thread
COLWRIT R4B 016: Berkeley Changemaker: Writing the Change We Seek(link is external)(link is external)
Class #25292
4 units
Instructor: Ryan Sloan
U.C. Berkeley has long been a place for innovative ideas and creative, out-of-the-box discovery. What role might you play on campus, in your communities and beyond as a passionate writer and thinker?
In this special R4B course, in collaboration with The Berkeley Changemaker® series, we’re going to roll up our sleeves and get into the thick of some of the most interesting and complex issues of our time. We’ll explore the extraordinary opportunities and ethical quandaries of CRISPR and bioengineering. We’ll look at big tech and social entrepreneurship in the Bay Area, balancing connectivity and access against privacy and the flood of misinformation online. We’ll learn about social justice in a time of polarization; environmental threats and opportunities for impact; public health and the rebuilding of trust in science; internet culture and personal identity; street art and social change; distance learning and the rethinking of what a liberal arts education can be.
Most importantly, this course is increasingly choose-your-own-adventure: what are the issues and ideas that most motivate you? We’ll engage with an array of inspiring and provocative talks by thought leaders across U.C. Berkeley. We’ll play with new tools and practice some vital skills: gaining confidence as a writer; learning to navigate digital resources; mapping ideas with visual thinking; learning to flexibly listen while interviewing others; persuading and engaging peers with public speaking; designing dynamic slides and an interactive writing website of your own. We’ll return to this core question: what does lasting change look like — and how might your own writing serve as a means to enact it?
This Reading, Research, and Composition Course satisfies Part B of the College of Letters & Science's Reading and Composition Requirement(link is external).
UGBA 96(link is external) Berkeley Changemaker: Big Ideas(PDF file)(link is external)
Class #32586
Instructor: Jorge Calderon
1 unit
We are a new exciting entrepreneurship course being launched as part of the Berkeley Changemaker series in collaboration with the Blum Center’s Big Ideas(link is external) program and the Center for Social Sector Leadership(link is external) (CSSL) at the Haas School of Business. This high-octane, fun, startup leadership course is well suited for undergraduate students who are interested in meeting other innovators and getting hands-on experience developing a new “impact” startup concept. A proven roadmap and methodology are used to help guide you through ideation, team formation, business model design and startup pitching. Startup teams are organically formed during the first few weeks. All “social and environmental” impact themes are welcome. Through activity reinforced lectures, classroom dialogue, guest speakers, readings and media content, students will learn to think strategically and act opportunistically with social and financial perspective. Class structure includes dedicated “lab” time for students to develop their ideas with teammates and exchange ideas with classmates. The final project for this course is a team presentation in the form of a validated concept “pitch” to a panel of impact venture experts and the finalized set of course assignments (including a draft application for the Big Ideas competition).
UGBA Berkeley Changemaker: Big Ideas “Special Topic” Innovations OnRamp
Instructor: Joe Dougherty
Class # 20308(link is external)
1 unit
Click here for a course flyer(PDF file)(link is external).
The topic for this Spring’s course is Financial Inclusion – the challenge of ensuring that all people have access to affordable, helpful financial services such as savings, payments, insurance and credit in both the developing world and in more developed markets like the US.
The course will begin by defining the challenge/opportunity of financial inclusion and exploring how it differs across countries in terms of who has access to affordable, helpful financial services and who, typically, does not. It will explore some of the controversies and challenges involved with expanding financial inclusion: For example, what’s the difference between access and usage? What are the downsides or risks associated with financial inclusion and how does consumer protection fit in? How do policy and regulation help or hinder financial inclusion?
We will then explore leading-edge approaches to financial inclusion being pioneered in Africa, Latin America and other regions, and hear directly from leaders in the field (e.g. Kiva, FINCA).
Finally, the course will feature a practical, team-based project to allow students to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills.
This class meets for 8 weeks starting on January 24, 2022 and ending on March 28, 2022. For questions, please contact the instructor.
IND ENG185 OpportunityTech and the Future of Work Lab Challenge Lab: A Berkeley Changemaker® Course
Course #21955
Instructors: Anita Balaraman and Jill Finlayson
4 units
AI and automation have significantly changed the way business is done. What will work look like in two years, or in five years, and how can employees and employers be ready?
#OpportunityTech looks beyond jobtech to innovate solutions that promote equitable access, participation, persistence, and advancement in the future of work. We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and have the opportunity to harness converging technologies to create an inclusive human-centered future. This course asks students to envision solutions that leverage tech to intentionally promote equitable economic mobility, and to ensure we don’t unintentionally create an underclass of people who are no longer employable because of bias in the systems or their skills being rendered obsolete.
Students in the OpportunityTech and Future of Work Challenge Lab will be immersed in an entrepreneurial journey to discover and develop disruptive business models for the future of work, workplace and workforce. From job discovery and hiring, to supporting retention and employee wellness, to future proofing skills and upskilling, we need solutions that improve work and meet the growing demand for talent. For example, sectors like cybersecurity and climate change are expected to grow, and new job types such as algorithm bias auditor, and data detective are anticipated to be the new jobs of the future(link is external). Specifically, students will develop an understanding of the value and velocity of AI and disruptive technologies in shaping the nature of employment; understand the frameworks of ‘specialized’ vs ‘generalized’ intelligence; and explore innovation with entrepreneurs and other expert guest speakers. Students will explore future work challenges and invent startup solutions that leverage tech (data, ML, AI); prototype solutions; and explore customer ‘value’ models; all while gaining equal fluency in the cultural values and ethical principles that should ground and govern how these tools are designed and used.
UGBA 96 Lower Division Special Topics in Business Administration Berkeley Changemaker + Big Ideas
Instructors: Mathieu Aguesse and Jan Veicht
Class #16635
1 unit
[Description from last Fall, contact instructor for updated description]
This exciting entrepreneurship course is part of the Berkeley Changemaker series in collaboration with the Blum Center’s Big Ideas program and the Center for Social Sector Leadership (CSSL) at the Haas School of Business. This high-octane, fun, startup leadership course is well suited for undergraduate students who are interested in meeting other innovators and getting hands-on experience developing a new “impact” startup concept.
A proven roadmap and methodology are used to help guide you through ideation, team formation, business model design and startup pitching. Startup teams are organically formed during the first few weeks. All “social and environmental” impact themes are welcome.
Through activity reinforced lectures, classroom dialogue, guest speakers, readings and media content, students will learn to think strategically and act opportunistically with social and financial perspective. Class structure includes dedicated “lab” time for students to develop their ideas with teammates and exchange ideas with classmates. The final project for this course is a team presentation in the form of a validated concept “pitch” to a panel of impact venture experts and the finalized set of course assignments (including a draft application for the Big Ideas competition).
DESINV 198 Sample Mode: Intro to Sound Design, Beat-making, and Creative Music Technologies DeCal - A Berkeley Changemaker ® Course (DeCal)
Instructor: Nassirah Nelson
Class # 28807
2 units
This 12-week course will be offered in collaboration with Berkeley Changemaker® and Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation. Emphasizing the Berkeley Changemaker pillars of critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, students will design, create, and perform original music using electronic instruments, music production software, and midi-controllers. We will also examine the history of sampling, its role in hip-hop, and its legacy in music production. Students will connect with and learn from industry professionals, each week. Class sessions will be complemented by community beat-making showcases and performances opportunities that enable students to practice course content in front of an audience and receive feedback. Midway through the semester students will even have an opportunity to build their very own midi-controller, as well as design a custom faceplate in a makerspace environment.
PUBPOL C164A Berkeley Changemaker: Labor Research for Action and Policy (L-RAP)
Instructor: Anibel F Ferus-Comelo
Class # 33633
4 units
This course is an introduction to social science research methods that center principles of equity and justice connecting the Berkeley Changemaker L&S 12 to the discipline of public policy in the field of work and employment relations. It is based on the premise that the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to reshape the economy for a fair, inclusive, and democratic society with the participation of people typically excluded from policy development. Currently, young workers are at the helm of transforming the labor market by leading union organizing at workplaces like the university, Starbucks, REI, and Amazon. This course examines the position, attitudes, and interests of young workers through the lens of critical race theory, feminist and queer theory, and disability justice. Students will learn to apply data science and qualitative research methods in an experiential learning semester-long project. Students will produce knowledge that addresses dominant narratives about young workers.
LS 22: Sense and Sensibility and Science
Instructors: Saul Perlmutter, John Joseph Campbell, Amy E. Lerman
Class # 24701
4 units
Every day we make decisions that can and should be informed by science. We make decisions as individuals, as voters, and as members of our various communities. The problem is, we don’t do it so well—a fact sadly apparent in political debates. This course aims to equip students with basic tools to be better thinkers. We will explore key aspects of scientific thinking that everyone should know, especially the many ways that we humans tend to fool ourselves, and how to avoid them—including how to differentiate signal from noise, evaluate causal claims, and avoid reasoning biases. We’ll then look at the best models for using science to guide decisions, combining both evidence and values, with the ultimate goal of bettering the world.