This course emphasizes the Berkeley Changemaker themes of critical thinking, effective communication, and productive collaboration.
What does it mean to be open to opposing views? This course emphasizes the Berkeley Changemaker themes 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 and practice in engaged discourse. These are interwoven with implementable strategies, directly applicable to the public, private, and civic sectors, to help you develop a sharper sense of how to engage productively with those whose perspective might be radically different from your own. As you do so, you will be exposed to approaches from academic disciplines across UC Berkeley and will sharpen your changemaking skillset.
If you fully engage with this class, you will increase your ability to be open to opposing viewpoints.
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As a critical thinker, you will strengthen your ability to explore vexing problems and engage thoughtfully in productive conversation.
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You will become a more effective collaborator, who better understands the diverse lived experiences of others. -
You will improve your communication skills, better able to communicate your viewpoints and actively listen to the ideas of others.
While not required, L&S/UGBA C12/C196C is highly recommended as a co-requisite or prerequisite since this course complements and builds on that class.
This course is structured in 4 parts as follows:
Part I - WHY is being open to opposing views important?
Part II - WHAT gets in the way and hinders our ability to be open to other’s views?
Part III - HOW can we strengthen our capacity to be open to others’ viewpoints? How might we find joy and delight in these conversations? How might we recover when things get off track?
Part IV Advanced Topics - What does being open to opposing views look like in disciplines across campus? How do academics practice this skill?
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How might you engage in constructive dialogue with others, even when opinions differ and emotions are high?
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How do academics seek out and integrate/respond to opposing views that further their own research?
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What does being open to opposing views look like in practice in disciplines across UC Berkeley?
Jennifer Johnson-Hanks, Executive Dean of the College of Letters & Science | Professor of Demography and Sociology
Laura Hassner, Strategic Advisor to the Chancellor | Professional Faculty, Haas School of Business | Executive Director, Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Berkeley Changemaker
L&S 4/104 Fall Instructor
Robert T. Barrett is a lecturer in the College of Letters & Science at University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley), and Cowell College at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). He has previously taught in the Department of Rhetoric at UC Berkeley. Robert earned his PhD at University of California Irvine in Comparative Literature, with graduate emphases in Feminist Studies and Visual Studies. Robert loves Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
Credit v. Non-Credit Versions
What's the difference between the two versions of the course being offered in Fall 2025?
We are offering both a 1 unit for-credit and a free, non-credit-bearing version of Berkeley Changemaker: Openness to Opposing Views in to our UC Berkeley community in Fall 2025. Both versions feature the same contributing faculty and recorded lecture content. The non-credit version is free to access, has no required assignments, and does not carry academic credit. Learners in this self-paced, non-credit version are welcome to engage with as much, or as little, of the course as is helpful to their personal learning journey. There are a limited number of spots available for this non-credit version, so we encourage you to register quickly via this form.(link is external)
UC Berkeley faculty and staff may only enroll in the non-credit version and should do so via this Registration Form(link is external). UC Berkeley students enrolled in a Berkeley degree program can choose either version based on whether they wish to earn 1 unit of credit on their official transcript by enrolling via CalCentral or can register via this form for the non-credit version(link is external). Visiting and concurrent enrollment students who wish to take this course should enroll in the 1-unit, credit-bearing L&S 4/104 course.
Learners who complete either version by December 15, 2025 will receive a digital credential.
[If you are an alum or a member of the public who wishes to take this class, please see the relevant options under the below FAQs.]
I am a UC Berkeley student who would like to enroll in the 1-unit course. Which section should I enroll in?
Lower-division students (frosh and second years) should enroll in L&S 4while third year+ should enroll in the upper-division L&S 104. Completing the course under one designation means you cannot receive additional credit by taking it under the other in a different term. Visiting and concurrent enrollment students may enroll only in L&S 4/104 and are not eligible for the non-credit version.
What's the course format?
In order to make this course as accessible as possible, we have created a fully online and asynchronous course. In the fall and spring, L&S 4/104 is an eight week, half-semester-length course. In the summer, it is offered as a six week course in Summer Sessions D.
What's the grading option for the 1-unit course?
The one unit L&S 4/104 course has a Pass/No Pass grading option. You may not take it for a letter grade.
I'm a UC Berkeley student enrolled in a Berkeley degree program. What if I register for the non-credit version and later decide that I want to earn the 1 unit of credit by enrolling in L&S 4/104?
Assuming L&S 4/104 still has space available, you can enroll in the course via CalCentral until the add/drop deadline(link is external). Kindly note that we will not allow retroactive credit petitions (e.g., "late action"). If you miss the add deadline, you will need to enroll in a future semester to earn credit for this course.
Other Questions
Will I be asked to practice having a conversation about a divisive issue in this course?
We will be teaching the theory, research, and best practices around how to be open to opposing views, as well as why doing so is important and can even be a joyful experience. Learners will not be delving into contemporary, hot button issues in this course. For those who are interested in practicing doing so, we are developing in-person, optional enrichment activities later this semester.
Who teaches this course?
Working with faculty and staff from across UC Berkeley, Dean Johnson-Hanks and Professor Hassner co-designed this course in partnership with UC Berkeley’s Center for Teaching and Learning(link is external). The course features some 25 UC Berkeley faculty members and senior campus leaders whose research interests and expertise span the UC Berkeley campus. The L&S 4/104 Fall 2025 instructor is Robert Barrett. The non-credit version is self-paced and has no instructor.
How is the course funded?
Like many Berkeley Changemaker courses, Openness to Opposing Views is funded entirely by philanthropy. We are grateful to the generosity of 4 anonymous donors who funded the design and development of this new course. Funding from the Berkeley Liberty Initiative supports the scaling of the non-credit version and the ongoing instruction of the 1-unit course. If you would like to contribute to the Berkeley Changemaker academic program to support this and other courses, you can make a tax-deductible gift here(link is external). On behalf of our thousands of Berkeley Changemakers, we thank you.
I'm an alum of UC Berkeley. Am I able to take this class?
Yes, registration for alumni will open on August 26 at openlearn.berkeley.edu(link is external). Space is limited.
I'm a pre-college student or a member of the general public, can I take this course?
Members of the public are able to enroll in the summer version of the course only. Learn more about how to enroll in UC Berkeley Summer courses here: https://summer.berkeley.edu/(link is external)
Will this course be offered again?
Yes, the for-credit course will be offered in Spring 2026 as an 8 week (half-semester) option. It will also be offered in Summer 2026 as a 6 week option. We do not plan to offer the non-credit version after Fall 2025.
Does this course qualify for the Berkeley Changemaker Certificate of Completion?
Yes, the 1-unit course qualifies with a Pass. All Berkeley Changemaker courses qualify for the Berkeley Changemaker Certificate of Completion. You can find more Berkeley Changemaker courses by clicking here
Which campus partners helped you to develop this course?
Berkeley Changemaker is deeply appreciative to our colleagues in Undergraduate Education, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the College of Letters & Science whose guidance, counsel, insights, and partnership helped improve this course. Our some 25 outstanding contributing faculty, drawn from departments across campus, generously share their time, expertise, and research in this course.
I still have questions about this course. How can I learn more?
Please write to us at: changemaker@berkeley.edu
Openness to Opposing Views course overview.
Lisa Armstrong, Assistant Professor, Journalism
Mark Brilliant, Associate Professor, Department of History, Program in American Studies
Lisa García Bedolla, UC Berkeley Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Hitchock Dean of the Graduate Division, and Chancellor's Professor of Education
Ron Dahl, Berkeley Changemaker Faculty Director and Distinguished Professor, School of Public Health
Chelsea Gregory, Theater, Dance and Performance Studies
Ben Hermalin, Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost, Professor of Economics, and the Thomas & Alison Schneider Distinguished Professor of Finance at Berkeley Haas
Arlie Hochschild, Professor Emerita, Sociology
Nicole Holliday, Acting Associate Professor Of Linguistics
Bree Jenkins, Lecturer, Center for Social Sector Leadership, Haas
Dacher Keltner, Distinguished Professor, Psychology
Francesca LeBaron, Professional Faculty, Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership, Center for Social Sector Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Management of Organizations, Haas
Sunny Lee,Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
Michael Lu, Dean, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Jyothi Marbin, Director of Joint Medical Program at UC Berkeley and Assistant Dean of UCSF Regional Campus at UC Berkeley, Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF
Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor, Psychology | Distinguished Teaching Award Recipient
Don Moore, Professor and Lorraine Tyson Mitchell Chair in Leadership and Communication, Management of Organizations, Haas
Oliver O'Reilly, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), UC Berkeley | Distinguished Teaching Award Recipient
Christine Palmer, Associate Director, American Studies
Saul Perlmutter, 2011 Nobel Laureate and Franklin W. and Karen Weber Dabby Professor, Physics
Eric Schickler, Professor and Jeffrey & Ashley McDermott Endowed Chair, Political Science
