Computer Science Major Frequently Asked Questions

We are here to help and support you through your studies here at UC Berkeley. We provide academic advising, program planning, degree checks and audits, course selection, and prospective and intended student advising for students Computer Science.

The following is a non-comprehensive list of frequently asked questions. If you have a question not answered below, please meet with an advisor.

Information for Current UCB students

How do I become a Computer Science Major?

• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2015 or later, read the policies here.
• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley before Fall 2015, contact cs-advising@cs.berkeley.

I have no programming experience. What classes can I take to better prepare for CS 61A?

• No worries! Many of our current CS majors had no prior programming experience. We recommend students to take either Data C8 or CS 10:
  • Data C8 will give you lots of programming experience in Python, which is used in CS 61A.
  • CS 10 will introduce you to some of the bigger concepts taught in CS 61A, but will use mostly use SNAP!, and later Python.
  • For more information, check out the alternatives to CS 61A section .

  Does Data 100 count for the CS major or CS minor?

  Internships

  How can I get an internship? Where can I find helpful resources?

  • The best way to get an internship would be to apply broadly to jobs that interest you to increase your chances of getting an interview.
  • Create a resume. Check out the Berkeley Career Engagement website and UPE office hours (346 Soda) for resume critique and mock interviews. Many student groups also provide professional development events such as resume workshops and interview tips.
  • Fill out your handshake profile.
  • Attend info sessions/tech talks. These are recruiting events where companies will send their engineers and recruiters to collect resumes, talk about what it’s like there, etc. Info sessions/tech talks are all listed on the EECS homepage/monitors on the 3rd and 4th floors of Soda, and the 2nd floor of Cory. They are also listed on the EECS department calendar .
  • Go to the Career Fairs website
  • After getting an invitation for an interview, study and practice, practice, practice some more! Schedule mock interviews with UPE or Berkeley Career Engagement. To study for interviews, a good book to read is Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle McDowell, which has many practice problems similar to interview questions. In addition, some websites can help you practice such as HackerRank and Topcoder . The material covered in most CS interviews includes data structures and algorithms, which are the focus of CS 61B and CS 170.
  • Berkeley also offers opportunities such as the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP). URAP provides valuable opportunities to gain hands-on experience in research projects and mentorship from graduate students and professors.

  I’m a junior, haven’t interned, and am not doing side projects. Where should I start?

  • Take CS169A and/or CS169L . CS 169A/L offers a great internship-like experience to add to your resume.
  • What are you interested in? Why did you decide to major in Computer Science?
    • Many student organizations in and outside the department cater to different interests that may relate to Computer Science. Some examples are:
      • Games, Animation, Entertainment: GameCrafters (CS199), UCBUGG (CS198/CS99)
      • Design: Innovative Design (Multidisciplinary design teams), Web Design Decal
      • See more on our Student Orgs page or CalLink
      • Or attend a hackathon hosted by various clubs (CSUA, Hackers@Berkeley, UPE, Blueprint). Try to find a team, and come up with an idea. If you can’t find a team, often you can still attend as an observer.
      • Go to an external Hackathon (Cal Hacks, PennApps, etc.). There are many hackathons hosted in various parts of the United States. Many of them reimburse you for travel fees.
      • If you’re not sure what you’re interested in, review class projects you enjoyed and look more deeply into them. Many class projects are an introduction to a specific field/area in computer science. Visit a professor’s office hours and ask about how you can learn more about it.

      I need a signature for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), does my major advisor sign this?

      Academics

      • Courses
        • Approved CS Graduate and Special Topics Courses
        • Technical Electives for the Computer Science Major
        • Course-Numbering Convention
        • Robotics Projects for EE 106/206B
        • EECS Courses Through The Lens of EECS 16AB
        • Industry-Oriented Graduate Programs
        • Research-Oriented Graduate Programs
        • Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions
        • Graduate Fellowships
        • Adding the EECS/CS M.S. From Another Department
        • Recommended Coursework for Applying to the Graduate Degree Programs
        • EECS Bachelor of Science
        • Computer Science Bachelor of Arts
        • EECS/CS Program Comparison Chart
        • Can You See Yourself Doing Research This Summer?
        • Prospective Student Visitors
        • Second Bachelor’s Degree Candidates
        • Apple NSI Course Flow Map
        • Apple NSI Fellowship and Scholarship Recipients

        Learn more about the Campaign for Berkeley and Graduate Fellowships.

        • Berkeley EECS on Twitter
        • Berkeley EECS on Instagram
        • Berkeley EECS on LinkedIn
        • Berkeley EECS on YouTube