Berkeley Engineering to offer new online master’s degree for career growth

UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering has launched a new multidisciplinary, professional degree program, the Master of Advanced Study in Engineering (MAS-E), that broadens the accessibility of a graduate-level education for professionals seeking “knowledge upgrades” in STEM fields.

The fully online program, developed and offered in partnership with the online platform Coursera, is designed to help today’s engineers keep pace with the speed of innovation and evolve their skills in a world driven by technological change — often while holding down a full-time job.

The MAS-E curriculum comprises one-semester-unit courses that draw content from Berkeley Engineering’s top-ranked engineering programs, providing academic rigor with flexibility to suit students’ individual backgrounds and learning objectives. Applications for the MAS-E program are scheduled to open on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

“The new MAS-E program will enable students to tailor their degree path to align with their interests and career goals, helping them stay abreast of technological advances while accelerating their professional development,” said Tsu-Jae King Liu, dean of engineering. “MAS-E graduates will be better prepared to tackle complex engineering challenges and to pursue new opportunities with the knowledge, skills and connections gained through our unique online master’s program.”

The program’s catalog of self-contained, one-unit courses will be taught by Berkeley Engineering’s renowned faculty. Courses are organized under five multidisciplinary themes and include a two-unit capstone project.

MAS-E lectures will be pre-recorded and available anytime to students for asynchronous and self-paced study. Berkeley faculty will be available synchronously during regular online office hours to provide guidance and support.

Students may enroll in the program full-time or part-time and have up to four years to complete the requirements for their degree. Full-time students will likely finish their degree in one year, while part-time students are expected to take two to three years.

According to Tarek Zohdi, Berkeley Engineering’s associate dean for research and faculty director of the MAS-E degree program, the new program supports the college’s mission to make higher education more accessible to a diverse group of working engineers.

“Technology is advancing at an accelerated pace, and many professionals working in technical fields are recognizing the limitations of the knowledge and skills that they mastered as undergraduates. As a result, working professionals are constantly seeking ‘knowledge upgrades’ in STEM fields, yet they need a flexible degree program that is compatible with their busy schedules and enables them to stay abreast of the latest developments in the industry,” said Zohdi.

“Berkeley Engineering has taken steps to make this professional master’s degree a feasible pathway for engineering professionals whose employment, family and other commitments keep them from pursuing graduate degrees in a residential, full-time engineering program,” he added. “This includes setting aside 15% of MAS-E tuition revenue for MAS-E student financial aid.”

The MAS-E program’s design also reflects the growing interdisciplinary nature of modern engineering — and the evolving need for engineering leaders with the latest, state-of-the-art technological expertise.

“The MAS-E degree is uniquely designed to help engineers expand their knowledge and skill sets, and step into leadership roles in which they successfully direct projects and organizations in global environments that cross disciplinary boundaries,” he said.

To learn more about available courses, costs and how to apply, visit the MAS-E program website.