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Graduate Division Requirements for Admission
Admission to the Masters program is contingent upon admission to graduate
standing in the University of California, Berkeley, which requires:
- A bachelor's degree or its recognized equivalent from an accredited
institution;
- Sufficient undergraduate training to undertake graduate study in the
chosen field;
- A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum 3.0 (B) grade-point
average in bachelor's degree work completed after the first two years;
- Results of the General Test of the Graduate
Record Examination;
- In the case of international applicants whose academic work has been
in a language other than English, the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL).
SIMS Requirements for Admission
Selection from among those who meet the Graduate Division's requirements
will be based on:
- Superior scholastic record, normally well above the 3.0 GPA;
- Evidence of potential success as indicated by GRE scores and letters
of reference;
- Clear indication of professional career goals and reasons for seeking
the degree described in the Statement of Purpose section of
the application;
- Computer competency and proficiency sufficient for successfully completing
SIMS course work. For further guidance on the competency requirement,
see the Computer Competency Entrance Requirement
section;
- Evidence of relevant work experience;
- Particular consideration will be given to: knowledge of qualitative
and quantitative research skills; socioeconomic background; unusual
aptitude as reflected in high GRE scores; advanced preparation in related
fields as evidenced by successful graduate study; successful work experience
in relevant fields.
We anticipate students from a diverse set of backgrounds; some will
be technically educated, some educated in the humanities and social
sciences. The purpose of the core curriculum offered in the first
semester is to bring these diverse students to a common level of knowledge
and prepare them for the electives.
Required Entrance Examinations
Applicants must submit results from the General Test of the Graduate Record
Examination (GRE), and in the case of international applicants whose academic
work has been conducted in a language other than English, the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as well.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
All applicants to graduate degree programs in the School of Information
Management and Systems must submit test results from the General Test
of the Graduate Record Examination. Application blanks and information
on testing dates and examination centers for the
Graduate Record Examination General Test are available from the offices
of the Educational Testing Service.
Check the GRE website or phone: 1-800-GRECALL for exam locations and dates.
We advise all applicants to take the General Test of the Graduate
Record Examination no later than October preceding submission
of an application and preferably before.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
International applicants are expected to fulfill all previously stated
admissions requirements including submission of GRE scores and to have
an excellent command of English before beginning graduate study at Berkeley.
Applicants from countries in which the official language of instruction
is not English are required to take the Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have the results sent
directly to the UC Berkeley Graduate Admission/Fellowship Office by
the TOEFL authorities. Applicants to Berkeley must attain a TOEFL score
of 570 or higher.
International applicants from any country in which the official language
is English or those who have studied for one year or more in schools
or universities where English is the language of instruction need not
submit TOEFL scores, but must submit the General Test of the Graduate
Record Examination.
For more information about taking The Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL), visit the TOEFL website
or contact the TOEFL Office, P.O. Box 6155, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6155.
Computer Competency Entrance Requirement
The School's academic program for the Master's degree includes a balance
of courses, such as individual and group approaches to information systems
use, user interface design and development, organization of information,
management of information systems and services, economics of information,
and principles of information retrieval. There are also extensive courses
in information technology, systems analysis and design. The faculty expects
entering students to have certain core competencies in the use of computing
hardware and software.
A. Basic Level Competency
At the most basic level we expect entering students to be able to use
personal computers and be familiar with the use of typical microcomputer
applications and processes including:
- Word processing (e.g., WordPerfect, Microsoft Word);
- Spreadsheets (e.g., Excel);
- Data communication (e.g., E-mail, Telnet, FTP);
- Network browsers (e.g., Netscape Communicator, Internet
Explorer);
- Database management (e.g., Microsoft Access, FileMaker Pro)
- HTML tagging and editors for creating Web documents
Familiarity with the basics of Unix and a Unix text editor such as
vi or Emacs is also highly recommended.
B. Programming Competency
Students graduating from the School will be leaders in organizing, accessing,
and managing information. We expect all students enrolling in the program
to understand the basics of programming in order to enhance their understanding
of computing and to build on that understanding through coursework in
the degree program.
Computer skills at a level comparable to those obtained in a college-level
course on computer programming in a high-level language will be expected.
This is the minimal requirement; additional course work and/or experience
with computers, and familiarity with a scripting language is highly
recommended.
- Recommended high-level programming languages are C, C++, and Java.
- Recommended scripting languages are Perl, Tcl/Tk, and Python.
Each applicant must submit a Computer Competency Statement describing
specifically his/her level of proficiency with the requirements set forth
in Parts A and B above along with a brief description of relevant courses
completed. This statement should accompany the other application materials
and will become part of the supporting documentation upon which admission
will be based.
Computer Ownership Requirement
We require that students own a computer. No particular configuration is
specified in this requirement. However, students will be expected to
complete assignments using office productivity software (e.g.,
Microsoft Office, WordPerfect Office, Star Office), web browsers
(e.g., Netscape Communicator, Internet Explorer) and the like, and
should therefore own a computer capable of running such software.
Students may choose to own a desktop or laptop. The most common
platform is an Intel-based computer running Microsoft Windows. However,
students are free to use another platform (e.g., an Intel-based computer
running Unix/Linux or a Macintosh running MacOS). Students who do not
already own a suitable computer will receive more specific guidance on
selecting a new one upon acceptance to the program.
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