ARCHIVED SITE (last updated Fall 2005)
For current information, please visit http://www.ischool.berkeley.edu
 

What is the teaching philosophy at SIMS?

As members of a professional school, the SIMS faculty take classroom teaching very seriously. Since SIMS has no undergraduate majors, full attention is paid to its graduate programs. Each faculty member teaches one or two courses per semester, which, along with their research, forms their major professional activity. As our ratio of masters to doctoral students is relatively high, teaching in the Masters program is a major focus.

Our students come to Berkeley with many different undergraduate backgrounds, often with relevant work experience, enabling our students to learn from one another. Our students gain much experience in teamwork, communication and presentation skills in a professional environment similar to what they will encounter in their professional lives.

Our courses emphasize:

• the ability to conceptualize new applications of information technology within a social context;
• the ability to work within an application context to define opportunities, needs, and requirements;
• participation in the design of the information organization, technological architecture, social organization, and process definition; and
• working effectively with implementers to realize these ideas.

Our courses also give hands-on experience in constructing working systems and in experimental methods. We connect students with real world practice by encouraging summer internships and by hosting numerous speakers from industry. In addition to class projects, our Masters degree includes a major group project in the second year, often creating a working prototype. The projects are judged by experts from industry, and cash prizes are awarded for the best projects.