FAQs

No, a GRE test is not required

The MDevEng program only starts in the fall—it is a sequenced program so all students must begin then. We do not admit students for spring semesters.

We currently do not offer concurrent degree programs with the MDevEng. UC Berkeley does not offer ad hoc joint degree programs and applicants may only apply to one single degree program per admissions cycle.

We expect to welcome 35 students for the Fall 2023 cohort.

We expect to admit a cohort of students representing a wide range of backgrounds and skill sets. Students will have strengths in different areas, and we expect that many of our entering students will want to spend some time before the program begins further developing some core skills, to prepare themselves for success and take advantage of their time at UC Berkeley.

The target audience for the program is early- to mid-career professionals with an interest in advancing technology-driven solutions for local and global development. All applicants, regardless of concentration area, must have the requisite technical preparation. At minimum, all applicants should have two-course series in a technical area, such as computer science, economics, mathematics, physics, engineering, or data science, dependent on their undergraduate major. 

While post-baccalaureate work experience is not required for this program, prospective students are encouraged to have one to three years of work experience before applying. Outstanding undergraduates with professional experience, such as internships, will also be considered. Additionally, non-required qualifications include experience in technology, development, entrepreneurship, social or environmental policy, and nonprofit, government, or community engagement. 

Strong candidates will have a STEM background with prior work experience in development or applied technologies. Preparation can be a degree in an engineering or science discipline or in a social science or natural resource discipline with quantitative coursework.

The MDevEng program is a full-time, on-campus program with a rigorous course load. Students can expect to spend a minimum of 12 hours of in-class time per week and 24 hours per week of work outside the classroom. The MDevEng is a professional program and is not to be pursued part time.

Students in the MDevEng program come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds with different levels of experience. Prior work in either development and/or engineering (or related fields) is strongly encouraged, but is not required. We are interested in how students can apply their existing domain expertise into a technology for development practice. Additionally, the MDevEng is an option for students with a technical background looking to transition into a field of development.

The primary learning objectives for the program are to: 

• Master methods of problem conception and problem solving for implementation of technologies in mid- and low-income regions; 
• Develop an understanding of the political and cultural complexity and place-based nature of technological interventions; 
• Deepen and expand knowledge in one engineering or natural or social science solutions area; 
• Gain core skills in qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating technological interventions; 
• Improve professional skills that involve community-based approaches, teamwork, communication, cross-cultural awareness, capacity building, and sustainable design.

No. We welcome applicants from a variety of undergraduate and graduate fields of study.

The MDevEng program’s core curriculum is taught by a mixture of faculty from the Graduate Group in Development Engineering as well as lecturers and adjuncts with direct development engineering experience. The Development Engineering Faculty come from across campus–spanning engineering, business, architecture, public health, and more. 

Yes. If an offer of admission is extended, then UC Berkeley will assist you in obtaining a student visa.

Yes. The MDevEng has been classified as a STEM program under CIP code 14.999–Engineering, Other. Learn more about STEM OPT from the Berkeley International Office.

If your GPA is not on a 4-point scale, please respond “N/A” in that field.

No. The cost of the program is fixed for all students independent of residency. Students are encouraged to look for financial assistance to help with the tuition cost. Financial aid resources are listed on the graduate division financial aid website. International students can check Berkeley’s Financial Aid for International Students website.

There is no separate application for our competitive fellowships, which are both need-based and merit-based. Submission of the required application materials will automatically qualify you for fellowship eligibility. If awarded a department fellowship, we will notify you as a recipient.

The Master of Development Practice (MDP) is administered by the College of Natural Resources. The MDP is similar to the MDevEng in that it trains leaders in sustainable development; however, MDP’s pedagogical emphasis is on natural resources and economics, whereas the MDevEng is focused on engineering and technology for development and its pedagogy emphasizes solving complex problems through entrepreneurship and human-centered design. 

The MDevEng offers five areas of concentration, including a self-designed concentration, to enable depth of learning for MDevEng students. Because development covers such a broad range of fields, the concentration will help you focus on a particular area where you can apply your skills.

The concentration areas are as follows:  

• Data Analytics for Social Impact: students will take courses on how data tools and analytics give the social and civic sector actionable insights as well as courses on data-intensive approaches to international development.
• Energy & Water Systems and the Environment: students will take courses on core natural resource challenges—water and energy systems and their impact on the environment—and on life cycle assessment, water resource management, agricultural impact, and energy technologies and policies.
• Sustainable Design Innovations: students will take courses on sustainable design and social entrepreneurship, including principles of green design, the science of sustainability, resilient communities, sustainable economic models, green chemistry, product design, spatial modeling, affordable housing, public transportation, and equitable development.
• Healthcare Transformations: students will take courses on the rapidly evolving landscape of global healthcare technologies and practices, including biomedical device design, health policy, health impact assessment, and the digital transformation of health care.
• Self-Designed Concentration: students may elect to design their own concentration within participating departments. Examples of potential concentrations include: Gender Equity, Global Education, or Technology, Development & Policy.

You don’t need to. The concentration is the focal area for your time at Berkeley. You can use it to go deeper in a field in which you already have worked and/or about which you are passionate about—or you can use it as a way to gain depth in an area that is new to you.

Yes you can. We will work with you to navigate the concentration and your collection of electives.

The MDevEng is an interdisciplinary degree administered by faculty in the Development Engineering Graduate Group drawn from throughout UC Berkeley and housed in the Blum Center for Developing Economies. The MDP is an interdisciplinary degree governed by faculty of the MDP Graduate Group drawn from throughout UC Berkeley. It is housed within the Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP). 

The MDevEng and MDP share similar goals in that they both prepare leaders to contribute to efforts by governments, NGOs, bi- and multilateral organizations, businesses, and social enterprises to build a more just and sustainable future. Both have an internship/practicum requirement. 

MDevEng is three semesters long while the MDP is four. MDevEng has strong design, engineering, and technology components, with an emphasis on solving complex problems through entrepreneurship and human-centered design. It provides students with opportunities to diversify through courses offered by a variety of partner departments and a related capstone project.  The MDP has depth in economics, quantitative and qualitative methods, and natural/physical sciences. It develops a broad foundational skillset and provides opportunities to specialize through project work, courses drawn from throughout the university and a Final (capstone) Project or Master’s Thesis.