1. Enjoy a small college community within a large research university
With more than 30,000 students, UC Berkeley can seem overwhelming. Rausser College has 2,600 students and low student-faculty ratios. We are a place where lines are short, and staff and faculty are readily available to work with you. We believe this kind of individual attention enhances your learning and overall success at UC Berkeley and beyond.
2. Gain immediate access to undergraduate major advisors
Did you know you already have access to our advisors? They advise new, current, former and prospective students (that’s you!). As a student, you will meet with your advisor at least once a semester to discuss your academic progress, research opportunities, study abroad plans, graduate programs, and more. We offer all advising services in one centralized location, eliminating the need to jump from one building to the next.
3. Explore multi-disciplinary majors that encompass the natural and social sciences
Our majors offer students the opportunity to take courses in the departments of Agricultural & Resource Economics, Energy & Resources, Environmental Science, Policy & Management, Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology, and Plant & Microbial Biology. Two of our programs lead to professional certifications in Forestry or Dietetics. You can be pre-med, pre-law, or pre-business, and study at Rausser, too!
4. Learn from world-renowned experts
Our faculty are among the world’s most published in peer-reviewed journals, most quoted in national media for their expertise and news-making research, and most honored by distinguished prizes and awards. They choose to teach at Berkeley because they love teaching and they believe in our mission. Rausser’s interdisciplinary approach means we work with colleagues across campus—our only limits are our intellectual curiosity and our drive to have our work make a difference.
5. Engage with faculty beyond the classroom
In addition to our faculty’s strong commitment to undergraduate teaching, they are also mentors, collaborators, and advisors. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with them during office hours, work alongside them in their labs or in the field, and seek their advice on internships, graduate school, and job opportunities.
6. Contribute to a research project with our faculty or conduct your own research project
Rausser College has some of the best and brightest students in higher education, but many don’t realize their potential until they work side-by-side with faculty on research projects. The Sponsored Projects for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) program provides funding to support faculty and student collaboration on research projects. You may also initiate your own research project under the guidance of a faculty sponsor. Funding is generously donated by alumni of the College.
7. Travel the world and get your hands dirty in the field
Our students actively participate in and learn through research projects all over the world. You can study abroad and apply what you’ve learned at Berkeley in an international setting, conduct field research on the French Polynesian island of Mo’orea for a semester, or spend a summer at the Forestry Field Program in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains.
8. Collaborate with your peers in our spacious Student Resource Center
Rausser College’s Student Resource Center in 260 Mulford will be your home away from home. We have a lounge with cozy couches, ample study tables, and a computer lab with free printing for our students. It’s in the same location as our advising office, where academic and peer advisors are available to answer your questions about specific courses, student groups, social events, and more.
9. Connect with our alumni and meet people making a difference all over the world
Our graduates embark on a wide range of careers that foster the College's mission by solving environmental and social problems around the world. As a student, you will have access to the Rausser College Alumni Association, which strives to enrich your student experience and enhance your career opportunities through alumni mentorship programs and networking.
10. See the bigger picture, make a better world
Rausser College serves society by generating and disseminating knowledge in the biological, physical, and social sciences in order to provide the tools to protect our natural systems and human health, as well as to ensure economic and ecological sustainability for future generations. The need for attentive, educated citizens and broadly educated environmental scientists and problem solvers has never been greater.