Undergraduate students are encouraged to pursue directed group or independent studies under the guidance of faculty members. The topic can be any business-related study and can be an extension of ideas explored in the regular curriculum. DeCals can only be hosted by one department at a time, therefore DeCals cannot be listed cross-departmentally. If you are unsure if Business Administration is the right department to host your DeCal, please confer with José Martínez via email at [email protected].
DeCal/Directed Group Study (UGBA 198)
Below are the procedures to propose a UGBA 198 DeCal Course.
DeCal courses require a faculty sponsor. The Faculty Sponsor serves as the main source of support in creating/delivering course content, pedagogy development, and course logistics. It is the students’ responsibility to find a faculty sponsor. For Haas-specific DeCal courses (labeled UGBA 198), the Faculty Sponsor must be a Haas faculty member.
Faculty may not sponsor more than one UGBA 198 in any semester.
DeCal proposals must be submitted to the Haas Undergraduate Program Office by April 11th for the Fall 2025 semester. Your DeCal proposal must be submitted as a single PDF file to José Martínez, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, via email at [email protected].
The following must be submitted by the deadline:
- UGBA 198 – Directed Group Study Form
- Course Proposal Form for Student-Facilitated Courses
- Includes a Directed Group Study form, Unit Value worksheet, and a student checklist.
- Fully developed syllabus – A fully developed syllabus will include at least the following: an outline of course content, a reading list, statement of frequency of class meetings, clear description of assignments and requirements for passing the class, key learning outcomes, method(s) of instruction, and method(s) of evaluation of student performance.
- An example of a fully developed syllabus can be found at the Center for Teaching & Learning. Additional resources may be found at the website for Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training & Resources (UCFTR)
- Faculty Sponsor Letter of Support – A letter of support from the instructor of record must be provided for each course the instructor is sponsoring. The letter should address the five questions explaining the role and relationship the instructor has with the course. The letter should be written on department letterhead, dated, and signed by the instructor of record.
- Proof of Completion of a UCFTR Training Workshop for each student facilitator.
Important Note: Student facilitators are NOT instructors and do not replace the faculty members who are sponsoring their courses. Any questions regarding course content, syllabus, grading policy, and any disputes MUST be directed to the sponsoring faculty member and department and not to the course facilitator or the DeCal office. In addition, all student facilitators must be a registered UC Berkeley undergraduate student in the term they are teaching the UGBA 198.
Student facilitators can enroll in UGBA 199 for course credit. A student facilitator may not be enrolled in the UGBA 198 course.
The UGBA 199 form should indicate it is for DeCal facilitator credit. The unit value of the UBGA 199 credit shall not exceed the unit value of UBGA 198. The UGBA 199 form needs to be submitted to the Haas Undergraduate Office no later than the last day of third week of the semester. The Undergraduate Office will enroll the student in the UGBA 199 and it will be reflected on CalCentral.
More than one student facilitator is allowed. A “Lead Student Facilitator” must be identified if there are multiple facilitators and they will serve as the main point of contact between the DeCal and the Haas Undergraduate Program Office. The “Lead Student Facilitator” must be a current undergraduate Business Administration major. In addition, students are not allowed to be the facilitator for more than one UGBA 198 per semester.
Individual Independent Study (UGBA 199)
- A UGBA 199 can be assigned 1, 2, 3 or 4 units. The number of units depends on the amount of class contact hours and/or study. Academic Senate regulations prescribe that a student do 3 hours per week per term for each unit of credit received. UGBA 199 units are agreed on in advance with the expectation that each unit represents 45 hours of class contact and/or study. Please note that 3 and 4 unit independent studies are exceptional and are only approved when accompanied by substantial proposals.
- UGBA 199 Independent Study credit cannot be received for internships, whether paid or unpaid. Please also review this Career Center information.
- Students must complete 60 units prior to participating in an individual Independent Study.
- No more than 4 units of directed group/independent study is allowed per semester.
- UGBA 199 is offered on a P/NP basis only (no letter grades).
- No more than 16 units total of directed group/independent study may be used for degree requirements.
Independent Study courses need a faculty sponsor and the approval of the Executive Director of the Haas Undergraduate Program. It is the student’s responsibility to find a faculty sponsor. One resource is the Haas Faculty directory.
Discuss the independent study idea with the sponsoring faculty member and develop a semester outline for the work involved. Clearly state the topic and method of study and include a timeline and information about the hours that will be spent on each component as well as how the project will be evaluated. It is important to state intermediate goals with tentative due dates. See above for unit requirements.
To have a smooth and efficient enrollment process, please provide your signed petition, syllabus, and proposal to the Haas Undergraduate Program Office via email at [email protected] (no need to drop it off in person) by:
- Friday, February 7th noon Pacific time (kind request – Last day to add courses without a fee)
- Friday, February 14th, noon Pacific time (Absolute last day!)
February 14th is the last day administrative staff can enroll students in courses without petitioning. We are aware the deadline is technically midnight for both dates, but submitting the information by noon will allow sufficient time to process all requests during the workday. Of course, we welcome rosters and requests sooner. If approved, the Undergraduate Program Office will email the control number and class entry code needed to add the course.
UGBA 199 Independent Study credit cannot be received for internships, whether paid or unpaid. Please also review this Career Center information.
UGBA 199 Independent Study Form (PDF format)
The deadline to submit UGBA 199 proposals for Fall and Spring semesters is the last day of the third week of the semester.
The deadline to submit UGBA 199 proposals for Summer Session is July 1.