The University of California, Berkeley (also referred to as UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, or simply Cal), is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The university occupies 1,232 acres (499 ha) on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay with the central campus resting on 178 acres (72 ha).
The Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) is a computer science principles course developed at the University of California, Berkeley, intended to broaden participation in computing to non-traditional groups. Computing has profoundly changed the world, opening up wonderful new ways for people to connect, design, research, play, create, and express themselves. However, just using a computer is only a small part of the picture. The real transformative and empowering experience comes when one learns how to program the computer, to translate ideas into code.This course teaches students how to do exactly that, using Snap! (based on Scratch), one of the friendliest programming languages ever invented. It's purely graphical, which means programming involves simply dragging blocks around, and building bigger blocks out of smaller blocks. But this course is far more than just learning to program. We focus on seven big ideas (creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the Internet, and global impact), and six computational thinking practices (connecting computing, creating computational artifacts, abstracting, analyzing problems and artifacts, communicating, and collaborating). Throughout the course, relevance is emphasized: relevance to the student and to society. This fun, introductory course is not just for computer science majors, it’s for everyone… join us!Learn more about our High School and AP* Exam Preparation Courses
One of the principal responsibilities of a data scientist is to make reliable predictions based on data. When the amount of data available is enormous, it helps if some of the analysis can be automated. Machine learning is a way of identifying patterns in data and using them to automatically make predictions or decisions. In this data science course, you will learn basic concepts and elements of machine learning. The two main methods of machine learning you will focus on are regression and classification. Regression is used when you seek to predict a numerical quantity. Classification is used when you try to predict a category (e.g., given information about a financial transaction, predict whether it is fraudulent or legitimate). For regression, you will learn how to measure the correlation between two variables and compute a best-fit line for making predictions when the underlying relationship is linear. The course will also teach you how to quantify the uncertainty in your prediction using the bootstrap method. These techniques will be motivated by a wide range of examples. For classification, you will learn the k-nearest neighbor classification algorithm, learn how to measure the effectiveness of your classifier, and apply it to real-world tasks including medical diagnoses and predicting genres of movies. The course will highlight the assumptions underlying the techniques, and will provide ways to assess whether those assumptions are good. It will also point out pitfalls that lead to overly optimistic or inaccurate predictions.
Level Up! covers the complete Advanced Placement* Computer Science A course in unique and engaging ways. It's a significant change of pace from other online introductory programming courses. While you will rigorously learn the art of programming in Java, you will spend much of your time designing and writing games and simulations. This course has no textbook because all the materials are online. You’ll be reading; checking your understanding with self-tests; analyzing, modifying, and debugging code as well as writing it; and working with your fellow students to come to common understandings. You’ll work with sounds and pictures (what do you sound like speaking backwards?), write adventure games and “smart” board games, and spend time trying to understand whole programs rather than just little pieces. We’ve designed this course to help high-school students prepare for the Advanced Placement Computer Science test, and we’ll cover everything you need to know. It has been successfully used in classrooms for several years, and now its available for anyone, in school or not, through EdX. If you are an adult or a student who isn’t going to take the AP test, you are more than welcome to join! We go beyond the minimum required by the AP committee, introducing graphics, mouse commands, and other tools for real programmers. We based this course on the principles of “lab-centric” instruction, in which lectures are replaced by hands-on activities. We won’t include long, fact-filled videos, and the webpages in this course will be your “textbook”.Learn more about our High School and AP* Exam Preparation Courses* Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these offerings.
EE40LX teaches the fundamentals of engineering electronic interfaces between the physical world and digital devices. Students can expect to cover the material of a traditional first circuits course with a project-based approach. We start with essential theory and develop an understanding of the building blocks of electronics as we analyze, design, and build different parts of a robot from scratch around a microcontroller. This course uses the Texas Instruments MSP430G2 LaunchPad, but you are welcome to bring whichever development board or microcontroller you like!Useful mathematics will be discussed where appropriate, but only a working knowledge of high school algebra is required to follow along for most of the course. The philosophy of the course is to learn by doing, so every lecture features a substantial lab component. Students are invited to work together in small groups to build their own robots along with the instructors. There will also be individual circuit analysis and design exercises to reinforce the theories presented in the course. Those who successfully complete each theory assignment and earn a passing grade will get an Honor Code certificate from BerkeleyX.Additionally, a kit of electronic components will be available from Newark element14 starting June 12. The kit is not necessary to obtain a certificate for this run of the course, but it will greatly enhance your learning experience. Some mechanical components are required to complete the robot as presented in the course. Also, the lab experience will be most effective if you have access to a digital multimeter.Creativity is encouraged! Students who are willing to work outside the bounds of the class to develop their own inventions will get the most out of this guided learning experience.MyDAQ InformationThose who do not have access to an oscilloscope or a digital multimeter might consider purchasing a MyDAQ to enable measurements. The video modules use the MyDAQ and the MyProtoBoard as measurement equipment to debug circuits. National Instruments has made available the MyDAQ for students in this course. If you are interested, take a look at the MyDAQ ordering page: http://www.studica.com/us/en/BerkeleyMOOC.htmlParts Kit InformationThe parts included in the construction of the robot can be purchased at Newark's landing page, which can be found here: http://www.element14.com/community/community/learning-center/online-learning/moocs/edxucb-bridgingA detailed bill of materials with more information can be found here: courses.edx.org/asset-v1:BerkeleyX+EE40LX+2T2015+type@asset+block@EE40LX_PartsList_Summer15.pdfWhat is the format of the class?The class consists of eight modules. Every module consists of a combination of theory-based lectures and lab-based discussions where we apply that module’s theory to building a part of a robot. Quiz exercises are sprinkled throughout the videos to reinforce your knowledge and every module ends with a problem set that reinforces the design and analysis aspects of the class.Is this class taught at UC Berkeley?This class is part of the laboratory component of "EE40: Introduction to Microelectronic Systems," the first circuit analysis course at UC Berkeley. It was specifically designed for the online course format.What will the robot do?The bare-bones robot that we build will be capable of bouncing around, responding to light or touch inputs, and responding to a loud audio signal.What supplies and equipment will I need to get the most out of this course?In order to download programs to the MSP430 microcontroller, you will need access to a modern operating system (Apple, Windows, or Linux) with the Energia environment (http://energia.nu/download) installed. Additionally, access to some wire cutters and pliers would be useful. Also, the lab experience will be most effective if you have access to a digital multimeter. An oscilloscope would be useful, but not necessary.The NI MyDAQ has been made available for students who would like to follow along with the course. The robot project as presented also requires a few wooden craft sticks and two springs which can be found at a local hardware store.How much does the kit cost?The parts kit will cost around $50 USD for most parts. You are welcome to purchase a kit with another student and to work together on labs to split costs. We will also demonstrate other parts not in the kit for those interested in extending their projects.Will I need to know how to program?Sample programs are provided in each module that will allow you to test your own circuits with an MSP430 LaunchPad controller. These programs will be explained in optional videos for interested students. If you already know how to code, you can tweak these programs to add additional functionality to your project.Will this course cover microcontroller programming?No. Sample programs written in Energia, a high-level language, will be provided, but programming will not be explicitly covered. Students interested in learning microcontroller programming should refer to UT Austinx’s Embedded Systems course.What if I already have a microcontroller?Since analog electronics are the emphasis of the course, you should feel free to use any microcontroller you feel comfortable with. However, the use of any other microcontrollers would require you to write your own programs.Is there a required textbook?No textbook is required for this course. Handouts are provided for the concepts presented in the class; material for some of these handouts is taken from the 2nd edition of the book Circuits by Fawwaz Ulaby and Michel Maharbiz and we recommend the book as way to delve deeper into basic circuit concepts. We also occasionally provide links to web content that we find useful or informative.
Building on the core ideas presented in Distributed Machine Learning with Spark, this course covers advanced topics for training and deploying large-scale learning pipelines. You will study state-of-the-art distributed algorithms for collaborative filtering, ensemble methods (e.g., random forests), clustering and topic modeling, with a focus on model parallelism and the crucial tradeoffs between computation and communication.After completing this course, you will have a thorough understanding of the statistical and algorithmic principles required to develop and deploy distributed machine learning pipelines. You will further have the expertise to write efficient and scalable code in Spark, using MLlib and the spark.ml package in particular.
Level Up! covers the complete Advanced Placement* Computer Science A course in unique and engaging ways. It's a significant change of pace from other online introductory programming courses. While you will rigorously learn the art of programming in Java, you will spend much of your time designing and writing games and simulations. This course has no textbook because all the materials are online. You’ll be reading; checking your understanding with self-tests; analyzing, modifying, and debugging code as well as writing it; and working with your fellow students to come to common understandings. You’ll work with sounds and pictures (what do you sound like speaking backwards?), write adventure games and “smart” board games, and spend time trying to understand whole programs rather than just little pieces.We’ve designed this course to help high-school students prepare for the Advanced Placement Computer Science test, and we’ll cover everything you need to know. It has been successfully used in classrooms for several years, and now its available for anyone, in school or not, through EdX. If you are an adult or a student who isn’t going to take the AP test, you are more than welcome to join! We go beyond the minimum required by the AP committee, introducing graphics, mouse commands, and other tools for real programmers.We based this course on the principles of “lab-centric” instruction, in which lectures are replaced by hands-on activities. We won’t include long, fact-filled videos, and the webpages in this course will be your “textbook”.Learn more about our High School and AP* Exam Preparation Courses* Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these offerings.
In this marketing course, you will learn how to apply advanced concepts such as conjoint analysis and decision tree methodologies to product decisions, as well as learn the best ways to distribute and sell your offerings to consumers.You will also learn how to apply conjoint analysis to identify the product features that your consumers want most.This course is taught by Stephan Sorger who has held leadership roles in marketing and product development at companies such as Oracle, 3Com and NASA. He has also taught for over a decade at UC Berkeley Extension and is the author of two widely adopted marketing textbooks.This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to immediately see practical benefits in the workplace. Analytics-based marketing is increasingly important in determining a company’s spending and ROI. Many entry-level positions in marketing now require some basic level of knowledge in this rapidly growing field.
This course prepares you to read more deeply and write more clearly about works of literature. This course will focus on great pieces of drama and how we read and interpret them. We will discuss the works of William Shakespeare and Edmond Rostand. Through an engaging collection of videos, authentic readings, and support material from a variety of sources, you will learn to appreciate literature from different genres.You will broaden your vocabulary while you sharpen your academic and creative writing skills. Interaction with other students will help you to refine your thinking about the reading and writing as well. You will learn to write under time pressure, and have the opportunity to complete practice assignments that are similar to those you will find on the AP examination.There are no prerequisites; you don’t have to take the AP exam to join the course. If you want to learn about literature and writing, this course is for you.Week 1: Introduction to Drama, Shakespeare 1Overview of form and vocabularyHow can we understand plays?Shakespeare: Moonlight MagicWhy do we still read Shakespeare?Week 2: Shakespeare 2Shakespeare's Fairies: Puck and OberonWhat are some techniques for reading plays?Practice Test 1: Multiple ChoiceWeek 3: Rostand 1Practice Test 2: Essay/Free ResponseCyrano de Bergerac: The Man Behind the NoseWeek 4: Rostand 2Cyrano: Themes and MotifsHow do we come up with writing ideas?Practice Test 3: Multiple ChoiceWeek 5: Albee 1Introduction to George and MarthaHow can we refine our written ideas?Practice Test 4: Multiple ChoiceWeek 6: Writing about Drama & Albee 2Defending a thesis with evidenceHow can you succeed on the AP exam?Practice Test 5: Essay/Free ResponseWeek 7: Final Exam Part 3
In this marketing course, you will learn about competitive analysis and market segmentation, including how to analyze and structure industries and markets to transform your marketing efforts from vague, generic attempts to laser-guided precision.You will learn how to predict what your competitors will do next, plus how to segment markets for greater customer satisfaction and company profitability.This course is taught by Stephan Sorger who has held leadership roles in marketing and product development at companies such as Oracle, 3Com and NASA. He has also taught for over a decade at UC Berkeley Extension and is the author of two widely adopted marketing textbooks.This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to immediately see practical benefits in the workplace. Analytics-based marketing is increasingly important in determining a company’s spending and ROI. Many entry-level positions in marketing now require some basic level of knowledge in this rapidly growing field.
Level Up! covers the complete Advanced Placement* Computer Science A course in unique and engaging ways. It's a significant change of pace from other online introductory programming courses. While you will rigorously learn the art of programming in Java, you will spend much of your time designing and writing games and simulations. This course has no textbook because all the materials are online. You’ll be reading; checking your understanding with self-tests; analyzing, modifying, and debugging code as well as writing it; and working with your fellow students to come to common understandings. You’ll work with sounds and pictures (what do you sound like speaking backwards?), write adventure games and “smart” board games, and spend time trying to understand whole programs rather than just little pieces. We’ve designed this course to help high-school students prepare for the Advanced Placement Computer Science test, and we’ll cover everything you need to know. It has been successfully used in classrooms for several years, and now its available for anyone, in school or not, through EdX. If you are an adult or a student who isn’t going to take the AP test, you are more than welcome to join!; We go beyond the minimum required by the AP committee, introducing graphics, mouse commands, and other tools for real programmers. We based this course on the principles of “lab-centric” instruction, in which lectures are replaced by hands-on activities. We won’t include long, fact-filled videos, and the webpages in this course will be your “textbook.”Learn more about our High School and AP* Exam Preparation Courses* Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these offerings.
This course explains what happiness at work looks like, why it matters, and how to cultivate it.It begins by defining happiness and making the case that happiness at work improves the performance of individual employees and organizations as a whole, increasing innovation, productivity, engagement, retention, and the quality of their work. It then explores the key factors that empirical research has linked to workplace happiness, zeroing in on practices such as gratitude, developing a strong sense of purpose, and forming authentic, cooperative connections with others. The course will also highlight common barriers to workplace happiness, both at the individual and cultural level.Finally, the course presents a practical framework for workplace happiness and explores accessible techniques for: a) evaluating happiness in an organization, b) creating an effective strategy to increase workplace happiness, and c) implementing that strategy in your own work life, within your team, or across the culture of your organization, with special tips for workplace leaders.The course instructors are expert faculty from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, Dacher Keltner, Ph.D., and Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., whose earlier edX course, The Science of Happiness, has been a global phenomenon, introducing a half million students worldwide to the research-based keys to a happy, meaningful life. In this course, they tailor their scientific insights to the needs of the modern workplace.
A Room with a View is a 1908 novel by English writer E.M. Forster. A Room with a View is a romance and a critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century. As Forster’s most romantic and optimistic book, A Room with a View is considered one of the top 100 English language novels of all times. An award-winning film adaptation of this novel came out in 1985.Participants in this course will read, discuss, and write about the text and its influence. As in most book clubs, the focus will be on lively discussion. Course materials will include background information for understanding the text, as well as vocabulary and language support. Assessment will include quizzes and short writing assignments.
Statistics 2 at Berkeley is an introductory class taken by about 1,000 students each year. Stat2.3x is the last in a sequence of three courses that make up Stat2x, the online equivalent of Berkeley's Stat 2. The focus of Stat2.3x is on statistical inference: how to make valid conclusions based on data from random samples. At the heart of the main problem addressed by the course will be a population (which you can imagine for now as a set of people) connected with which there is a numerical quantity of interest (which you can imagine for now as the average number of MOOCs the people have taken). If you could talk to each member of the population, you could calculate that number exactly. But what if the population is so large that your resources will not stretch to interviewing every member? What if you can only reach a subset of the population?Stat 2.3x will discuss good ways to select the subset (yes, at random); how to estimate the numerical quantity of interest, based on what you see in your sample; and ways to test hypotheses about numerical or probabilistic aspects of the problem.The methods that will be covered are among the most commonly used of all statistical techniques. If you have ever read an article that claimed, "The margin of error in such surveys is about three percentage points," or, "Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have discovered a highly significant link between ...," then you should expect that by the end of Stat 2.3x you will have a pretty good idea of what that means. Examples will range all the way from a little girl's school science project (seriously – she did a great job and her results were published in a major journal) to rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.The fundamental approach of the series was provided in the description of Stat2.1x and appears here again: There will be no mindless memorization of formulas and methods. Throughout the course, the emphasis will be on understanding the reasoning behind the calculations, the assumptions under which they are valid, and the correct interpretation of results.
With a solid plan and time for revision, most writing tasks can be completed with ease.This course is for those interested in improving their professional writing. Learn how to improve your writing’s organization, logic, and style so that whatever kind of writing your work requires, you can get your point across eloquently and quickly.This course will delve into the mechanics of the writing process: identifying an audience, choosing the best structure, and revising early drafts of your work. You will build confidence as you practice planning documents, using organizational strategies such headings and subheadings, and finding misused words and proofreading errors.