Academic questions
- What kinds of courses will I take? What is the workload like?
- Are there different breadth requirements for Haas and L&S?
- What if I receive a C in a class? Should I retake it?
- What AP/IB credits do you accept?
- According to my AP/IB scores, I can waive Chem 1A/1AL and/or Bio 1A/1AL. Should I do that?
- Who is my advisor? Who can answer my questions?
- Do I have to take summer classes to graduate in 4 years?
- Can I have a minor?
- Can I study abroad?
Admissions questions
- What are prerequisites to apply to the program?
- What is the declaration process and timeline?
- Do I still need to apply to Haas?
- Can I apply to admission to Haas and LSBE?
- Would I still be considered for admission to Haas if I am not admitted to LSBE?
- What if I am not admitted to the program?
- I'm a junior or senior UC Berkeley student. Can I apply to the program?
- Can I transfer into the program from community college?
General questions
Spieker Program Vs. LSBE questions
- What is the Spieker Undergraduate Business Program?
- I see that Haas School of Business is moving to a direct admissions model. As a prospective LSBE student (current sophomore or incoming freshman), how will these changes affect me?
- Will LSBE be admitting students directly from high school now?
- I see that Haas is permitting freshmen to apply. Can I apply for admission to LSBE during freshmen year?
- I want to apply for admission to the business program during my freshman year. If I am admitted, can I transfer into LSBE later?
- I see that Haas is permitting R&C and Calculus courses to be taken via concurrent enrollment. Does this mean I can take R&C and Calculus at a community college?
- If I am not admitted to LSBE, can I reapply?
- What will change for Fall 2023?
- I have more questions. Who should I contact?
Academic answers
The coursework is designed for you to complete two full bachelor’s degrees in four years, and students must meet all degree requirements for both MCB and Business. In addition, students must take the Intro to Biotech course freshman year and a program-specific capstone course in their senior year. You can complete degree requirements without taking double the course load, but this is a very rigorous program, to be sure. See the sample Program Plans
No, the 7-course breadth requirements(opens in a new tab) are the same for Haas and L&S with a few exceptions
No. The admissions committee will always review the first attempt at a course, especially if it’s a prerequisite for MCB or Haas. Per university policy(opens in a new tab), you may repeat a course only if you receive a D+ or lower, or a NP.
For information about AP/IB credits, review the Exam Credit page
MCB will accept your scores to waive prerequisite coursework, but we do not recommend doing so. Most high school AP programs do not include the in-depth labs that our courses at Cal do and they do not delve into the details of the material in the way our courses do. So, while AP and IB courses provide a good foundation and allow you some review at the beginning of the semester as you acclimate to college life, they do not prepare you for upper-division coursework to the same degree that Cal courses do.
To speak with an advisor, feel free to navigate the Contact Us page, or email lsbe@berkeley.edu
No, the program is designed to be completed in 4 years without requiring summer classes, although taking summer classes to alleviate the course load during the semester is an option for students.
Maybe. The Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program is very rigorous, but where minor courses overlap with major requirements, it might be possible.
Given the fast-paced and challenging curriculum with many courses unique to UC Berkeley, studying abroad during the semester will be difficult. There are many summer programs, however, that might be possible for LSBE students to pursue.
Admissions answers
Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship (LSBE) students must meet the prerequisite for both Haas and MCB. You can review the prerequisite requirements for the Program on our Academics page
Students interested in pursuing LSBE must meet the requirements for both Haas and MCB. Students apply for admission to LSBE in the fall of sophomore year. Read more about the admissions process and timeline here.
No, you apply to the Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program, which includes application to Haas.
No, you cannot apply to both LSBE and the standard Haas application.
Yes, if you apply to LSBE and you are not admitted, your application will still be considered for admission to the business major automatically. We want to provide students with every opportunity to pursue the business major.
Unfortunately the Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship (LSBE) Program is very competitive and we cannot accommodate every student who wants to join the program. You should meet with LSBE advisors during your freshman and sophomore years to form an alternate plan. Students cannot reapply to the program.
No, the program is only open to UC Berkeley freshmen who apply to the program in the fall of their sophomore year.
Unfortunately not. The program is only open to students admitted to UC Berkeley as freshmen. Students cannot transfer into the Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program from community colleges or other universities.
General answers
The Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program is an integrated, jointly-administered partnership between the Haas School of Business and the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology in the College of Letters and Science. Students take rigorous courses designed to help bridge scientific inquiry and research with entrepreneurship and commercial application. In the program, students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular and Cell Biology. You’ll be part of a small cohort with specialized mentoring, career development, and internship opportunities.
The Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program is staffed with designated program staff guiding students through the program. The program integrates the Molecular and Cell Biology and Business curriculum plans and provides students with professional development opportunities and other experiences that allow for practical, real-world application of concepts learned in the classroom.
Yes, several Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship students are pre-med, and the program’s coursework meets the prerequisites to apply to medical school without taking additional classes.
To learn more, email lsbe@berkeley.edu to schedule an appointment with an LSBE advisor.
Spieker Program Vs. LSBE answers
The Spieker Undergraduate Business Program is a four-year undergraduate business program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business that gives you an additional two years for deeper learning and enrichment. For more information, please visit the Spieker Program homepage
The short answer is that they won’t! You should still apply on the same timeline that you understood when you accepted admission to UC Berkeley. LSBE students will continue applying as sophomores through 2024. Your chances of admission remain unchanged, and the smaller pool of spots for continuing students will not impact LSBE admissions. LSBE will continue to admit cohorts of 25 students per year.
Yes, students applying to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 for Fall 2024 admission will apply directly to the program from high school. LSBE will continue to admit a small cohort of continuing Berkeley students, as well. More details about these changes will be available soon, but know that if you are a current UC Berkeley student, you will be able to apply to the program during your sophomore year. Your chances of being admitted will not be affected.
No, LSBE applications will be available for sophomores during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years. While the Haas School of Business is expanding their admissions pathways for the 2022-2023 academic year, the LSBE admissions process will not be impacted by these changes.
No. Prospective LSBE students should not apply for admission to the business major during freshman year as transferring into LSBE is not possible. Students who wish to pursue LSBE should apply during sophomore year.
No. Once you matriculate as a UC Berkeley student, all business prerequisites must be taken on campus. Haas is permitting R&C courses to be taken at a community college only if a student plans to apply during their freshman year, which is not an option available to prospective LSBE students.
No, unfortunately you can only apply to LSBE one time. Reapplications will not be considered.
The Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program will be shifting from a 2 year to a 4 year program beginning with students applying to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 for Fall 2024 admission. While this will result in changes to the business major’s timeline, LSBE’s timeline will remain unchanged for students already matriculated as UC Berkeley students. We will continue accepting applications during sophomore year, and we will continue admitting cohorts of 25 students. The changes to our admission structure will only impact students applying for admission to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 and beyond.
Please direct all questions to lsbe@berkeley.edu and a member of our team will respond as quickly as possible.