Middle Eastern Studies

The major in Middle Eastern Studies is a general education program in the social sciences and humanities with an emphasis on the Middle East. It was designed to meet the growing general interest in the Middle East among students who did not necessarily wish to specialize in language and literature. Majors should be able to enter a variety of graduate programs in possession of a broad exposure to different disciplines but with a solid foundation in Middle Eastern history and culture. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to work independently, to write clearly and well, and to appreciate non-Western civilizations, especially of the Middle East.

The Program
The major is interdisciplinary in nature with a few core courses and limited requirements but with considerable freedom in developing an individual area of concentration. It is an undergraduate program that can serve as the background and preparation for a variety of careers and graduate studies. Although it should be possible to complete the major in two years of upper division work, three years offer a better time span in which to fit the required and individually chosen courses. The major serves as a preparation for law, business administration, public health, and librarianship among the professional schools and may be taken as a double major in preparation for graduate work in most of the social sciences.

Members of the Middle Eastern Studies Faculty Committee aid students in selecting courses in a systematic way. In the procedural aspects of organizing an undergraduate plan of study, students in the program are assisted by the stall in the International and Area Studies (IAS) Teaching Program Office.

Careers
Law
Technical writer
Editor
Public Affairs/government
Translator
International banking
Linguist
Press officer (foreign consulate)
International business consultant

Employment
Contrary to the belief that humanities and social science majors are unemployable, the number of liberal arts students being interviewed through on-campus recruiting at the University of California, Berkeley has increased significantly in recent years. Liberal arts majors often find that they have many career options because their backgrounds are so broad. In addition, they develop writing, critical thinking and interpersonal skills that are highly valued by employers and that apply to a wide variety of professional jobs.

Job market demand should not be the primary determinant of academic and career choices, because market demand moves in unpredictable cycles influenced by such variables as changes in technology, public policy and economic trends. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average person will change careers three times in the course of a lifetime. Further, the College Placement Council found in a recent study that the majority of college graduates are successfully employed in fields not directly related to their academic majors.

Departmental Contact:
International and Area Studies Teaching Program
University of California, Berkeley
101 Stephens Hall # 2306
Berkeley, CA 94720-2306
(510) 642-4466
http://www.ls-advise.berkeley.edu/majors/mestu.html

California Community College Students: Please see www.assist.org for comprehensive information on transferable course work.

Molecular and Cell Biology

Biology is the study of life in all its manifestations, and of the origin, structure, reproduction, growth, and development of living organisms collectively. In 1989, the biological sciences at the University of California, Berkeley underwent a complete revision to reflect advances in modern biology. As part of the reorganization, the teaching and research activities of more than ten predecessor departments have been fused and realigned into three departments: Integrative Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Genetics and Plant Biology.

The Program
The teaching and research activities of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) concern the molecular structures and processes of cellular life and their roles in the function, reproduction, and development of living organisms. This agenda covers a broad range of specialized disciplines, such as biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, cell physiology, cell anatomy, immunology, and neurobiology. The types of living organisms from which the departmental faculty draws its working materials are as diverse as its disciplinary specializations, ranging from viruses and microbes through plants, roundworms, annelids, arthropods, and mollusks to fish, amphibia, and mammals.

Emphases in the Molecular and Cell Biology Major:

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Genetics
Immunology
Cell and Developmental Biology
Neurobiology

Careers
Graduates with an AB in MCB are prepared for jobs as laboratory technicians, salespeople for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, high school biology teachers, or science writers and editors, as well as for jobs in governmental or non-profit agencies which require a biology background (such as the Environmental Protection Agency). With appropriate advanced degrees, such as masters or doctorates, students are prepared to pursue a variety of careers including: medicine, physical therapy, dentistry, research, veterinary medicine, public health administration, patent law, management positions in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, and nursing.

Employment
The AB degree in MCB can lead to entry level positions in research or in clinical laboratories. Types of employers include educational institutions, private industry, private foundations, and the government. Many graduates go on to further study leading to the master's and doctoral degrees as preparation for positions in research or teaching. The AB degree in MCB is also a basis for continuing on to a professional school (such as medical, pharmacy, optometry, and veterinary medicine) or other training appropriate to entry into the wide variety of health careers. The occupational outlook for health related careers is very good.

Departmental Contacts:
Undergraduate Affairs Office
(Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Genetics)
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
142 LSA #3200
Berkeley, CA 94720-3200
(510) 643-8895
http://mcb.berkeley.edu

California Community College Students: Please see www.assist.org for comprehensive information on transferable course work.