Apply for Spring Admission Now
The deadline to apply for admission to the IDP programs spring term beginning in January 2010 is coming up soon. If you currently live outside the United States, you must apply by 20 November. If you are already studying in the United States and plan to transfer to the IDP programs, your deadline is 4 December.
All of your application materials must be submitted before we can consider you for enrollment, so making sure now that you have everything required is important. We hope to see you in Berkeley come spring!
Download the IDP application form.
IDP Insider: Day Trips a World Apart
The beauty of living in California is that you can drive for a couple of hours in any direction and be in a completely different setting: the mountains, ocean, or desert.
All roads lead to Berkeley. So just hop in a car to taste the world’s finest wines, photograph some of the world’s largest trees, or surf the world’s most epic waves.
Napa/Sonoma—Be in good spirits when you visit California wine country. On your wine-tasting tour, pair an exquisite wine with cuisine prepared by notable chefs around the world. Or for the more active, enjoy hiking, bicycling, or hot air ballooning. (45 min. drive north)
Santa Cruz—Picturesque beaches and coastal redwood forests make this town the perfect backdrop for one of the best—and original—California surfing spots. Santa Cruz is home to several state parks and beaches where one can surf, sail, swim, or just people watch. (1.5 hr. drive south)
San Francisco—Even if there is fog, you can see from Berkeley across the bay to one of the world’s most visited cities. Home to streetcars, Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, shopping galore, exquisite restaurants, the Giants baseball team and an unparalleled cultural center. (20 min. drive west)
Tahoe—Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains between California and Nevada, Tahoe is where celebrities and the fortunate travel to ski in the winter and go boating or biking in the summer. Relax by the beach, enjoy lake activities, or try your luck at one of the bustling casinos. (3 hr. drive northeast)
Monterey—This is a coastal town worth writing about—the great American novelist John Steinbeck thought so. Visit the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, take in a jazz festival or bike, hike or walk by the stunning and pristine California waterfront. (2 hr. drive south)
New Brochure
The new 2010 IDP brochure is here, with updated program information, student
perspectives, and photos.
Download the .pdf, or request a
printed copy by mail.
IDP Inquirer Previous Issues:
The latest news from the International Diploma Programs at UC Berkeley Extension
Welcome to the latest edition of the IDP Inquirer, which highlights the experiences of students, instructors, internship employers, and graduates of IDP. Feel free to browse through what people are saying about our programs, Berkeley, and living here in the Bay Area.
Student Voices: The Best of Berkeley
“I enrolled in the IDP program to complete my project manager certification within the technology industry—and Berkeley afforded me both. The close proximity to Silicon Valley made me feel a part of this technological phenomenon. The IDP program is an opportunity to make new friends, learn from classmates with diverse professional experiences, and understand the global business environment. In other words, it’s more than a program—it’s a life experience.”
Ramiro Antonio Balanta Idarraga, Colombia
Project Management IDP, 2009
“The IDP internship is by far the best opportunity for professional growth. In addition to great references, you build working relationships and enlarge your professional network. My internship at Gracenote in Emeryville gave me exposure to work life, team dynamics, and industry-specific challenges. I can bring a new employer a fresh perspective, thanks to the experience I gained.”
Adriana Scalora, Italy
Global Business Management and Project Management IDPs, 2009
IDP Success Story: Genoveva Alfonzo La Placa
Genoveva Alfonzo La Placa is your typical research assistant-turned-controller for a multimillion dollar hedge fund in New York City. A native of Guatemala and armed with a bachelor’s degree in economics and international business, Alfonzo La Placa came to the IDP programs in 2007 to climb the ladder of success while gaining a wealth of finance knowledge. After all, she already had a job—now it was time to have a career.
“The IDP was the stepping-stone that gave me a thorough understanding of the financial world and made my interest in finance be a real passion,” says Alfonzo La Placa. She credits her Finance concentration in the IDPs along with the extensive network from the program and internship for giving her an advantage.
Alfonzo La Placa was promoted last year to controller working directly with the CFO and investors. “Never in my life did it cross my mind that I would be working in a hedge fund, solving multimillion dollar stock trade errors or be fascinated so much by a company stock…,” exclaims Alfonzo La Placa. Given the fast pace of the IDP program and the short-term commitment relative to your career, Alfonzo La Placa assesses the program to be “so worth it”.
Meet an Instructor: Patricia Muscatelli
Patricia Muscatelli’s finance background is as rich and diverse as a well balanced investment portfolio. Having worked as a financial planner for Bank of America and Wells Fargo as well as a finance manager of several private companies, she shared her knowledge developing the finance curriculum at several universities. As an instructor for UC Berkeley Extension’s IDP program, she shares her areas of expertise in financial planning, cash management and financial analysis.
Muscatelli teaches Applied Corporate Finance to IDP students. For the majority of the class, students are divided into groups to work on case studies and offering solutions. “They’re asked to look at the cases from the perspective of management, shareholders and the community at large,” according to Muscatelli. She explains, “As we are learning from continued research in the field of Behavioral Finance, people and company management don't always behave in the way that our models forecast, which means students need to be able to identify areas that may be subject to the ‘human’ factor.”
Muscatelli’s course prepares students for success using real world scenarios, as if they were in the actual workplace. They learn that there can be many ways to solve a problem, sparking lively debate.
Teaching IDP students over the past three years is “challenging, informative and fun.” Muscatelli explains, “Having students from as many as 15 different countries and with varied real world experience makes it challenging. . . It is informative, because students share with me and each other things about their countries and how business is conducted in different parts of the world. It is fun because the students are enthusiastic and bring a lot to each class.”
Working in the USA:
Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc.
Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. is a premier global brand right in the Bay Area providing innovative communication solutions for any kind of business. As a Marketing Communications Manager, Manuel Noda knows the importance of a rich collaborative experience in order to provide seamless communications across wireless, fixed and enterprise networks. Having once been an IDP intern himself, Noda recognizes the insight and value interns can bring.
“Working with IDP students from all over the world enhances our collaboration with colleagues in other regions while providing additional manpower in the figure of talented interns who aid in completing crucial projects,” Noda comments. Some examples of critical projects IDP interns are involved with include the planning and execution of tradeshows and customer events; ensuring continuity of strategic plans and corporate positioning in executive customer briefings; and enriching website content. Siemens “relentlessly attempts” to match relevent projects and tasks to students’ specific interests and skills.
Impressed with the comprehensive business training IDP students receive, Noda has had the pleasure of recruiting, training, and managing more than 100 interns. “. . .the IDP interns inject a refreshing sense of enthusiasm that energizes our employees. They bring forth new ideas and make a special contribution to our business,” says Noda.
In return, the internship benefits the students by helping to polish their communication skills, improve report writing and develop problem solving capabilities. Not to mention the opportunity to gain practical job experience in marketing and communications to boost their resumes.
“The IDP program is a lucid illustration of how solid research, ethical standards and hard work, manufacture success,” notes Noda.