L&S 110: Brilliance of Berkeley
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I take this course?
If there is one course you should take at UC Berkeley before you graduate, this is it! This signature class both provides our newest students with a comprehensive overview of the Brilliance of Berkeley, while reminding our graduating students of exactly why they chose to come to Berkeley. With lectures from 28 of Berkeley’s most luminary instructors, including Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and Distinguished Teaching Award recipients, this course will give you insights into a diverse array of topics, helping to ignite your academic interests. Weekly activities will connect you to your peers and celebrate Berkeley campus and culture. Plus, this will be the last opportunity to take a class with Chancellor Christ, the 11th Chancellor of UC Berkeley!
What is the expected workload for this course?
We anticipate less than 1 hour of work outside of class each week, and there are no midterms, final exam, or final project.
Is there a hybrid option for the course?
No. You may sign up for either the in person course, which will be held on Fridays from 12:00-2:00 p.m. in Wheeler Hall, or you can register for the online version of the course. The lectures will be livestreamed using UC Berkeley’s Course Capture technology.
Will the course fulfill breadth or AC requirements?
No. As a 1-unit P/NP course, this class will not apply toward these requirements, but can be an effective way to ensure you are meeting your unit requirements for financial aid or other purposes.
Will the course have a final?
No. Each week, there will be asynchronous opportunities to reflect on lectures and learn about and engage with campus resources that can be done independently. For example, students will take short quizzes to assess their interests in campus programming and can learn about how to find resources that will support their academic and extracurricular experiences at Berkeley.
What community activities will the course offer?
There will be opportunities to engage in your UC Berkeley community through sports events, Cal Performances, and many other engaging on-campus activities.
What makes this course different from L&S 1?
Brilliance of Berkeley (1 unit, P/NP) is a course that is open to all students campus-wide, and features faculty speakers from every College and School. Brilliance of Berkeley meets for 2 hours of lecture per week, and is offered during the academic year (spring 2024).
(2 units, P/NP) is a course intended for new students (first-year admits and transfers) in the College of Letters & Science. L&S 1 introduces new students to different ways of thinking about knowledge production as practiced across L&S; ways to support the health and well-being of themselves and others; and the hidden curriculum of how to do college. Lectures feature cross-disciplinary faculty panels, where two or more faculty from across L&S reflect together on their work, methods, and creative process. L&S 1 meets for 1 hour of lecture and 1 hour of discussion section per week and is offered in Summer Sessions and the fall semester.
If you are a new student looking for other courses that will support your transition to Berkeley and integration into the academic community, consider Berkeley Connect (for any major), and (for transfers).
How will I participate in the course if I take it remotely?
If you take this course remotely, you will be able to access the course lectures either during real time via Kaltura livestream (that will be accessed through the class’s bCourses site) or you can catch up on the lecture recordings after the live class session. All course recordings will be available and accessible in the course’s Course Capture Recordings Media Library (also available via Kaltura in the class bCourses site). Note that the live-streamed class sessions will include live captions while the course-captured recordings will include professional captions. That means there may be a few days of delay between the live class session and access to the recorded class sessions.
A remote student will complete all of the same asynchronous class activities as students attending the course in-person.
Is attendance mandatory for the in-person option of the course?
Attendance is strongly encouraged to get the most out of the course.
I'm a staff member at UC Berkeley. Can I sit in on class, or watch remotely?
Yes, staff may attend lectures in person in Wheeler Auditorium, space permitting. Only enrolled students have access to the livestream. Anyone with a CalNet ID may watch recordings of past lectures here: Brilliance of Berkeley (Spring 2024)
I would 100% recommend this class, especially to students undeclared in their major. Having multiple presentations from various professors and professionals on various topics can help students discover what their passions are and what they want to study and pursue.
— Student in spring 2024 class
L&S 110: Brilliance of Berkeley is co-sponsored by theand theDivision of Undergraduate Education.
