Two Innovative Business Plan Competitions
Berkeley MBA students have taken the lead in developing two annual, world-class business plan competitions.
World of Good won first place at the Global Social Venture Competition in 2005 and also took second at the UC Berkeley Business Plan Competition. The company distributes a retail line of globally sourced fair trade gifts and accessories. The team included Priya Haji, MBA 03, pictured above.
Full-time MBA Program
Experiential Learning:
Beyond the Classroom
Haas School students have many opportunities to learn outside of the classroom, in real-world business settings. Here are some experiential learning programs that offer Haas students an opportunity to work with companies and organizations.
International@Work
International Business Development (IBD) program is a global management consulting program operated by the Clausen Center. Extremely popular with both MBA students and organizations and companies around the world, IBD has been assigning teams of MBA consultants to projects for 16 years.
Seminars in International Business provides groups of students with an opportunity to investigate, firsthand, the opportunities and challenges of doing business internationally. Five programs are offered each year. Seminars in International Business has been offered since 1999.
Health Management International and Community-Based Internships provides two MBA/MPH students with up to $5000 in funding to work at a domestic or international not-for-profit, non-governmental organization or quasi-governmental organization with an established internship program and a history of no stipend (i.e., WHO, UNAIDS).
CorporateResponsibility@Work
Strategic CSR Consulting Projects provides MBA and undergraduate level students with a unique opportunity to engage with companies to develop CSR strategies that are aligned with business objectives and core competencies. These consulting projects are combined with classroom "best practice" lectures of companies who have attempted to implement socially responsible strategies while maintaining or maximizing financial returns.
Gap Inc. Scholars in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program is a unique fellowship opportunity that supports Haas MBA students who demonstrate a commitment to the field of corporate social responsibility in their professional and educational pursuits. The program provides two-year scholarships of $5,000 each year to three full-time incoming Haas MBAs. CSR Scholars are required to take a certain number of CSR-related courses and complete a research project for Gap Inc. during their time at Haas.
McDonald's Research Fellows in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program provides a team of second-year Haas MBA students with an opportunity to conduct a deep stakeholder engagement study on McDonald's CSR activities—giving the company a fresh perspective and new insights into its business. The corporate-sponsored program provides research fellowships to each student. The fellows work closely with a faculty director on the study and produce several key deliverables that may be used broadly and at the discretion of McDonald's.
Entrepreneurship@Work
Berkeley Solutions Group (BSG) is a Haas-student-run program that provides MBA student consultants to local new enterprises, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations at below-market rates. Student consultants typically focus on market research, feasibility studies, financial analysis, and human resource planning.
Management of Technology - Mayfield Fellows Program is a paid summer internship program at venture capital-funded Silicon Valley high tech start-ups. These internships are made available to up to 10 graduate students at UC Berkeley.
PEL - Partners for Entrepreneurial Leadership is an innovative training program that provides MBA skills to young companies. PEL places its members with high-growth companies for summer internships, many of which continue into ongoing projects during the students' second year in the MBA program.
New Venture Fellows is a program that provides MBA students, interested in venture capital or entrepreneurship, with a hands-on opportunity to work with one or more VC affiliates on small projects throughout the semester. Fellows also manage and participate in the UC Berkeley pitch lab, which gives entrepreneurs from the UC Berkeley community an opportunity to practice their pitches and receive feedback on their ventures in a neutral environment.
Nonprofit@Work
Haas Board Fellows is a volunteer program that places Haas MBA students and Goldman MPP students as Fellows on local nonprofit boards of directors. Student Fellows work closely with executive directors and board members, serve on board committees, attend full board meetings, and participate in special events and projects. Essentially, they act as non-voting members of the board during their nine month term.
New Sector Alliance is an Accenture-sponsored nonprofit consulting enterprise designed to help nonprofits succeed in today's environment by creating entrepreneurial, efficient, and sustainable approaches to their missions. New Sector Alliance enables its consultants to apply the skills they have learned on the job and in the classroom to address the most significant issues affecting a nonprofit's ability to reach its full potential.
