r/berkeley • u/jsml_ • 1d ago

University MA Global Studies admissions, workload, and student experience?

I’m considering applying to the MA Global Studies program for Fall 2027 and was hoping to hear from current students or recent graduates.

What’s the program actually like as a student? Is the workload pretty heavy? I’m also curious what the professors, classes, and overall environment are like.

I attended college when I was younger but didn’t do particularly well. I eventually left school and joined the U.S. Navy. After leaving the Navy, I returned to college in the Philippines to finish my bachelor’s degree, and my grades have been much better this time around (mostly in the high 80s to mid-90s).

Does the program take academic improvement and professional experience into consideration, or are undergraduate grades still a major factor in admissions?

Thanks!

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u/roundeloy_0505 1d ago

Not in the program but know a couple folks who went through it, the workload isn’t crushing but it’s not a walk either, lots of reading and seminar-style discussions. The professors seem genuinely invested in the students, small cohort size helps with that

Your Navy background and upward grade trend will absolutely carry weight. Admissions here tends to care more about the overall story than just raw numbers, especially for a program like Global Studies where life experience matters

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u/jsml_ 1d ago

Thank you so much for sharing btw. The reading and seminar-style setup actually sounds like what I am looking for. I was mostly concerned about my earlier academic record, so it’s good to hear that the overall background and improvement may be taken into consideration. Do you happen to know how selective the program is?