The Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy trains graduate students for public leadership. Its master of public policy degree incorporates law, economics and policy analysis. The school also offers an undergraduate minor. Concurrent masters programs are available with the Law School and the School of Public Health, among others.
Off of Martin Luther King Way in the middle of the business district on Center Street is the imposing building that is home to the International Computer Science Institute. As one of the leading centers for research in computer science and one of the few independant non-profit research institutes in the United States, the International Computer Science Research Institute brings together experts from around the world in areas such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, language processing, computer vision and computer architecture.
The International Computer Science Research Institutes research is based on the entrepreneurial activity of its pricipal investigators to build independent, cutting edge research and technology initiatives. The International Computer Research Institute also features an International visitor program with several countries including Germany, Brazil, Switzerland and Finland.
Located near the intersection of Shattuck Square and University Avenue, The Berkeley Review is easily accessible by car, on foot or via public transportation. The school is set up to train students for the MCAT at affordable rates. The average scores achieved by graduates are reputed by The Berkeley Review to be above the national average.
Primary Concepts provides classroom materials for students in pre-kindergarten and those with special needs. Some of its products include learning CDs, animal and letter stamps, calendars, dictionaries, graphic organizers and reading cassettes.
The continuing education branch of UC Berkeley offers more than 1,500 courses a year at locations including its centers in Belmont, downtown San Francisco, its main office on University Avenue between Milvia Street and Bonita Avenue, and online. Classes include business, technology, engineering, languages, writing, environmental design and many more. You can obtain California teaching credentials through Extension, including the preliminary credential and adult, vocational and specialized subject credentials. There are also structured certificate programs in facilities management, clinical research management, solar energy and green building, and dozens more. Most of these programs are held on evenings and weekends for working adults' convenience. For the younger set, the Fall Program for Freshmen allows students admitted to Cal for the spring semester to start their Cal classes through Extension in the fall, then transfer the credits.
One well-kept secret is that anyone can enroll in regular Cal classes through Extension's concurrent enrollment program on a space-available basis and with permission of the instructor. This costs more than Extension's own classes -- about $2,000, versus about $550 for an equivalent Extension class -- but is a great option if you are thinking of going back to school and need specific credits or recommendations, or if you want to see if Cal is right for you. Extension does not offer grants or scholarships, but will certify students' enrollment for the purpose of obtaining student loans.
For East Bay residents interested in all things French, the Alliance Française is an excellent community resource. It offers French lessons, maintains a French video and book library, sponsors visits for guest lecturers and holds frequent French-themed cultural events. Membership is affordable and open to people with all levels of French-speaking ability.
"Lehrhaus" means "house of learning" in Hebrew—you would have known that had you taken language classes at this non-denominational center for Jewish studies located across from the UC Berkeley campus. Here, adults of all religions can study with distinguished scholars all aspects of Jewish arts, religion, history, language and life. The courses change frequently and are offered at various locations throughout the Bay Area. The center also houses an extensive library on Jewish studies that is open to the public and hosts study tours of areas of interest around the world.
Black Pine Circle School is a private, non-profit elementary and middle school in West Berkeley. It offers a series of workshops in the Sierra Nevada and a weeklong field trip to Yosemite. The school prides itself on its Socratic method of instruction, based on inquiry and questioning. History of philosophy is part of the eighth-grade curriculum. Detailed curriculum material is available on the school's website, including grading standards and planned textbooks. About 30 percent of students receive financial aid of up to 75 percent of tuition. There is a 10 percent sibling discount. Extended-day programs are available. John Carlstroem is the school's head.
The Gan Shalom Preschool offers a friendly learning environment for small children of the Jewish faith. The preschool curriculum includes lots of Jewish stories and an interactive Torah show every Friday. There are also classes in art, music and dance, as well as plenty of outdoor playtime. Furthermore, there is an afternoon program and early-/after-care program for the children. The school is affiliated with Congregation Beth Israel.
The Aquatic Park Preschool offers a school program developed around the Reggio Emilia Approach. It has numerous classroom-based projects and workstations that allow children to choose between writing, painting, music, coordination practice, and other activities. The preschool also regularly holds walking trips throughout the neighborhood, as well as sandbox play and circle time. In addition, it provides healthy organic snacks and a special naptime for the children each day.
Hidden away on a residential road, is the building that is home to Bhaktivedanta Institute. Started in 1997 as the world's first full-fledged graduate degree program in Consciousness Studies, Bhaktivedanta Institute provides a rigorous study of matter, while taking into account the presence of consciousness in the living world. The Bhaktivedanta Institute offers M.S./Ph.D programs that are of two years duration, consisting of four semesters (three semesters of course work and one of dissertation) and is a vibrant, inter-disiplinary program involving a variety of fields in science, including physics, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, psychology, quantum physics, cognitive philosophy, chemistry, biology, and mathematics.
Duck's Nest is a day care center with locations in Berkeley, Piedmont and Oakland. The Berkeley location on 4th Street offers a variety of safety features, including high fencing, key coded entry systems and security cameras. Duck's Nest also provides a large outdoor playground and attentive and professional staff members.
Longfellow is proud of its rehabbed historic campus, including an auditorium with a state-of-the-art sound system. It has several bands and orchestras open to all students. Kids can compete inter-scholastically in softball, flag football, soccer, basketball and volleyball. The school offers a fee-based after-school enrichment program until 6pm daily with sports, art, food and tutoring by UC Berkeley students. Patricia Saddler is principal.
Kensington Nursery is a small local cooperative that is partly run by parent volunteers. Parents have an option to pay tuition if they cannot afford the time to volunteer. Morning classes offer parent participation, and afternoon classes are free of parent participation. The pre-school is clean and offers plenty of creative spaces, activities, and outlets for children. It is located on the same grounds as the Arlington Community Church building.
One of Berkeley's oldest music stores, Berkeley Musical Instrument Exchange has been selling and repairing new and used stringed instruments since 1974. The family owned and operated business specializes in nylon string and lap steel guitars, and offers some wood and guitar repair services. While the store dabbles in some trading and buying of instruments, most of their oldest pieces are sold to Ebay.
Stop in to ask about lessons offered in-shop.
Jefferson was named a California Distinguished School in 2010 by the State Department of Education. The North Berkeley campus offers PTA-sponsored enrichment programs in math, art, music, sports and chess. Test scores at this school are admirable, with 87 percent of kids rated "proficient and higher" in math on the district's Spring 2010 proficiency tests and 94 percent rated "proficient and higher" in reading. Jefferson's most recent score on the state Academic Performance Index was 894. Maggie Riddle is principal.
This is the main office for the optometry program at the University of California, Berkeley. Classes include basic science classes in organic chemistry and biochemistry as well as advanced science courses in human anatomy and microbiology. They also have an eye care clinic at this location where people can get referrals for contact lenses, vision training and refractive surgery. Call the number provided for more information.