Flex Format Overview
The Flex format is designed to make live class time as interactive and engaging as possible. Before each live session, students independently complete assigned videos, readings, simulations, or other coursework to build foundational knowledge. This preparation allows faculty to use live classes for discussion, case analysis, problem-solving, and applied learning, supported by interactive tools such as polls, chat, breakout rooms, and digital whiteboards. Assignments are submitted through bCourses, a Canvas-based learning platform.
Technology Requirements
To participate fully in live online classes, students should have reliable technology and a learning environment that supports active engagement throughout each session, including:
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A computer or device that supports video conferencing
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Stable broadband internet connection
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A camera, with the expectation that students appear on camera
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Dedicated headphones or a headset (recommended)
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A suitable environment for live class participation
Earn a Berkeley MBA from Anywhere
Flex students complete the same rigorous Evening & Weekend MBA core curriculum as their in-person peers, with core coursework delivered online (and two required in-person core courses). After completing the required core courses, students may choose electives offered online or on the UC Berkeley campus. Elective formats, schedules, and the balance of live and self-paced learning vary by course. During designated registration windows, Flex students receive priority access to online electives and may accelerate their degree completion by working with an academic advisor to plan additional elective coursework.
Explore the MBA Curriculum
The new Flex option offers an unprecedented opportunity for students to build a curriculum into a schedule that fits perfectly for them. It gives the students agency to design their own education experience.
Juliana Schroeder
Associate Professor, Barbara and Gerson Bakar Faculty Fellow
Build Relationships Across Distance
Collaboration is built into the Flex experience from the start. During the first year, students are assigned to study teams of approximately five classmates, intentionally composed to include a range of professional backgrounds and, whenever possible, compatible time zones. Core course group projects are completed with these teams, creating consistent opportunities to work together and build lasting relationships. After the first year, students form teams as needed for elective coursework.
Community also develops through regular interaction in live classes, where discussions, breakout rooms, and collaborative activities encourage meaningful engagement with classmates and faculty. Required in-person weekend experiences deepen cohort connections, while online and on-campus electives provide opportunities to collaborate with students from other Flex, Evening & Weekend, and MBA cohorts across UC Berkeley Haas.
Explore the Flex Collaborative Culture
Why Working Professionals Choose Flex
Hear from UC Berkeley Haas Flex MBA students about balancing a rigorous curriculum with work, family, military service and travel while staying connected to classmates and faculty. These students experienced firsthand how the program combines fixed live classes with self-paced learning to deliver the academic rigor, community, and flexibility needed for busy professionals.