<p>I will be studying Chemical Biology or Chemical Engineering at the College of Chemistry. Is it more book and lecture based, or do they value hands on activities and undergraduate research more?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>It’s really a mix of both… Both lab and lecture are very important for success in chemistry at Berkeley.</p>
<p>For example, Chem 4A (the first freshman chemistry course), with the exception of its lab component, felt much more book and lecture based, as the stuff we learned was pretty abstract in nature (quantum mechanics, etc.). But by contrast, Chem 4B feels a lot more lab-based. I’d say the majority of 4B lectures have been about providing theory for the experiments we’ve done in lab. In addition, laboratory stuff is weighed very heavily into your grade (35% in both 4A and 4B). </p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, considering that Berkeley professors are at the forefront of world research, undergraduate research is strongly encouraged here.</p>