The University of California, Berkeley has introduced a range of new courses for the fall semester, offering students diverse options across disciplines. Over 45,000 students returned to campus and had the opportunity to select from nearly 6,100 classes spanning 184 fields and 15 schools.

Among the new offerings is "Quack Cures and Fad Diets: The History of Alternative Medicines in America," led by Professor Carla Hesse and Ph.D. candidate Emily Martin. The course explores skepticism toward mainstream medicine in the United States, covering topics from historical healing practices to contemporary trends like anti-vaccine sentiment.

A political science course titled "Globalization and Me," taught by lecturer Di (Wendy) Wang, examines how interconnected governments and organizations affect daily life. Students analyze supply chains, international policies such as tariffs, global music trends, and personal consumption choices.

In environmental science, Associate Professor Adrienne Correa's "Polar Microbiology" introduces students to microbes adapted to extreme polar climates. The class aims to connect microbial survival strategies with broader issues like climate change, emphasizing that polar regions are experiencing rapid warming.

Another unique language offering is "Readings in Classical Ethiopic." Assistant Professor Yonatan Binyam’s course enables students to study ancient manuscripts in Ge’ez—an older form of Amharic—and compare translations with original Greek or Arabic texts.

The Haas School of Business presents an undergraduate class within its Changemaker curriculum: "How to Successfully Scale Family- and Friend-Owned Businesses." Taught by Rhonda Shrader and Chris Bush, this course uses real business case studies for hands-on learning about enterprise growth strategies.

Media studies lecturer Matthew Berry leads "Policing in Media, Televised Trials and the True Crime Genre," which looks at true crime’s influence on American audiences through historic cases, literature like Truman Capote’s *In Cold Blood*, televised trials, forensic science debates, and feminist perspectives on crime media. According to the syllabus: “consider the social, cultural and political implications of mediated policing, prosecution and the documentary approach to crime.”

Professor Lining Yao's mechanical engineering class "Design with Morphing Materials and Mechanisms" focuses on materials that respond dynamically to their environment. Students learn about natural adaptations before applying these concepts through projects involving hydrogels for medical use or bacteria-produced films for packaging.

Berkeley remains unique as the only U.S. university with a Celtic studies program. Lecturer Matthew Shelton’s reading course "Apocalyptic Ireland" covers Irish poetry from periods marked by colonialism and rebellion while also considering Celtic traditions from Wales, Scotland, and Brittany.

AI’s role in elections is covered in a seven-week law course taught by Larry Norden—a lecturer at UC Berkeley Law who also serves as Vice President at the Brennan Center for Justice's Elections and Government Program. The class investigates legal frameworks governing AI content online—including Section 230 protections—and discusses how technological advances may impact voter suppression or misinformation efforts during elections.

Lastly, neuroscience professor Daniela Kaufer teaches "The Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience," cross-listed between integrative biology and neuroscience departments. This class addresses both biological pathways underlying stress-related conditions such as anxiety or depression as well as resilience-building strategies relevant for students’ lives today. As Kaufer explains: “to approach this class not just as a place to absorb information, but as a space to connect science with self-understanding, curiosity and compassion.”