I can't enroll but I see space in the class?
We hope to accommodate as many as we can. Please put yourself on the waitlist. We cannot enroll you if you are not on the waitlist. Ignore messages through enrollment that say there are open spaces in the class – these are enrollment artifacts. We are aware of the current and expected enrollment and handling them to accommodate as many students as we can. Final enrollment will be decided by Monday 31st August, 2026.
I'm not an EECS or L&S CS student. Can I enroll?
Possibly (and hopefully), but you must first be waitlisted. Please put yourself on the waitlist and we will process as we move forward towards the start of the semester. We typically do enroll a small number of such students.
What is CS260A? Can I enroll in that?
CS260A is the exact same class and requirements as CS160. It is simply a separate course number for use by graduate students. You cannot enroll in CS260A unless you are a graduate student. Please do not use CS260A as a back door into CS160. Undergraduates should not be able to enroll into CS260A. We remove all undergraduates from the CS260A course listing prior to the start of the semester.
I'm at position X on the waitlist. Do I have a chance to get in?
Maybe...maybe not. What I can promise is that we will make final decision and process the waitlist by the end of day on Monday 31st Aug. So you will know by then.
I have a finals conflict with CS160 and another class?
No worries, CS160 does not have a final exam. However, we do have a final critique and public showcase during RRR Week that you are required to attend. The exact date is listed in the syllabus. Please expect to participate at a specific time during RRR Week and to present your final project in real time, in person, with your team.
Will the class be webcast?
No. You are encouraged to attend class. Lecture slides will be posted a few days after each class. There will not be recordings of the lectures available.
What is the attendance policy?
The teaching team will be present for every lecture and section, and we encourage you to participate fully to gain the most from the course. Please consult the syllabus for the complete attendance policy.
TL;DR (see syllabus for details) – Lectures during approximately the first half of the semester are optional but strongly encouraged. During the second half, lectures transition into studios, and attendance is required. Attendance at your assigned weekly section is required throughout the semester. You are required to attend the final presentations during RRR week.
What about Octoburary 34th? Can I be excused since I have special event X?
Teaching CS160 at scale involves significant logistical complexity, and our instructional team is working hard to provide flexibility while delivering the required course material. Because the course already includes considerable flexibility and generally relaxed attendance expectations, we cannot accommodate individual scheduling preferences or routine conflicts for required events. When an activity requires attendance on a specific date, students are responsible for arranging their schedules accordingly and deciding how to proceed if a conflict arises. Please do not expect the instructional team to redesign course activities around individual schedules. Exceptions will be considered only for formally approved university accommodations or qualifying documented emergencies. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to teaching CS160.
Great, lecture attendance is not required. I'm definitely not going to attend class.
I know most of you are not thinking that, but indeed I'm not naïve enough to not realize that by not requiring attendance in lectures, some of you interpret that as an open invitation to never attend. Your experience at Berkeley is precious. It is such an amazing moment in your life. I know you may not realize that now, but trust me, it is. Ask your friends that have graduated and are out a few years! For you to simply opt-out of many of the important experiences is not only disheartening (for me and you) but also robs you of the essential, once-in-a-lifetime experience of being a student. Not only that, but our midterm will be drawn from the readings, studio material, and lectures. I have always included exam questions on the midterm that are only discussed during class and not on published material. Don't take my word for it? Here are public, unsolicited comments about my offering of CS160:
"It is the single most amazing class I’ve taken at Berkeley."
"I owe my current career plans to CS160; this was the class that got me very interested in the area of mobile development."
"The lectures themselves were very nonintuitive and interesting. You kinda have to attend lectures in order to keep up with the class. A couple of my friends tried to study for the midterm the night before by just reading the slides (they had never attended a single lecture). Bad mistake…they only performed a std. deviation above average. They could’ve topped the class had they just gone to lecture."
"Overall I highly recommend taking CS160 if your remotely interested in UI/UX, design, being a program manager, starting your own company, or just a software engineer who wants to build a better user experience. The skills in understanding users, and sketching out ideas have helped me in my career."
So attend class , be engaged, change your perspective, and be rewarded. We're here to help you along that path. Please be there with us!
I have a great project idea I want to work on, can I develop it throughout the course?
We will all work from a single design brief for the final project. The brief will provide enough creative range for everyone, but you will need to keep your final design within the final scope of work. Best to jump into the class ready to generate new ideas than to bring one you have already developed or have thought about.
Are there slip days?
We recognize that life is unpredictable and want to provide some flexibility. Each student therefore receives 4 slip days for the semester; please consult the syllabus for complete details. Slip days may be applied only to individual assignments. Late team or group assignments will not be accepted, regardless of any remaining slip days.
When are the sections and how do I enroll?
Sections are held on Mondays 5-6 PM and Tuesdays 10-11 AM. Attendance at one section is required throughout the semester, as sections provide essential technical instruction for completing assignments and developing your HCI skills. During the first week of class, you will complete a form indicating your section preferences. We will use your responses to assign students and balance enrollment across sections. Although we will consider your preferences, you may not receive your first choice.
What is the hardware platform we will be using?
We are in the process of finalizing that selection and let you know when appropriate.
Is there a midterm?
Yes. It will be during the last week of Oct and our plan is to use Computer Based Testing Facility.
Can I form my own team?
I recognize that many friendships and established working relationships exist within the UC Berkeley community. After trying nearly every approach to group formation, I have found that instructor-assigned groups consistently work best. Accordingly, all groups will be formed and finalized by the professor and teaching staff. Teams will be formed within sections (i.e. all team members will be within the same section).
Can I audit the class?
You are welcome to attend class lectures. However, because you are not officially enrolled, you may not have access to all course materials, readings, and assignments. Please also understand that I will not be assigning you to a group or including you in collaborative projects. As the course increasingly focuses on sustained teamwork, your ability to participate fully will therefore be limited. This policy is based on prior experience with students whose other commitments eventually prevented them from maintaining the consistent engagement their teams required; it is not a judgment of your intentions or personal values. You are also welcome to attend office hours, although priority will be given to officially enrolled students. Thank you for understanding.
What happens in this class?
For many of you, this will be one of your first opportunities to focus on user experience within computer science. You will combine your technical and computational perspective with a human-centered understanding of people—their motivations, needs, desires, emotions, and diverse backgrounds. Along the way, you will strengthen your design skills and build an inspiring portfolio of work. If you invest the necessary time and effort, this course may change how you think, design, and create...and you will likely have some fun along the way.
