Discover Unique Courses: DeCals

Meditation and Mindfulness DeCal

Among the many opportunities to learn about topics related to Psychology we invite you to to explore DeCals that can help you discover new interests and passions. Take a DeCal and learn in a different setting than traditional classes while also connecting with others in our community and network. If you feel motivated, you can even develop and/or teach your own DeCal. Read more about that in the second section below.

 

 

 

Take a DeCal

DeCal courses are offered in Fall and Spring of each academic year. Most, though not all, courses are listed in the official DeCal website (https://decal.berkeley.edu/), and you can filter by the semester, what day of the week you prefer, the time of the class, and how recent the class has been posted. When taking a DeCal, have the following in mind:

• Most Fall classes are updated in mid-August; most Spring classes are updated in mid-January.
• To enroll in a DeCal, be sure to check the information for the class! Each one has a different process; some of them may give you the access code to enroll, others may have specific applications to enroll in the course.
• Student facilitators are the go-to person if you have any questions about the class. If you cannot find the email of the facilitator on the course listing page, contact the DeCal team through the Google Form on their ‘FAQ’ page.
• DeCals are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only, but they are real classes and will contribute to your minimum units required for graduation.
• DeCals have limited seating, so make sure to check early in the semester for the classes you are interested in.

Contact your major advisor if you have any questions regarding your schedule, major requirements, unit limits, or prerequisites for your major.

Teach a DeCal

Teaching a DeCal is a great opportunity to connect with others that may share similar interests and to immerse yourself in a specific topic as a teacher and not just a researcher.  

Sanjeev - Charisma DeCal 

Why Teach a DeCal?

 

Teaching a DeCal course offers students the opportunity to teach a topic in which they have training and about which they feel passionate. Students may propose a course, and if the proposal is approved, they will facilitate and run a semester-long class. What better way to culminate your time at Cal than by developing your very own course?

 

 

• When is the deadline?

  Deadline to submit course proposal packets for DeCal courses to be offered in the upcoming Spring semester: October 1 (or the following business day if the date falls on a weekend)

  Deadline to submit course proposal packets for DeCal courses to be offered in the upcoming Fall semester: April 15 (or the following business day if the date falls on a weekend)

  All Psychology DeCal course proposal packets must be submitted via email to psychsso@berkeley.edu, complete and signed by the faculty sponsor. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.

  Prior to submitting the packet, all new DeCal courses must have a lead student facilitator meet with Zoe Xu, Undergraduate Major Advisor, to review the draft proposal packet at least 2 weeks prior to the deadline.

   

  Training Requirement - All first-time student-facilitators, even for continuing DeCals, must undergo training prior to submitting the DeCal proposal packet.  The Student Learning Center’s Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training and Resources unit (UCFTR) offers a number of Facilitation & Collaborative Learning Strategies Workshops each semester to support students. For more information please refer to: https://slc.berkeley.edu/programs/undergraduate-course-facilitator-training-and-resources-ucftr/formats-service#training-workshops

• What should be included in the proposal packet?

  1. Course Proposal Form, signed by your faculty sponsor.   Please download the current version of the form here: https://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/cpf_packet_2018.pdf  Be aware that previous versions of this form will NOT be accepted. 

  2. Fully developed syllabus. A sample of what to include in your syllabus is available on the teaching.berkeley.edu website here:  http://teaching.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/syllabus_components.pdf 

  3. Responses to the first four questions listed on the Course Proposal Form. If responses can be found in the syllabus, you should clearly indicate in which section of the syllabus the answer can be found. If responses are not incorporated into the syllabus, they must be typed on a separate sheet of paper.

  4. Unit Value Worksheet. This form can be downloaded from the Academic Senate website here: http://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/unitvalueworksheet_2017.pdf 

  5. Faculty Sponsor Letter of Support. Please review the requirements for this letter on the Academic Senate website here:  http://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/faculty_sponsor_letter.2017.pdf  Proposals that do not include this letter will be automatically rejected.  

  6. Psychology DeCal Schedule Request Form.  For Spring 24 DeCals, this form is due by December 11th. Please read the form carefully, even if you are a seasoned DeCal facilitator.  It offers specific limites for the number of sections, facilitators, and students allowed.  Complete the online form here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqzS24TBFWD0q3y6NkaFhEus6m9uTYycLz5zuiy6WFzXEDtA/viewform

  7. Affiliate Appointment Request Form for DeCal Facilitator. This form has been updated! Each facilitator will receive a DocuSign form by email to complete the request form. A PDF form is no longer required. Keep in mind that you are limited to two official facilitators for your DeCal course.

  8. Psych 197 Application.  OPTIONAL. If you would like to earn units for your work as a facilitator, please submit the Psych 197 application form. We can then provide you with enrollment information. Complete the online form here:    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDxGtDdiv3dSnHHS1PTlCgZKfk1TCtQ5VUBha56kZSTWyd9Q/viewform. Facilitators who do not submit the Psych 197 application will not automatically receive enrollment information.

• FAQ

  How do I obtain Department Chair's approval, and when?
  You are only responsible for obtaining the faculty sponsor signature. Once the Student Services Office reviews proposal packets for completeness, we will submit all proposals to the Department Chair for review. Please do not submit directly to the Department Chair.

  How can I be sure that my class is in compliance with Academic Senate guidelines?
  The department will forward all DeCal proposals to the Academic Senate on facilitators' behalf. If there are any issues with your course, you will work with the Psychology advisor to clear up any issues with your course. 

  How many facilitators can we have for our DeCal?

  Each DeCal may have one or two facilitators, one of whom must be indicated as the lead facilitator.

  How many sections of the DeCal can we offer? 

  Generally speaking, we encourage facilitators to offer one section of their course. If there is sufficient demand and resources, you may offer a second section of your DeCal, but this must be indicated at the time you submit your proposal packet. 

  How can I be sure the room I am assigned is set-up with a projector or other technology or space needs?
  When you fill out your Psychology DeCal Schedule Request Form you can make these requests. Please note that we do not have control over room scheduling and must work with the central campus scheduling team.  This means we cannot accommodate every preference.  In general, the larger the classroom requested, the less flexible the space and options are.  For example, if you request movable seats, you will be limited to the size of the room available. 

  How can I publish my DeCal course?
  Once your course has been approved and cleared through the review process, you may request a copy of your approved course proposal form. To publish your course on the DeCal website, follow the steps outlined on the DeCal website here: https://decal.berkeley.edu/faq

  How do I handle DeCal course enrollment and roster?

  Course facilitators are responsible for ensuring accurate enrollment in consultation with the Department Scheduling Coordinator.  We are not able to facilitate enrollment past the add/drop deadlines, so be sure to handle enrollment changes early in the term. 

  How large can my class be?

  In the Psychology department we limit the class size for each DeCal at 50 students maximum.

  Can I receive units for facilitating a DeCal course?
  Yes. If you would like to receive Psych 197 units for facilitating a DeCal course, please submit a Psych 197 Application.  This form must be received a minimum of two days before the add/drop deadline in order to allow our office time for processing. 

  Facilitators can enroll in 197 units up to the unit value of the DeCal course they facilitate.

  You may not receive Psych 199 units for facilitating a DeCal course. Psych 199 Applications submitted for this purpose will be denied. DeCal facilitators may not enroll in their own DeCal course to receive credit for facilitation.

  Only official DeCal facilitators may receive Psych 197 units. Volunteers do not take on leadership or facilitation duties and may not receive units.

  Who can be a student facilitator?
  Only current, active students in good standing are eligible to facilitate a Psychology DeCal course.

  How can I set up a bCourses course site?
  Once you are listed as the instructor for the course in CalCentral, you will then have access to set up a bCourse.  Simply log in to bCourses and look for the "Create a Course" button on the right hand side of your dashboard.  From there follow the prompts to set up your course site. Alternately,  your faculty sponsor, will be able to set up the bCourses site and delegate access to you.

  Where can I get more information?
  https://decal.berkeley.edu/

Lastly, a friendly word of reminder...
As a facilitator of a DeCal course, you will assume a lot of responsibilities resembling those of an instructor in order to create a positive experience for all participants. We strongly encourage you to review this webpage and links provided above, to maintain close contact with your faculty sponsor to ensure clear communication, and to seek help as needed. Happy DeCal facilitating!