Biotechnology, BS

Contact:

Ramesh Raina;

464 Life Sciences Complex

raraina@syr.edu
(315) 443-4546

Surabhi Raina

462 Life Sciences Complex

sraina@syr.edu

(315) 443-2057

Faculty

David M. Althoff, Katie Becklin, John M. Belote, Mark S. Braiman, Carlos Castañeda, Arindam Chakraborty, Samuel H.P. Chan, Heather Coleman, Steve Dorus, Robert P. Doyle, Scott E. Erdman, Thomas P. Fondy, Martin B. Forstner, Jannice Friedman, Anthony Garza, Jeremy L. Gilbert, Paul Gold, Sarah Hall, Julie M. Hasenwinkel, James H. Henderson, James A. Hewett, Sandra J. Hewett, Bruce S. Hudson, Robin Jones, James Kallmerten, Donna Korol, George M. Langford, Katharine Lewis, Yan-Yeung Luk, Jessica MacDonald, Eleanor Maine, M. Cristina Marchetti, Mathew M. Maye,Alexander McKelvie, Liviu Movileanu, Melissa Pepling, Ramesh Raina, Surabhi Raina, Dacheng Ren, Mark Ritchie, Robert Silver, James T. Spencer, Michael B. Sponsler, Melody Troeger Sweet, Nancy I. Totah, Roy Welch, Jason R. Wiles, Weiwei Zheng, Jon Zubieta

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to take courses in biology, environmental sciences, chemistry, engineering, management, public policy and law that will be important for addressing biotechnology-related issues. This program will help students prepare for jobs in areas such as the biotech industry, health professions, pharmaceutical and agricultural industry, environmental conservation and research in academia. The program requires many of the same basic courses as the B.S. degree in Biology, with additional courses in engineering, management and public policy. Additionally, a variety of elective courses in biology, engineering, law, management and public policy can be used to fulfill the major requirements. A senior year capstone class (Biotechnology Seminar) and valuable industry internship are part of this major.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Be able to recognize and distinguish theories, concepts and principles from the major sub-fields of biology relevant to biotechnology

2. Recognize and practice methods and techniques of molecular biology that are often applied to problems in biotechnology

3. Identify and apply concepts and methods of Bioengineering and Materials Science and Public Policy and Management that can be relevant to biotechnology applications

4. Employ experimental design and practice, including presentation of data and findings in written and oral formats

5. Distinguish key concepts associated with selected areas of biological sciences, bioengineering and/or policy and management

6. Apply quantitative methods to solve problems in the biological sciences

Total Credits (57-66)

Introductory Biology (4 credits)

BIO 121 - General Biology I (Students with AP credits of Biology with laboratory may omit introductory courses)

Core Courses (9 credits)

To Declare and Complete the B.S. in Biotechnology

To declare and complete the B.S. in Biotechnology, students must:

Earn a C+ or better in a General Biology course (BIO 121 or BIO 123 or accepted AP);

- AND -

Either earn a C+ in one of the four 300-level core courses (BIO 305 , BIO 326 , BIO 327 , BIO 345 ) or have a 3.0 cumulative GPA any time after the first semester.

Upper Division Requirements (Total 29 credits)

1. Biotechnology courses (8 credits)

BIO 463 - Molecular Biotechnology (4 credits; 3 credits count towards lab)
BIO 464 - Applied Biotechnology (4 credits; 3 credits count towards lab)

2. Bioengineering/Biomaterial Sciences (3 credits)

BEN 468 - Biomaterials & Medical Devices

3. Public Policy/Management (6 credits)

Note:

ECN 203 is a prerequisite for ECN 301

4. Elective courses (6 credits)

Choose two of the following courses:

ACC 201 - Essentials of Accounting
BEN 541 - Principles of Tissue Engineering
BIO 345 - Ecology and Evolution
BIO 355 - General Physiology
BIO 400 - Selected Topics Evolutionary Developmental Biology
BIO 409 - General Microbiology
BIO 422 - Bioinformatics for Life Scientists
BIO 424 - Comparative Vertebrate Biology
BIO 425 - Cell and Developmental Biology Laboratory
BIO 435 - Genetics Laboratory
BIO 447 - Basic Immunology
BIO 448 - Evolutionary Medicine
BIO 455 - Physiology Lab
BIO 462 - Molecular Genetics
BIO 465 - Molecular Biology Laboratory
BIO 475 - Biochemistry Laboratory
BIO 501 - Biology of Cancer
BIO 503 - Developmental Biology
BIO 565 - Cellular Physiology
BCM 484 - Biomolecular Modeling
BTC 401 - Molecular Biology Techniques
BPE 420 - Bioseparations
BPE 421 - Bioprocess Kinetics and Systems Engineering
BPE 440 - Bioprocess and Systems Laboratory
BPE 481 - Bioprocess Engineering Design
CHE 412 - Metals in Medicine
CHE 477 - Proteins and Nucleic Acids Lab
CIE 472 - Applied Env Microbiology
ECN 355 - Economics of Health and Medical Care
GEO 400 - Selected Topics Food: A Critical Geography
LPP 255 - Introduction to the Legal System
MAR 301 - Essentials of Marketing for Non-Management Students
PAF 410 - Practicum in Public Policy
PAF 451 - Environmental Policy
PHI 393 - Contemporary Ethics
PSC 318 - Technology, Politics, and Environment
PAF 315 - Methods of Public Policy Analysis and Presentation
BCM 476 - Biochemistry II

Elective Courses by Petitioning to the Biology Department

In addition, other courses related to biotechnology from other departments (for example, Chemistry, Bioengineering, Physics, Psychology, Biomaterial Institute, Maxwell School, Law School, Whitman School, ESF and Upstate Medical University) can be used as elective courses by petitioning to the Biology Department.

Senior Capstone Seminar Course

BIO 421 - Capstone Seminar in Biotechnology

Internship/Independent Research

This requirement can be fulfilled by a) completing an approved internship at a biotech-related company during spring and/or fall semester of junior or senior year or b) by completed an approved independent research in any of the biotech-related topics, including biology, chemistry, engineering, public policy, law or management. For example, if a student chooses to do independent research in biology, s/he can register for 3 credits of BIO 460 each semester. In addition, an approved internship at a biotech-related company over the summer after the junior year can be petitioned to fulfill this requirement.

BIO 460 - Research in Biology

Math and Chemistry Requirements (19-21 credits)

CHE 106 - General Chemistry Lecture I and
CHE 107 - General Chemistry Laboratory I
CHE 116 - General Chemistry Lecture II and
CHE 117 - General Chemistry Laboratory II
CHE 275 - Organic Chemistry I and
CHE 276 - Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
MAT 285 - Life Sciences Calculus I * and
MAT 286 - Life Sciences Calculus II *
or
MAT 295 - Calculus I * (8 credit hours total) and
MAT 296 - Calculus II * (8 credit hours total)
or
MAT 285 - Life Sciences Calculus I
* (6-7 credit hours total) or
MAT 295 - Calculus I
* (6-7 credit hours total)

Distinction in Biotechnology

Students may earn a B.S. in Biotechnology degree with Distinction by meeting the following requirements:

An overall cumulative GPA of 3.4, and must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 in courses taken to satisfy the Biotechnology major at S.U.
The student must have taken a minimum of 6 credits of BIO 460 - Research in Biology and four semesters of BIO 419 - Junior and Senior Thesis Seminar , plus BIO 495 - Distinction Thesis in Biology .
Before completion of the final semester at Syracuse University, the student must make a presentation (either poster or oral) based on his/her research.
The student must also complete a written thesis judged to be of high quality