Advisory Board

The Biotechnology MS program includes external collaboration in the form of an Advisory Board made up of five academic and industry professionals who will meet yearly with faculty to provide guidance and insight into emerging trends in the field.  This will ensure that the program develops and maintains relevant student competencies and produces competitive applicants for future employment.  The Advisory Board will also hold periodic panels with students in the program, providing contacts, insights, advice, and information for career development.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the program, students will be able to:

1. Evaluate the extent to which Biotechnology research and businesses meet contemporary standards of ethical, inclusive and equitable practices.
2. Formulate research questions and develop solutions to current problems in Biotechnology using a multidisciplinary approach.
3. Use a variety of laboratory techniques in the design, implementation and analysis of experiments that address problems in Biotechnology.
4. Critically evaluate scientific literature in the context of current, real-world applications in multiple areas of Biotechnology.
5. Develop professional networking, leadership, communication and collaborative skills appropriate for professional-level employment in Biotechnology research and/or industry.

Biotechnology MS Program Requirements

Gateway Courses (21 credits)

All students must complete the following seven required lecture and laboratory courses, which will provide solid groundwork in advanced principles from three different areas of biotechnology-biological sciences, business management, and industrial biotechnology:

• BIO 602 - Ethical Issues in Biology and Biotechnology 3 credit(s)
• BIO 621 - Grad Capstone in Biotechnology 1 credit(s)
• BIO 663 - Molecular Biotechnology 4 credit(s)
• BIO 664 - Applied Biotechnology 4 credit(s)
• BIO 667 - Advances in Biotechnology Research & Ideas 3 credit(s)
• BIO 674 - Experimental Design & Interpretation 3 credit(s)
• EEE 620 - Foundations of Entrepreneurship 3 credit(s) OR
• EEE 630 - Entrepreneurship in Engineering and Science 3 credit(s)

Biotechnology Tracks

In addition to completing the seven required gateway courses, students will personalize their remaining curriculum by choosing to pursue one of the four following biotechnology tracks, and completing an additional 15 credits:

1. General Biotechnology Track
2. BioBusiness Track
3. BioMedical Sciences Track
4. Industrial Biotechnology Track

1. General Biotechnology Track (15 credits)

Students select at least 15 credits of elective courses from the course list for any of the three tracks (i.e., BioBusiness, BioMedical Sciences, or Industrial Biotechnology), including at least 3 credits from each of the three track disciplines:

• BioBusiness (EEE, MBC, or SCM courses)
• BioMedical Sciences (BCM, BIO, or CHE courses)
• Industrial Biotechnology (BEN courses)

2. BioBusiness Track (15 credits)

Students select 12 credits of elective courses from the following list of courses.  The remaining 3 elective course credits required to complete the program must be selected from the course list for either of the other tracks (i.e., BioMedical Sciences or Industrial Biotechnology):

• EEE 600 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• EEE 651 - Finance for Emerging Enterprises 3 credit(s)
• EEE 640 - Social Entrepreneurship 3 credit(s)
• EEE 644 - Dilemmas and Debates in Entrepreneurship 3 credit(s)
• EEE 682 - Entrepreneurial Marketing 3 credit(s)
• MBC 600 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• MBC 601 - Economic Foundations of Business 1.5 credit(s)
• MBC 609 - Accounting for Managerial Decisions 1.5 credit(s)
• MBC 610 - Opportunity Recognition and Ideation 1.5 credit(s)
• MBC 631 - Financial Accounting 3 credit(s)
• MBC 635 - Operations and Supply Chain Management 3 credit(s)
• MBC 636 - Marketing Management 3 credit(s)
• MBC 645 - Strategic Management 3 credit(s)
• SCM 600 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• SCM 651 - Business Analytics 3 credit(s)
• SCM 656 - Project Management 3 credit(s)

3. BioMedical Sciences Track (15 credits)

Students select 12 credits of elective courses from the following list of courses.  The remaining 3 elective course credits required to complete the program must be selected from the course list for either of the other tracks (i.e., BioBusiness or Industrial Biotechnology):

• BCM 678 - Perspectives in Biochemistry 3 credit(s)
• BIO 501 - Biology of Cancer 3 credit(s)
• BIO 503 - Developmental Biology 3 credit(s)
• BIO 600 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• BIO 614 - Brain & Behavioral Plasticity 3 credit(s)
• BIO 616 - Biology of Aging 3 credit(s)
• BIO 644 - Seminar in Neurotoxicology 3 credit(s)
• BIO 646 - Epigenetics of Health &Disease 3 credit(s)
• BIO 652 - Neurodegenerative Disease 3 credit(s)
• BIO 656 - Seminar in Human Disease Genomics 3 credit(s)
• BIO 657 - Principles of Human Toxicology 3 credit(s)
• BIO 659 - Plants & People 3 credit(s)
• BIO 662 - Molecular Genetics 3 credit(s)
• BIO 665 - Molecular Biology Laboratory 3 credit(s)
• BIO 668 - Microbiomes in Biotechnology and Medicine 3 credit(s)
• BIO 669 - Science of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction 3 credit(s)
• BIO 671 - Cell & Developmental Biology Lab 3 credit(s)
• BIO 673 - Pharmaceuticals and Cells 3 credit(s)
• BIO 677 - Personalized Medicine 3 credit(s)
• CHE 614 - Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry 3 credit(s)
• BIO 610 - Graduate Research Laboratory 1-3 credit(s)
• BIO 670 - Experience Credit 1-6 credit(s)

• No more than 3 credits for Bio 610 can be counted towards the degree. No more than 6 credits total of Bio 610 and Bio 670 can be counted towards the degree.

4. Industrial Biotechnology Track (15 credits)

Students select 12 credits of elective courses from the following list of courses.  The remaining 3 elective course credits required to complete the program must be selected from the course list for either of the other tracks (i.e., BioBusiness or BioMedical Sciences):

• BEN 500 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• BEN 521 - Stem Cell Engineering 3 credit(s)
• BEN 541 - Principles of Tissue Engineering 3 credit(s)
• BEN 568 - Biomaterials & Medical Devices 3 credit(s)
• BEN 600 - Selected Topics 1-6 credit(s)
• BEN 621 - Biochemical Engineering 3 credit(s)
• BEN 633 - Drug Delivery 3 credit(s)
• BEN 635 - Physical Cell Biology 3 credit(s)
• BEN 662 - Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining 3 credit(s)

Total Degree Credits - 36