The Master of Science in Biotechnology requires 30 graduate credits earned by completing the courses listed below. The program is fast-paced and designed for completion within two years. Full-time students can complete an accelerated program in as little as 1.5 years, whereas part-time students can take two or more years to complete the program.

Students have maximal flexibility in shaping their own program by selecting the courses in the basic biology and elective cores in which they are most interested.

Course Selection for Accelerated Degree

A typical course selection for the accelerated (1.5 years) M.S. in Biotechnology degree might be as follows:

Year 1, Fall Semester (7 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirements
    • Molecular Genetics and Recombinant DNA, Biol 586 (3 credits)
      OR
      Cell Structure and Function, Biol 559 (3 credits)
    • Microbiology Seminar, Biol 713 (1 credit)
      OR
      Cell Biology Seminar, Biol 777 (1 credit)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Principles and Practice in Biotechnology (3 credits)

Year 1, Spring Semester (12 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirement
    • Gene Organization and Expression, Biol 538 (3 credits)
      OR
      Comparative Metabolism, Biol 774 (3 credits)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Regulatory Processes for Domestic and Global Biotechnology Products (3 credits)
    • Entrepreneurial Biotechnology (3 credits)
  • Elective Core (Choose from the List of Electives) (3 credits)

Year 1, Summer Semester (4 credits)

  • Industry/Research Laboratory Internship (4 credits)*
    The internship can be adjusted over a longer period of time for part-time students, or depending on the situation.

Year 2, Fall Semester (7 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirement
    • Microbiology Seminar, Biol 713 (1 credit)
      OR
      Cell Biology Seminar, Biol 777 (1 credit)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Essentials of Biotechnology Project Management (3 credits)
  • Elective Core (Choose from the List of Electives) (3 credits)

Course Selection for Full-Time Degree

A typical course selection for the full-time (2 years) M.S. in Biotechnology degree might be as follows:

Year 1, Fall Semester (7 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirement
    • Molecular Genetics and Recombinant DNA, Biol 586 (3 credits)
      OR
      Cell Structure and Function, Biol 559 (3 credits)
    • Microbiology Seminar, Biol 713 (1 credit)
      OR
      Cell Biology Seminar, Biol 777 (1 credit)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Principles and Practice in Biotechnology (3 credits)

Year 1, Spring Semester (6 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirement
    • Gene Organization and Expression, Biol 538 (3 credits)
      OR
      Comparative Metabolism, Biol 774 (3 credits)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Regulatory Processes for Domestic and Global Biotechnology Products (3 credits)

Year 1, Summer Semester (4 credits)

  • Industry/Research Laboratory Internship (4 credits)*
    The internship can be adjusted over a longer period of time for part-time students, or depending on the situation.

Year 2, Fall Semester (7 credits)

  • Biology Core Requirement
    • Microbiology Seminar, Biol 713 (1 credit)
      OR
      Cell Biology Seminar, Biol 777 (1 credit)
  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Essentials of Biotechnology Project Management (3 credits)
  • Elective Core (Choose from the List of Electives) (3 credits)

Year 2, Spring Semester (6 credits)

  • Biotechnology Core Requirement
    • Entrepreneurial Biotechnology (3 credits)
  • Elective Core (Choose from the List of Electives) (3 credits)

List of Elective Courses

  • Bacterial pathogenesis
  • Bioinformatics
  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology seminar
  • Developmental biology
  • Emerging infectious diseases
  • Enzyme biochemistry and drug discovery
  • Immunology
  • Membrane trafficking
  • Microbiology seminar
  • Model Organisms and Human Disease
  • Molecular diagnostics
  • Research Problems
  • Research topics
  • Signal transduction
  • Virology