Master of Science

Fall 2024 Admissions

Review our program prerequisites and begin your online application.

10+ Months

Full-Time or Part-Time
30 Credits

Capstone Internship

Hands-on professional experience

Our Master of Science in Biotechnology program integrates science and biotechnology-based business. It can be completed in just two semesters, allowing flexibility for self-discovery and career orientation.

Students take a capstone internship course to gain real-world experience at biotech companies, agencies or other institutions. Highly motivated students may also be eligible for internships at Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research or Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Tracks

Our students become well versed in the science and business of biotechnology with an emphasis in their area of interest. Students choose one of our six tracks to focus their studies, and receive a Program Certificate of Completion when they graduate.

Choose from the tracks below to explore courses and degree plans.

The BioBusiness Track is designed for those pursuing careers in business aspects of the biotech/biopharma industries. The track covers skills required for a successful business career in these industries, with its unique blend of business and bioscience courses.

The BioScience Track is designed for those pursuing higher degrees and careers in academic and industry research or health-related professions. The track offers a high concentration of science courses and facilitates entry into biotech industry laboratory management, product development, manufacturing and more areas.

The Cell & Gene Therapy Track is designed for those who will benefit from developing a foundational knowledge of cell and gene therapy concepts. Students will be at the forefront of training in this scientific space and will be exposed to the various tools to execute the cell and gene therapy development programs.

The Drug Design & Discovery Track is designed for career paths including drug research and design, regulatory affairs, and more. Courses cover in-depth knowledge of processes involved in the use of technology and bioinformatics to design drugs. Science courses offered in this track focus on underlying disease mechanisms and the identification of drugs for biopharmaceutical targets. Other courses cover regulatory affairs, FDA approval process, Intellectual Property, current good manufacturing procedures and commercialization of pharmaceuticals.

The Entrepreneurship Track introduces life scientists to entrepreneurship and core business functions. Our program has a long-standing track record for life science entrepreneurship. Topics covered will include establishing a biotechnology company, raising funding, protecting scientific inventions, managing product development and more. This Track requires applicants to have a minimum of one-year full-time work experience.

The Individualized Track allows for selection of biotechnology graduate courses to construct a curriculum that is specifically designed for YOU, with your interests and career focus. Elective courses can be chosen from all existing tracks, as well as approved courses offered in other programs at the University.

Career Advancement

In addition to gaining on-the-job experience through internships, our students benefit from the services of the Biomedical Graduate Education career office, including one‑on‑one advising, skills workshops, leadership programs and more.