The Master of Biotechnology Program is a non‐thesis, four‐semester, cross‐disciplinary program that leads to a Master of Biotechnology (MBIOT) degree. The program involves faculty from the colleges of agriculture, science, business, engineering, and veterinary medicine. Students complete a rigorous curriculum that includes:

• Molecular biotechnology and genomics
• Technical writing
• Semester‐long industry internship
• Hands‐on laboratory‐based research
• Bioethics
• Business courses

Our program also stresses leadership and service in extra-curricular activities appropriate to the field.

Our program goal is to produce high quality science managers for the biotechnology industry. It is intended for students who want graduate training with an industry orientation in the life sciences; it emphasizes problem solving and technical skills and involves study in business and science.

Our students are a mixture of U.S. citizens and international students. The students typically have undergraduate degrees in biology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering or biotechnology. We have approximately equal numbers of male and female students, and our students include minorities often under‐represented in science and technology professions. 

The objectives of MBIOT internships are two‐fold:

1. to enable students to apply their technical training to make an identifiable contribution in an area of practical concern to the industry where the internship is served; and
2. to enable the student to function in a non‐academic environment and become aware of that organization’s approach to management, public relations, and other endeavors.

The mandatory internship requires a minimum of 10 weeks full‐time employment. Most students will need to complete that experience in the summer between the first and second years of graduate school.  However, students can accept a more extensive six-month coop if that is preferred.  Students complete an Internship Learning Agreement which outlines the student’s internship goals and the responsibilities of all parties, and make a presentation about the internship experience when they return to campus.

The onsite industry mentors have the following responsibilities:

• Help formulate the student’s internship goals.
• Provide direction to help the student achieve those goals.
• Complete a midterm and final evaluation of the student’s work.
• Review student presentation for confidential material.