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Biotechnology - B.S.

Biotechnology - B.S.

Our Biotechnology program offers a thorough education on the principles and techniques of biotechnology, equipping you with the necessary skills for a diverse array of careers in academia, government and industry. With access to cutting-edge research facilities, experienced faculty and real-world opportunities, you'll gain the skills and knowledge needed to make an impact in this exciting field.

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Why Biotechnology

  • Biotechnology combines the disciplines of biology and chemistry and utilizes mathematics and physics to provide the tools for modern biology and biomedical research.
  • Biotechnology utilizes living cells and cellular materials to create pharmaceutical, diagnostic, agricultural, environmental, and other products to benefit society. It is also used to study and to alter genetic information in animals so that human diseases can be modeled and studied.  
  • Biotechnology is both a basic and an applied science.  These technologies are applied in agriculture, health care, forensics, industrial processing, and environmental management in many useful ways.
  • Graduates take a number of career paths including:  work in research labs, graduate training in biology and chemistry, professional careers in the health sciences.

Program Information for Biotechnology - B.S.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary program that provides a strong academic foundation in biological sciences and chemistry, practical training in the various biotechnologies and a solid understanding of their application in industry and biomedicine. The science of biotechnology extends across many areas of biology and chemistry and provides cutting-edge technology tools for modern biology and biomedical research. The curriculum includes a research experience at Kent State and/or an internship at a biotechnology company.

Biotechnology graduates have employment opportunities in biomedical research and in the rapidly growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Admissions for Biotechnology - B.S.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Apply knowledge and information to complex issues in biotechnology.
  2. Use problem-solving and data-gathering skills to comprehend issues in biotechnology.
  3. Develop inductive reasoning and technical communications skills in the context of working in a complex group environment.
  4. Analyze scientific papers and expand skills for listening to and critiquing scientific seminars based on the literature or current research.
  5. Effectively communicate scientific information.
  6. Develop collaborative working relationships with research mentors and laboratory members.

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
BSCI 10120BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
BSCI 30140CELL BIOLOGY 4
BSCI 30156ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
BSCI 30171GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY 4
BSCI 40158MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 3
BTEC 10210INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY 3
BTEC 40191SEMINAR: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 1
BTEC 40192INTERNSHIP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR) 6-12
or BTEC 40196 INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR)
BTEC 40210CASE STUDIES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (WIC) 13
BTEC 40220BIOINFORMATICS 3
BUS 10123EXPLORING BUSINESS 3
CHEM 10060GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4
CHEM 10061GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4
CHEM 10062GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
CHEM 10063GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
CHEM 20481BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 4
CHEM 30284INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 4
CHEM 40251ADVANCED BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (WIC) (min grade C) 12
CHEM 40262BIOCHEMISTRY: METABOLISM AND GENE EXPRESSION 3
MATH 12002ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5
MATH 30011BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS 3
PHIL 30015MEDICINE AND MORALITY 3
PHY 13001GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) 4
PHY 13021GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1
Major Electives, choose from the following:9
BSCI 30518
VERTEBRATE ANATOMY
BSCI 40143
EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY
BSCI 40159
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY (ELR) (WIC) 1
BSCI 40174
IMMUNOLOGY
BSCI 40463
MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
CHEM 30105
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 30107
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (WIC) 1
CHEM 30301
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 30475
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR)
CHEM 40109
BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CHEM 40365
BIOLOGICAL INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
CHEM 40567
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES
PSYC 41363
BIOPSYCHOLOGY
Any Upper-Division course (30000 or 40000 level) approved by program director
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
CS 10051COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (KMCR) 4
PHIL 21001INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below)8
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each)6
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)6
General Elective (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)1
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.S.

  • Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 8 credit hours of foreign language.1 
  • The following programs are exempt from this requirement: The Bachelor of Science in Cybercriminology and the Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science.2
  • Minimum Elementary I and II of the same language
1

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 8 credit hours and two courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

2
The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science exemption exists under another college policy (Three-Plus-One Programs). The Bachelor of Science in Cybercriminology exemption is due to its extensive collaboration with and contribution from the Information Technology program in the College of Applied and Technical Studies, which does not have a foreign language requirement.
 
Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
!BSCI 10120 BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) 4
!CHEM 10060 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) 4
!CHEM 10062 GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
MATH 12002 ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) 5
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
 Credit Hours15
Semester Two
BSCI 30140 CELL BIOLOGY 4
BTEC 10210 INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY 3
CHEM 10061 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) 4
CHEM 10063 GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
BSCI 30171 GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY 4
CHEM 20481 BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I 4
PHIL 21001 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS (DIVG) (KHUM) 3
Foreign Language 4
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
BSCI 30156 ELEMENTS OF GENETICS 3
CS 10051 COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (KMCR) 4
PHY 13001 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) 4
PHY 13021 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1
Foreign Language 4
 Credit Hours16
Semester Five
BUS 10123 EXPLORING BUSINESS 3
MATH 30011 BASIC PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS 3
PHIL 30015 MEDICINE AND MORALITY 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 1
 Credit Hours16
Semester Six
BSCI 40158 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 3
CHEM 30284 INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 4
Major Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Third Summer Term
BTEC 40192
or BTEC 40196
 INTERNSHIP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR)
or INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR)
2-6
 Credit Hours2
Semester Seven
BTEC 40191 SEMINAR: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 1
BTEC 40210 CASE STUDIES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (WIC) 3
BTEC 40220 BIOINFORMATICS 3
Major Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours13
Semester Eight
BTEC 40192
or BTEC 40196
 INTERNSHIP IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR)
or INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (ELR)
4-6
CHEM 40251 ADVANCED BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (WIC) 2
CHEM 40262 BIOCHEMISTRY: METABOLISM AND GENE EXPRESSION 3
Major Elective 3
 Credit Hours12
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Scholarships

In addition to the general scholarships and loans awarded by the Admissions Office, Kent State University has two scholarship programs of particular interest to biotechnology students.

The Choose Ohio First Scholarship:

Choose Ohio First

The Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program provides scholarship support to Ohio residents who wish to pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine (STEMM).  The state of Ohio, recognizing that a workforce trained in these areas is essential for strengthening our economy, has created this program to provide tuition support to Ohio residents pursuing STEMM degrees.

For Ohio residents applying to Kent State University or already enrolled full-time, there are several academic areas eligible for support.  Follow the links below for information on the individual programs.  Transfer, first-generation and underrepresented minority students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Kent State University Scholarships for Broadening Participation in the Sciences:

National Science Foundation

The Kent State University Scholarships for Broadening Participation in the Sciences (DUE 11-54422) will annually provide 21 undergraduate scholarships, averaging $5,000 each to promising science students. The scholarships will be awarded to students who are financially disadvantaged thereby enabling them to pursue a full-time program of studies that can be completed in four years. Scholarship awardees will be linked academically through a shared interest in computational and quantitative approaches to problem solving in the natural and physical sciences. The scholarship is renewable each year and available from academic year 2012/13 until 2017/18. This continues the scholarship program that started in 2007/08 and ended in 2011/12 (NSF DUE 06-31088).

A main goal of this program is to increase the diversity in the sciences. As such we highly encourage students from underrepresented groups to apply. Individuals from minority populations who are interested in pursuing careers in any of the science disciplines should consider applying.

Each year, a scholarship award is given to one or two outstanding Biotechnology Students:

Dr. & Mrs. Robert W. Squires Scholarship Award

Awarded to an undergraduate student studying environmental microbiology, biotechnology, or similar field with preference given to biotechnology major.  Recipient must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Fund shall be directed to tuition.

Worth Noting

The program places particular emphasis on practical training and includes laboratories in general chemistry, cell biology, microbiology, biological chemistry, and molecular biology.

Most of the science courses for this interdisciplinary degree program in biotechnology are taught by faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Chemistry. Many of the faculty in these departments employ biotechnology methods (e.g. cell culture, antibody technologies, recombinant DNA technologies, gene targeting, protein engineering technologies, bioimaging, etc.) and/or are involved in the development of such methods as part of their research.

A number of the faculty have been honored with teaching awards, including the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Council Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Biotechnology - B.S.

Graduates of Kent State University’s Bachelor of Science Degree in Biotechnology are well-prepared for a variety of careers in the rapidly evolving fields of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural sciences. They can pursue roles as research scientists, quality control analysts, and biomanufacturing specialists in biotechnology companies, research institutions, and governmental agencies. The program equips students with essential skills in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and bioinformatics, making them valuable assets in developing new therapies, improving agricultural practices, and conducting environmental assessments. Additionally, graduates may choose to further their education in graduate programs or professional schools, expanding their opportunities in specialized areas such as medicine, veterinary science, or environmental science.

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

3.8%

about as fast as the average

1,050,800

number of jobs

$62,870

potential earnings

Biological technicians

4.9%

about as fast as the average

87,500

number of jobs

$46,340

potential earnings

Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

6.1%

faster than the average

138,300

number of jobs

$91,510

potential earnings

Biological scientists, all other

2.2%

slower than the average

44,700

number of jobs

$85,290

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
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