Biotech – Curriculum Information

BioTechnology Minor

The Biotechnology Minor Program is designed for biology and chemistry majors. All students must have at least an overall GPA of 3.0 and a 3.0 GPA in their major to participate in the program and obtain the Minor. Ideally, interested students would declare the Minor during their Junior year. Interested Seniors that are Biology or Chemistry majors should contact the BMP Program Head to determine eligibility for declaring the Minor.

Interest Level

Students interested in careers in Biotechnology, graduate school, or professional school will find this opportunity to be a very valuable experience. Interacting with scientists and other laboratory personnel as well as working closely with faculty members during the fulfillment of course requirements will afford students the opportunity to establish a network of professional contacts. These contacts could be sources of help for students as they complete their academic careers and even potential collaborators or employers upon their entrance into the scientific community.

Who Can Declare BioTechnology Minor

Students in the Biotechnology Minor Program are required to complete a one semester biotechnology-based internship (BIOL 4405) in a regional government, industry, or academic laboratory. If approved by the BMP Program Head, Honors Biology Majors may substitute the BIOL 4407 Honors Research II course for the BMP internship requirement. Chemistry majors are required to take the Introduction to Biotechnology (BIOL 3161) course before registering for the internship. The BMP Program Head coordinates intern placements. Placements are based on student interests and the Internship Sponsor’s requirements. Interns are responsible for submitting learning objectives, an internship journal/lab notebook, and an internship paper to the BMP Program Head in order to receive academic credit for the internship (3 credit hours). BMP Program Head and Internship Sponsor work closely with the intern to help with achieving these goals. Final grades for the course are based on how well the student fulfills the responsibilities stated above and the student’s performance in the laboratory, as determined by Internship Sponsor evaluations.

Steps to Declare Minor in BioTecnology Students should follow these steps to declare and obtain the Minor in Biotechnology: 1. Contact the BMP Program Head, to set up an appointment to confirm eligibility to declare the Minor. 2. Go to the Biology Department Office in Woodward, room 249 and ask for a Change of Major Form. 3. Complete the Change of Major Form. On this form you will designate that you are changing your major to include the Biotechnology Minor. 4. Give the completed form to Ruthie Moser in the Biology Office. The form will be sent to the Registrar’s Office to finalize the change. 5. During the registration period – If you are a Chemistry major, you will need to register in the Fall to take the Introduction to Biotechnology course (BIOL 3161) in the Spring. This course will only be taught in the Spring. If you are a Biology major, you will need to register for the Internship/Laboratory Research Course (BIOL 4405). Typically, students would register for this course in the Spring and the internship would be done during the following summer. However, Biology majors will need to meet with the BMP Program Head to determine the best time to register for BIOL 4405. 6. Consult with BMP Program Head regularly for guidance as you progress through the sequence of courses. Biotechnology Intership

Biotech Minor students are required to complete a one semester research internship. The course that satisfies the research internship requirement is the biotech internship course (BIOL 4405). This course consists of the student spending a semester in a lab either on or off campus. The student works with the Biotech Minor Program Head to secure an internship position. The student is responsible for carrying out a research project under the supervision of a lab supervisor (faculty member, post-doc, or graduate student). At the conclusion of the semester, the student is required to write a paper summarizing the experiences in the lab. The student’s grade is calculated by the Biotech Minor Program Head with input from the student’s lab supervisor. A letter grade is awarded based on both the performance on the paper and the lab work.

Curriculum for Biology Majors

Core Course (required): BIOL 4405 Internship/laboratory research (3) OR

BIOL 4701 Honors Research II* (with permission of Biotechnology Minor Program Head)

Required Course (at least one of) :

BIOL 4162 Advanced Biotech (3)

BIOL 4171 Cell Physiology (3)

BIOL 4199 Molecular Biology (3)

and at least one of) :

BINF 1101 Intro to Bioinformatics (3)

BINF 4191 Biotechnology and the Law (3)

BINF 4171 Business of Biotech (3)

CHEM 4166 Biochem II (3)

CHEM 4167 Str & Mech in Proteins (3)

CHEM 4171 Biochem Inst (3)

Optional Courses (two or more):

Curriculum for Chemistry Majors

Core courses (required courses):

BIOL 3161 Introduction to Biotechnology (3)

CHEM 4165 Biochem I ( + lab) (4)

CHEM 4166 Biochem II (3)

Choose One of :

CHEM 4167 Structure and Mech in Prot Chem (3) OR

CHEM 4171 Biochem Inst (3)

Optional Courses (and at least one of):