Biotechnology Major (B.S.)

Biotechnology is the use of living organisms, biological systems, and small chemicals and biomolecules in technology. Biotechnology has applications in the treatment of diseases, the production of food, the protection of ecosystems, and the generation of energy, as well as in the basic science study of many biological questions.

The B.S. in biotechnology at UNH Manchester is designed to:

• allow students to earn a baccalaureate degree in biotechnology at UNH;
• allow students to combine study in biotechnology with other programs and disciplines by completing a minor, or a self-designed set of elective courses along with their biotechnology degree;
• provide an opportunity for students to complete a baccalaureate degree in biology while preparing to pursue a Master's degree in biology, biotechnology, or other fields. These degree programs could be undertaken after completion of the B.A. Alternatively, UNH offers several accelerated Master's programs where excellent senior students in the Biological Sciences major can complete coursework towards their undergraduate and graduate degrees at the same time;
• allow students to complete a major in biotechnology while taking required courses in education in preparation for the five-year M.A.T. or M.Ed. programs and state certification in secondary science education; or alternative state certification pathway;
• provide an opportunity for students to complete a baccalaureate degree in biotechnology while completing the required courses for admission to medical, dental, veterinary, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, optometry, and other professional or graduate programs.
• allow students to complete a baccalaureate degree in biotechnology while completing the required courses for admission to graduate research programs (M.S. or Ph.D.) in the life sciences and related fields.

Employment opportunities in the public and private sectors include biotechnology research, development, and manufacturing; education; research laboratories; clinical laboratories; forensic laboratories; jobs in diverse areas from research to quality control to sales in the pharmaceutical industry; industrial positions in the food industry; water and wastewater laboratories and facilities; and environmental research and monitoring.

For more information, contact Kyle MacLea, program coordinator, or the Office of Admissions, (603) 641-4150.

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 128 credits and satisfy the University's Discovery Program and writing requirement. Each course required in the major must be completed with a minimum grade of C-. Students must attain a minimum GPA in the major of 2.0. Transfer students must complete at least 24 credits in the major at UNH.  BIOL 413 Principles of Biology I, BIOL 414 Principles of Biology II can be used to satisfy the biological sciences Discovery requirement and CHEM 403 General Chemistry I, CHEM 404 General Chemistry II may be used to satisfy the Physical Sciences Discovery requirement. PSYC 402 Statistics in Psychology or MATH 424B Calculus for Life Sciences/MATH 425 Calculus I may be used to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning Discovery requirement.

The UNH Manchester B.S. in biotechnology program is structured with three levels of coursework.

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BMS 705 Immunology, may optionally be taken with or without BMS 715 Immunology Laboratory.

Depending on their specific academic and career goals and in consultation with their advisor, students may elect to take additional supporting science courses and a full year of physics (e.g., take PHYS 402 Introduction to Physics II in addition to PHYS 401 Introduction to Physics I; or PHYS 408 General Physics II in addition to PHYS 407 General Physics I). These courses are often required for admission to medical, veterinary, and other professional and graduate programs.

BSCI 701 Senior Seminar I will meet weekly during either semester of the senior year in a seminar format. Students will share information about capstone experiences, listen to presentations on timely issues in biology, develop career preparation skills, and receive training in poster production. Other methods of oral presentation and scientific writing are explored as students prepare to present the results of their capstone activities at the Undergraduate Research Conference or other venues.

In addition, all students will take elective courses to fulfill the 128-credit requirement for a B.S. degree. These elective courses could fulfill the requirements for a major or minor in another program or they could fulfill a self-designed interdisciplinary concentration. These courses would be selected in consultation with their advisor.

Sample Course Sequence

A student successfully completing the Biotechnology program will be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of basic biological principles, concepts, and theories.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, apply, and synthesize biological information and ideas.
• Be competent in basic biology and chemistry laboratory skills and with the use of common laboratory equipment and instrumentation.
• Be competent in advanced laboratory techniques and microbiological methods.
• Understand the professional and ethical responsibilities involved with current and emerging topics in biology.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate technical information related to biological sciences and biotechnology related topics in scientific writing and oral presentations.
• Understand, analyze, and evaluate primary research literature involving biological sciences and biotechnology related topics.
• Understand and apply the process of the scientific method, including being able to formulate hypotheses, design and conduct experiments with adequate controls to test hypotheses, interpret and evaluate data, and draw conclusions.
• Gather, analyze, organize, evaluate, and present scientific data, including the use of technology to solve problems and communicate information.
• Demonstrate the ability to function as a member of a team.
• Understand current and emerging topics in biotechnology.
• Compete effectively for entry-level biotechnology industry employment and for admission to graduate or professional schools in their chosen area and be successful in these endeavors.