The Biotechnology Project: Associate Degree

Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Program

Associate in Applied Science Degree

Curriculum

The Associate Degree Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Program includes 37 credits of Biotechnology courses, 12 credits of science support courses, 15 credits of general education courses, and 6 credits of elective courses.

Students may meet some or all of the science support courses and general education requirements at another college prior to entering the Biotechnology Program, but the Biotechnology courses must be taken at MATC.

Students who do not have a job or other significant responsibilities can complete the Biotechnology program in two years as shown in the two year plan below. Students with responsibilities outside of school, or who need to take background courses are advised to consider a three year plan (shown below) or a four year plan.

Note that there are liberal studies courses (like psychology and communication skills) that are part of the Biotechnology Program curriculum. Students may choose to take the “college-transfer” courses as substitutes for the associate degree courses that are a part of the regular Biotechnology curriculum. “College transfer” courses generally transfer to four-year universities and so are better for students who continue their education at a four-year institution in the future. Lists of these alternative classes are shown below.

Note also that there six credits of “electives” are required in the Biotechnology Program. You can use any college courses as electives, but some courses are particularly recommended for Biotechnology students.

Biotechnology Associate Degree Curriculum

Two Year Course of Study

Three-Year Course of Study

First Year – Fall Semester
Course #	Title	Credits
890-201	Study Skills 1*	1
007-110	Biotechnology Applications	1
007-115	General Cell Biology	4
806-127	Chemistry 1	4
007-136	Laboratory Math for Biotechnology	1
	Elective	1-3
Semester Total		12-15
* Recommended

First Year – Spring Semester
Course #	Title	Credits

007-103	Biotech. Lab. Skills for a Regulated Workplace	3
007-105	Bioprocess Technology	3
007-111	Biotech. Career Seminar	1
806-129	Chemistry 2	4
Semester Total		12

Second Year – Fall Semester
Course #	Title	Credits
007-108	Hazardous Materials	1
007-109	Biosafety	1
007-102	Radioisotopes	1
007-123	Cell Culturing	3
007-124	Molecular Biology 1	3
801-151	Comm. Skills 1	3
Semester Total		12

Second Year – Spring Semester
Course #	Title	Credits
007-104	Chromatography Techs.	3
007-125	Molecular Biology 2	3
806-174	Industrial and Applied Micro.	4
809-195	Elective	2
Total		12

Third Year – Fall Semester
Course #	Title	Credits
007-122	Protein Bioseparations Methods	3
801-152	Communication Skills 2	3
809-199	Psychology	3
809-197	Contemporary American Society	3
Semester Total		12

Third Year – Spring Semester
Course #	Title	Credits
007-112	Biotech. Employment Skills	1
007-121	Applied Biochemistry	3
007-126	Occupational Work Experience	3
	Electives, as required to reach 6 total
809-195	Economics	3
Semester Total		10-12

Suggested Elective Courses

Course #	Course Title	Credits
General

890-201	Study Skills	1
890-791	Student Success 3	2
Natural Sciences
806-213	Organic Chemistry 1	5
806-214	Organic Chemistry 2	5
806-203	Intro to Zoology	5
806-215	Botany	5
806-280	Environmental Issues	4
806-206	General Anatomy & Physiology	4
Bioinformatics
007-180	Intro to Bioinformatics and Genomics AND	2
107-126	Intro to Bioinformatics Computing	2
(Please note: each course is 2 credits and both must be taken concurrently)
Mathematics
804-201	Intermediate Algebra	4
804-212	College Algebra	3
804-229	Mathematical Analysis	5
804-240	Basic Statistics	4
Computers
103-133	Excel, Beginning	1
103-137	Word, Beginning	1
103-143	Power Point (Presentations)	1
Semester Total		10-12

Alternative College Transfer Courses

Students may choose to take the following “college-transfer” courses as substitutes for the associate degree courses that are a part of the regular Biotechnology curriculum. These courses generally transfer to 4-year universities and so are better for students who continue their education at a 4-year institution in the future. If you have a particular 4-year institution in mind, it is important to verify the transferability of credits to that college and for the major that you expect to complete.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
Instead of Industrial and Applied Microbiology
806-274	General Microbiology	5
Instead of Communication Skills 1
801-201	English Composition	3
Instead of Communication Skills 2
810-20xx	Fundamentals of Speech	3
810-202	English Composition 2	3
Instead of Chemistry 1 & 2
806-209	College Chemistry 1	5
806-212	College Chemistry 2	5
Instead of Economics
809-212	Microeconomics	3
809-211	Macroeconomics	3
Instead of Psychology of Human Relations
809-231	Introduction to Psychology	3
809-235	Psychology of Personal Adjustment	3
809-236	Applied Psychology	3
Instead of Contemporary American Society
809-203	Introduction to Sociology	3
809-204	Marriage and the Family	3
809-205	Contemporary Society	3
809-206	Women in Society	3
809-207	Criminology	3
809-208	Contemporary African American Society	3
809-210	Men: Social and Psychological Perspectives	3
809-217	Dealing with Diversity	3