Catalog - University of Maryland University College

MASTER’S DEGREE ANDCERTIFICATE PROGRAMSMASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOTECHNOLOGYMS INBIOTECHNOLOGYALL SPECIALIZATIONSSHARE COREREQUIREMENTSBioinformaticsBiosecurity and BiodefenseBiotechnology ManagementDUAL DEGREEMS inBiotechnologySEE P. 63 FOR DETAILS ABOUT DUAL DEGREES.Program Overview+Master of BusinessAdministrationThe curriculum requires 36 credits of coursework, including15 credits of core coursework, 18 credits of specializationcoursework, and a 3-credit capstone course.Program DescriptionBiotechnology explores the delicate and complex relationshipbetween technology and life. The Master of Science (MS) inbiotechnology is designed for students with backgrounds inmolecular biology who want to explore the ever-increasing rolethat technology plays in biological studies and research andin bio-businesses. The curriculum covers statistical processes,database systems, bioinformatics, gene expression data analysis,data structures, societal and business issues in biotechnology,and more. The goal of the program is to provide graduates withthe specific knowledge and expertise needed to take on moreprominent roles, such as laboratory supervisor, production manager,research scientist, bioinformatics analyst, or computationalbiologist, at their organizations.Program ObjectivesThe graduates of this program will be able to■■■■■■■■Explore and apply the technologies currently in use in the biotechnologyindustry.Effectively evaluate and understand the regulatory role of federaland state governmental agencies as well as international bodiesand professional groups.Examine the business of biotechnology, including financial, strategic,and human resource management in the industry.Utilize molecular biology concepts and software tools to haveincreased knowledge of bioinformatics.Academic PreparationStudents without a molecular biology background are requiredto take a college-level molecular biology course before taking therequired program core.RecognitionUMUC’s Master of Science in biotechnology has been designateda Professional Science Master’s Degree Program throughthe Council of Graduate Schools.SpecializationsThis MS in biotechnology degree program offers three specializations,each covering subject areas relevant to today’s careerfields. Each specialization prepares students for one of severalpossible career paths, depending on the student’s backgroundand employer criteria.BioinformaticsThe bioinformatics specialization provides students with acomprehensive and deep understanding of the many aspects ofmolecular biology and computational science. The curriculumcovers a broad range of subjects, including biostatistics, databasesand data structures, algorithms, gene expression analysis,and Perl.Course descriptions are found on pp. 83–121.30G R A D U A T E C A T A L O G | 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1