Director/Project Leader, Roche USA
San Jose, CA
The M.S. in Biotechnology offers a powerful two-year curriculum integrating topics in science, business, regulatory policy and law to explain how technology discoveries become commercial products in the biotechnology industry.
Classes are held every other week with a convenient evenings/weekend course schedule. This allows you to work full-time while completing your degree in less than two-years.
This integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum has been custom designed and continuously refined since 2002 to fulfill the program’s mission of preparing students to lead the development and commercialization of emerging biotechnologies.
Courses are led by teams of university experts and private industry leaders, providing a unique blend of theoretical and functional knowledge that students can apply immediately to their careers. Three hands-on molecular technologies lab courses provide an experiential learning component to complement the traditional classroom.
Year 1, Fall Semester
Theme: Technology Assessment
The program begins with an emphasis on technology assessment. In addition to these courses, you’ll work as part of a team on a semester-long technology assessment project that puts everything you’ve learned into practice.
Courses: (8 credits total; September – December)
Year 1, Spring Semester
Theme: Product Development & Biomanufacturing
In the second semester, you’ll build on previous coursework and gain in-depth exposure to regulatory affairs, quality assurance and biomanufacturing practices.
Courses: (10 credits total; January – May)
Summer Off…
Year 2, Fall Semester
Theme: Drug Discovery, Commercial Development & Product Delivery
The three courses in this semester provide an overview of drug discovery and the process of taking new technologies to market. By blending science and business, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the complex management issues that can arise.
Courses: (8 credits total; September – December)
Year 2, Spring Semester
Theme: Strategic Planning, People Management & Career Growth
The unlimited potential of biotechnology comes with complex scientific, business and management challenges. In this final semester, you’ll complete capstone master’s thesis that integrates all aspects of the program’s curriculum. You’ll select a technology, assess its business potential and explore the management issues that define its potential as a marketable product.
Courses: (8 credits total; January – May)
Curriculum Themes and Courses
| Business | Regulatory, Policy & the Law | Scientific | Leadership & Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 Theme: Technology Assessment | Business Fundamentals for Biotechnology | Intellectual Property, Patents & Licensing;Biotechnology Regulation & Ethics | Molecular Tech I: Diagnostic Testing | |
| Spring 1 Theme: Product Development | Biotechnology Operations | Molecular Tech II: Biomanufacturing | Project Management & Leadership | |
| (May - August) | No Classes during Summer Term | |||
| Fall 2 Theme: Commercialization & Product Delivery | Commercialization Pathways | Early Drug Discovery; Molecular Tech III: Assay Development | ||
| Spring 2 Theme: Scientific Frontiers, Strategic Planning, & Career Management | Sustaining Growth | Advanced Biotechnology: Global Perspectives | Professional Development & Effective Management | |
| Capstone Research Project | ||||
Commonly held Positions and the Skills & Expertise they Require
The following columns highlight the types of positions our graduates move into and the common defining skills and expertise enabling them to find career success and add value to their employer.
Types of Positions Held by Alumni
Director of Manufacturing
Director of Regulatory Compliance
Director, Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Patent Agent
Licensing Director
Manufacturing Scientist
Operations Manager
Marketing Specialist
Consultant/Entrepreneur
Chief Operating Officer
Sales/Sales Manager
R&D Scientist
Project/Product Manager
Business Analyst
Business Developer
Common Themes in Curriculum
Leadership
Public Speaking
Program Management
Product Life Cycle Management
Market Analysis
Effective Writing
Entrepreneurship
Technology Transfer
Corporate Strategy