I am currently a junior in high school, and I started compiling a list of colleges to apply to. I want to major in biotechnology, so I checked the majors offered at the schools I want to go to. Most schools don’t have biotechnology as a major option, but they do have bioengineering. Should I put down bioengineering as my major? I do not want to be constructing medical devices or equipment, but rather I want to alter cells/genes/DNA on the molecular level. Is this still considered bioengineering? I know that UCSD offers a major called “Bioengineering: Biotechnology” and other sub-categories of bioengineering. If I put bioengineering as my major, how would the college know that I want to work on the molecular level rather than constructing machinery?
At UCSD at least, bioengineering: biotechnology is an engineering major that is deals with the molecular side of bioengineering. However, it is the only ABET-accredited biotech program in the country. A lot of schools, such as UC Davis, will have more agriculturally focused biotechnology majors.
The internet is your friend: http://colleges.startclass.com/d/o/Biotechnology
Biotechnology encompasses a wide variety of majors. Bioengineering is certainly one. Others include biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, biology, biochemistry, etc. You’d have to read the details of each program at each school to see what best fits your interest. Usually going into a biotech career that you describe will require a PhD as you just barely scrape the surface as an undergraduate – just something to think about.
I would say you would want molecular biology, not any engineering field.
If you want to develop processes or equipment, be an engineer.
If you want to use other people’s processes or equipment, be a scientist.
As some others noted, a biotechnology major is not the same thing as a biomedical engineering major.
Quite a few schools offer a specific biotechnology major. Otherwise, there are several other pathways to work in biotechnology, including majors in biochemistry/molecular biology, genetics, or microbiology. Also, be aware that some biotechnology programs are situated in plant science programs. These tend to be at ag colleges and focus on plant breeding and genetically-modified plants.
If you are in California, you can find programs here:
UCD: http://biotechmajor.ucdavis.edu/undergrad_students/curriculum.htm
Cal State-San Marcos: https://www.csusm.edu/academics/subjects/biotech.html
Cal State-Northridge: http://www.csun.edu/catalog/academics/biol/programs/bs-biology-iv/biotechnologymedical-technology/
Cal State-Bakersfield: http://www.csub.edu/biology/_files/BS%20Biotech%2010_11.pdf
Cal State-Long Beach: http://web.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/catalog/2014-2015/cnsm/biology/biolct01.html
Some programs located elsewhere include these:
Indiana: http://bulletins.iu.edu/iub/college/2010-2011/departments/biology/major-biotechnology.shtml
Marshall: http://science.marshall.edu/murraye/Biotechnology%20Major.html
Rutgers: http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~biotechcurr/
Rochester Inst. Tech.: https://www.rit.edu/programs/biotechnology-and-molecular-bioscience-bs
Tufts: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/undergraduate/degreebiotech.htm
Michigan State: https://www.reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/ProgramDetail.asp?Program=7024
Penn State: http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/baccalaureate_degree_programs.cfm?letter=B&program=biotc.htm
South Dakota State: http://catalog.sdstate.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=24&poid=4822
Arizona State: https://prehealth.asu.edu/premeddegrees/&AcadProg=UGLA&AcadPlan=LAMBBBS
New Mexico State: http://aces.nmsu.edu/academics/pes/genetics-degree.html
Syracuse: http://asacademics.syr.edu/BioTech/requirements_biotech.html
James Madison: http://www.jmu.edu/catalog/14/programs/biotechnology.shtml
Kent State: http://provostdata.kent.edu/roadmapweb/2015/asbsbtec.pdf
Houston: https://ssl.uh.edu/academics/majors-minors/degree-search/program.php?program_id=/UH-Publications/UndergradCatalog-WebSite/colleges/tec/majors/biotechnology/index
Nevada: http://catalog.unlv.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=4&poid=574&returnto=204
North Dakota State: http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/rr/curricula/2013/indsp/btg.pdf
Worcester State: http://www.worcester.edu/Biotechnology-Program/
Tennessee: http://catalog.utk.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=1564&returnto=394
Ohio: http://www.catalogs.ohio.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=12&poid=2441&returnto=527
Washington State: http://admission.wsu.edu/academics/fos/Public/field.castle?id=7870
Buffalo: http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/academicprograms/btc_degrees.shtml
Massachusetts: https://www.micro.umass.edu/undergraduate/biotechnology-certificate-program
If you like doing experiments and don’t mind working directly under/for someone else who is the real brains behind the science you can easily get associate/technician jobs at many biotechs with just a bachelor’s or master’s.
Here are some links that can help you understand more:
Biotechnology
(http://biotechmajor.ucdavis.edu/undergrad_students/curriculum.htm)
(http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/science/biotechnology-major.htm)
(https://www.umuc.edu/academic-programs/bachelors-degrees/biotechnology-major.cfm)
(http://biotechmajor.ucdavis.edu/undergrad_students/biotech_careers.htm)
(https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences-biotechnology)
To sum it up, it seems like biotech focuses on molecular biology, technology, and working in labs. A lot of biotech grads go on to secure jobs in pharmaceutical labs, research labs as lab technicians and research assistants. Biotechnology sounds like more of what you want to do: being in the lab. Biotechnology is NOT synonymous with bioengineering/biomedical engineering.
Bioengineering
(http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/engineering/bioengineering-major.htm)
(https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors/engineering-biomedical-engineering)
BME is the whole tinkering with joints, making artificial body parts, pacemakers etc. So to make it short, NO the two majors are not the same. Unless you specify a concentration in your major choice, choosing BME will make colleges assume you want to construct medical devices or equipment.
A better major choice for you would be biochemistry or molecular biology or maybe even chemical biology.
@iwannabe_Brown
As someone who spent the last three years seeking biotech jobs and internships, I can tell you that “easily” is extremely misleading for someone with a bachelor’s.
Fair enough. I always see listings for positions saying a bachelor’s is sufficient so I assumed it was not necessary to get a PhD for those positions.
For Research Associate or Technician position, you don’t need a PhD at all. For Scientist position or above, you will need at least a master degree. Most schools do not have a “Biotechnology” major but Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, etc. Basically, any life science degree will qualify you for a biotech career. Nevertheless, bench experience is usually required. So while you are in college, look for intern positions or do some research work in a lab. I would not hire anyone without bench experience.
I agree with @Pancaked, it is not really “easy” to find a job in the biotech industry particularly for someone without experience. It would be a lot easier to get a technician position in academia though. I have been working in the biotech industry for 12 years and involved in hiring. I have not hired a single fresh graduate except for summer intern. Those who had worked as an intern in the same company may have a higher chance to be hired.