Unlock Your Career Potential
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See Courses & Program Info
View a complete list of program courses, requirements, workplace learning information, and more.
This program requires a total of 120 credits.
- 36 Required Major Credits: Review the required major courses outlined below. These include a subset of 7 credits accepted through transfer.
- 41 General Education Credits: Review the options available to fulfill the 41 credits of general education coursework requirements for bachelor's degrees.
- 43 Minor & Elective Credits: Review a list of available academic minors or see the course catalog or Schedule of Classes to help you select elective courses.
Required Major Courses
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In the process of completing your Workplace Learning courses at UMGC (BIOL 486A/B), you will need to complete 270 hours of a supervised research-based laboratory experience.
Your Workplace Learning experience should take place at an organization that can provide the types of activities and supervision needed to meet program requirements and your own career goals. Make sure to plan at least a semester in advance before participating in a Workplace Learning experience.
Please contact UMGC if you have additional questions:
- Contact Workplace Learning at workplacelearning@umgc.edu for questions about the program.
- Contact Career Services at careerservices@umgc.edu for placement support.
- Consult with your advisor or success coach for additional information or support.
Not ready to get started on a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology? You can pair a minor in a related field such as biology, natural science, or environmental health and safety with another one of UMGC’s degree programs.
Develop Skills in Biotechnological Analysis
Understanding biotechnological principles, processes, and the innovations that shape our health, environment, and industries is crucial in driving measurable change. This online program is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to analyze and apply biotechnological concepts to real-world challenges. The program aims to cultivate key competencies in areas such as molecular biology, bioinformatics, laboratory management and safety; critical thinking and problem-solving; comparative analysis of biotechnical methods; and the impact of biotechnology on society. Program directors regularly review and update the curriculum with an emphasis on helping students achieve the following:
7%
Job Growth
Employment for biological technicians is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | “Occupational Outlook Handbook” | Last Reviewed: September 9, 2024
8%
Job Growth
Employment for natural sciences managers is projected to increase 8 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than average for all occupations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | “Occupational Outlook Handbook” | Last Reviewed: September 9, 2024
18%
Vacancy Rate
The vacancy rate in medical laboratories in the United States ranges from 7 to 18 percent, showing an urgent need to recruit and retain skilled medical laboratory science professionals.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Pathology | “The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) 2022 Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories in the United States” | November 4, 2023
Apply What You Learn in Your Courses
Throughout the curriculum, your instructors will assign coursework that may help you prioritize real-world skills and hands-on experiences. In past courses, students have been able to complete the following projects:
- Analyze a case study to identify the problems and inconsistencies observed in a research lab. Propose recommendations to correct the problems and prepare a training manual or presentation to educate employees to prevent the problems from occurring again.
- Analyze a primary research article and propose at least two future directions for the research. Prepare a narrated “Shark Tank”-style PowerPoint presentation to pitch your future research ideas to investors for funding.
- Survey a laboratory for disposal supplies and durable lab equipment. Create a laboratory database/spreadsheet that accurately lists the supplies and equipment.
- Use bioinformatics tools to identify diseases at the gene and protein level.
FAQs
Get answers to questions that current and prospective students are asking about program admission, credibility, certifications, and more.
An online bachelor's degree in biotechnology is a college degree that students can earn online that can help prepare them for a career in biotechnology, working to find solutions to global issues such as the SARS-COV-2 virus (COVID-19), food insecurity, and bioremediation. UMGC’s online bachelor's degree in biotechnology is a 120-credit program that combines laboratory skills, applied coursework, biotechnology internship experience, and upper-level study. The curriculum includes input from employers, industry experts, and scholars and helps prepare you to work in pharmaceuticals, biomedical research, agriculture, chemical technology, and bioinformatics.
UMGC's online bachelor's degree in biotechnology is a 120-credit program with courses offered year-round. The time it will take you to complete your degree will depend on several factors, including your goals, how many transfer credits you have, your course load each semester, and whether you are able to benefit from one or more of our fast paths to credit, including credit for prior learning and credit for military education and training.
Tuition rates for the online bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from UMGC are very competitive and appear at the top of this page. We offer a low in-state rate for Maryland residents and a reduced tuition rate for military service members and their spouses and dependent children. We also offer scholarships for those who qualify, an interest-free monthly payment plan, and no-cost digital materials in place of most textbooks to help make online bachelor's degrees even more affordable.
To begin the online bachelor's degree in biotechnology at UMGC, you must meet our undergraduate admission requirements. In addition, you must complete 7 credits of approved coursework in biotechnology applications and techniques at another institution and have those credits accepted in transfer prior to beginning the capstone course. You can choose from courses in biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, physics, and virology.
You do not need any prior certifications to enroll in or complete this program.