UMBC’s Biotechnology curriculum is intended to address changes in the needs of the biotechnology industry through experiential learning. The program offers advanced instruction in the life sciences, plus coursework in regulatory affairs, leadership, management, and financial management.
The M.P.S. Biotechnology represents a new kind of degree designed to prepare science professionals to fill management and leadership roles in biotechnology-related companies or agencies organizations. This unique degree offers an alternative to a MBA or Ph.D. degree.
The core consists of five courses (15 credits) that precede a capstone course (3 credits) for a total of six courses (18 credits). The Biotechnology core provides students with key practical skills needed to succeed in biotechnology industries. The capstone project is initiated during the first semester and culminates in the capstone course.
Required Core Courses
BTEC 675: Business Principals of the Biotechnology Industry
This course is an overview of the life science industry, current and future trends. In depth discussions of the relationship between science and business and the process by which biotech products are designed, developed and brought to market. Course topics will include, biotechnology entrepreneurship, starting, leading and managing biotech companies, and comprehensive thesis on the workings of the biotechnology industry.
BTEC 655: Emerging Topics in Biotechnology
This seminar-style course is an in-depth exploration of emerging technologies, innovations, and new products that are noteworthy to the biotechnology industry. The course focuses on examining and critiquing what new scientific discoveries will likely impact the industry and in what ways. Literature research expands and deepens the student’s understanding of key fields within the life science area and allows the student to gain more in-depth knowledge on subjects that are relevant to their careers. Oral presentation and written papers help to refine the student’s communications skills.
BTEC 656: Experimental Design
This course introduces the basic concepts which underlie the design of experiments. The use of statistical methods to discriminate between real effects (those caused by changes in controlled variables) and experimental error in systems which are inherently noisy are taught. Statistically designed experimental programs which can help test many variables simultaneously are very efficient tools for developing empirical mathematical models which accurately describe physical and chemical processes. These techniques are readily applied to production plant, pilot plant and laboratory systems, and should be a part of every practicing life science professional’s repertoire. At the end of this course, the student will be able to select an appropriate experimental design for the problem at hand, to set up, conduct and analyze the results of statistically designed experiments, and to understand the statistical basis for these techniques.
BTEC 665: Management, Leadership and Communication
This course teaches the fundamentals of management and managerial leadership and communication. Managers juggle operations, finance, information technology, strategy, and projects, yet much of their success depends less on their own direct input than on their ability to enlist the active involvement of others: direct reports, other managers, other team members, and those above them on the organizational chart. It is imperative, therefore, that managers be adept at influencing those over whom they have no formal authority as well as guiding and directing those who report to them.
BTEC 670: Legal & Ethical Issues in the Science Professions
This course offers an overview of legal issues affecting biotechnology and other science-based industries and frames basic philosophical and ethical considerations regarding genetic data and manipulation. The course includes a discussion of intellectual property issues.
BTEC 654: Capstone
This seminar-style, capstone course is an in-depth exploration of emerging technologies, innovations, and new products that are noteworthy to the biotechnology industry. The first half of the course focuses on examining and critiquing what new scientific discoveries will likely impact the industry and in what ways. In the second half of the course, students, working in teams, will give written and oral presentations on case studies that attempt to predict products derived from the new innovations and discoveries. The objective of the course is to give the student insight into the process of translating scientific discovery into innovative products.
Prerequisite: BTEC 653
Regulatory Pathway
These courses focus on the regulatory environment. The curriculum provides students with a foundation in regulatory affairs, GMP manufacturing, quality control and systems and clinical trials management.
BTEC/ENCH 660: Regulatory Issues in Biotechnology
This course provides a comprehensive coverage of all steps involved with the regulatory approval process for a biotechnology-derived product. Documentation preparation for IND, NDA, BLA. Pre-clinical safety data, clinical studies, facilities inspection and scientific and regulatory principles.
BTEC/ENCH 662: Good Manufacturing Practices for Bioprocesses
In-depth coverage of developing and implementing good manufacturing practices (GMPs) in the biotech industry. Topics include building and facilities, equipment design, utilities, in-process controls, records, and adequate process validation.
BTEC/ENCH 664: Quality Control & Quality Assurance for Biotechnology Products
In-depth coverage of the key issues associated with adequate quality-control systems, assays and stability for novel biotechnology products: quality concepts, product release testing and specifications, in-process testing, product characterization, quality assurance documentation and audits and vendor certification.
BTEC/ENCH 666: Biotechnology GMP Facility Design, Construction and Validation
Presents an in-depth discussion of the engineering design of a biotech facility under GMP compliance. Topics covered include bulk plant design, process equipment design, utilities, instrumentation, controls and computerization, facility and software validation.
Bioprocessing Pathway
These courses focus on the technology of making and purifying commercially valuable products from living systems. Students interested in bench-science careers in biotechnology related to the development and manufacture of biologic products will benefit from choosing these courses.
BTEC 653: Princials of Upstream Processing
A chemical engineering course covering basic process engineering, from the milliliter to the kiloliter scale. Topics relevant to the commercial bioprocesses used in the food, pharmaceutical and waste treatment industries will be introduced. Both upstream processes (e.g., fermentation, cell growth, energetics, mass transfer and enzyme kinetics) and downstream processes (chromatographic separations, ultrafiltration, and waste treatment) will be covered.
Prerequisite: BTEC 652 or permission of instructor
BTEC 658: Principals of Downstream Processing
In depth study of quality control measures and the analytical tools used to monitor bioprocesses and establish and monitor product specifications. The course aims to provide the student with working knowledge of product finishing techniques, design of stability studies, identification of degradation pathways and the use of statistical analyses.
BTEC 659: Fundamentals of Bioprocess Development
Bioseparation is the process of fractionating and purifying biological materials: DNA, proteins, living cells, antibiotics, biofuels, food ingredients, and biochemical among others. This course covers separation methods used in the biotechnology industry, principles governing these methods, approaches to improving bioseparation performance, and the special challenges of scale-up. Key topics include techniques such as centrifugation, filtration, extraction, membrane methods, liquid-liquid separations, chromatography and electrophoresis.
BTEC/ENCH 664: Quality Control & Quality Assurance for Biotechnology Products
In-depth coverage of the key issues associated with adequate quality-control systems, assays and stability for novel biotechnology products: quality concepts, product release testing and specifications, in-process testing, product characterization, quality assurance documentation and audits and vendor certification.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this program, you will be able to:
- Explain the relationship between science and business related to biotechnology;
- Interpret and analyze new scientific discoveries and technologies relevant to biotechnology;
- Assess and apply established and emerging biotechnology techniques used for commercial development;
- Describe the process of biotechnology product development, including clinical trial design, inspections, and regulatory filings;
- Plan for and manage innovative technologies and/or products
- Apply the elements of effective management and leadership within an organization;
- Effectively function in and lead multidisciplinary teams
- Communicate ideas effectively and persuasively in writing and oral presentations;
- Describe and apply sound legal and ethical standards, reasoning, and tools in a biotechnology context;
- Design and plan experiments and evaluate research results.
Program Highlights
- 30-credit masters program (10 courses)
- 2 optional pathways: Regulatory & Bioprocessing
- Advanced level science, business and regulatory courses (“science plus”)
- Nationally accredited Professional Science Masters
- Internship opportunities – The MPS Program offers assistance to students interested in expanding on their industry experiences to include a Professional Experience. Please contact a Program Director for more information.
- No thesis required
- Evening and hybrid classes
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