Get a Master's in Biotechnology

For more than 50 years, Florida Tech has challenged engineering, science, and technology students with a rigorous educational curriculum rooted in independent and collaborate research, interdisciplinary classroom studies, and a myriad of real-world learning experiences.

Customizable Program

Florida Tech’s master’s in biotechnology program is just one of four graduate level specializations in biology, the others being cell and molecular biology, ecology, and marine biology.

The degree program is flexible with a wide range of course options and a minimum of required courses. Biotechnology curriculum covers general biological and chemical sciences, bioinstrumentation, bioinformatics, microbiology, molecular biology, and cell biology. Research is also a major part of studying at Florida Tech, including opportunities for both on- and off-campus laboratory work, and internships on a variety of projects in molecular medicine, diagnostics, agriculture, and environmental science. Students also have a heavy emphasis on enhancing communication skills through writing reports and giving oral presentations.

Research Opportunities

Developing medical and environmental technologies and solutions to improve the lives of people and habitats around the world is the focus for both students and faculty in the master’s in biotechnology program. With some of the most diverse environments on the planet located near Florida Tech’s campus, this rapidly advancing field uses living organisms and their components to create products and solve challenges.

As a national research university, Florida Tech provides the tools and skills necessary for students earning a master’s in biotechnology to conduct cutting-edge research in all areas of biological sciences, including bacterial genetics, climate change, polar biology, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. This research-based focus not only prepares graduates for the type of work they’ll do in their future career; it also provides an opportunity for their program results to be published in respected scientific journals. Building experience in a myriad of biological sciences disciplines, as well as mastering communication skills, gives students a competitive advantage when being considered by employers.

High-Tech Labs and Research Facilities

Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities on campus at the F. W. Olin Physical Sciences Center and the F.W. Olin Life Sciences Building. These facilities offer cutting-edge research laboratories and instrumentation, including gene sequencing, recombinant DNA technology, and tissue culture. Multidisciplinary laboratories offer high-resolution microscopy and imaging, an indoor aquaculture facility, a climate change institute, rooms for NMR spectrometers, photochemistry, glassblowing and computational chemistry, and a four-acre oceanfront marine lab with ready access to field sites.

Other facilities add to the reasons why Florida Tech is a leader in science education:

• The Harris Center for Science and Engineering serves the research needs of aquaculture and fish biology programs.
• The Vero Beach Marine Laboratory is a four-acre off-campus facility on the Atlantic Ocean supporting research on aquaculture, ecology, and toxicology.
• The Center for High Resolution Microscopy and Imaging enables students to prepare almost any kind of sample for microscopic evaluation, and to image sample surfaces and cross-sections.

Biology at Florida Tech is not just something you study—it’s something you go out into the field and do. A Florida Tech biotechnology master’s program engages students in relevant, topical research project in a multidisciplinary learning environment.

World Class Faculty as Your Mentors

The professors in the master’s in biotechnology program are experienced, doctoral-level instructors with both research and teaching experience in a wide range of areas related to biotechnology. This includes microbial genetics, bioinformatics, human disease, plant biotechnology, gene modification, sensory systems, nanotechnology, and tissue engineering.

Professors in the graduate biology department aim to create leaders in the field of biology who are ready to begin a career capable of contributing their expertise to solve complex challenges. The biotechnology master’s degree program offers extensive student- and faculty-led research opportunities and internships that provide real-world experiences.

Located in the Heart of Florida’s High-tech Corridor

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a biotechnology master’s degree. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has one of the largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities. the many local, state, and national agencies, marine environmental consulting firms, public aquaria, mariculture companies, and private marine research organizations offer internships and employment for graduates. Just a few hours away from the Florida Keys and the Everglades, Florida Tech is easily the best candidate for a biotechnology master’s degree program.

The multidisciplinary biotechnology program prepares graduates for their career using the latest body of knowledge in the industry and by providing excellent research facilities for conducting state-of-the-art biotechnology research. This real-world experience builds a highly competitive resume that equips graduates for future employment.

Research topics include:

• Molecular medicine
• Diagnostics
• Agriculture
• Environmental science

In addition to research activities, graduate students can become members of the scientific societies that support the biotechnology field. Based on laboratory productivity, there may also be a chance to attend scientific meetings and present research findings.

Students in this program also collaborate with graduate students in the closely related areas of nanotechnology and biomedical engineering. Internships can also be arranged anywhere in the country during any semester in the second year of the program.

Biotechnology careers can be found in a variety of positions across many different industries, from research and development to medicine and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and environmental technology. Graduates with a master’s of science in biotechnology from Florida Tech gain new scientific insights and prepare for careers in biotech management—a dynamic and continually growing career option.

Career Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Standards (BLS), provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things.

According to Bureau, job growth for biological scientists is expected to grow more than 20% through 2018. Employment of biological technicians is projected to grow 10% through 2022. Among biotechnology careers, scientists will be needed to develop genetically engineered crops that increase yields and reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilizer. Job growth will also be in demand for scientists to discover new ways to clean and preserve the environment as well as develop alternative sources of energy, such as biofuels and better sources of renewable biomass.

Biotechnology Careers

• Agricultural food scientist
• Animal research
• Biofuel technician
• Cell culture technician
• Clinical research associate
• Genomics technician
• Laboratory safety officer
• Medical and clinical laboratory scientist
• Microbiology quality control technician
• Molecular biology technician
• Occupational health and safety specialist
• Purification technician
• Quality control inspector
• Water quality technician

Employers that have recruited Florida Tech graduates for biotechnology careers include:

• Millennium Research Labs
• OSD Innovations
• Max Planck Institute
• Biogen Idec
• Genetics Associates
• Florida Biologix
• Scripps Research Institute
• Moffitt Cancer Center

Doctoral Program

Florida Tech students graduating with a master’s in biotechnology join cutting-edge companies around the world solving complex biological challenges. Some graduates prefer to continue their academic career and enter a doctoral program in biological sciences at Florida Tech. Along with a chance to further their research, earning a doctorate can increase a student’s lifelong earning potential and position them as a subject-matter expert.