2013 - 2014 Site Archive

 

 

Graduate Bulletin

Biotechnology, P.S.M.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:

Fall: July 1; December 15 international

Spring: Open only to non-matriculated students who successfully completed P.S.M. coursework in the Fall semester.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters should be obtained from college/university faculty, preferably those in laboratory science areas, who are familiar with the applicant's academic and/or research abilities.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

Applicants should have a solid background in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, or Physics. The Biology Department's Graduate Committee may allow departures from course requirements upon review.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A baccalaureate degree in a science or engineering field is required.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500-1,000 words in length and should include your interest in Temple's program, your research goals, and your academic and research achievements.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. Admission guidelines include a combined minimum score of 305 on the quantitative and verbal reasoning sections of the GRE exam.

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 90 iBT or 575 PBT.

Transfer Credit:

Graduate credits from an accredited institution may be transferred into the Biotechnology program. The credits must be equivalent to coursework offered by the Biology Department at Temple University. A grade of "B" or better must have been earned for the credits to transfer. The Biology Department Graduate Committee makes recommendations to the Department Chair for transferring credit on an individual basis. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 34

Required Courses:

BIOL 5225:  Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics

BIOL 5479:  Biotechnology
BIOL 5501:  Analytical Biotechnology
BIOL 5502:  Microbial Biotechnology
BIOL 5503:  Biotechnology Laboratory I
BIOL 5504:  Biotechnology Laboratory II
BIOL 5505:  Ethics Regulation and Policy in Biotechnology
BIOL 5510:  Professional Development Seminar
CEE 5793:  Environmental Biotechnology

Any elective relevant to the student's area of specialization, with approval from the P.S.M. Steering Committee

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Additional Requirements:

All graduate-level courses must be passed with a "B-" or better.

Attendance at scheduled departmental colloquia is required.

Culminating Events:

Independent Research Project:
The Professional Science Master’s program in Biotechnology at Temple University offers technical and leadership training to address environmental priorities and human health. In this vein, students select an independent research project by the end of their first year with mentors at Temple and /or approved co-mentors at any off-campus sites, including pharmaceutical companies and government agencies.

Project proposals, which are approved by the P.S.M. Steering Committee, foster technical and intellectual skill building. At the end of the program, the project is presented in written and oral formats to further develop communication skills. These features provide graduates with knowledge and leadership skills to help tackle real-world problems using Biotechnology.

Contacts
Program Contact Information:

https://bio.cst.temple.edu/biotech/

Department Information:

Dept. of Biology

255 Biology-Life Sciences Building
1900 N. 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122

rneely@temple.edu
215-204-8854

Department Contacts:

Program Director:

Mark Feitelson
feitelso@temple.edu
215-204-8434

Assistant Program Director:

Seema Freer
sfreer@temple.edu
215-204-8842

Department Chairperson:

Allen Nicholson
allen.nicholson@temple.edu
215-204-8854

About the Program

The Professional Science Master’s program in Biotechnology is a two-year degree program hosted by the Department of Biology, with coursework taught by diverse faculty from Temple University, industry, and government. Students work directly with our research faculty on real-world projects, gaining hands-on skills necessary to solve emerging problems. The program culminates in an independent research project based at Temple or one of its industry and government partners in Philadelphia.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 2 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students may enroll either full-time or part-time. Most of the classes are offered in the evenings or on weekends to enable full-time working professionals to be enrolled in the program. International students are required to register as full-time students.

Department Information:

Dept. of Biology

255 Biology-Life Sciences Building
1900 N. 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122

rneely@temple.edu
215-204-8854

Interdisciplinary Study:

The two-year program consists of a series of multi- and interdisciplinary core courses that include current topics in biotechnology, analytical biotechnology, bioethics/policy, bioinformatics, environmental biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology. Many of these courses are writing intensive and also provide students with opportunities to sharpen their oral presentation skills. Further, all student research projects are developed with the cooperation of Temple faculty and members of our External Advisory Board under the guidance of the P.S.M. Steering Committee.

Affiliation(s):

The Biotechnology degree program is designated as a Professional Science Master’s (P.S.M.) degree program, an initiative launched by the Council of Graduate Schools.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

Not applicable.

Accreditation:

Temple University is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Areas of Specialization:

Three areas of concentration are offered:

  • Bioinformatics in Biotechnology, which entails decision making based on data accession, as well as manipulation and analysis over a broad range of fields
  • Biotechnology in Biomedicine and Drug Discovery, including target identification of disease to drug design, discovery, and optimization
  • Biotechnology in Industrial and Environmental Engineering, in partnership with the College of Engineering
Job Placement:

Official job placement is not offered, but prospects are good. Philadelphia and the surrounding Delaware Valley constitute a primary hub for integrative biotechnology since the area is a major center for pharmaceutical companies, chemical industries, and the health sciences. Philadelphia has also exhibited an increasing leadership presence in the emerging Green City movement. Given recent growth in the Biotechnology sector, the demand for a highly trained workforce with a strong science background has soared.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students may enroll in a total of three courses (9 credits) with permission of the instructor and the Biology Department.

Financing Opportunities

No financial assistance in the form of Research or Teaching Assistantships is offered.

Updated 7.8.13