The Case for Teaching Biotech in College

Biotechnology is a rapidly growing industry with consistent growth that requires an increasingly large workforce. A biotech background can provide job opportunities in multiple biomedical, agricultural, and environmental segments in private industry, academia, and clinical care. Jobs are available both domestically and globally for those with everything from associate degrees to doctorates.

The many job options provide career paths for those just starting, those who want to change careers, and those looking for stable employment. However, different levels of education are required for different jobs depending on the complexity of the work.

Associate degrees can help prepare students to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program. They teach students the foundational concepts of biotechnology upon which the rest of their education can be built. They are not required for admission to a bachelor’s degree program, but they can be helpful for many students. While a bachelor’s degree is a common requirement for jobs, there are many opportunities for candidates who have completed an associate degree but do not wish to pursue further education.

Most entry-level biotech positions require a four-year bachelor’s degree. These degrees provide everything from fundamental ideas to some advanced concepts, and they typically allow students to choose certain classes over others to specialize in one type of work.

A master's degree allows a student to further specialize. These programs feature core courses with a few electives, and they can typically be completed in two to three years.

Certificates can be earned quickly, typically in a year or less. However, they are designed for students who have already completed an undergraduate or graduate degree. Certificates offer these students specialized training needed in a particular career or additional education not gained as part of an undergraduate program. Because certificates are highly focused, they usually do not include general education courses. They can be especially useful to students who earned a bachelor’s degree in a field other than biotechnology.

A doctorate, or PhD, is the highest degree a student can earn. Doctoral programs allow students to choose an original research project and focus of study, and they can be completed in as little as three years or as many as eight years. These programs culminate with a dissertation detailing the student’s original work and findings, which then must be presented and defended in front of the program’s faculty. A PhD is required for students who wish to conduct in-depth research or teach in a university, as well as for some other positions.

Biotech provides job opportunities for new graduates at all education levels and can help students develop soft skills, like communication, critical thinking, and self-reliance, that make them more desirable to future employers. Biotech education also provides opportunities for partnerships and recruiting at local high schools and internship programs, R&D, and other collaborations with industry.

The focus and level of your education will depend on what you want to accomplish in your career. Be sure to speak with an advisor at your school to find the right program for you. For a helpful place to get started, use the table below to see what level of education is commonly required for popular biotechnology jobs.