Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary field based on a combination of biology and technology. It includes the application of science and technology to the design of new plants, animals, and microorganisms that have improved characteristics. The methodologies include the use of recombinant DNA for gene cloning and gene transfers between organisms, culture of plant and animal cells and tissues, fusion of animal cells or plant protoplasts, and the regeneration of whole plants from single cells.
Biotechnology also is concerned with the large-scale fermentation processes that utilize some of these novel organisms for the production of pharmaceuticals, diagnostic tests for diseases, feed additives, enzymes, and hormones.
Biotechnology offers seemingly unlimited opportunities to combine genes from related or unrelated species to produce useful organisms with desirable properties that were not previously found in nature. The development of crop plants that are resistant to herbicides or insects, the production of human growth hormone and insulin by genetically engineered bacteria, and the development of unique vaccines are all examples of successful biotechnology.
The Biotechnology program is offered in either the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources or the College of Science and Mathematics and leads to the Bachelor of Science degree or Bachelor of Arts degree (College of Science and Mathematics only). The curriculum is designed to provide students with knowledge and experience in both basic and applied sciences. Students have an opportunity to work with scientists in various areas including, animal science, biochemistry, biology, botany, chemistry, horticulture, microbiology, pharmaceutical sciences, plant pathology, plant science, and zoology. Faculty in each of the cooperating life-science departments has been identified to serve as advisers and research mentors for students who select the biotechnology major. Graduates of this program have excellent opportunities for employment in the biotechnology industry or for graduate education.
Students majoring in biotechnology are required to perform a research project in the laboratory of a faculty member/scientist, and to prepare a senior thesis describing their research project. A 2.50 institutional grade-point average is required to graduate from the program.
Biotechnology Minor
A minor in biotechnology requires satisfactory completion of 21 credits in the following courses. A minimum of eight credits must be taken at NDSU.
Major Requirements
Major: Biotechnology
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F) | ||
| AGRI/UNIV 189 | Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C) | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| Upper Division Writing: Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Writing in the Technical Professions | ||
| Writing in the Sciences | ||
| Writing in the Health Professions | ||
| Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | ||
| Scientific Writing | ||
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasong (R): | ||
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| Science & Technology (S) | ||
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 122 & 122L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| Select one sequence from the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | ||
| University Physics I and University Physics I Laboratory | ||
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): Select from the current general education list | 6 | |
| Wellness (W): Select from the current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from the current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): Select from the current general education list | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Major requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Biotechnology Requirements | ||
| BIOC 460 & 460L | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I and Foundations of Biochemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOC 461 | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II | 3 |
| BIOC 465 | Principles of Physical Chemistry and Biophysics | 4 |
| BIOC 474 | Methods of Recombinant DNA Technology | 3 |
| MICR 350 & 350L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Lab | 5 |
| MICR 470 | Basic Immunology | 3 |
| MICR 471 | Immunology and Serology Laboratory | 2 |
| MICR 482 | Bacterial Genetics & Phage | 3 |
| MICR 491 | Seminar (Biotechnology) | 1-5 |
| MICR 494 | Individual Study (Senior Research) | 2-4 |
| MICR 494 | Individual Study (Senior Thesis) | 1 |
| Supporting Requirements | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation (Applies to students earning the degree from the CoAFSNR only; Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 150) | 1 |
| BIOL 150 & 150L | General Biology I and General Biology I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 151 & 151L | General Biology II and General Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 341 & 341L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 342 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages | 3 |
| or CSCI 122 | Visual BASIC | |
| Select one from the following: | 8 | |
| Applied Calculus I and Applied Calculus II | ||
| Calculus I and Calculus II | ||
| Select one from the following: | 4 | |
| College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory | ||
| University Physics II and University Physics II Laboratory | ||
| PLSC 315 & 315L | Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
| Major Elective in Physiology: Select 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Bacterial Physiology | ||
| Major Elective in Biotechnology Technique: Select 4-6 credits from the following: | 4-6 | |
| Methods of Biochemical Research | ||
| Molecular Biology of Gene Expression | ||
| Animal Cell Culture Techniques | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology | ||
| Additional Humanities & Fine Arts or Social & Behavioral Sciences Credits | 6 | |
An additional 6 credits from these General Education categories is required for earning a B.S. degree from either the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources or the College of Science and Mathematics. | ||
| Degree Requirements: Potential of 7 credits to reach 128 | 7 | |
| Total Credits | 128-136 | |
Degree Notes:
- The Bachelors of Science degree is the default degree type for this program of study. However, a Bachelor of Arts degree is available if the degree is being earned from the College of Science & Mathematics.
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree Requirements: An additional 12 credits of Humanities and/or Social Sciences courses and proficiency of a modern foreign language at the second year level (example: SPAN 201 & 202). Courses for the Humanities and/or Social Sciences may be fulfilled by any course having the following prefix: ADHM, ANTH, ARCH, ART, CJ, CLAS, COMM, ECON, ENGL, FREN GEOG, GERM, HDFS, HIST, LA, LANG, MUSC, PHIL, POLS, PSYC, RELS, SOC, SPAN, THEA, WGS, or any course from the current Humanities & Fine Arts (A) and/or Social & Behavioral Sciences (B) General Education list.
Minor Requirements
Biotechnology Minor
Required Credits: 21
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 460 & 460L | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I and Foundations of Biochemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOC 461 | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II | 3 |
| PLSC 315 & 315L | Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
| Biotechnology Technique Electives: Select 4 credits from the following: | 4 | |
| Methods of Biochemical Research | ||
| Methods of Recombinant DNA Technology | ||
| Animal Cell Culture Techniques | ||
| Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology | ||
| Specialized Electives: Select 6 credits form the following: | 6 | |
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Basic Immunology | ||
| Immunology and Serology Laboratory | ||
| Bacterial Genetics & Phage | ||
| Introductory Plant Pathology | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
