
Puja Agarwal, PhD, uses population studies to explore how specific foods may play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Cheesemaking began thousands of years ago when someone decided to make good use of curdled milk. In 1928, a distant cousin of the same mold used to create cheese helped spark one of the greatest advances in medicine, the development of the antibiotic drug penicillin.
There is nothing cheesy or moldy, however, about the science they were all practicing.
Both are forms of biotechnology — a term first coined in 1919 — an exciting, fast-growing field that attracts scientifically minded people who want to make a difference in the health sciences and beyond. Biotechnology is any technology that makes use of biology, whether it’s fermentation (think bread or wine) or developing drugs to treat diseases.
People interested in biotechnology often pursue a biotechnology master’s degree to get their careers off the ground. Let’s explore some of the benefits of a biotechnology master’s program and how it can get you into this field.
A master’s degree in biotechnology is an advanced degree that gives students a deeper understanding of the field and the opportunity to learn about the many different kinds of career doors that it opens. Most people interested in biotechnology start their education with an associate or bachelor’s degree in biology or biotechnology, but many will need a graduate degree in biotechnology to advance past entry-level positions.
Completing a master’s degree in biotechnology generally takes one to two years depending on your pace and the specific biotechnology master’s program. The program will likely include the following:
A master’s degree in biotechnology positions graduates to find jobs, but the degree is also sometimes used as a stepping stone to pursue a research doctorate (PhD) or a professional degree (medical degree or doctorate in dental science).
People choose a career in biotechnology because of their love of science as well as the variety of career options, solid job growth and strong pay.
There are several branches of biotechnology, including medical, animal, industrial and environmental.
People with a master’s degree in biotechnology have no shortage of career options. The following are some of the more popular types of biotechnology careers:
Biotechnologists often work in university laboratories and hospital clinics, or for pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies. But they can sometimes be found using their knowledge as teachers or in other fields where they can put their knowledge to work, such as marketing, product development and public policy. For example, a company that focuses on products that are based on scientific discoveries often use biotechnologists to perform research that helps to discover these products, but they may also work with the sales, marketing or product development departments to help them understand the underlying science and translate it into useful information for the general public.
Someone with a master’s degree in biotechnology has an advanced level of knowledge that allows them to teach at high schools or community colleges. “STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and math — can be intimidating to students,” says Andrew Bean, PhD, dean of the Graduate College at RUSH University. “Using your biotechnology knowledge to teach students in a way that’s easy to understand helps them overcome that intimidation. That helps open up career pathways for the next generation of biotechnologists, and that’s really important.”
Biotechnology professionals may also find themselves in unlikely terrain, such as intellectual property law or management consulting. In the biotechnology master’s program at RUSH University, experts who are currently working in various fields help develop the curriculum, and students often take part in internships that prepare them to meet the needs of various industries.
BLS projects a 7 percent growth for biological laboratory technicians from 2018-2028, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Other biotechnology jobs are expected to grow at least as fast as average as more industries look for people who understand science and are adept at data analysis.
“People looking for jobs that deal with large amounts of data using bioinformatics approaches are especially well-positioned due to a growing need,” Bean says. “Overall, there will be no shortage of opportunities in biotechnology. It is a really fun field where you can combine your interest in science with so many other areas, so that makes it enticing for a lot of people.”
Learn more about biotechnology at RUSH University.