Why study Molecular Biotechnology at Washburn?

Molecular biologists and biotechnologists work at the cellular level. As a student in this program, you’ll learn with experts in the fields of cellular biology, microbiology, genetics, virology, and immunology. If you want to work in areas ranging from public health to nanotechnology, this could be the right path for you.

With a faculty mentor and advisor in your area of interest, you’ll complete at least one semester of research experience and grow your skills as a scientist, as well as a collaborative member of a lab team. Internships also are available with our many partners and an internship is required for this degree program. You’ll graduate with experience and the technical skills and knowledge you need to begin your career or continue to advanced study.

Career Forecast Stable OutlookAverage Salary $84,400on campus
A biology professor and student work on a experiment in a lab

What sets Biology at Washburn apart?

  • Learn from field experts not graduate students in small classes that help you thrive.
  • Internships in a variety of settings will help you explore career paths prior to graduation. Recent sites include state agency labs, medical centers, and a brewery.
  • Biology Department Scholarships are available to incoming and returning majors.
  • Find your people on campus with one of four biology student clubs
  • Graduate with research experience guided by a faculty mentor, which could lead to a conference presentation or publication.

What can you do with this degree?

Graduates of this program now work in a variety of roles within the scientific community. Among them: medical doctors, university faculty members and researchers, vaccine quality control, virology, pharmaceutical development, intellectual property attorneys, and medical technology business owners.

To earn a B.S. degree in molecular biology & biotechnology, a student must satisfy the following:

  • University and general education requirements
  • 34 credit hours of molecular biology & biotechnology core biology requirements, plus
  • 41 credit hours of required correlate courses, plus
  • 8 credit hours (minimum) of additional BI or CH courses, plus
  • 3 credit hours of an approved ethics course (PH 214)
  • Required 30-hour natural science concentration
    • 20 credit hours in one discipline, which is satisfied via the required CH, MA and PS credit hours

Required core biology courses:

  • BI 102 General Cellular Biology (5)
  • BI 103 General Organismal Biology (5)
  • BI 234 Introduction to Biotechnology (3)
  • BI 301 General Microbiology (4)
  • BI 333 General Genetics (4)
  • BI 353 Molecular Genetics (3)
  • BI 354 Molecular Biology Laboratory (3)
  • BI 390 Biology Seminar (Biotechnology) (1)
  • BI 395 Biology Research (3)
  • BI 440 Biotechnology Internship (3)

Total core biology hours: 34

Required chemistry, math and physics courses:

  • CH 151/152 Fundamentals of Chemistry (1 year with lab) (10)
  • CH 340/342 Organic Chemistry I (with lab) (5)
  • CH 341 Organic Chemistry II (3)
  • CH 350/351 Biochemistry I (1 semester with lab) (5)
  • MA 140 Statistics (3)
  • MA 151 Calculus & Analytical Geometry I (5)
  • PS 261-262 College Physics (1 year with lab) OR PS 281/282 General Physics (1 year with lab) (10)

Total CH, MA, PS hours (satisfies the 30-hour Natural science concentration): 41

Elective supportive courses:

(students must complete a minimum of 8 additional hours from the following list)

  • BI 322 Advanced General Botany (4)
  • BI 325 Microbiology of Human Diseases (5)
  • BI 328 Plant Anatomy and Physiology (3)
  • BI 330 Animal Physiology (4)
  • BI 343 Human Genetics (3)
  • BI 355 Developmental Biology (5)
  • BI 357 Histology (4)
  • BI 362 Immunology (3)
  • BI 363 Immunology Lab (2)
  • BI 370 Virology (3)
  • CH 343 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (2)
  • CH 352 Biochemistry II (3)
  • CH 353 Biochemistry Laboratory II (2)
Total elective hours: at least 8

Other course required:

  • PH 214 Medical Ethics 3

Washburn’s Biology program offers specialization in:

A biology student looks through a microscope.

Biology

  • This is right for you if you want a strong foundation in biology but aren't ready to choose a specialty area, or want to combine it with another major.
A student uses a pipette to add a sample to a slide.

Forensic Biology

  • This is right for you if you want to work as part of a crime scene processing team.
A student smiles while at an orientation for biology.

Biology Secondary Education

  • This is right for you if you want to teach biology at the middle or high school level.
A student measures the size of a turtle's shell in the field.

Environmental Biology

  • This is right for you if you want to work with plants, animals, or insects as a conservationist, zoologist or field biologist.
A student looks through a microscope.

Pre-Health Professions

  • Tailor your degree to prepare you for dentistry, medical, optometry, pharmacy or veterinary school.

Set for Success

CAREER FORECAST: stable outlook

Positive peer pressure

75%

of students in this major graduate in four years.

Student/faculty ratio

16:1

Recent internship sites

Norsemen Brewing Co.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

University of Kansas Medical Center

GET IN TOUCH WITH Department of Biology

Department of Biology
Stoffer Science Hall, Room 202
Washburn University
1700 SW College Ave
Topeka, KS 66621

Phone & Email
Phone: 785-670-2077
biology@washburn.edu

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