Minors & Certificate

The undergraduate Minor in Biotechnology is a university-wide program and draws upon NC State’s strength in the life sciences, agriculture, and engineering. Students in the minor will participate in a series of cutting-edge laboratory-intensive courses. Upon completion of the minor, students will have a conceptual understanding of a wide array of research applications in biotechnology, as well as mastery of numerous techniques.

Biotechnology is not universally accepted, and one role of a university is to ensure that this technology is used wisely. A key part of the training provided by the Biotechnology Minor is the requirement for an ethics course that promotes critical thinking of ethical issues and discussions of individual and collective rights and responsibilities. By active participation in break-out sessions, each student can contribute their concerns and thoughts regarding the complex issues that accompany the use of genetically engineered organisms.  Requirements

Training in molecular biotechnology is essential for an expanding list of disciplines that have found modern biology-based skills of critical importance in pursuing research goals in areas ranging from microbiology to plant and animal sciences to chemical engineering. The Graduate Certificate Program in Molecular Biotechnology offers an opportunity for individuals educated in the life sciences and related disciplines to gain laboratory-based, hands-on training in many aspects of molecular biotechnology. NC State graduate students with career interests that involve molecular biotechnology, but are not eligible for the minor, are eligible to apply for the certificate. The Graduate Certificate Program in Molecular Biotechnology will require a minimum of 12 hours of required and elective courses outlined here.

Students enrolled in thesis M.S and Ph.D. programs can complete a minor in biotechnology with the successful completion of at least eight credit hours in selected laboratory core courses.