Overview
Community-Oriented Penn State Offers a Master of Biotechnology Program with Hands-On Learning and Research
Pennsylvania State University (PSU) is a large public research university with campuses in twenty-three locations across Pennsylvania. When Penn State was declared the Commonwealth's sole land-grant institution in 1863, the University's mission was broadened to include teaching, research, and public service in many academic disciplines. As a public institution, PSU promotes the general welfare of the community through public access and service. It collaborates with local partners in industry, agriculture, and education to generate and share knowledge to improve the wellbeing of the community. While not state-owned and operated, Penn State is still a "state-related" university, and holds its research hub at the University Park campus in Nittany Valley in central Pennsylvania.
The Master of Biotechnology program is emblematic of the Penn State philosophy of integrating service to the community, research in laboratories with various disciplines of focus, and teaching by a faculty that is diverse, creative, and equipped with cutting-edge knowledge. Students in the program receive an innovative, hands-on, multidisciplinary learning experience that they can tailor to their own professional interests.
The Master of Biotechnology program offers an environment that encourages teamwork and self-confident expression of ideas. Students can gain real-world experience and expand their knowledge base. The program offers not only extensive, cutting-edge scientific training, but also the opportunity to examine the legal, social, and economical facets of biotech. Students graduate with marketable skills that are invaluable to anyone entering the field of biotech.
The Master of Biotechnology Program Offers Hands-On Research, Internships, Ethics Training, and Lab Work
Penn State's Master of Biotechnology program gives students an interdisciplinary curriculum through which they learn innovative techniques through hands-on experience. Students learn the core aspects of biotechnology, including scientific principles and knowledge that support key biotech advances, lab techniques in biotech research and development, legal and intellectual property issues, ethical and social issues, and business and entrepreneurship skills. All students learn these skills through innovative, hands-on, interdisciplinary work in a cooperative environment where teamwork is encouraged.
In addition, graduate students must take a set of core courses in agricultural and biological engineering, biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, and integrative biosciences. Students then choose whether they wish to focus in agricultural applications, medical applications, or a diversified track. Each student must then complete a research internship in an academic laboratory or in industry, during which valuable hands-on experience will be gained. A research paper must be written about the project.
The Master of Biotechnology Program Offers Integrated Graduate and Undergraduate Degrees in Animal Sciences and Biotech
Undergrad students with a B.S. in animal sciences or biotechnology may apply for a special integrated degree that allows them to gain a Master of Science degree in biotechnology in a total of five years. Other special programs include the Distinguished Lectures in Life Science, which showcases world-class research and invites the top researchers in their field to speak to and dine with the students.
Penn State Offers Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships that Cover Tuition and Provide a Stipend
Assistantships are available for graduate students in the biotech program. The assistantships cover their tuition and provide a stipend in return for work in the classroom or laboratory. Assistantship workloads range from 10 to 30 hours per week. Teaching assistantships require students to assist in classroom or field instruction by teaching in lab sections, lecturing, preparing and proctoring exams and lab experiments, creating and grading homework, and holding office hours. In addition to providing a large financial incentive, teaching assistantships also help students enhance their organizational, leadership, and communication skills. Research assistantships require students to do work in a laboratory or field setting to help faculty members with research.
Other funding opportunities include research awards for specific areas from the Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter and the Breast Cancer Research Program.
The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences Promote Excellence in Interdisciplinary Research and Cutting-Edge Collaborations
The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences at Penn State are dedicated to improving research in the life sciences by fomenting more interdisciplinary research and education. This mainly takes place on two of the Penn State campuses: the main University Park campus and the Hershey College of Medicine.
The University Park campus, the vital research center of Penn State, is located in the center of downtown State College. Students can enjoy nature as they hike and mountain bike in the local area or fish in internationally recognized fly fishing waters. Other local attractions range from the American Philatelic Society's Civil War era post office to the various sports teams that play in the area.
The Hershey campus is the home of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, which not only aims to prepare students in health-related professions in order to help serve the health of others, but also directly helps improve the health of the community through integrated patient care.
PSU's Huck Institutes prepare students for successful careers by encouraging new perspectives across disciplinary boundaries. This interdisciplinary learning is supported through seed funding to establish centers of excellence. Students engage in active group-learning experiences and explore potential career opportunities that reach across multiple disciplines.
