Combining Biological Sciences with Engineering

 Microbial Engineering

The Masters of Science in Microbial Engineering combines biological sciences with engineering. Research projects and most courses involve the interdisciplinary faculty of the BioTechnology Institute. Graduates work in the biotechnology industry or join other graduate programs for PhD studies.

Full-time research track with stipend (most common)

Time: 2 years

Description: The research track combines coursework in biological sciences and chemical engineering with research in faculty laboratories and seminar presentations. Students spend more than half of their time on a thesis research project in one of the BTI faculty laboratories. Students receive a tuition credit, healthcare, and a living stipend of $24,000 per year.

Coursework: Students choose coursework from biochemistry, food science, pharmacology, plant biology, genetics, cell biology, bioinformatics, and engineering. Students must demonstrate proficiency in one computer programming language. The graduate thesis is based on original laboratory or investigative work.

31 total credits required:

6 cr – Biological Sciences (Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology)

6 cr – Chemical Engineering

2 cr – Seminar

6 cr – Related Field Electives

1 cr – MicE 5950 Fermentation

10 cr – Research in faculty laboratories

Part-time industrial track without stipend

Time: varies

Description: Intended for industry employees who can continue working while pursuing the MicE degree part time. This option substitutes additional coursework for the research in the laboratory and does not provide a stipend. The students (or their employer) pay tuition fees.

Coursework: Required classes mirror the research track and emphasize the biological sciences and engineering. Students are required to write a research paper and present a report on industrial research, which may be part of their current work.

31 total credits required:

9 cr – Biological Sciences (Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology)

9 cr – Chemical Engineering

2 cr – Seminar

6 cr – Related Field Electives

1 cr – MicE 5950 Fermentation

4 cr – Industrial research report (Preceptorship)

Masters of Science in Microbial Engineering is a research based program. Most students join faculty labs as Research Assistants (research track), where they receive a tuition credit, healthcare, and a living stipend of $24,000 per year. Students in the research track typically graduate in 2 to 2½ years after the completion of an original research project under the direction of a MicE faculty member.  For students sponsored by their employer (industrial track), the program takes 1½ to 2 years to complete and requires a summer internship arranged by BTI (usually between the second and third semesters). Either track would support a subsequent move to a related doctorate program. Compare the two tracks below.