Diane Caporale
Room 343, Chemistry Biology Building
Phone : 715-346-2159
Email : dcaporal@uwsp.edu

This program is within the College of Letters and Science .

Applied Biotechnology Program

UW-Stevens Point offers a Master of Science in Applied Biotechnology This 100% online program is a collaborative partnership of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, University of Wisconsin Extended Campus, and six other University of Wisconsin campuses.. The Department of Biology administers the program through the academic director.

The program represents a comprehensive, multidisciplinary curriculum that prepares students to advance their careers and pursue their academic ambitions through leadership and management positions within the growing biotechnology field. Defined core courses provide students with a solid foundation in biotechnology, leadership, ethics, research, communications, product development, quality control, and regulatory and compliance practices. In addition, the program offers three unique tracks to assist students in tailoring their coursework to meet their career goals: quality assurance and compliance; business management; and research and development. Students will develop advanced knowledge and skills that will enable them to serve an important function and role within the biotechnology workforce.

Curriculum of the Applied Biotechnology Program

The online Master of Science in Applied Biotechnology curriculum is designed and taught by the same UW faculty who teach at each campus.

You will acquire a foundation in biotechnology principles and techniques through six required core courses. Then, you will choose one or more specialization tracks-Quality Assurance and Compliance, Business Management, or Research and Development. Each specialization track has three required courses and students may complete more than one track. You’ll finish your degree by completing a capstone project.

You are required to complete, at minimum, eleven courses (31 credits) to earn your degree: six required core courses (3 credits each), one specialization track consisting of three courses (3 credits each), capstone prep (1 credit), and the capstone course (3 credits).

UW Master of Science in Applied Biotechnology courses are completed online, a natural fit for working adults. Students in other UW Extended Campus degree programs often say the online format is a big factor in their ability to earn a degree. You can watch lectures, participate in online forums with your classmates, and do homework whenever it’s convenient for you-all course content is accessible online from any device.

Admission to the Applied Biotechnology Graduate Program

To ensure a high-quality graduate student group, all graduate students must have an undergraduate degree from a recognized institution and meet the criteria provided below. The GMAT or GRE are not required.

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. Students with a GPA less than 3.0 may be considered for provisional admission and should contact the academic director for more information.
• Official college transcripts.
• Prerequisite coursework: two semesters college-level lab coursework in biology and/or chemistry. To satisfy the prerequisite you must have completed either two semesters of biology, two semesters of chemistry, or one semester each of biology and chemistry, and all coursework must have a lab component.
• Your resume.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• A personal statement of up to 1,000 words describing your motivation to pursue this degree and what you will bring to the biotechnology field.

Need to complete a prerequisite course before applying? Online courses are available through UW Independent Learning. If you are not sure whether you meet these requirements, or which courses you need to take to satisfy prerequisites, please contact the academic advisor.

Submit your complete application to the UW-Stevens Point Office of Admissions and Recruitment, which will forward the application to the biology academic director.

Policies for Applied Biotechnology Graduate Program

Pay close attention to the following provisions:

1. The Department of Biology determines whether graduate credits taken before admission to a graduate degree program will apply toward the fulfillment of requirements of the UW-Stevens Point degree program. Graduate courses taken as a special student at UW-Stevens Point also fall under this provision. You may not use more than 9 graduate credits earned before graduate admission to satisfy requirements for the degree program.
2. A grade of incomplete automatically becomes an F unless it is removed before the end of the next semester or summer session in which you are registered. For an incomplete to be granted, you and the instructor must agree on the specific requirements, including a firm date for the completion of the work and removal of the incomplete.
3. No credits with pass/fail grades will be accepted toward the degree.
4. To receive a graduate degree, you must apply for graduation online through accesSPoint at the beginning of the term in which you expect to receive the degree and not later than the end of the third week of a semester or first week of a summer session. Graduate degrees are conferred only in May and December. If you apply for graduation and do not complete the degree requirements, please contact the Graduation Auditor in the Office of the Registrar, 715-346-4301, to change your expected graduation date.
5. You must meet at least once per year with your academic adviser.

Applied Bioinformatics Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Bioinformatics is offered through the established collaborative online MS in Applied Biotechnology and includes both existing and new courses. The degree represents a fully online, asynchronous curriculum comprised of 12 credits to include four courses. As is the case with the MS in Applied Biotechnology degree, UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Whitewater will offer the certificate jointly. The program serves as both an in-program learning opportunity and additional credential for MSABT degree-seeking students as well as a freestanding certificate program for non-degree (certificate-only) seeking students who may or may not elect to continue to the MS degree program. You will select and enroll at a home campus from which you will receive academic supports and the certificate is conferred.

Program Requirements and Curriculum:

Admission requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Applied Bioinformatics program will include a Bachelor’s degree and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Program prerequisite will include General Biology with lab.

Programs

• Applied Biotechnology, M.S.

• Applied Bioinformatics Graduate Certificate