Based in the Department of Biology, the Bioscience and Biotechnology PhD and master's degree programs are designed to be truly collaborative with other departments.

The Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology master's degree program (IBB-MS) is designed for those who need a bioscience MS degree to be competitive for biomedical and biotech industry scientific and administrative positions, or a bioscience MS degree to be attractive for strong PhD bioscience graduate programs, or else a bioscience MS degree to be more competitive when applying for highly-competitive veterinary or medical school professional programs. Program benefits include:

  • Rigorous interdisciplinary bioscience and biotechnology curriculum.
  • Small and personalized courses and advisement.
  • Strong support and success at having degree earners move to industry, or health professional, and PhD programs.
  • A 4+1 option in which strong Clarkson and Associated Colleges undergraduate students take two graduate courses their senior year and complete the MS degree in a fifth year, providing a head-start and rapid track to a bioscience MS degree.

The PhD in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology (IBB-PhD) program will educate you with the skills needed to work on complex problems in the biosciences. To support this aim, the graduate program faculty includes biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians and engineers who serve as dissertation advisors.

The objective of the biotech PhD program is to provide you with specialized knowledge in a major field of biology, plus the technical skills to enable you to work with interdisciplinary teams of bioscientists in academic, corporate and government research settings. Based on current areas of faculty expertise within the IBB Program, you have the option of specializing in one of four interdisciplinary sub-fields:

  • Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology
  • Biomedical Sciences & Neuroscience
  • Computational Biology & Bioinformatics
  • Ecology, Evolution & the Environment

Request Info Handbook Apply Now

Bioscience and Biotechnology Curriculum

Master's in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology

This program consists of a minimum of 30 credits beyond a bachelor's degree. These credits are taken in coursework, laboratory, seminar and thesis research work.

MS in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology

The Clarkson MS in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology curriculum ensures degree recipients will have an advanced understanding of basic and applied bioscience and biotechnology, be familiar with and be able to use the instrumentation and techniques that are the core of contemporary bioscience and biotechnology research, be able to use quantitative techniques to analyze data, and be cognizant of the ethical and policy implications of biotechnology.

The IBB-MS can be tailored to your interests, with a minimum of 30 credits comprised of 2 core courses, 1 seminar, 1 laboratory, 4 electives, and your thesis research. Required courses and elective areas are as follows:

  • BY580 Advanced Cell Biology (3 cr.)
  • BY582 Molecular Genetics (3 cr.)
  • Either: BY512 Molecular Biology Laboratory (4 cr.) or CM570 Biochemistry & Biotechnology Laboratory (3 cr.)
  • BY622 Graduate Seminar (1 cr.)
  • Bioethics, Policy, or Law Elective (3 cr.)
  • Quantitative Skills Elective (3 cr.)
  • Bioscience Technology Electives (6 cr.)
  • Thesis Research (no more than 10 cr.)

Other appropriate elective courses may be substituted in each category, with approval of the graduate student’s advisor and IBB-MS program chair. An example of the curriculum is below.

Fall 1(Total 14 Credits)
BY580 Advanced Cell Biology (3 Credits)
BY512 Molecular Biology Lab (4 Credits)
Bioscience & Biotechnology Elective (3 Credits)
BY622 Biology Seminar (1 Credit)
BY900 Thesis Research (3 Credits)


Spring 1(Total 16 Credits)
BY582 Molecular Genetics (3 Credits)
Bioscience & Biotechnology Elective (3 Credits)
Quantitative Skills Elective (3 Credits)
BY622 Biology Seminar (1 Credit)
BY900 Thesis Research (3 Credits)
Bioethics or Policy Elective (3 Credits)

PhD in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology

This program consists of 90 credits beyond a bachelor's degree. These credits are taken in coursework, seminar and project work to fulfill the PhD requirements.

Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology PhD Curriculum

Required Courses

Specific course requirements for the Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology (IBB) program include the following: two core courses in cell and molecular biology (BY580 & BY582); one biotechnology or molecular biology lab course (BY512 or CM570); two specialization elective courses from one of four categories (Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology; Biomedical Science & Neuroscience; Computational Biology & Bioinformatics; Ecology, Evolution & the Environment); one free elective course from any category; one course from the Computational Biology & Bioinformatics category; and one course on bioethics, policy, or law.

Example Courses and Concentrations

Molecular Bioscience & Biotechnology

  • BY510 Developmental Biology (3 cr)
  • BY512 Molecular Biology Laboratory (4 cr)
  • BY515 Recent Advances in Immunology Research (1 cr)
  • BY560 Comparative Physiology (3 cr)
  • BY562 Comparative Physiology Laboratory (2 cr)
  • BY580 Advanced Cell Biology (3 cr)
  • BY582 Molecular Genetics (3 cr)
  • BY586 Molecular Biotechnology (3 cr)
  • BY650 Biochemistry I (3 cr)
  • BY651 Biochemistry II (3 cr)
  • BY652 Pharmacology (3 cr)
  • CM520 Separations and Electrochemistry (3 cr)
  • CM530 Colloid and Interfaces (3 cr)
  • CM544 Medicinal Chemistry (3 cr)
  • CM553 Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Biomaterials (3 cr)
  • CM566 Bioelectronics & Bionanotechology (3 cr)
  • CM570 Biochemistry & Biotechnology Laboratory (3 cr)
  • ES552 Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering Applications (3 cr)
  • PH526 Introduction to Biophysics (3 cr)

Biomedical Sciences & Neuroscience

  • BY515 Recent Advances in Immunology Research (1 cr)
  • BY518 Principles of Toxicology and Epidemiology (3 cr)
  • BY519 Immunobiology (3 cr)
  • BY520 Microbiology (3 cr)
  • BY540 Introduction to Biomedical Rehabilitation Engineering & Science (3 cr)
  • BY548 Medical Microbiology (3 cr)
  • BY555 Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer (3 cr)
  • BY560 Neurobiology (3 cr)
  • BY571 Anatomy & Physiology I (3 cr)
  • BY572 Anatomy & Physiology II (3 cr)
  • BY573 Anatomy & Physiology Lab I (2 cr)
  • BY574 Anatomy & Physiology Lab II (2 cr)
  • BY576 Current Topics in Biology & Medicine (3 cr)
  • BY588 Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (3 cr)
  • BY604 Molecular Pharmacology (3 cr)
  • ME380 Special Topics: Biomechanics (3 cr)

Computational Biology & Bioinformatics

  • BY514 Bioinformatics (4 cr)
  • BY610 Ecological Statistics and Experimental Design (3 cr)
  • ES505 Design of Experiments and Analysis of Data (3 cr)
  • MA571 Numerical Solution of Differential Equations (3 cr)
  • MA580 Introduction to Monte Carlo Simulation (3 cr)
  • STAT582 Mathematical Statistics I (3 cr)

Ecology, Evolution, and the Environment

  • BY525 Biological Systems & Environmental Change (3 cr)
  • BY528 Conservation Biology (3 cr)
  • BY531 Limnology (3 cr)
  • BY532 Limnology Laboratory (2 cr)
  • BY620 Evolution (3 cr)
  • CE575 Coastal Engineering (3 cr)
  • CE577 Atmospheric Chemistry (3 cr)
  • CE579 Water and Wastewater Treatment Design (3 cr)
  • CE580 Environmental Chemistry (3 cr)
  • CE682 Environmental Biological Processes (3 cr)
  • CH509 Receptor Modeling in Environmental Chemistry (3 cr)
  • EHS505 Methods and Analysis (3 cr)
  • ES533 Human Exposure Analysis (3 cr)
  • ES534 Air Pollution Control (3 cr)

A Note From Our Faculty

Biotechnology and bioscience are a broad range of applied technologies using either living cells or their components to help address global needs such as infectious diseases, bio-based energy production, agricultural stability, pharmaceutical innovation, healthcare and medicine. It has been said the end of the 20th century has been the age of computer technology, whereas the beginning of the 21st century is seeing the rise of biotechnology.

Dr. Thomas Lufkin, Professor and Endowed Chair and IBB Graduate Program Director

Thomas Lufkin

Admission

MS General Admission Requirements

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Online Application Form
  • Resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
    • In your statement, please mention two or three faculty members who you believe would be good advisors/supervisors based on their research areas.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation.
  • Official Transcripts.
  • GRE Test Scores.
    • Optional: Applications will be read without GRE test scores, but applicants should submit scores if they believe they will enhance their application.
  • For International Applicants, an English Proficiency Test is required.
    • Minimum Test Score Requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) and Duolingo English Test (115).

    Prerequisites: Applicants should possess either: BS or BA in a Bioscience, Chemistry, or other Math, Science or Engineering affiliated-discipline that included coursework in cell & molecular biology, genetics, and organic chemistry.

    MS Admission Requirements for 4+1 Option

    Strong undergraduate students at Clarkson and Associated Colleges institutions can pursue a 4+1 option in which they take two graduate courses their senior year and complete the MS degree in a fifth year. This provides a head-start and rapid track to a bioscience MS degree. Students should apply in the junior year (5th or 6th semester) of their undergraduate career. Associated Colleges include SUNY Canton, SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University. Students at these colleges can take the required Clarkson graduate courses at their Associated Colleges cross-registration.

    Admission requirements include: 

    • Either a Biology or Biomolecular Science Major or another major that has taken the Clarkson University introductory biology core (BY 140, 142, 160, 162) and genetics (BY 214), or the equivalent courses, if a student at one of the Associated Colleges.
    • GPA minimum of 3.25 overall and for Biology courses.
    • Likelihood of completing undergraduate degree requirements plus two additional graduate courses during the senior year (7th and 8th semesters).
    • Short essay explaining why the student is motivated to pursue a MS degree.
    • Specification of which MS program the student plans to pursue.

    Supplemental information may be submitted if desired; this could include any other information that may help us evaluate your application.

    Prospective students can apply and upload required materials through Clarkson's online application portal. 

PhD General Admission Requirements

A complete application consists of the following:

  • Online Application Form
  • Resume.
  • Statement of Purpose.
    • In your statement, please mention two or three faculty members who you believe would be good advisors/supervisors based on their research areas.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation.
  • Official Transcripts.
  • GRE Test Scores.
    • Optional: Applications will be read without GRE test scores, but applicants should submit scores if they believe they will enhance their application.
  • For International Applicants, an English Proficiency Test is required.
    • Minimum Test Score Requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) and Duolingo English Test (115).

Prerequisites: Applicants should possess a baccalaureate (four-year) degree in biology or a relevant science (e.g., biochemistry, biophysics, environmental science) with the following minimum college course preparation: three semesters of biology, including genetics; four semesters of chemistry, including organic chemistry; two semesters of physics; and two semesters of mathematics, including calculus.

Class of 2022 Graduate Placement Rate of 100 Percent

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more, have questions or are ready to apply, contact

Graduate Admissions Team
graduate@clarkson.edu
518-631-9831

Meet Your Grad Recruiter

Find your recruiter to ask questions about your graduate program of interest!

Find Your Recruiter