New Major Coming Soon
Become a Research Expert
The biotechnology major at Elms College is designed for students passionate about research. While you will cover core concepts of biology, chemistry, health sciences, and other scientific disciplines in your core classes, most of your academic experience will take place in research labs on campus.
Create Technologies That Benefit Society
Biotechnology majors at Elms study the practical applications of their research. This means that your work will often result in a new product or technology that others can use to improve human, animal, or environmental health.
Working closely with fellow students and faculty mentors, you’ll complete experiments that have an immediate impact on our world. Biotechnology faculty at Elms have expertise in neurodegenerative diseases, so you will have a chance to work on studies that answer important questions related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Biotechnology majors also develop competency in the following techniques:
- Cell/tissue culture
- Cell-based assays
- Flow cytometry
- Protein purification, quantification, analysis, assay, and handling
- DNA extraction, quantification, analysis, and handling
- PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction)
- Oral and written communication skills
- Data computation and analysis skills
Quick Info
- Earn your master of science (MS) in biotechnology as well. Students can complete this program in 18 months.
- Build up your resume with experiential learning opportunities.
- Connect biotechnology and public health in our global health certificate program.
Learn the Science-Writing Process
As a research scientist in the biotech field, you will be required to communicate with a number of different audiences. When it comes to publishing your breakthroughs, you will need to know how to write a cohesive article outlining your hypothesis, methods, and results. On the other hand, you will also need to share your ideas with entrepreneurs, investment firms, patent lawyers, and medical patients. At Elms, you’ll learn how to write for a range of audiences and occasions.
Your professors in the biotechnology program will guide you through the process of writing a research proposal, defining a topic, determining a methodology, and carrying out an experiment from start to finish. You’ll practice these skills in real-time by working on multiple ongoing experiments. This experience will serve as the basis of your professional development as a research scientist.
Beginning your first year on campus, you will also take a range of core classes in the liberal arts that expose you to interdisciplinary forms of communication and writing. The classes you take in English, history, religion, and other disciplines will help you put your research into context for general readers. The liberal arts will also help you develop your professional identity and portfolio for the job market, so that when it comes time to interview with employers, you’ll know how to speak about your work clearly and eloquently.
Andrew Clifford, BMS ’20

Andrew Clifford, BMS ’20, was involved in two biomedical research projects at Elms, including exploring new ways to rapidly analyze strains of infectious bacteria. “I’m learning this material in a very applicable, practical way,” he said. “Going forward into medical school, I’ll have a far better understanding than just (by reading) textbook definitions.”
Curriculum
Click to view course requirements for the Biotechnology (B.A.).
Major Requirements (53 credits)
Course # | Formerly | Course Name | # of Credit Hours |
---|---|---|---|
BIO 1203 | BIO 123 | General Biology I | 3 |
BIO 1203L | BIO 123L | General Biology I Lab | 1 |
BIO 1204 | BIO 124 | General Biology II | 3 |
BIO 1204L | BIO 124L | General Biology Lab II | 1 |
CHE 1201 | CHE 121 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
CHE 1201 | CHE 121L | General Chemistry Lab | 1 |
CHE 1202 | CHE 122 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
CHE 1202L | CHE 122L | General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
CHE 2101 | CHE 211 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
CHE 2101L | CHE 211L | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
CHE 2102 | CHE 212 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHE 2102 | CHE 212 | Organic Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
PHY 1005 | PHY 105 | Physics I | 3 |
PHY 1005L | PHY 105L | Physics I Lab | 1 |
PHY 1006 | PHY 106 | Physics II | 3 |
PHY 1006L | PHY 106L | Physics II Lab | 1 |
BTY 1XXX | Intro to Biotechnology | 3 | |
BTY 1XXXL | Intro to Biotechnology Lab | 1 | |
BTY 3XXX/5XXX | Advanced Biotechnology | 3 | |
BTY 3XXXL/5XXXL | Advanced Biotechnology Lab | 1 | |
ENG XXXX | ENG XXX | Writing for the Professions: Science and Engineering | 3 |
BMH XXXX | BMH XXX | Research Ethics | 3 |
MAT 1009 | MAT 109 | Statistics | 3 |
BTY 3XXX/5XXX | Intro to Cell and Tissue Culture | 3 | |
BTY 3XXXL/5XXXL | Intro to Cell and Tissue Culture Lab | 1 |
Electives (16 credits; minimum of 4 courses with labs)
Course # | Formerly | Course Name | # of Credit Hours |
---|---|---|---|
BIO 3300 | BIO 330 | Microbiology | 3 |
BIO 3300L | BIO 330L | Microbiology Lab | 1 |
BIO 4306 | BIO 436 | Biochemistry | 3 |
BIO 4306L | BIO 436L | Biochemistry Lab | 1 |
BIO 3206 | BIO 326 | Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIO 3206L | BIO 326L | Molecular Biology Lab | 1 |
BIO 3101 | BIO 311 | Ecology | 3 |
BIO 3101L | BIO 311L | Ecology Lab | 1 |
BIO 3106 | BIO 316 | Cell Biology | 3 |
BTY 4XXX | Capstone | 3 | |
MAT 1301 | MAT 131 | Calculus I | 3 |
MAT 1302 | MAT 132 | Calculus II | 3 |
CHE 3307 | CHE 337 | Analytical Chemistry | 3 |
CHE 3307L | CHE 337L | Analytical Chemistry Lab | 1 |
CIT 3100 | CIT 310 | Data Analytics and Bioinformatics | 3 |
ENT 1002 | ENT 102 | Lean LaunchPAd | 3 |
BMS 5700 | BMS 570 | Histology | 3 |
BMS 5700L | BMS 570L | Histology Lab | 1 |
BMS 5202 | BMS 522 | Pharmacology | 3 |
BMS 5207 | BMS 527 | Pathology | 3 |
BMS 5009 | BMS 509 | Epidemiology & Biostatistics | 3 |
BMS 5100 | BMS 510 | Endocrinology | 3 |
BMS 6300 | BMS 630 | Neuroscience | 3 |