Bio-Tech Cluster

About the Bio-Tech Cluster

Total number of credits in this cluster: 9-10

The Bio-Tech Cluster is available to students both within and outside of the Eberly College of Science. The specialization prepares students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and apply innovative strategies to find solutions that benefit humans, animals, and the environment. Students will also develop unique skills in career readiness such as teamwork, leadership, and communication. Students who complete these cluster courses will be better able to take an interdisciplinary approach to solving problems through biotechnology.

This cluster will follow the same structure as other clusters, requiring 9 core credits that are integral to all clusters, with an additional minimum of 9 credits specific to the Bio-Tech Cluster, with a focus on courses from the Eberly College of Science. For these additional 9 credits, students will build their hard skills in the natural and physical sciences by selecting 3 credits of foundational course work in cell biology followed by a 3-credit, 400-level elective in the natural and/or physical sciences and a 3-credit capstone course. The 400-level elective will allow students to increase their knowledge of a scientific discipline or disciplines applicable to the fields of biotechnology and entrepreneurship. The capstone course will require students to assimilate and accommodate previous content knowledge to propose a plan to develop and market a value-added product in the realm of biotechnology. Furthermore, the capstone course will empower students to practice their interpersonal skills by engaging in team building and customer discovery and designing sprint exercises and intellectual property law clinics.

Goal of the Bio-Tech Entrepreneurship Cluster

Apply hard skills in the natural and physical sciences along with soft skills to benefit humans, animals, and the environment.

Students who complete this cluster develop knowledge and skills in:

  • Understanding biotechnology and its application in agriculture, animal science, forensics, aquatics, medicine, and bioremediation.
  • The social, ethical, and legal implications of biotechnology.
  • The structure of the biotechnology workforce as well as the current regulatory mechanisms that apply to different sectors of the workforce.
  • Conceptual development of a novel value-added product that benefits humans, animals, and/or the environment.
  • The ability to set expectations, build and communicate effectively with a team, create timelines, and achieve milestones.
  • The design, evaluation, and optimization of processes to produce and obtain a product of interest.
  • The discussion of intellectual property laws in relationship to the development of a value-added product.
  • The creation of a marketing plan for a value-added product by researching the market, including budgeting and metrics, the target audience, and marketing tactics and strategies.
  • The creation and delivery of a presentation illustrating product utility for the purpose of generating funds for product development and scale-up from peers/investors.
  • The design of a marketing portfolio utilizing peer/investor feedback to leverage additional funds.

Preferred Sequence of Courses for the Cluster

The Bio-Tech cluster in the ENTI minor includes three courses worth a total of 9-10 credits. All students in the minor also take three core courses totaling 9 credits.

9 or 10 credit Bio-Tech Cluster
Core Courses #1 and #2 Credits Semester
MGMT/ENTR 215 Entrepreneurial Mindset 3 1-5
ENGR/ENTR 310 Entrepreneurial Leadership 3 3-6
Followed by...
Bio-Tech Cluster (9-10 credits) Credits Semester
Foundational level course options (3-4 credits) listed below 3-4 3-7
400-level elective course options ( 3 credits) listed below 3 4-8
Capstone course options (3 credits) listed below 3 4-8
Followed by...
Core Course #3 Credits Semester
MGMT/IST/ENGR 425 New Venture Creation 3 4-8

To meet the prerequisite requirement for MGMT/IST/ENGR 425, you must take:

  • (ECON 102 or ECON 104 or ECON 14 or MGMT 215; an ECON course is not required for the ENTI minor) and (CAS 100 or CAS 137T or EMSC 100S)

Bio-Tech Course Options

Foundational Courses (Choose 3-4 credits):

400-level Electives (Choose 3 credits):

Capstone Courses (Choose 3 credits):