Professional Science Master’s in Biotechnology

1. Create Medicines That Save Lives 
   Biotechnology is used to make many modern medicines and vaccines, including insulin for people with diabetes and treatments for cancer and other serious illnesses.
2. Grow More and Better Food 
   Scientists use biotechnology to help crops grow stronger, resist disease, and survive harsh weather, which helps farmers produce more food and keep food prices lower.
3. Protect the Environment 
   Some bacteria can be used to clean up pollution like oil spills and toxic waste. Biotechnology also helps reduce the need for harmful chemicals in farming and manufacturing.
4. Makes Everyday Products More Efficient to Produce 
   Biotechnology is used to produce enzymes that enhance products such as laundry detergent, paper, and biofuels, utilizing less energy and fewer harsh chemicals.
5. Helps Doctors Give More Personalized Care 
   By studying a person’s genes, doctors can sometimes select treatments that are more likely to be effective for that individual, rather than using the same treatment for everyone.

• Advance your career and increase earning potential
  • In 2016, the full-time median salary for a postgraduate (i.e., master's) employee was 25% higher than an undergraduate (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Refine your technical skills
• Gain in-depth knowledge in the biological sciences
• Expand your professional network
• Strengthen your presentation and communication skills
• Gain business and marketing skills that will lead to more diverse job opportunities

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth in the biotechnology sector to increase at a faster pace than all other careers over the next ten years. TWU is partnering with local biotech companies to create internship and networking opportunities in a variety of areas, including:

• Research and development
• Product development and product management
• Product marketing
• Technology transfer and intellectual property
• Design and implementation of regulatory strategies
• Technical sales
• Government and public relations
• Market analysis and feasibility studies
• Technical service

Our graduates have gone on to hold the following positions at biotech companies: 

• Clinical Laboratory Scientist
• Quality Assurance Specialist
• Laboratory Technician or Laboratory Assistant
• Certifying Scientist
• Cell Therapy Technician
• Microbiology Research Analyst
• Molecular Technologist
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Microbiology Laboratory Analyst
• Clinical Operations and Regulatory Affairs
• Lead Environmental Monitoring Technician
• Molecular Oncology Coordinator
• Histology Technician

• Juliet Spencer, PhD, Professor and Chair of Biology
• Michael Bergel, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology
• Christopher Brower, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology
• Heather Conrad-Webb, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology
• Nathaniel Mills, PhD, Professor of Biology
• Catalina Pislariu, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology

Program Contact

Stephanie Pierce, PhD
PSM in Biotechnology
Program Director
940-898-2797
spierce9@twu.edu

Application Deadlines

Fall – July 1
Spring – November 1

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in biology or its equivalent.
• Current resume.
• Statement of purpose (one-three pages) that describes your reasons for pursuing graduate work, background experience, and professional goals, to be uploaded in application.

Applicants who satisfy the Graduate School’s admission standards are forwarded for review to the departmental admissions committee. This committee is responsible for recommending acceptance into biology graduate programs.

Begin by reviewing your program's website to see if there are additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  

1. Apply online.
   Apply to Graduate Programs  via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal following instructions below.  
2. Submit transcripts to TWU.
   • Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details. Original transcripts for each college/university attended must be submitted, even if referred to on another schools transcripts.
   • International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU. See the International Admissions website for more details.
3. Submit Recommendation Requests
   If your program requires you to submit names for recommendations you will need to do it in the application. List of programs-majors.  
4. Pay the application fee.
   The $50 fee ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:
   1. Credit card - Pay Online through the application as the last step before submitting the application. The second portion of the application will not be available until the application fee has been received.
   2. Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar Application Fee Waiver. TWU Alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage Fee Waiver. Check your eligibility here: https://twu.edu/alumni-advantage/. If eligible submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission
   3. Following fee payment return to the application dashboard where supplemental application documents can be uploaded. The online application will list which documents are needed to fulfill the program admission requirements. You can also check the program's website.
5. Submit Program supplemental documents
   1. Review the specific requirements for your intended program to identify any supplemental materials needed for your application.

Watch for emails from your new program/department that may come to your TWU email address.

For more information or assistance with the application or graduate admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.