Professional Science Master’s in Biotechnology

Imagine if we had an effective medication for COVID-19, an available vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, or a reliable antibody detection kit. Would you like to be one of the people developing these drugs, vaccines or assay kits? Or maybe you are interested in marketing, selling or providing technical expertise on these products. Our professional science master’s program will prepare you for a world-changing career in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical or even clinical lab industry.

Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine and Therapeutics Tracker for the latest updates on vaccines and drugs that are currently being tested and developed by biotechnologists around the world.

In the news: TWU Biology provides Denton County with coronavirus testing supplies

• 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

Program Contact

Stephanie Pierce, Ph.D.
P.S.M. in Biotechnology
Program Director
940-898-2797
spierce9@twu.edu

Application Deadlines

Fall – July 1
Spring – December 1

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in biology or its equivalent.
• Current resume.
• You will be asked to provide an email address for an individual familiar with your academic capabilities, and she/he will receive an email request to submit the letter directly into the system. 

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 finding your program in TWU's Program, Majors & Degrees listings to see if your program has additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  (This information is for all programs. The application deadline for your specific program will be listed in the Program Requirements.  Use that deadline as it applies below.  (Example: if a program only admits once a year and has a Fall deadline for 2023 of March 1, you would need to be looking to apply to the next deadline for Fall 2024.)

1. Apply online.
   Apply to Graduate Programs according to the start semester and application portals below:
   
   • Spring 2024 - All programs apply via ApplyTexas EXCEPT applicants to the College of Business, Child Life, or Child Development master's programs or the Child Development and Early Education PhD program who should apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal.
     • Note: When applying through ApplyTexas, you will need to submit any required Documents directly to the program website.
   • Summer & Fall 2024 - All graduate programs apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal. Required documents will be asked for and uploaded into the application.
     
     
2. Pay the application fee.
   The $50 fee, ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants can be paid by:
   • Credit card - Online through the portal you applied on (either ApplyTexas or TWU's Online Graduate Application).
   • Certified check or money order by mail or electronically - payable to TWU, sent by mail to:
     TWU Admissions Processing, 301 Research Circle, Room 220; Denton, Texas 76204
     (include your full name and ID number).
   • Cash (no personal checks) - Pay at the Bursar's Office. After paying, bring the receipt to Admissions Processing (2nd floor of GRB).
   • Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar application Fee waiver. Submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission Form.
     
     
3. 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.
   • 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 Admission website for more details.

For more information on graduate admissions or to contact an admissions official, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

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

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