Ivy Tech School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering & Applied Science
Biotechnology
State-Of-The-Art Careers Start Here
What You'll Learn
Biotechnology encompasses a wide range of fields that make beneficial products for humans, society, and animals. In the last few decades, we have seen remarkable advances in biotechnology, including new diagnostic procedures for diseases such as cancer, genetic alterations of plants and animals, production of bacteria that clean up toxic waste, design of new medical devices, and development of medications to prevent and treat infections.
Students in the Biotechnology program at Ivy Tech learn the most essential skills and background information that employers in the sector expect their workers to have. This means that our students are primed for getting hired and succeeding in entry-level positions (or above) anywhere in this in-demand, high-wage field.
The program is taught by instructors with real-world experience and students spend a significant amount of hands-on class time in state-of-the-art laboratories.
Transfer Options
Graduates with an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Biotechnology can transfer to select four-year universities and earn a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology or biology. The Associate of Science (AS) is best suited for transferring since it includes general education courses that many four-year universities require, but we have also had graduates of the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) program successfully continue their education after Ivy Tech with the ability to transfer many credits.
Career Options
A career in Biotechnology could be a great fit if you’re inspired to do meaningful work and help create therapies and products that can cure disease. Your degree can lead to a career in a variety of life science and manufacturing settings, including research, pharmaceuticals, genomics, quality control, and manufacturing. Typical jobs include:
Laboratory Technician
Quality Control Technician
Research Associate
Quality Assurance Associate
Manufacturing Associate
Process Development Associate
Calibration Technician
Documentation Technician
Inspector
Production Technician
Regulatory Affairs Clerk or Technician
Quality Investigator
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
Associate Degree – Transferable Degree
Short-Term Certificates
– known as Certificates (CT)
You plan to enter the workforce upon completion of your associate degree
A career in a life sciences lab or manufacturing setting sounds appealing
You plan to transfer to select colleges and universities
You plan to transfer to another college or university to become a scientist, engineer, or quality/regulatory specialist in the biotechnology field
You are interested in working with cutting edge technologies to develop and produce life saving pharmaceuticals, such as cancer treatments and vaccines
You want to help ensure quality control in the manufacturing of medical devices, in a career such as calibration technician or quality control analyst
You want to help make safe and effective healthcare products by ensuring regulatory compliance
You are interested in working with cutting edge technologies to develop and produce life saving pharmaceuticals, such as cancer treatments and vaccines
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
Local Business Partners
Many of our students move right into local, high-paying jobs in the community, including with some of our industry partners like Eli Lilly, Corteva Agriscience, Catalent, Cook Medical, and more. These great partnerships lead to high job placement rates for our students and graduates.
Fast-Growing Field
Jobs in the biotechnology sector in Indiana have increased by 12% in the last five years. Nearly 58,000 Hoosiers work in the life sciences industry, making Indiana one of the top ten states for the number of life sciences employees.
(Source: Battelle/Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Report, "State Biosciences Jobs, Investments, and Innovation" 2014.)
Associate Degree – Career-Ready Degree
The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Biotechnology degree program is designed for students who wish to move right into a high-paying job in the community. If a career in a life sciences lab or manufacturing setting sounds appealing, an AAS degree might just be what you need to jumpstart your career into Biotechnology.
An Associate of Applied Science in Biotechnology degree can be achieved in about two years.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your AAS
A recommended path to the AAS degree in Biotechnology is to complete one of the three certificates (CT) offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The CT are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level biotechnology careers existing in the local industry. They are eligible for free tuition through NextLevel Jobs.
The Associate of Science in Biotechnology degree program is designed for students who wish to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree. You can save upward of $10,000 by completing your first two years at Ivy Tech and then transferring!
Talk to our transfer advocates for information about continuing your education after completing your associate degree at Ivy Tech. You are also encouraged to contact the university to which you plan to transfer. Note that admission is not guaranteed just by enrolling in the Biotechnology program. You will need to be admitted to the institution you intend to transfer to.
This degree is best suited for students who intend to transfer to a four-year university for a bachelor’s degree in the life sciences in order to become:
Scientists involved in research and development
Engineers/managers in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing operations as well as food production (agriculture)
Quality control and regulatory affairs specialists in any branch of biotechnology
Student Outcomes
Student Outcomes (SOs) are the competencies that Ivy Tech students should
be well versed in upon graduating from the program.
Short-Term Certificates
known as Certificates (CT)
The Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Certificate (CT) prepares students for entry level careers associated with bioprocessing, such as a lab or research assistant or manufacturing associate. The job market in this area is growing at a tremendous rate, and many of our students are getting hired even before they complete their certificate!
The Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing CT can be achieved in 1-2 semesters.
If your goal is to earn an associate degree in Biotechnology, you can earn this CT on your way. The CT is designed to provide a gateway into entry-level biotechnology careers. That means you may be able to enter the workforce in your desired field even before you graduate, if your plan includes working while you’re in school.
Required Courses
Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing CT graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours:
BIOT 100 Survey of Biotechnology (3 credits)
BIOT 102 Survey of Good Manufacturing Practices (3 credits)
BIOT 103 Safety and Regulatory Compliance (3 credits)
The Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Certificate (CT) prepares students for entry level careers associated with the medical device industry. If you want to help ensure quality control in the manufacturing of medical devices, a career such as a quality control analyst or inspector may be right for you.
The Medical Device Quality CT can be achieved in 1-2 semesters.
If your goal is to earn an associate degree in Biotechnology, you can earn this CT on your way. The CT is designed to provide a gateway into entry-level biotechnology careers. That means you may be able to enter the workforce in your desired field even before you graduate, if your plan includes working while you’re in school.
Required Courses
Medical Device Quality CT graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours:
BIOT 100 Survey of Biotechnology (3 credits)
BIOT 102 Survey of Good Manufacturing Practices (3 credits)
BIOT 103 Safety and Regulatory Compliance (3 credits)
BIOT 104 Quality Practices (3 credits)
DESN 101 Introduction to Design Technology (3 credits)
The Regulatory Affairs Certificate (CT) can be achieved in 1-2 semesters, or one year, and is eligible for financial aid.
What is Regulatory Affairs?
Regulatory Affairs professionals help make safe and effective healthcare products available worldwide, ensure regulatory compliance, prepare submissions, and participate in quality assurance. All bioscience companies are in need of regulatory affairs professionals for their expertise in deciding the best regulatory pathway for a new or modified medical product, and to serve as the go-to person in a company to interact with the governing regulatory agency, e.g., Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What You’ll Learn
The Regulatory Affairs CT prepares students for entry level careers associated with regulatory affairs. It is designed to give students the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to make an immediate positive contribution to any regulatory affairs division. Courses were developed using the regulatory affairs job skill set standards identified by the Community College Consortium for Bioscience Credentials (c3bc). This national group spent a number of years working with industry partners to identify the skills and knowledge required for individuals in this field.
Topics covered in this CT include:
FDA structure, Food & Drug Law, selected Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21 and 45 that govern medicinal products design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and post-marketing surveillance reporting
The application process for drugs (Investigational New Drug (IND) & New Drug Application (NDA), Biologics License Application (BLA), medical devices (Investigational Device Exemption (IDE), Premarket Notification (510K), & Premarket Application (PMA)), and combo-devices
Regulatory documentation requirements for pre-clinical, clinical, and postmarketing
Pharmacovigilance
Medical device reporting
ISO and ICH standards
Students completing the CT are prepared to take the U.S. Regulatory Affairs Certificate (RAC) exam later in their careers through the use of Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS) US RAC type questions.
If your goal is to earn an associate degree in Biotechnology, you can earn this CT on your way. The certificate is designed to provide a gateway into entry-level biotechnology careers. That means you may be able to enter the workforce in your desired field even before you graduate, if your plan includes working while you’re in school.
Class Formats
CT courses are offered in-person or online, allowing students scheduling flexibility, the ability to complete the courses from anywhere, and the opportunity to work on their certificate while employed.
Required Courses
Regulatory Affairs CT graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours:
While some courses within the biotechnology program require prerequisites, college-ready students can get started in the program in their first semester. By following the posted completion guide for the student’s campus, the student will take all prerequisite courses in time for when they are needed.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for Prerequisite Courses
Prerequisite courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Biotechnology Courses
Descriptions of Biotechnology courses can be found in our online course catalog. View required classes and course descriptions for:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our course list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Class Formats
Courses for each of the associate degree programs are offered in a variety of formats. When possible, lectures are delivered in scheduled virtual, Zoom-based or Learn Anywhere (Hybrid based on your preference) formats. Labs meet in-person in order to provide essential hands-on training.
Certificate courses are mostly offered virtually (synchronous) or online (asynchronous), except for a course or two that has an in-person lab component.
Big Dreams? Go for Honors
If you're motivated and want a more robust, personalized academic experience, consider enhancing your associate degree in Biotechnology by pursuing an Honors pathway. Honors courses are fully virtual with opportunities to meet and network with honors students and faculty across the state. The coursework is designed to support a student’s spirit of inquiry and intellectual growth, as well as foster multicultural awareness and leadership. View eligibility requirements
Graduating with a Biotechnology degree with an Honors pathway can help you stand out as a high-achieving college student, boost your resume, and help you land an acceptance letter to a top four-year college or university.
Students interested in the Biotechnology Program can apply through Ivy Tech's standard online application. Nothing beyond your basic information is necessary to apply. If you have transcripts, you will be able to submit them for review after you apply.
While completing the application, select the following:
Campus of Interest: Bloomington or Indianapolis
Area of Study: Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics
2) Contact the Local Program Chair
Once you submit your online application, you should also contact the Bloomington Program Chair for the AAS degree and short-term certificates, or the Indianapolis Program Chair for the AAS and the AS degrees, so they can help facilitate your entry into the program.
Your application will be processed in a couple of business days, after which the Admission Office will contact you via the email you provided on the application. This email will include your Ivy Tech student ID and username if you don’t already have one. Using this information, you can set up your MyIvy account to submit transcripts or complete knowledge assessments.
“[When interviewing for a position at Catalent where I now work], I was whisked away to multiple people upon hearing I was an Ivy Tech biotech student. I felt like a hot commodity, and through my classes on FDA regulations, biotech terminology, and pharmaceutical production practices, I was able to talk confidently about my skills and what I could offer the team.”
–Rachelle P. | Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Certificate (2022) & AAS in Biotechnology (2023)
Featured Faculty & Staff
Sengyong Lee, Ph.D.
Professor of Biotechnology
Sengyong Lee, Ph.D.
Professor of Biotechnology
Dr. Lee has been on faculty at Ivy Tech since 2004 and has played a leading role in developing the Biotechnology program - in Bloomington and statewide - in response to industry demand.
Throughout his tenure, he has remained active in research by collaborating on national grants related to the development and assessment of skills training in biotechnology. His gifts as an instructor were acknowledged when he earned the President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction in 2014, and in 2011, the Indianapolis Business Journal named Dr. Lee one of the top influential players in the Indiana life sciences.
Dr. Lee earned the regional President’s Award for demonstrating excellence in instruction, for his significant contributions to students and regional life sciences employers, and for his numerous grants and awards that have enabled him to provide a rigorous biotechnology education for Ivy Tech students.
— Jennie Vaughan | Chancellor at Ivy Tech Bloomington
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Starting Oct. 28th Tuesdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other days by appointment from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. **Special Saturday December 7 @ 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage estimates: Indiana.(2023). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2023-2024
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.