Biotechnology, AS (NEW PROGRAM FOR SPRING 2014)

Contact Information

Program Requirements

Degree/Certificate:   Associate in  Science
HEGIS Code:           5407        
SUNY Code:            1211
Major Code:            BIOT

The Career

The Biotechnology Associate Degree (A.S.) program at Niagara County Community College will prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a baccalaureate degree or higher. In accordance with the hallmark of Comprehensiveness of the NCCC Mission Statement, biotechnologists will gain employment in both the public and private sector in research, crime and medical laboratories, educational institutions and biotechnology companies. These individuals will set up and operate laboratory equipment, run experiments, gather/record data, calculate results, assist in research for product development under the guidance of a research scientist.  The Biotechnology Associate Degree (A.S.) program is a transfer program.  Graduates of this program will not meet the licensure requirements for a clinical laboratory technician.

 The NCCC Approach

Students in Biotechnology will gain a basic foundation of knowledge in the biological sciences including biology, cell/molecular biology, microbiology, bioinformatics and biotechnology. The students in the Biotechnology program will learn methods in microbiological sciences, cell/molecular methods, and electrophoresis, etc. Students will be competent in the use of and handling of equipment for research purposes.

Students are admitted in September and January.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

• Perform technical procedures such as DNA extraction and characterization, electrophoresis, cloning, polymerase chain reaction, protein isolation and purification using various chromatographic techniques.
• Understand the principles and practices of biotechnology, and the currently-used laboratory that can be applied to future advances in these techniques.
• Evaluate societal issues and implications of biotechnology.
• Analyze and draw conclusions from generated scientific data, and present findings in a formal laboratory report.
• Understand the basic principles of genomics, proteomics and systems approaches in biotechnology
• Conduct basic bioinformatics-based analysis.
• Use critical thinking and principles of logic to analyze ethical issues raised in the practice of biotechnology.
• Qualify for transfer to a four-year college of university with the necessary foundation in biology, chemistry and mathematics for upper level study in a wide variety of biological disciplines.