Biotechnology
Certificate Program

Biotechnology

At the nexus of biology and tech

Establish Candidacy View Individual Courses
Contact Us

certificate Description

Work in the biotechnology field

  • Work in biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
  • Specialize in academic research
  • Lead development in bioscience laboratories
  • Pursue graduate-level training

Biotechnology program offers a variety of scientific fields (biochemistry, molecular biology, drug development [including pharmacology & pharmacokinetics], gene therapy, immunology, cancer biology, human physiology, virology [including COVID-19], & DNA sequencing), the program provides students seeking jobs in multiple bioscience-based industries or the academic research environment the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skill sets for relevant job openings.

For the student seeking a career in the biopharmaceutical industry, the courses in the program provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of how biotechnology is used in the drug discovery and development process to enhance their qualifications as a job applicant.

For the student seeking a career in the biosciences in the academic, government, or private foundation research environment, the courses in the program provide the student with an understanding of the principles and technologies used to support biotechnology research to enhance their qualifications as a job applicant.

For the student interested in enhancing their qualifications for graduate level programs in the biosciences, the courses in the program provide the student the opportunity to gain additional knowledge on the multiple biotechnologies used in their area of interest to support their application for admission.

The principal goals of the courses offered in the program are focused on providing students with the necessary background and knowledge in the multidisciplinary area of biotechnology to support their career interests in the biotech and biopharmaceutical industries as well as the biological research environment represented by academic laboratories and other bioscience-based laboratories.

Biotechnology certificate program objectives

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific disciplines and principles that professionals rely on in the application of biotechnology to a variety of fields, including:
    • Discovery and development of new drugs and therapies.
    • Bioscience-based research in the academic environment.
    • Government biological research laboratories.
    • Private biology-related research foundations.
  • Develop an appreciation of the latest technologies employed in the biopharmaceutical field to bring new drugs to the market.
  • Acquire knowledge to seek employment in biotechnology, biopharmaceutical industries, academic research, and bioscience environments.

Program Overview

Estimated Cost: Starting at $5,610. (You pay only for courses you enroll in.) | International Tuition Cost
Program Requirements: 7 courses (19 quarter units). Take 3 core courses (10 quarter units) and 4 elective courses (9 quarter units). End with a certificate of completion review.
Minimum Hours of Instruction: 190 hours of instruction.
Estimated Duration: A full-time student can complete the certificate in 12 months.
Modality: This is a fully online program with live-online & self-paced course formats.
Special Programs: This program is approved for workforce students.
Workforce Logo

Courses

Syllabus Library Detail View Calendar View
Course Quarter Units Fall Winter Spring Summer
1. Prerequisite(s):
Experimental Methods in Molecular Biology 3.0
2. Core Required Course(s): Total of Ten Units
Biochemistry: An Introduction 3.0
Immunology, Principles 3.0
Principles of Drug Discovery and Development 4.0
3. Electives: Nine Units Required
Biology of Cancer 2.0
Gene Therapy: Hacking the Genome 1.5
Genomics and Next Generation DNA Sequencing: Methods and Applications 3.0
Human Physiology in Health and Disease 3.0
Viruses, Vaccines and Antiviral Therapy 2.0
4. Completion Review:
Biotechnology Certificate Completion Fee None
6. Related Course(s): These courses are not part of the certificate program
Data Privacy and Security for Healthcare and Biosciences 1.5

Meet Our Instructors

Abizar A Lakdawalla

Abizar A Lakdawalla

VP., Product Development, Apton Biosystems
Becky Xu Hua Fu

Becky Xu Hua Fu

Postdoctoral Researcher, UCSF Medical Center
Chad G Miller

Chad G Miller

Darryl A. León

Darryl A. León

Director, Software Portfolio Strategy, Agilent Technologies
Edward James Rozhon

Edward James Rozhon

Program Chair | Retired Sr. Manager, Clinical Operations, Genentech
Guido Bordignon

Guido Bordignon

Professor, Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, UCSC
Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar

Screening Lead, Atomic AI
Ruhina Najem

Ruhina Najem

Professor, Biology
Sreenivasan Paruthiyil

Sreenivasan Paruthiyil

Research Scientist, UCSF Medical Center
Thomas R Pamukcu

Thomas R Pamukcu

CEO, Health Wallet

Certificate Inquiry Form

Contact Us
Speak to a student services representative.

Call (408) 861-3860

Envelope extension@ucsc.edu

Requisite Knowledge

Modern molecular biology

Familiarity with the principles of modern molecular biology is required to begin the Biotechnology certificate. You can satisfy this requirement by completing an introductory course, such as Experimental Methods in Molecular Biology within the last five years or by demonstrating equivalent work experience.

Please review each course description to ensure that you have taken necessary prerequisites or meet the requirements through job experience or previous education.

Advisory Board

EDWARD ROZHON, Ph.D., chair of the Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, and Clinical Trials Design and Management programs.

Certificate Program Chair

EDWARD ROZHON, Ph.D., chair of the Biotechnology and Clinical Trials Design and Management programs, has had a long career in the biopharmaceutical industry as a contributor to the development of drugs to treat viral and autoimmune diseases, as well as several types of cancer. He has worked in both nonclinical and clinical areas of drug development, in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry, in a contract research organization to support clinical research as well as in academia. He retired from Genentech in 2014 as a senior manager of clinical trials for autoimmune, infectious, and ophthalmologic diseases. On completing his doctorate at Indiana University, he pursued post-doctoral training in neurovirology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and at Northwestern University School of Medicine and was subsequently appointed to a faculty position in microbiology and immunology. He has taught courses in drug development and virology at UCSC Extension since 2001.

Certificate Advisory Board

ALYSON FALWELL, M.P.H.
Clinical Research Operations Manager
Stanford Children’s Health 

AHMED HAMDY, M.D.
Head, Early Stage Clinical Development
Acerta Pharma

MICHAEL HUSTON, M.B.A., RAC
Huston Associates, LLC
Senior Director, R&D Operations, Xalud Therapeutics 

SHELDON MULLINS, M.S.B.A. 
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Ardelyx Inc.
Lecturer, Medical Product Development Management (Master's Program), San Jose State University
Instructor, UCSC Extension Silicon Valley (Regulatory Affairs)

THOMAS PAMUKCU, B.S.
Founder/CEO of Health Wallet
Instructor, UCSC Extension Silicon Valley (Clinical Trials)

EDWARD ROZHON, Ph.D.
Instructor and Chair Biotechnology and Clinical Trials Design and Management programs
UCSC Extension Silicon Valley

NARINDER SINGH, PharmD, M.B.A. 
Director of Pharmacy, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. 
Instructor, UCSC Extension Silicon Valley (Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs)

Establish Candidacy

Who should establish candidacy?

  • People who are pursuing a certificate (and have enrolled in a course in the program).
  • People who want to lock in the current requirements of a certificate or specialization.
4 Simple Steps to a Certificate or Specialization
  1. Complete a course in your selected program.
  2. Establish candidacy. Click on the Establish Candidacy button on your program page.
  3. Take all required courses for certificate completion.
  4. Once your grades are posted on your final course, enroll in the certificate review fee.
A Benefit of Establishing Candidacy

Program requirements may change. Once you commit to a program by establish your candidacy, you will not have to change your plans to meet new requirements. They are locked in for you. Timeline: 4 years to get it done (or 3 for a specialization) You must complete all the necessary units in a certificate within a four-year window. The clock begins on the first day of your first course in the certificate program. For example, if you started a course on Sept. 5, 2023, you would have to finish by Sept. 4, 2027.

Note: Establishing candidacy does not trigger the beginning of the four-year window. It begins the first day of the first course in your chosen certificate program. The Certificate Completion Review process does not have to occur within the four-year timeframe.

Exceptions to the four-year requirement
  • If you Established candidacy prior to Jan. 1, 2024, you will have five years to complete a program.
  • Students participating in a special program, such as workforce, international, or our curriculum partner programs, such as the Legal Studies courses (CLS by Barbri) and sales and business courses (Ziplines Education) have shorter completion requirements.

Establish Candidacy

Grade Requirements

Please note that only letter grades of C or higher may be applied to a certificate, and in some programs, students may have more stringent requirements. Students in most employer- and government-sponsored payment programs, such as workforce development, as well as international students on F-1 visas, need to maintain a B average to meet their requirements. Personal Financial Planning students have additional grade requirements for individual courses to attain a certificate.

See Grading and Credits Policy for further information.