Orange Alert

M.S. in Biotechnology

Our Biotechnology M.S. Program is an interdisciplinary, non-thesis academic program offering research, laboratory and industry training.

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Program Highlights
Student achievements and outcomes
Virtual information sessions for prospective students
How to apply
Financial support
Information for international students
Contact our faculty and admissions staff

Program Highlights

Customize your education and training by choosing from four tracks.
Receive rigorous training in advanced methods.
Graduate in 2-3 semesters by completing a minimum of 36 credits.
Gain real-world, hands-on experience from either independent research or an industry internship.
Leverage our Biotechnology Advisory Board for expert guidance and professional development.

We offer general or specialized tracks, allowing a personalized experience for students to follow their interests.

General Track

Customize your curriculum across disciplines for maximum flexibility and diverse career options.

Biomedical biotechnology
Industrial biotechnology
Biobusiness

BioBusiness Track

Develop expertise in biotech commercialization, regulatory affairs and strategic management.

Entrepreneurship
Marketing
Management
Business Analytics

Biomedical Sciences Track

Focus on medical applications, drug development, diagnostics and therapeutic innovations that are transforming healthcare.

Pharmaceuticals
Microbial Biotechnology
Personalized medicine, genomics
Neurobiology

Industrial Biotechnology Track

Master biomanufacturing, process optimization, quality control and scale-up for biotech production.

Tissue and stem cell engineering
Biomaterials engineering
Medical devices

Student Achievements and Outcomes

Over 95% of our graduates complete the program in 1-2 years and are employed within six months of graduation.

100% of students who sought an internship in 2024 received an internship placement.

Our students have received internship and employment offers from:

Acumen
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Black Diamond
Bristol Myers Squibb
CNY Biotech Accelerator
Corteva Agriscience
Ecolab
GlaxoSmithKline
iCHOR Life Sciences
Landmark Bio
Meira GTx
Merck
Molecular Diagnostics
Myeloid Therapeutics
Pfizer
Proof Diagnostics
Regeneron
Senda Biosciences
Strand Therapeutics
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Therapeutics
Velocity Clinical Research, Inc.
Wuxi Biologics

Personal Experiences

“Working closely with professors and fellow students here at Syracuse has taught me to approach problems and collaborate effectively. I’ve built a strong foundation in molecular biology and bioprocessing and learned specific techniques that have illustrated how scientific discoveries are applied in real-world biomedical and industrial settings. The program has also strengthened my critical thinking and communication skills, which will be invaluable in my job search and future career.”

Alexandra Perry G’27

“What really attracted me to Syracuse’s biotechnology program was the hands-on laboratory training and opportunity to work closely with professors. The flexibility of the program also drew my attention. As students, we can choose from different tracks to tailor our learning to our career goals.

Venkatesh Lottipalli G’26

“When I arrived at Syracuse, I met inspiring professors and classmates and took courses that opened my eyes to new aspects of biotechnology. I also took advantage of Syracuse’s proximity to Upstate Medical University, where I collaborated with other professors and scientists. Syracuse shaped my professional development; my past professors and classmates are guiding forces for me to this day.”

Seungchan Kim, G’22

“I secured a job within a month of finishing my master’s degree, at Sail Biosciences. When I wanted to switch roles, I sent just three applications and was hired at CREATE Medicines. I’m now a Ph.D. student at Cornell University in the department Molecular Biology and Genetics and field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development.”

Dakota Voitcu, G’21

Virtual Information Sessions for Prospective Students

Find and register for upcoming events:

Here what our students have to say:

How To Apply

Application Deadlines

We offer rolling admission and review applications throughout the year. However, our priority application deadlines are:

Fall enrollment: March 15
Spring enrollment: October 15

If you miss a priority deadline but wish to be considered for the upcoming term, please contact us.

Required Application Materials

Personal Statement: include research and/or teaching experience, research interests, career goals, and any other relevant information about your qualifications as an applicant that you would like us to consider
Three letters of recommendation
CV or resume
Transcripts (unofficial transcripts may be uploaded for review purposes)

Optional Application Materials

GRE scores are not required. However, you may submit your scores if you’d like our Admissions Committee to consider them, as high scores on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing tests of the GRE could strengthen your application. Report your scores to Syracuse University using code 2823.

Notes From the Admissions Committee

A GPA is below 3.0 is considered low. However, we look for strengths that might compensate for a low GPA and may admit applicants with strong potential as evidenced by extracurriculars and academic/research/industry experience.
We do not provide average or minimum required GPA or standardized testing scores.
For more information about the Syracuse University Graduate School application process, visit the Graduate Admissions website.
Although not required, a year of biochemistry is preferred for applicants who wish to pursue the Biomedical Sciences Track; a year of physics is preferred for applicants who wish to pursue the Industrial Biotechnology Track.
Special consideration is given to students who have conducted undergraduate research and whose recommendations attest to their skills in the laboratory or field and show promise in research.
All applicants should have, at minimum, a B.S. or a B.A. degree and college-level courses in math (at least one course), chemistry (at least two courses) and biology (at least two courses).

Financial Support

Graduate applicants are considered for merit aid in the form of partial tuition scholarships. No extra application required!

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs can provide detailed information about estimated graduate school costs and sources of financial aid:

Additional Information for International Students

We welcome international applicants! More information about international student admissions is available here.

TOEFL or IELTS scores are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. Report your scores to Syracuse University using code 2823.