The field of biotechnology has emerged as a major contributor to the advancement of agriculture, medicine, and environmental sciences. Recent developments in biotechnology, particularly molecular biology, promise major improvements in agricultural productivity, breakthroughs in human health care, and new solutions to environmental problems.

The biotechnology curriculum is designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge and laboratory skills in biotechnology, including molecular biology, and a firm foundation in biology and the physical sciences. The primary objectives of the program are to broadly educate students for positions in the rapidly developing biotechnology industry and to prepare students for graduate and graduate/professional study in the life sciences. The strong life and physical sciences foundation of the curriculum involves extensive laboratory and coursework and research experience, as well as specializations in the following fields: animal biotechnology, microbial biotechnology, plant biotechnology, bioinformatics, and bioscience policy and management.