The Master of Biotechnology Program (MBP) is a 15-month (five-quarter) full-time program, with a part-time option on a case-by-case basis. The primary mission of the MBP is to prepare biologists, chemists, and engineers for careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.  However, the comprehensive research component and the flexibility of the MBP curriculum also make it well-suited for students whose future plans include a PhD program, medical school, or dental school.  The MBP is administered by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

The MBP is distinguished from other MS in Biotechnology programs by the integration of biology and engineering, combined with extensive hands-on research (ca. 1000 hr over four quarters) in Northwestern University faculty laboratories.  The pool of research preceptors currently includes more than twenty faculty in the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering; Neurobiology and Physiology; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology; and the Medical School.  The MBP curriculum also covers ethical, legal, regulatory, communication and business aspects of the biotechnology industry through a series of seminars featuring numerous speakers from industry. 

The majority of MBP students are recent graduates, although a sizable minority have prior industrial experience.  Students’ undergraduate majors include biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, chemistry and various engineering disciplines.  MBP graduates receive a Master of Science in Biotechnology degree conferred by the Northwestern University Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.  The degree requires 13 units of coursework and 7.5 units of research with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better; written and oral research reports are required in lieu of a thesis.

MBP graduates have obtained positions with large and small companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consulting and high tech industries as well as government laboratories – Abbott Laboratories, Accenture, Amgen, A* Bioinformatics Institute (Singapore), Baxter, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cell Genesys, Coskata, Genentech, General Electric, Genzyme, Johnson & Johnson, MedImmune, Merck, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, PDL Biopharma, Pfizer, Sg2, and Texas Instruments.  Comprehensive placement assistance is provided by a full-time industrial liaison.