UMass Boston

The Graduate Certificate in Biotechnology is a nonthesis program designed to provide students with a sound theoretical background for working in the research and development divisions of biotechnology companies or biomedical research laboratories.

Certificate Requirements

The requirements for this program include 15 credits with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 in the following courses:

At least two of these courses must include laboratory work with biochemical or cellular techniques. The laboratory requirement can be fulfilled with Biology 670, 675 or 678.

Admission Requirements

• Submission of the graduate admissions application form.
• A distinguished undergraduate transcript with at least a 3.0 overall average.
• A bachelor's degree or its equivalent, from a college or university of recognized standing.
• Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate work. (Two copies of each transcript must be sent directly to the University's Office of Graduate Admissions and Records. A final transcript showing that the bachelor's degree has been awarded must be received before the student can enter the program.)
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Submissions of scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Combined Aptitude Test.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL official test score) is required for international applicants
• The stated interests of a prospective student must coincide to an acceptable degree with the faculty specialties represented in the program. The biology Graduate Committee in conjunction with the Director of Graduate Programs in Biology is responsible for reviewing applications and for recommending candidates to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Acknowledgment of acceptance by the applicant. Acknowledgment should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records. Applicants who do not acknowledge acceptance may forfeit admission to the program.

It is expected that entering students will have completed (or will soon complete) the following courses or their equivalents: 

Transfer Credit Policy

Applicants who have completed appropriate graduate course work at other accredited institutions may transfer the equivalent of six credits toward UMass Boston graduate degree requirements from courses in which the applicant received a grade of B or higher, provided these are courses that have not been used to fulfill requirements for another degree, and were completed no more than seven years before the applicant's matriculation at UMass Boston.

Transfer credit is subject to the final approval of the graduate program director and the dean of graduate studies.

Costs and Financial Aid

As a public university, the costs of attending UMass Boston are moderate, especially for students who qualify as residents of Massachusetts. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, and a limited number of assistantships that provide a stipend and remission of tuition.

For information about financial assistance please see the graduate assistance page, or write or call:

Office of Financial Aid Services
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
617.287.6300

Further Information

For more information or an application, please contact  Linda Huang, Graduate Program Director, Department of Biology.

Please note: All information in this publication is subject to change. This publication is neither a contract nor an offer to make a contract.