
Bachelor of ScienceBiotechnology
The Biotechnology Bachelor of Science degree program incorporates the foundations of biology, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology and chemistry.
Biotech focuses on the manipulation of living organisms, their products, and their processes to further knowledge, improve quality of life, and engineer new tools and applications.
Biotechnology is applied to a broad range of industries including the pharmaceutical, chemical, agricultural, food development and manufacturing sectors, to name a few. Biotechnology has improved the fields of medicine, health, environmental science and technology, and will continue to in the future.
Program Goals
Graduates of the Biotechnology program are able to:
- Demonstrate a broad range of basic laboratory skills and technical competencies applicable to the field of biotechnology and to the workplace;
- Develop a broad understanding of foundational concepts, mechanisms and principles which can be applied across the fields of applied biotechnology, molecular and microbial biotechnology, food biotechnology, and nanotechnology;
- Demonstrate scientific reasoning and critical thinking skills including the ability to evaluate and integrate multiple sources of information, recognize problems, evaluate data, and draw conclusions;
- Model independent and collaborative work environments in the classroom, the laboratory, the field and the workplace;
- Demonstrate the successful ability to communicate scientific information to a variety of audiences and incorporate multiple modes of technology to achieve that goal; and,
- Connect the classroom to the world of work through multi-modal and interdisciplinary learning experiences.
Program Concentrations
- Food Safety and Quality Assurance
- General Biotechnology
- Medical Biotechnology
- Nanobiotechnology
- Nanobiotechnology and NanoFabrication
- Pharmaceutical Design
Interested in a medical career? HU Biotechnology and Integrative Science majors offer programs that set you up for success in medical, veterinary or pharmacy school. You can tailor our programs in Integrative Sciences and Biotechnology to meet the exact requirements of your chosen health professional school. Plus, the experiential learning you’ll gain through the HU academic program can help you score a health-based internship or complete a medically based applied project that will help smooth the way for your entrance into a health professional school.
Capital Area Biotechnology Partnership: HU plays a leadership role in the Capital Area Biotechnology Partnership (CABP). Working with educators and other leaders from Central Pennsylvania’s area biotech firms, government agencies, industry, local community colleges, and area school districts, CABP delivers a quality education to high school and college students, and science career-seekers. Courses taught through the program prepare area students to enter the biotech workforce, thereby decreasing the time companies need to train employees and ensuring biotech firms have access to qualified workers.
Program Lead

Mrunalini (Leena) Pattarkine, Ph.D. Professor of Biotechnology
Corporate Faculty
Program Courses
This program requires a total of 48 to 55 semester hours: 23 semester hours from core courses and 25-32 semester hours completed in one of the following concentrations: Food Safety and Quality Assurance, General Biotechnology, Medical Biotechnology, Nanobiotechnology, Nanobiotechnology and Nanofabrication, and Pharmaceutical Design. The semester hour value of each course appears in parentheses ( ).
2022–2023 Academic Course Catalogs
Get information about core courses, electives and concentrations in our current academic course catalog.
Program News
HU biotech students, professor published article in medical journal
Four Harrisburg University graduate students and their biotechnology professor co-authored a research paper that has been published by a medical…
Biotechnology professor invited to contribute third book chapter
A Harrisburg University of Science and Technology professor is ending 2022 by achieving the “hat trick” of book chapter writing….
Biotechnology Educators’ Workshop: Better Skills-Better Jobs!
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology will host an ACT-48 Eligible Educators’ Workshop to introduce high school teachers to Biotechnology…
HU professor to co-author chapters for biotechnology book
A Harrisburg University of Science and Technology faculty member will contribute chapters to a forthcoming book. Professor and Biotechnology Program…
HU’s Biotechnology program to host The Pennsylvania BioGENEius Challenge 2022
The Pennsylvania BioGENEius Challenge 2022, hosted by Harrisburg University of Science and Technology’s Biotechnology program, will take place in VIRTUAL…
Biotechnology Student secures prestigious Summer Research Position at a New York Medical School!
Congratulations to Oluwatomilola Taiwo, a Biotechnology senior in Medical BTEC track at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Taiwo was…
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