Purpose: This Career Studies Certificate is designed for persons wishing to enhance their employment options or retrain for a career as a laboratory technician in various biotechnology disciplines. Students interested in this certificate may include: a) career changers who already have a bachelor’s degree, b) scientists who were trained in foreign countries who need updated training, c) current A.S. in Science students who want to obtain a core of biotech courses and/or find a job in local industry while they complete their undergraduate degrees, and d) high school teachers who wish to refine their own biotechnology skills and obtain the required re-training necessary for continued teacher certification.
Prerequisites: Because jobs in biotechnology generally require at least an associate’s degree, students must already have a 2 or 4 year college degree, be enrolled in the Science A.S., or obtain permission from the Biotechnology Program Coordinator in order to be placed into this program. BIO 101 General Biology I is a prerequisite of all of the biotechnology courses in this program.
All first-time students must take a one-credit Student Development (SDV) course prior to enrolling in their 16th credit at NOVA.
1 Students who have taken ENG 111 or the equivalent are strongly encouraged to take ENG 115 Technical Writing.
2 Students must be approved by the biotechnology program coordinator for an internship. Criteria for approval include successful completion of biotechnology courses (including a demonstrated proficiency of basic lab skills), a professional work ethic, and an ability to work well with others.