Mission of the NOVA Biotechnology Program

In response to the growing biotechnology sector of business in Northern Virginia, there is a demand for employees that are familiar with and trained in basic skills common among these types of industries. This would include proper documentation methods, quality control measures, critical thinking and writing skills, basic chemical safety precautions, attributes of cell membranes, and sampling techniques. These skills will be used to work in amazing areas as research to develop new drugs to find cure for diseases such as cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and many more. Our courses will give our graduates the knowledge and skills to start a career as a technician or entry-level employee in any industry related to the many applications of Biotechnology.

There is a new Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree in Biotechnology that started in Fall 2008. This program is designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment into entry-level positions as laboratory, research or manufacturing technicians, among other positions, at Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies. Although transfer is not the primary purpose of this degree, approximately 2/3 of the courses are accepted for transfer in most senior institutions, with more expected to transfer in the future. This new innovative program is designed to train the next generation of employees in Biotechnology and related areas of support for these industries. Our program is designed for both the student who need a strong foundation in science and/or need specific skills as well as those who want to be flexible on the job and be generalists.

We cater to all areas of students: those directly entering from high school, those needing re-training, and , career "changers," seeking entry level positions in research, and bio-manufacturing. We also have several courses such as the Biotechnology Methods and Biotechnology Concepts that can be taken by those who are obtaining an A.S. in Science. We anticipate creating new career studies certificate in 2009.