Program Overview

Biotechnology
Associate in Applied Science Degree (A20100)

Gaston College is leading the way in biotechnology education. We have several curriculum and continuing education program offerings in biotechnology. These range in scale from the 1-semester BioWork program offered through continuing education to 2-semester certificate programs and 2-year associate degree programs in the curriculum area.

Biotechnology is the application of living organisms and their components to make products and to develop new industrial processes. Biotechnology has been around for centuries - fermentation of beer and tanning of animal hides use living organisms to produce useful products from simple starting materials.

North Carolina has over 400 biotech companies that employ more than 48,000 workers. These companies have an economic impact of $3 billion a year. The industry has enjoyed growth of 5-10% each year over the past few years. Two-thirds of the biotechnology jobs in NC require less than a 4-year college degree. Annual salaries for entry-level technicians start at $25-30,000 and can advance to $50,000 in as little as 5 years.

Graduates may find employment in various areas of industry and government, including
research and development, manufacturing, sales and customer service.

Career Outline

Gaston College graduates receiving an associate of applied science degree in Biotechnology will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate comprehension of life at the cellular and molecular levels.
2. Apply the fundamental concepts of ecology, genetics, immunology, and chemistry to explain biotechnology procedures and practices.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in the practice and theory of modern biotechnology and bioprocessing instrumentation.
4. Illustrate the proper use of a variety of laboratory techniques and procedures with accuracy, precision and safety.
5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate results both orally and through written reports.
6. Apply statistical principles to generate inferences about data or analyze the credibility of scientific results.