BA/BS in Biotechnology (co-major)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Tufts University

Program Overview

The BA/BS in Biotechnology (co-major) at Tufts University is a second major designed for students already majoring in Biology, Biochemistry, or an eligible engineering program, combining molecular biology with engineering approaches to biotechnology. Students explore areas such as gene and cell therapies, protein and tissue engineering, bioprocessing, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and large-scale biotechnology applications through a science or engineering track.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students normally establish their foundational science background through their primary undergraduate major before progressing into the Biotechnology co-major, since Tufts structures Biotechnology as a second major rather than a standalone four-year major. Relevant foundations include BIO 13: Cells and Organisms and BIO 41: General Genetics, which build knowledge of cellular systems and genetics needed for advanced biotechnology study.

Year 2: Students can begin developing dedicated biotechnology knowledge through subjects such as BIO 162: Molecular Biotechnology, which covers recombinant DNA, immunology, cell culture, protein purification, fermentation, bioinformatics and bioethics. The program also offers BIO 105: Molecular Biology and BIO 152: Biochemistry and Cellular Metabolism, strengthening understanding of molecular mechanisms and biological processes.

Year 3: Students move into more specialized biotechnology applications and practical techniques. CHBE 163: Recombinant DNA Techniques provides hands-on experience with DNA isolation, cloning, protein expression, gel electrophoresis, PCR and DNA sequencing, while options such as CHBE 161: Protein Purification and CHBE 166: Principles of Cell and Microbe Cultivation develop additional bioprocessing skills.

Year 4: Students can deepen their specialization through advanced electives and research-oriented study, depending on their primary major and selected Biotechnology track. Options include CHBE 167: Metabolic and Cellular Engineering, BME 164: Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, CHBE 168: Biotechnology Processing Projects Lab, and research courses that can connect biotechnology concepts with practical investigation.

Focus areas:

Gene and cell therapies, molecular biotechnology, protein and tissue engineering, bioprocessing, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, recombinant DNA technology, metabolic and cellular engineering, biomaterials, fermentation, and bioremediation.

Learning outcomes:

Students develop knowledge of molecular biology and biotechnology processes, including recombinant DNA techniques, protein purification, cell culture, fermentation, bioinformatics and biotechnology applications, with laboratory experience available through courses such as CHBE 163: Recombinant DNA Techniques.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

Program-specific accreditation: Not stated on Tufts University's official Biotechnology co-major pages; therefore, no specific professional accreditation should be assumed. The program is formally listed by Tufts as an Undergraduate Co-Major for Arts and Sciences or Undergraduate Second Major for Engineering, depending on the selected track.

Reputation (employability rankings):

Career success: Tufts was ranked 18th in LinkedIn's 2026 Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Success, based on outcomes for graduates from 2020–2025; the ranking considers job placement, internships, recruiter demand, career success, alumni networks, and skills developed during undergraduate study.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students pursuing the BA/BS in Biotechnology co-major at Tufts University build practical biotechnology skills through laboratory courses, research opportunities and access to specialized facilities across the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering. The program connects biotechnology with hands-on work in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and bioengineering, while Tufts provides opportunities for undergraduates to participate directly in faculty-led research. Students can also use advanced research infrastructure and core facilities to develop laboratory and experimental skills:

Undergraduate Research: Tufts encourages undergraduates to participate in faculty research, allowing students to gain experience with real research questions and laboratory methods relevant to biotechnology.
Teaching Laboratories: Biotechnology-related coursework provides laboratory-based training in areas including molecular biology, genetics, microbiology and cell biology, helping students develop practical experimental skills alongside their theoretical studies.
Science and Technology Center: The Science and Technology Center (STC) supports research and teaching in the sciences and provides specialized laboratory environments for biotechnology-related work.
Tufts Core Facilities: Students can benefit from research infrastructure such as genomics, imaging and proteomics-related facilities that support advanced biological research across Tufts.
Tufts Genomics Core: The Tufts Genomics Core provides access to genomic technologies and services used in biological and biomedical research, giving students exposure to modern genomic research environments.
Cell and Molecular Technologies: Biotechnology students can develop skills relevant to DNA analysis, molecular cloning, cell culture and genetic analysis through laboratory-based courses and research experiences.
Bioengineering Facilities: Tufts' biotechnology ecosystem connects with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, where research facilities support areas such as biomaterials, tissue engineering, synthetic biology and biomedical technologies.
Faculty-Led Research: Students can work with Tufts faculty on research projects, providing an opportunity to apply classroom concepts to ongoing scientific investigations rather than limiting learning to conventional laboratory exercises.
Internships and Professional Experience: Tufts provides students with opportunities to pursue internships and experiential learning through its career and academic programs; a biotechnology-specific mandatory internship is not stated on the official co-major information.
Digital and Research Tools: Students involved in research may work with modern molecular, genomic and computational approaches, although the official co-major information does not specify a required software package for the program.
Group/Project Work: The official co-major information does not identify a specific required group project; practical learning is primarily described through laboratory coursework and undergraduate research opportunities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BA/BS in Biotechnology (co-major) at Tufts University gives students a biotechnology-focused second major that can complement Biology, Biochemistry, or Biopsychology and build preparation for areas such as gene and cell therapies, bioprocessing, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and pharmaceutical research. Because biotechnology is applied across both research and large-scale manufacturing, graduates can pursue laboratory, research, product-development, and biotechnology-related career pathways or continue into advanced study.

Career roles: Biotechnology Research Associate, Laboratory Research Assistant, Bioprocessing Associate, Biotechnology Product Development Associate.
Career services: Tufts Career Center provides career advising for job and internship searches, including resume and cover-letter reviews, interviewing, networking, LinkedIn guidance, and graduate/professional-school planning. Students also have access to Handshake, which lists thousands of internships, part-time and full-time positions and connects students with employers through recruiting events.
Internship support: Tufts provides internship-search advising and internship funding; its Career Center reports that 86% of the Class of 2025 completed at least one internship, with 65% completing two or more, although these figures represent the overall Tufts graduating class rather than biotechnology co-majors specifically.
Employment & salary: Tufts does not publish a biotechnology co-major-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure on the official program page. Therefore, a program-specific salary or employment percentage is not stated.
Industry connections: Tufts has dedicated employer engagement for Biotech, Healthcare, Life Sciences & Environmental Science, with employers able to recruit students through career fairs, interviews, coffee chats and workshops.
Biotechnology partnerships: Tufts' biotechnology research ecosystem actively seeks partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and early-stage investors, including commercialization work connected with research in regenerative biology and health.
Industry research: The Tufts Center for Cellular Agriculture conducts sponsored research with industry; documented collaborations include work with Tender Food on plant-based products and a licensing agreement with Wanda Fish concerning cultivated-fish technology.
Innovation opportunities: Tufts' technology-commercialization ecosystem connects university discoveries with industry through licensing, sponsored research, entrepreneurship support and startup development; cumulative FY2000–FY2025 outcomes include 79 startups, 555 U.S. patents issued and $1 billion in financing raised by Tufts startups.
Long-term accreditation value: A separate professional accreditation specifically for the Biotechnology co-major is not stated on Tufts' official program page, so no biotechnology-specific accreditation should be assumed.
Graduation outcomes: Tufts does not publish destination outcomes specifically for graduates of the Biotechnology co-major. However, the university's broader Career Center tracks first-destination outcomes annually, while Tufts' Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences reports that its biomedical PhD graduates enter biotech/pharma research, biotech/pharma business development, academic research, government and other scientific careers.
Program flexibility: The Biotechnology program is specifically structured as a second major, allowing students majoring in Biology, Biochemistry or Biopsychology to add biotechnology-focused study alongside their primary undergraduate discipline.
Relevant study areas: Official Tufts listings include Molecular Biotechnology, Experiments in Molecular Biology, Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, Protein Purification, and Metabolic and Cellular Engineering, giving students exposure to molecular and applied biotechnology concepts.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor's degree, students can progress into master's or doctoral study in biotechnology-related areas such as Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbiology, biotechnology processing, or related biomedical sciences. Tufts also offers a BS/MS in Biology pathway, while its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences provides advanced programs including Genetics, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Immunology, Molecular Microbiology, Biomedical Research, and Pharmacology & Drug Development.