Dec 16, 2024

2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin

2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology, B.S.

Agricultural and medical biotechnology encompasses cellular and molecular approaches to the manipulation and improvement of agricultural plants, animals and microorganisms, and the control of agricultural pests and diseases. The primary purpose of the baccalaureate degree program in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology is to train students in modern cellular and molecular biology and genetic engineering. Students will be provided with a firm foundation in the principles of genetics and molecular biology of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Each student will then specialize in an area appropriate to his or her interest and career objectives, including: microbial, fungal, plant, insect and mammalian biotechnology.

Graduates will be prepared to assume government, university, and industry positions with research and technology applications to agriculture and food production. Employment opportunities include research scientists, laboratory technicians or managers in university, government, industrial, or clinical laboratories using biotechnological tools for research and production. Examples of research areas include: gene cloning, construction of novel pest and disease resistance genes, development of new immunological and nucleic acid types of diagnostic probes for plant and animal disease, genetic engineering of microorganisms for the production of important pharmaceutical agents, and development of new bioengineered strains of microorganisms for fermentation and food production services. Students will also be prepared to enter graduate programs in agriculture, molecular biology, and the biological sciences.

Graduation Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology the student must complete 125 semester hours with at least a 2.0 gradepoint standing. A minimum of 45 credit hours must be from upper division courses (300 and above). Remedial courses may not be counted toward the total hours required for the degree. In addition to the UK Core requirements, students must complete college, premajor, major, and specialty support requirements, including an independent research project relevant to the student’s interest in biotechnology.

UK Core Requirements

See the UK Core section of this Bulletin for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

UK Core hours: 33

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

ABT 201 - SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 1
ABT 301 - WRITING AND PRESENTATIONS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES Credit(s): 2

Subtotal: Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3

Premajor Requirements

BIO 148 - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I Credit(s): 3
BIO 152 - PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY II Credit(s): 3
BIO 155 - LABORATORY FOR INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I Credit(s): 1
CHE 105 - GEN COLLEGE CHEMISTRY I Credit(s): 4
CHE 107 - GENERAL COLLEGE CHEMISTRY II Credit(s): 3
CHE 111 - GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY Credit(s): 1
CHE 113 - GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY Credit(s): 2
CHE 230 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I Credit(s): 3
CHE 231 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I Credit(s): 1
CHE 232 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II Credit(s): 3
CHE 233 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II Credit(s): 1
MA 123 - ELEMENTARY CALCULUS AND ITS APPLICATIONS Credit(s): 4
OR
MA 113 - CALCULUS I Credit(s): 4
OR
MA 137 - CALCULUS I WITH LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION Credit(s): 4
PHY 211 - GENERAL PHYSICS Credit(s): 5
PHY 213 - GENERAL PHYSICS Credit(s): 5 (or equivalent with laboratory)

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 39-42

Major Requirements

Biotechnology

ABT 101 - INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 1
ABT 201 - SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 1
ABT 301 - WRITING AND PRESENTATIONS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES Credit(s): 2

Microbiology

BIO 208 - PRINCIPLES OF MICROBIOLOGY Credit(s): 3
OR
BIO 308 - GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY Credit(s): 3
BIO 209 - INTRODUCTORY MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY Credit(s): 2
OR
BIO 309 - MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY Credit(s): 2

Biochemistry

BCH 401G - FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOCHEMISTRY Credit(s): 3

Genetics

ABT 120 - GENETICS AND SOCIETY Credit(s): 3
ABT 360 - GENETICS Credit(s): 3
OR
ENT 360 - GENETICS Credit(s): 3
OR
BIO 304 - PRINCIPLES OF GENETICS Credit(s): 4
ABT 460 - INTRODUCTION TO MOLECULAR GENETICS Credit(s): 3
ABT 461G - INTRODUCTION TO POPULATION GENETICS Credit(s): 3

Statistics

STA 296 - STATISTICAL METHODS AND MOTIVATIONS Credit(s): 3
OR
BST 230 - STATISTICAL THINKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH Credit(s): 3

Advanced Practical Skills

ABT 495 - EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 4
OR
BIO 510 - RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNIQUES LABORATORY Credit(s): 4

Independent Study

ABT 395 - INDEPENDENT STUDY IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 4 (Variable)
OR
ABT 399 - EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN BIOTECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 6 (Variable)
All students are expected to undertake an independent study project in an area of their interest for a minimum of 3 credit hours. This requirement can be met by a research project or an internship that is agreed upon by a student’s advisor and approved by the Biotechnology Coordinating Committee prior to initiation of the project. Both written and oral reports are required when the project is completed.

Subtotal: Major hours: 34-35

Specialty Support

Students must take a minimum of 21 credit hours of specialty support courses that will be selected according to the student’s area of interest with the approval of the academic advisor. Of these 21 credits, a maximum of 9 credits may be ABT prefixed courses. Of the 21 credits, a maximum of 6 credits may be research credits. The remaining 15 credits must be in regularly scheduled courses.

Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology, B.S.

Graduation Requirements

UK Core Requirements

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences

V. Composition and Communication I

VI. Composition and Communication II

VII. Quantitative Foundations

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

X. Global Dynamics