MSc Biotechnology: Course Details, Eligibility, Admission Process, Fees, Syllabus, Career Scope & Jobs

MSc Biotechnology Course

MSc Biotechnology is a two years postgraduate programme that focuses on the advanced knowledge of the application of biology and chemistry in the field of technology, design and engineering. MSc Biotechnology involves the study of the usage of living organisms to produce bio-products. MSc Biotechnology course finds its implementation in engineering, technology and medicine.

MSc Biotechnology is a career-oriented course that covers MSc Biotechnology subject list  like Genetics, Cell Technology, Fermentation Technology, Advanced Biotechnology, Tumor etc. MSc Biotechnology syllabus is a mixture of both theoretical and practical sessions that helps students learn the implementation of the MSc Biotechnology course.

MSc Biotechnology is an advanced course and helps students in making a career in R&D or get employed in companies like pharma and healthcare. MSc Biotechnology course will help students acquire skills and technologies associated with biological science. Students who want to grab an opportunity to be associated with science and technology and contribute to the medical and pharma sector can choose the MSc Biotechnology course. 

MSc Biotechnology Overview

MSc Biotechnology course is very demanding and flourishing in the current scenario and it will be one of the most demanding courses in the times to come.  In the MSc Biotechnology course students are taught to advance their knowledge in utilising the biological components of living organisms to make beneficial products for mankind.

MSc Biotechnology admission is done on merit and entrance basis. There are many MSc Biotechnology colleges in India both private and government. Students must have a graduate degree inorder to be eligible for MSc Biotechnology admission. MSc Biotechnology fees differ from college to college. MSc Biotechnology has a lot of career opportunities for the students. MSc Biotechnology syllabus is divided into 4 semesters. The students are taught MSc Biotechnology subjects like Molecular biology, Immunology, Animal biotechnology, Environment Biotechnology,etc. MSc Biotechnology degree provides an opportunity to the students to do advanced courses as well like Ph.D in Biotechnology.

MSc Biotechnology Course Highlights

The students can check the quick facts about the MSc Biotechnology degree. Following are the major highlights of MSc Biotechnology course.

Who Should Choose MSc Biotechnology?

The students who have completed their graduation in BSc Biotechnology are eligible and they should choose MSc Biotechnology for better career prospects. However, it is advisable that the students who possess the following qualities should choose the MSc Biotechnology course.

• The students must be inclined towards biological sciences and living organisms and must have an idea about technological advancements. 
• One must be ready to research and explore new things with the help of technology in the field of biological science. 
• The students must be able to understand the genetics of plants and animals and be familiar with the genetics of the organisms in order to implement technological processes.

Benefits of Studying MSc Biotechnology

In the current scenario, it has become essential in every field to do postgraduate for better growth and career opportunities. So, the students can check the benefits of doing the MSc Biotechnology course given below. 

• MSc Biotechnology provides career opportunities in many leading food manufacturing companies, pharmaceutical industries, environment control and waste management companies, public funded laboratories, chemical industries, food processing industries and many similar allied industries. 

• The students after completing their MSc Biotechnology degree can work in different areas such as production, management and planning of many bio-processing industries. 
• The students can also explore opportunities as research associates if they want to dive into technological innovations after pursuing MSc Biotechnology. The students can learn a variety of experiments and discover new things under the supervision of established scientists. 
• The students can also have teaching opportunities as assistant professors in leading universities that offer courses in BSc and MSc Biotechnology. They can also be part of sales and marketing, management, research administration, quality control, technical support, etc. 

Difference between MSc Biotechnology vs MSc Biochemistry

Even though the duration of both the courses is two years, there are some basic differences between MSc Biotechnology and MSc Biochemistry. It is important for the students to keep a note about the differences in these two courses to decide the course of their choice wisely. The table given below represents the difference between these two courses. 

Difference between MSc Biotechnology vs MSc Microbiology

These two courses are similar nature courses with some basic differences. While one talks about cell biology and immunology with the advancement of technology, the other deals with the study of the smallest level of organisms. The students must check the details about the differences in order to select the right choice of the course they want to pursue. The duration of the course is same for both the courses. The students can refer to the table given below to check the details of the differences with reference to the criteria mentioned. 

MSc Biotechnology Eligibility Criteria

The student must know the eligibility criteria for the MSc Biotechnology degree. Before planning anything in advance because it is the most important aspect for MSc Biotechnology admission to know whether they can apply for MSc Biotechnology course or not . MSc Biotechnology eligibility criteria is as follows:

• The students must hold a BSc degree in Biotechnology/ Biology/ food science/ Microbiology/Nursing or B.Pharma/ BPT/BMIT.
•  Minimum percentage in qualifying examination should be 55%.
• The final year graduation students are also eligible to apply for the MSc Biotechnology course. Before taking MSc Biotechnology admission the students need to clear the exams of 3rd year.

MSc Biotechnology Admission Process

The reputed institutes in India enroll MSc Biotechnology admission through entrance test. Candidates must check the admission process for the respective institute and apply for MSc Biotechnology admission. Students must ensure to meet the minimum eligibility criteria to appear in the entrance test.

Based on the performance in the entrance test, the candidate will be shortlisted for MSc Biotechnology admission in the respective institute.

There are also certain institutes in India that offer direct entry for MSc Biotechnology admission i.e on the basis of the entrance examination, in such case, the candidate must apply at the institute and make sure that he/ she meets the criteria for direct admission.

The process for MSc Biotechnology admission differs from college to college as they look for different kinds of entrance examinations for different colleges and universities. However, there are certain basic steps that need to be followed by students for taking admission to MSc Biotechnology courses. The students can check the following steps as mentioned below. 

Step 1- The students need to select the MSc Biotechnology college from where they want to pursue MSc Biotechnology. They must look for the dates of application and admission. 

Step 2- Once the application process starts and there is a link for applying online/offline, the students must apply for the examination and cross check other details. 

Step 3- The students must prepare for the examination and sit for the same. The students must go through the past examination papers and syllabus in order to prepare well. 

Step 4- The students can check results on the official website and if they have qualified the examination, they need to attend the counseling session organized by the respective colleges or universities. The students also need to pay a minimal fee in order to attend the counseling session. 

Step 5- The final admission list of the selected students are released by the colleges after all other steps have been completed. The lists of the student’s name are released on the official website. The students are provided an offer letter to take admission in MSc Biotechnology courses. 

Step 6- The students need to accept the offer letter and pay the required MSc Biotechnology fee structure in a stipulated time frame. The MSc Biotechnology admission process gets over once the students have paid their fees. 

 MSc Biotechnology Entrance Examination

Most of the colleges that offer MSc Biotechnology courses take entrance examinations for MSc Biotechnology admission. The students must check the list of some of the popular MSc Biotechnology entrance examinations. 

• BHU PET - It is conducted by Banaras Hindu University for admission to postgraduate programs. BHU PET stands for Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Test. The entrance test enables admission to different Postgraduate courses offered by the university and its affiliated colleges. BHU PET is conducted in both Paper Based Test (PBT) and Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. The application process for BHU PET starts in the month of April for admission to Banaras Hindu University for MSc Biotechnology admission.  

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• JNUEE - Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Exam will be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) in the month of October to offer admission in different UG, PG and PH.D programmes. The students are selected based on the marks obtained in the entrance exam.

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• BITSAT - BITSAT is conducted by Bits Pilani for the undergraduate engineering students to offer admission in postgraduate for campuses in Goa, Pilani and Hyderabad. The exam is conducted in 2 sessions and in an online mode. Almost 3 lakhs students apply for this exam.

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• TISS NET - TISS NET is conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences to offer admission in 52 masters degree programme. It is a national level entrance test.It is located in Mumba but it has varius campuses in India.

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• IPU CET - IPU CET stands for Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test which is conducted annually for admission into UG and PG programmes. It is a university level examination and conducted at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

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• DUET - DUET stands for Delhi University Entrance Test and it is conducted annually to offer admission in various UG and PG programmes. NTA conducts the DUET exam every year.Delhi University conducts a PG Entrance exam for almost 60 courses. 

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Important Dates of Entrance Exam for MSc Biotechnology Admission 

The students can check the important dates for the entrance exam so that they can well prepared in advance.

MSc Biotechnology Best Colleges and Fee Structure

Most of the colleges that offer BSc Biotechnology admission also offer MSc Biotechnology admission for postgraduate students. MSc Biotechnology is a popular course and its demand is also increasing among the students because of better career opportunities. The students can check the list of top leading MSc Biotechnology colleges and universities that offer MSc Biotechnology course. The MSc Biotechnology fee is also mentioned for the MSc Biotechnology top colleges. 

MSc Biotechnology Top Private Colleges in India

There are many private MSc Biotechnology colleges in India that offer MSc Biotechnology admission. It is not very easy to get admission in the best private MSc Biotechnology colleges as the competition is very high and the students have to appear for entrance examinations and personal interviews in certain cases. One of the major drawbacks of private colleges is that the tuition fees of these colleges are very high as compared to the government colleges. Some of the best private MSc Biotechnology colleges are listed below. 

MSc Biotechnology Top Government Colleges in India

There are prestigious government colleges that offer MSc Biotechnology admission. The students have to go through a rigorous process of selection by appearing in different competitive entrance examinations. The good part of government colleges is that it can be afforded by everyone irrespective of their financial condition. The government colleges consider education as right and hence the tuition fees are very nominal. The list of best government MSc Biotechnology colleges are given below. 

MSc Biotechnology Syllabus

MSc Biotechnology syllabus is a combination of both theoretical and practical knowledge. MSc Biotechnology  syllabus has been divided into four semesters and it is a mixture of theory classes, assignments, practical classes, internship, project work, and examination. MSc Biotechnology subjects are properly covered during the two years of course duration.

First-year MSc Biotechnology Syllabus

Semester I

• Advanced Biochemistry
• Animal Cell Technology
• Environmental Biotechnology
• Biostatistics
• Exercises in advanced Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Advanced Molecular Biology
• Exercises in Environmental Biotechnology
• Labs

Semester II

• Immunology
• Genetic Engineering
• Immunotechnology
• Plant Biotechnology
• Bio instruments
• Fermentation Technology
• Bioinformatics
• Exercise in Genetic Engineering

Second-year MSc Biotechnology Syllabus

Semester III

• Enzyme Technology
• Animal Biotechnology
• Database management and IPR Biotechnology
• Genomics
• Enzyme Technology
• Environmental Microbiology and Waste Management
• Intellectual Property Rights and Ethical Issue
•  Lab
• Exercises in Animal Biotechnology, Enzyme Technology
• Thesis
• Seminars

Semester IV

• Food Microbiology
• Genomics and Proteomics
• Nanobiotechnology
• Agriculture Biotechnology
• Medical Biotechnology
• Cancer Biology
• Thesis
• Internship
• Examination

MSc Biotechnology Subjects

The students can check the MSc biotechnology subject list taught during the course tenure.

MSc Biotechnology Skills Required

It is important for the students to possess specific skills in order to excel in any field. Any students who wish to purse MSc Biotechnology course must have other skills along with inclination to learn the course. Some of the skills that the students should have to get a postgraduate degree in MSc Biotechnology are listed below. 

• Organizational Skills
• Project Management
• Communication Skills
• Research
• Budget Management
• Business Strategy
• People Management
• Time Management  

Best Books for MSc Biotechnology

The students can check the few MSc Biotechnology books that are referred by top colleges for teaching the MSc Biotechnology subjects. The students are advised to refer to books during the MSc Biotechnology course tenure so that they can properly learn things and grasp the course knowledge effectively. 

MSc Biotechnology Jobs

The students mostly look for a suitable MSc Biotechnology job after completing the MSc Biotechnology course. Some students also opt for higher education in the research area and they complete their Ph.D. in the relevant field. There are many areas in biotechnology where students can work and get jobs such as pharmaceutical company, food processing sector, colleges and universities, agricultural sector, engineering, animal husbandry, research sector and many other similar areas. The students can check the Job profiles and their details after pursuing MSc Biotechnology course.

Sr. Associate Scientist

This profile requires examination of the engineered T-cell expansion where the candidates need to produce perfect essays. They also examine immune phenotype and form SOPs which will be used to collect samples and process them. All the collected essays are then transferred by them to the clinical locations and CROs. Apart from collection and examining, they also do data analysis and result communication to the other functional teams of the project. 

Research Biochemist

The job of biochemist is to study the chemistry of all processes that are living in nature. They are involved in research activities and are responsible for transferring specific characteristics from on organism to another. For example- resistance to disease. 

Sr. Regulatory Affairs Associate

As the organization related to food industries and processing requires ISO certifications, all these activities related to certifications are managed by them. They also manage the compliance as needed by the ISO and FDA and helps in providing support for Quality System Manual and Quality Policy.  They also manage the training activities such as quality control, regulatory policies, audit management, processes, etc. for the employees

Associate Engineer

The work of the associate engineers is to provide assistance to the project engineers. They look after all maintenance related to the routine engineering works. They work under Senior Engineer’s supervision and learn the processes actively. 

Quality Controller

They maintain the quality by ensuring the production of precise and reliable data for all the tests conducted in the laboratory. These tests can further be used for scientific and clinical investigations. They strictly adhere to methodologies for performing routine tasks in order to ensure perfect outcomes as part of their job. 

Regional Manager

It is one of the important profiles as they are responsible for generating leads for revenue generation. They are also responsible for implementing and executing business plans for the organization. They also make market strategies and execute them. Their jobs include conducting campaigns, seminars, meetings, exhibitions and promotional events. 

MSc Biotechnology Salary Package

The initial salary that the students of MSc Biotechnology gets ranges from 15-25 thousand but after getting experience they work for a average salary package of 4 lakh to 10 lakhs per annum. The students can check the average salary and the profile of the jobs that they can get after pursuing MSc Biotechnology.  

MSc Biotechnology Job Prospects

MSc Biotechnology is a very relevant course for the students as there are large areas of employment opportunities. The students can choose their preference from multiple areas of employment. MSc Biotechnology gives students an opportunity to make a career in various fields. Some of the job roles that an MSc Biotechnology candidate can choose are as follows:

Top Companies Hiring after MSc Biotechnology

The students of MSc Biotechnology are hired by many leading organizations and multinational companies. The students can check the list of top companies that offer jobs after doing Msc Biotechnology degree course. 

• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited
• Serum Institute of India
• Wockhardt
• GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited
• Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited
• Shantha Biotechnics Limited
• Panacea Biotech Limited
• Biocon
• Indian Immunologicals Limited 

MSc Biotechnology Starting Salary

After the completion of MSc Biotechnology course, a candidate can expect a starting salary ranging between INR 4.00 to 6.00 Lakhs per annum.

The pay scale increases with years of experience and varies according to the job role. 

MSc Biotechnology Career Scope

There are multiple scopes after completing MSc Biotechnology but there are two prominent sectors where students get most of the opportunities. The sectors are medical biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology.  Medical biotechnology is more fascinating and is growing rapidly as compared to agricultural biotechnology. Medical Biotechnology field employs maximum students who have completed MSc Biotechnology as medical biotechnology generates about 70 percent of the total revenue in the biotechnology sector. There are primarily three categories of companies that are prevalent in this sector. 

• Small Startups- These startups make biotech products in India. They are made primarily for Indian market and facilitate these products at a lesser cost. For Example, Bharat Biotech, Shantha Biotech, etc. 
• Large Pharmaceutical Groups- These are those organizations that supply drugs all across the nation and at global level also. For Example- Dr. Reddy Laboratory (DRL), Ranbaxy Laboratories, and Wockhardt Ltd. 
• Emerging Startups- These organizations are ready to start their operation as Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and they function for the transnational corporations. 

MSc Biotechnology Advanced Courses

The students after completing MSc Biotechnology can easily get a job in different areas as mentioned above. Apart from jobs in different pharmaceutical organizations, the students of MSc Biotechnology can explore advanced courses to further their career. Some of the common advanced courses are mentioned below.

Ph.D. or Research Program- The students of MSc Biotechnology can opt for the highest qualification in the same field. They can choose to do research in the field of biotechnology in the area of their choice of specialization and can complete their Ph.D. degree within 3 to 5 years and continue to work as part of the teaching fraternity. The admission for Ph.D. programs is not very easy. The desired students need to go through the process of entrance examination and personal interviews of the desired college. 

Management Program- The students can also opt to go for a management program and obtain a MBA or PGDM degree for better growth opportunities. If any student is keen on taking the managerial side of biotechnology organizations, they can pursue MBA programs in the related areas. Admission to good MBA colleges take place through competitive entrance exams such as CAT/MAT/XAT/GMAT. However, there are certain colleges that also offer admission to MBA programs on merit basis. The students also have to go through the process of group discussion and personal interviews. 

Government Jobs- The students can also choose to appear for civil services examination if they met the eligibility criteria and age limit for the same besides working in their core area of specialization. They have to prepare themselves for the entrance exam well. The career options and scope is huge in this field as the competition is little less as compared to other popular domains.