The purpose of an undergraduate minor is to help NC State undergraduate students acquire knowledge which supports their major and adds breadth to their education. Minors are awarded at the time of graduation from NC State and may not be awarded after a student has received the associated degree at NC State except in those cases in which a student continues enrollment for a second or third undergraduate degree.

Total hours required: 16 (All courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better)

A. Prerequisite Courses to Enter the Minor

Complete both Groups 1 and 2:

1. CH 223 - Organic Chemistry II

2. BIO 181 - Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, or BIO 183 - Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology

The courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

B. Introduction to Biomanufacturing (1 credit)

BEC 220 - Introduction to Drug Development and Careers in Biomanufacturing, 1 credit

C. Basic Microbiology Laboratory Skills (1 or 2 credits)

Complete one of the following courses: 

• BEC (MB) 320 - Fundamentals of Microbial Cell Culture, 2 credits 
• MB 352 - General Microbiology Lab, 1 credit 
• At least 1 credit from “Electives for All BTEC Programs” if student completed BIT 410

D. Base Biomanufacturing Sequence (4 credits)

Complete Groups 1 and 2:

1. BEC (MB) 420 - Fundamentals of Microbial Cell Biotransformations, 2 credits or BEC (CHE) 463 - Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms, 2 credits

2. BEC (MB) 330 - Principles and Applications of Bioseparations, 2 credits

E. Biomanufacturing Specialization (4 credits)

Students must complete a two-course specialization sequence focused on either:

Upstream Operations

BBS 426 - Industrial Microbiology & Biomanufacturing Laboratory, 2 credits and BEC 480 - cGMP Fermentation Operations, 2 credits

or

Downstream Operations

BEC 436 - Introduction to Downstream Process Development, 2 credits and BEC 485 - cGMP Downstream Operations, 2 credits

F. Electives (6 credits)

Complete at least 6 credits of elective courses (if not taken to satisfy a previous section) 

• See “Electives for All BTEC Programs”

Electives for All BTEC Programs 

• GN 311 - Principles of Genetics, 4 credits 
• BAE(BBS) 425 - Industrial Microbiology and Bioprocessing, 3 credits 
• BBS 426 - Industrial Microbiology & Biomanufacturing Laboratory, 2 credits 
• BCH 451 - Principles of Biochemistry, 4 credits 
• BEC 436 - Introduction to Downstream Process Development, 2 credits 
• BEC 442 - Insect Cell Protein Expression, 2 credits 
• BEC 462 - Bionanotechnology Laboratory, 2 credits 
• BEC(CHE) 463 - Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms, 2 credits 
• BEC 475 - Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products, 3 credits 
• BEC 480 - cGMP Fermentation Operations, 2 credits 
• BEC 485 - cGMP Downstream Operations, 2 credits 
• BEC 488 - Cell Culture Engineering, 2 credits 
• BEC 497 - Biomanufacturing Research Projects, 1- 2 credits 
• BIT 410 - Manipulation of Recombinant DNA, 4 credits 
• BIT 466 - Animal Cell Culture technique, 2 credits 
• BIT 470 - Advanced Animal Cell Culture: Bioreactor Culture, 2 credits
• BME(BEC) 483 - Tissue Engineering Technologies, 2 credits
• MB 455 - Microbial Biotechnology, 3 credits