Biotech Courses at Solano Community College

The Industrial Biotechnology track prepares graduates to work in biotech as production technicians. Production technicians operate and maintain the equipment used to manufacture protein pharmaceutical products. In these hands-on classes that use the same equipment and laboratory processes common in modern biotech workplaces, student grow bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells and recover the proteins they produce. They also learn how to follow good manufacturing practices by maintaining records and complying with quality assurance procedures and government regulations — all required aspects of the job in any biotech firm.

A student who completes the 22- to 24-unit major with a grade of C (2.0) or better in each course earns a Certificate of Achievement. Upon completion of 60 units, a student can earn the Associate in Science Degree (which includes the major, general education requirements and electives, and grades of C or better or P if the course is taken on a pass/no-pass basis).

What’s required?

Students have to complete a one or more course prerequisite program, and then the four course biotechnology core program. With these courses graduates enter with either a Certificate of Achievement in Industrial Biotechnology or an Associates degree (with the completion of General Education courses.)

Industrial Biotechnology Required Courses

Course	Units	Pre-reuisites and Course Advisories
BIOT 051 Principles of Biotechnology	3	BIO 014, BIO 002, or BIOT 160 SCC minimum math standard and eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 052 Business and Regulatory Practices in Biotechnology	3	SCC minimum math standard and eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 062 Cell Culture and Protein Recovery	4	BIOSC 014, BIOSC 002 or BIOTCH 160 Eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 063 Biotechnology Instrumentation: Quality Control & Genetic Engineering	4	BIO 014, BIO 002, or BIOT 160
BIO 014 Principles of Microbiology Or BIO 002 Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology	4 5
CHEM 010 Intermediate Chemistry Or CHEM 001 General Chemistry	4 5
Total credits, depending on whether students take BIO 014 or BIO 002, or CHEM 010 or CHEM 001	22-24

The Applied Biotechnology Certificate of Achievement/Associate Degree courses are similar, but they require 18 credits for the Certificate of Achievement and replace the Microbiology and Chemistry courses with a course on basic concepts and methods in biotechnology.

Applied Biotechnology Required Courses

Course	Units	Pre-requisites and Course Advisories
BIOT 051 Principles of Biotechnology	3	BIO 014, BIO 002, or BIOT 160 SCC minimum math standard and eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 052 Business and Regulatory Practices in Biotechnology	3	SCC minimum math standard and eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 062 Cell Culture and Protein Recovery	4	BIOSC 014, BIOSC 002 or BIOTCH 160 Eligibility for ENGL 001
BIOT 063 Biotechnology Instrumentation: Quality Control & Genetic Engineering	4	BIO 014, BIO 002, or BIOT 160
BIOT 160 Basic Concepts/Methods in Biotechnology	4	MATH 104 or MATH 114 or equivalent SCC minimum English and math standards Note: This course is not open to students who have completed CHEM 001, CHEM 010, BIO 002, BIO 014, or equivalent courses and is not designed for students intending to transfer.
Total credits	18

It’s helpful for either of these paths — industrial or applied biotechnology — to have some basic prior knowledge and comfort using computers, including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.