Program Overview

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Program Overview

Madison College's Biotechnology Laboratory Technician two-year associate degree program provides hands-on training for success in today's biotech job market. Biotechnology is a popular choice at Madison College, with many sectors involving biotech, allowing for diverse career directions and a bright future in terms of employability and average salary.

Associate Degree Program Goals

Biotechnology associate degree graduates are ready for professional positions, from laboratory or production work to biotech project management, supply chain management, human resources, quality control, and more. Upon graduation, students can start a career or transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor's degree.

Real-world, Hands-on Learning

Expert faculty provide personal attention in the lab and classroom to ensure academic success. Students receive a solid scientific background in the classroom and extensive practical experience working in fully equipped laboratories using industry-standard equipment and supplies.

Biotechnology Coursework

The biotechnology curriculum is designed with input from the industry advisory board to ensure students get the skills the local biotech industry needs most. Courses emphasize workplace skills in communication, safety, time management, and professionalism. Classes introduce technical skills in:

• Growing bacteria
• Working with DNA
• Purifying proteins
• Performing laboratory tests
• Working with mammalian cell culture

Before graduation, students complete an internship with an industry partner to apply biotech skills in a real-world environment and build their professional network.

Program Prerequisites

• A high school degree, including a year of biology, is required.
• A year of high school algebra and a year of high school chemistry are helpful.
• Biology, chemistry, and algebra classes are offered at Madison College to help meet requirements.

Flexible Course Offerings

Students can attend full- or part-time, taking classes in-person at the Madison Truax campus. The Biotechnology Laboratory Technician program can be completed in as little as two years or up to three years.

Start Your Four-Year Degree Here

Biotechnology associate degree credits transfer if students plan to earn their bachelor's degree to advance to a higher-level position in the field. Biotechnology Laboratory technician associate degree graduates can transfer as a junior to UW-Platteville to complete a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Online Program Transfer Options

Online transfer options are ideal for Associate of Applied Science graduates employed in the industry while completing their four-year degree.

• University of Maryland Global Campus (B.S. Biotechnology, online)
• UW-Stout (B.S. Management, online)
• UW-Green Bay (B.A.S Organizational Leadership Business Administration, online)
• UW-Oshkosh (B.A.S. Leadership and Organizational Studies, online)
• Northwestern Health Sciences University (B.S. Human Biology)

Students receive maximum credit transfer if they take the general education courses indicated in the Biotechnology Transfer Option Curriculum (2-year plan).

Admission

To Apply

Earning a degree is a great way to advance career development opportunities.

Application Dates

• Fall 2025: Application open, deadline August 31, 2025
• Spring 2026: Application open, deadline January 15, 2026

Admission Requirements

All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

1. Admission Application: The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.
2. Education Completion: Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:
   • High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
   • GED/HSED completion
   • College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
     • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
     • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale

Curriculum and Experience

First Semester

• Biotechnology Laboratory Skills for a Regulated Workplace (3 credits)
• Hazardous Materials - Biotechnology (1 credit)
• Biotechnology Applications (1 credit)
• General Cell Biology (4 credits)
• Laboratory Math for Biotechnology (1 credit)
• Written Communication (3 credits)
• Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)

Second Semester

• Chromatography Techniques (3 credits)
• Bioprocess Technology (3 credits)
• Biotechnology Career Seminar (1 credit)
• Applied Chemistry for Biotechnology (4 credits)
• Applied Microbiology (4 credits)
• Oral/Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)

Third Semester

• Biotechnology Employment Skills (1 credit)
• Protein Bioseparations Methods (3 credits)
• Cell Culturing (3 credits)
• Molecular Biology 1 (3 credits)
• Making Biotech Products in a Quality Environment (2 credits)
• Contemporary Amer Society (3 credits)
• Psychology Of Human Relations (3 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Applied Biochemistry (3 credits)
• Research Methods in Molecular Biology (3 credits)
• Occupational Work Experience (3 credits)
• Economics (3 credits)
• Elective (3 credits)

Transfer Opportunities

UW System Schools

• UW Oshkosh: The terms of the B.S in Leadership & Org Studies agreement are limited to students who complete selective A.A.S or A.A.A. degrees and are admitted to the Organizational Studies emphasis at UW-Oshkosh. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• UW Platteville: Students who complete the Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Associate Degree may transfer up to 61 credits from that degree to UW-Platteville to be applied to the baccalaureate degree in Biology.

Wisconsin Private Schools

• Concordia University: Students with an AA, AS or AAS are Advanced Core. Advanced Core requires students to have earned at least 60 credits. Students transferring prior to completion or with less than 60 credits are standard core and credits are evaluated course by course.
• Lakeland University: Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.
• Milwaukee School of Engineering: Completion of an A.A.S. Degree at Madison College after 2015, and meeting admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a B.B.A degree in Technical Sales at MSOE.

Out-of-State Schools

• Bellevue University: Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement.
• Capella University: Per the agreement, students must complete the associates of arts, associates of science or associates of applied science with an overall GPA of a 2.0 prior to transferring.
• Colorado State University Global Campus: Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.
• Franklin University: Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of Madison College graduates with an AA, AS, or AAS. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer up to 94 additional credits toward their baccalaureate degree.
• Northwestern Health Sciences University: Students must complete the Biotechnology Laboratory Technical program at Madison College and meet the admission requirements for their intended major at Northwestern Health Sciences University. Up to 60 credits are eligible for transfer to NWHSU.

Career Outcomes

Associate Degree Program Outcomes

As a Madison College Biotechnology Laboratory Technician associate degree program graduate, you'll be prepared to:

• Follow policies and procedures when working in regulated laboratory environments.
• Demonstrate health and safety techniques.
• Demonstrate a variety of math and technical laboratory skills necessary to perform in multiple areas of the biotechnology laboratory.
• Use appropriate computer software and hardware skills to accomplish biotechnology lab tasks.
• Manage laboratory data.
• Apply active listening, oral and written communication skills to follow procedures.
• Adhere to professional and ethical standards in the biotechnology profession.
• Demonstrate technical knowledge of specialized techniques and instrumentation.

Biotechnology Careers

You'll be qualified to apply for such jobs as:

• Biotechnology Research Technician
• Biotechnology Production Technician
• Laboratory Technician
• Quality Control/Assurance Technician

Graduate Summary

Graduate Report Summary Overview

Count	Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of Program Graduates		5	11	5
Number of Surveys Sent		5	10	5
Number of Surveys Returned		3	8	3
Percent of Surveys Returned
Available for Employment		3	5	3
Percent Available for Employment	100.0%	62.5%	100.0%
Not in Labor Market
Percent Not in Labor Market	0.0%	37.5%	0.0%

Graduate Employers

Employer(s)	Job Title	City	State	Positions
Catalent	Upstream Associate
Newcomer Supply	Laboratory Technician	Middleton
State Laboratory of Hygiene	Environmental Toxicologist