Everything you need to know about the BS in Biomanufacturing

The biomanufacturing bachelor's degree program admits new students each fall.

This program is a 2-year full-time program using a cohort model. A cohort means that courses are taken with the same students in a specific course sequence every semester.

Lower division Biomanufacturing coursework serves as preparation for the upper-division course work. It requires the bioprocessing-specific course work: BTEC211, BTEC221 and BTEC222.

Specific admission requirements are included in the Eligibility section below.

Biotechnology, in its broadest definition, takes our understanding of life and uses that to solve problems across a wide variety of areas, including medicine, agriculture and industrial applications. These solutions come in the form of products and services. When bringing a new product or service to market, it will progress through three main stages: research, development, and production.

Existing biotechnology baccalaureate degree programs in California focus on product understanding during the research and early development stages. MiraCosta College's biomanufacturing degree program will address the later stages of development and production when the focus is on process understanding.

The biomanufacturing bachelor's degree major and requirements are available here: BS Degree Biomanufacturing as well as BS Degree Course Descriptions. The program will consist of a minimum of 120 semester units that includes lower-division and upper-division required courses in the major and general education, and elective courses.

Here is a quick lesson in biomanufacturing by one of the world's leading biotechnology companies: gene.com/topics/manufacturing.

Completion of lower division general education requirements is a component of the degree.

Biotechnology-specific classes will be offered through a combination of on-ground course work on the Oceanside Campus and online instruction. Many of the general education classes can also be taken at the Oceanside Campus, San Elijo Campus, online, or at other community colleges. Upper-division course work for the biomanufacturing program is offered during the day, Monday through Thursday mornings, on the Oceanside Campus.

Faculty in the Biotechnology Department will teach the majority of classes with strong participation from local industry scientists and engineers. All instructors must meet strict minimum qualifications, which will typically include a master's degree and several years of experience in the industry.

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The below requirements must be fulfilled to be eligible to apply and then enroll for the program. Applications will be accepted starting August 1, 2026. F-1 visa students should contact the International Office for admission information.

I. Requirements for eligibility to enroll in the bachelor's program

• Overall GPA of 2.0 for all course work
• Completion of all of the following program prerequisites, with no grade less than a C (or P) prior to the start date of the program (start of upper division coursework):
  • BTEC 108/BTEC 108H or General biology (BIO 105 or equivalent)
  • CHEM 150/150H
  • BTEC 107
  • BTEC 110/BTEC 110H
  • BTEC 120
  • BTEC 210
  • BTEC 211
  • BTEC 221
  • BTEC 222
  • ENGL 100/ENG 100H
  • Statistics (BTEC 180/BTEC 180H or equivalent)

Applicants who will enroll in any of these courses in the Spring 2027 semester in order to fulfill program requirements may indicate this on their application at the time of submission.

Courses taken from other institutions must be evaluated for prerequisite equivalency. Please make an appointment with a MiraCosta counselor for course review.

II. Cohort Selection

All applications will undergo a comprehensive review that ensures applicants meet the above eligibility requirements. Additional weight will be given to students who have:

• Completed BTEC 221 and BTEC 222 (or equivalent) with a grade of C- or P, or better, prior to the start of the program.
• Completed an associate degree in research and development, biomanufacturing, or equivalent.
• Earned GPAs of 2.5 or higher.
• Completed additional 200-level biotechnology courses.
• Completed lower division GE requirements before the entry date.
• Life experiences or special circumstances of interest — such as biotechnology industry work experience; being a veteran, former foster youth, low income student and/or first-generation college student; need to work during prerequisites; social or educational disadvantages; or a verified disability.

Students will apply to the college using the standard online application. In addition to the application to MiraCosta College, there is a separate application process specific to the bachelor's degree. You may access the bachelor's program application in your student account on SURF. After logging into SURF, find the application form in the Student Forms tile of the Student Center under the Admission and Records section.

Applications are available August 1, 2026, and will be accepted until a cohort of 30 students have successfully applied. Applicants will be notified by letter of their application outcome no later than March 14, 2027.

Currently there are no plans to add an application fee. However, this may change at the state level.

The full-time cohort of bachelor's students will be approximately 30 students. Students will attend Monday through Thursday mornings on the Oceanside Campus. A new cohort will start each fall semester.

Not at this time. We encourage students from biotechnology programs at other community colleges to apply.

No, an associate degree is not necessary to apply, but there are specific coursework and units that are necessary to be eligible for the program. Applicants who have completed an associate degree in related biotechnology majors will receive priority consideration in the review process.

Yes. However, please be aware that there may be financial aid restrictions.

Track your progress with our readiness checklist.

If you are a current MiraCosta College student, you can set up an appointment to speak with an academic counselor. Please visit the counseling website for additional information. When requesting your appointment, specify that you are interested in the biomanufacturing bachelor's degree program. You can also fill out our information request form to receive emails about upcoming events.

Once admitted to the program, all students will be required to meet with a counselor to develop an educational plan.

All course work, both upper and lower division, currently costs $46 per unit and upper-division course work will cost an additional $84 per unit, with an estimated total cost of about $10,000 for the four-year program. Additional fees include health services, parking and student center. There will also be costs associated with books and materials.

No. The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) will only cover the standard $46 per unit for qualifying students. Cal-Grant funds may be available to cover the $84 per unit depending upon individual student eligibility.

Yes. Cal Grants will be available to bachelor's program students that meet eligibility requirements. Cal Grant funds will cover the $84/unit upper-division course work fee.

No. MiraCosta College does not participate in the Parent PLUS loan program.

Yes. Moving into a program that takes longer to complete re-sets the usage period.

Yes. The maximum time frame will be adjusted to 150% of the units required to complete the bachelor's program.

Internships have been an important part of the current biotechnology education program and that will continue with the bachelor's degree. This program will provide you with the skills, abilities, and knowledge to secure and perform well in an internship. MiraCosta College has a Career Center to help students with internship placement.

The degree program will prepare students for work within the biotechnology industry in the unique environment of biological production where science thrives in partnership with quality and compliance.

Typical job titles include:

• (Bio)manufacturing technician / associate
• Bioprocess technician / associate
• Quality assurance technician / associate / specialist
• Quality control technician / associate / analyst
• Quality specialist / coordinator / inspector
• Biological technician
• (Bio)production technician / associate
• (Bio)manufacturing operator
• Laboratory technician
• Upstream technician / associate
• Downstream technician / associate

A 2024 labor market analysis for San Diego County had average entry-level wages at $28.78 per hour ($60k annual) and a median salary of $36.97 per hour ($77k annual) for manufacturing technicians.