A curriculum build for the job you want-not the one you have
In 16 credits, you'll build expertise across two fields employers rarely find in the same candidate: biomanufacturing and project management. The curriculum pairs two core courses in each discipline with elective tracks you choose based on your career direction โ whether that's AI-driven bioprocessing, green chemistry, data science, or innovation leadership.
Every student completes an industry-informed capstone project solving a real challenge posed by a biomanufacturing partner. You'll graduate with a portfolio piece, not just a transcript line.
Program at a glance: 16 total credits ยท 2 elective tracks ยท 1 industry capstone
Skills you'll graduate with
- Plan and manage large-scale biomanufacturing projects
- Design and scale up sustainable bioprocesses for industrial production
- Apply AI and machine learning to biomanufacturing automation and data analysis
- Lead cross-functional and remote teams in digital work environments
- Apply green chemistry principles to reduce environmental impact in bioproduction
- Use data science and KPIs to optimize project performance and outcomes
- Navigate the full product lifecycle from concept to commercial launch
- Solve real industry problems through a mentored capstone project
Core Courses
PM 500 โ Fundamentals of Project Management
What you'll be able to do:
Run a complex biomanufacturing project from kickoff to delivery โ managing timelines, resources, and cross-functional teams using both Agile and Waterfall frameworks. You'll leave this course with hands-on experience in Gantt charts, work breakdown structures, and real project management software.
Topics include:
Agile and Waterfall frameworks, Gantt charts, work breakdown structures, project management software, cross-functional team management, budgeting, resource allocation
PM 510 โ Leadership Skills in a Digital World
What you'll be able to do:
Lead high-performing remote and hybrid teams in the kind of distributed, digital-first environments that define modern biotech. You'll develop concrete skills in conflict resolution, inclusive team-building, and collaborative decision-making โ the leadership toolkit that makes technical experts stand out.
Topics include:
Virtual team leadership, conflict resolution, inclusive team-building, digital communication, collaborative decision-making, remote work strategies
BME 500: Bioprocess and Biomanufacturing
What you'll be able to do:
Speak the language of biomanufacturing with confidence โ from fermentation and bioreactor operation to product purification, validation, and supply chain. This is the foundational technical fluency that every biomanufacturing role requires, taught through real industry case studies in bioprocess development and management.
Topics include:
Batch, fed-batch and continuous fermentation, bioreactor design and operation, enzyme kinetics, cell growth, product purification and validation, supply chain, sterilization, process monitoring
BME 510 โ Sustainable Bioprocess Design and Scale-up
What you'll be able to do:
Take a bioprocess from lab scale to industrial scale sustainably. You'll work through the engineering principles behind eco-friendly bioproduction, including strain design, fermentation, and metabolic engineering โ with a practical focus on meeting net-zero targets and addressing real environmental challenges in large-scale manufacturing.
Topics include:
Bioreaction engineering, strain design, fermentation, metabolic engineering, sustainable production, industrial scale-up, net-zero manufacturing
BME 550 โ Biomanufacturing Project Management Capstone (Prerequisites: BME 500, BME 510, PM 500, PM 510)
Your capstone is your portfolio piece. Working in teams guided by faculty and industry mentors, you'll design and implement a solution to a real-world biomanufacturing challenge โ not a textbook scenario, but an actual problem submitted by a partner company. The final report and oral presentation is the kind of deliverable you bring to a job interview.
Project Management Track Electives
Two core courses build your foundation in project leadership, digital teamwork, and decision-making. Choose two electives to deepen your skills in the direction that fits your goals.
PM 520 โ Management of Strategic Human Capital
What you'll be able to do:
Turn individual talent into organizational performance. This course focuses on the behavioral and cognitive dimensions of leadership โ how to build supportive environments, develop people, and maximize team engagement, especially in global and virtual contexts that are increasingly common in biomanufacturing.
Topics include:
Strategic leadership, human capital development, workforce engagement, cognitive and affective leadership, global team management
PM 530 โ Data Science for Project Management
What you'll be able to do:
Make better project decisions using data โ defining KPIs, applying statistical methods, building predictive models, and creating visualizations that communicate clearly to stakeholders. One of the most in-demand skill combinations in biotech right now: project management fluency plus data literacy.
Topics include:
KPI definition, statistical methods, predictive modeling, data visualization, resource optimization, performance tracking
PM 540 โ Introduction to Product Management
What you'll be able to do:
Guide a biomanufacturing product from concept to commercial launch โ understanding user needs, managing the product lifecycle, building roadmaps, and positioning products for sustained market fit. An ideal elective for those interested in business development or tech transfer roles.
Topics include:
Product lifecycle management, user-centered design, product roadmaps, customer feedback, product-market fit, go-to-market strategy
PM 550 โ Creativity, Process and Innovation Implementation
What you'll be able to do:
Lead innovation โ not just participate in it. This course teaches transformational leadership skills for identifying meaningful problems, driving novel solutions, and building team cultures that value experimentation and iteration. Ideal for those aiming for senior or entrepreneurial roles in the bioeconomy.
Topics include:
Creative problem-solving, transformational leadership, innovation strategy, organizational culture, feedback and iteration, adaptive strategy
Biomanufacturing Track Electives
Two core courses build your technical foundation in bioprocessing and sustainable scale-up. Choose two electives in the specialization that aligns with your career goals โ from AI and data science to green chemistry and biomolecular engineering.
BME 521 โ Biomanufacturing for Green Chemistry (Elective โ Prerequisite: BME 500)
What you'll be able to do:
Design biomanufacturing processes that minimize waste, reduce toxicity, and use renewable resources โ making you valuable in an industry increasingly evaluated on its environmental footprint. Green chemistry expertise is one of the fastest-growing specializations in the bioeconomy.
Topics include:
Green chemistry principles, biocatalysis, alternative solvents, eco-friendly process design, renewable resources, bioprocess metrics, environmental economics
BME 530 โ Biomolecular Engineering for Biomanufacturing (Elective โ Prerequisites: BME 500 + BME 510)
What you'll be able to do:
Work at the cutting edge of sustainable biomolecule production โ medicines, polymers, and beyond โ using genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and genome editing tools. You'll also explore how AI is being applied to process monitoring and production innovation, putting you ahead of where the field is heading.
Topics include:
Genetic engineering, synthetic biology, genome editing, metabolic pathway analysis, bioreactor systems, AI in bioprocess monitoring
BME 540 โ AI and Biomanufacturing Data and Statistical Analysis (Elective โ Prerequisites: BME 500 + BME 510)
What you'll be able to do:
Apply AI, machine learning, and statistical analysis directly to biomanufacturing problems โ from bioprocess automation to real-world biotech case studies. This is the course for anyone who wants to be at the intersection of data science and biotech, one of the fastest-growing career paths in the sector.
Topics include:
AI fundamentals, machine learning for bioprocess automation, data preparation, biostatistical analysis, intelligent biosystems, statistical modeling
Industy Internship (not required, but encouraged)
Students are encouraged to pursue an internship with one of our industry partners. While not required, internships offer a direct path to applying classroom learning in a professional setting, building industry connections, and making yourself visible to employers before you graduate. Learn more about our industry partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many courses do I need to complete?
The program requires 16 credits total: two core courses in project management (PM 500 and PM 510), two elective courses in project management, two core courses in biomanufacturing (BME 500 and BME 510), two elective courses in biomanufacturing, and the capstone course (BME 550)
What is the difference between core and elective courses?
Core courses are required for all students and build the foundational knowledge every graduate needs. Elective courses let you specialize โ choose the two in each track that best match your career direction, whether that's AI and data science, green chemistry, product management, innovation leadership, or biomolecular engineering.
Do I need a science background to handle the biomanufacturing courses?
The biomanufacturing core courses (BME 500 and BME 510) introduce both foundational and advanced topics, making them accessible to students coming from management or operations backgrounds. If you have specific concerns about prerequisite knowledge, contact the program director before applying.
What software or tools will I learn?
Across the curriculum you'll develop hands-on proficiency in project management software, data visualization tools, statistical modeling software, and AI and machine learning applications as used in biomanufacturing contexts.
Is the capstone project done individually or in a team?
The capstone is a team project. Working in groups, students tackle a real-world challenge submitted by a biomanufacturing industry partner, guided by both faculty and industry mentors. The team produces a comprehensive project report and delivers an oral presentation โ simulating the cross-functional project work you'll do in industry.
Ready to build your biomanufacturing career?
Start dates available in summer, fall, and spring. Applications take about 20 minutes.
Contact
Linda Reynolds
Associate Dean of Curriculum and Business Operations
School of Management