Master’s in Bioscience Management Online

At A Glance

Program Duration	12-24 months full-time, 24-36 months part-time
Format Options	Fully Online, optional weekend lab sessions for selective courses
Credits Required	30 graduate credits
Application Deadlines	Rolling admissions
STEM Designation	Yes—36 months OPT eligibility
International Eligibility	F-1 visa support available; English proficiency required
Capstone Options	9-credit thesis or 3-credit project track
Prerequisite Flexibility	Preparatory courses available for those without a life sciences or biotech background
Financial Aid	Graduate assistantships and fellowships available
Application Fee	Required (waived for WPI students and alumni)

Professional Advancement Outcomes

The bioscience and biotechnology sectors are rapidly evolving—driven by innovation in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and biomanufacturing. WPI graduates emerge prepared to translate scientific discovery into strategic business decisions, bridging the gap between R&D and market impact.

Greater Boston’s world-class biotech ecosystem offers unmatched access to leading pharmaceutical companies, startups, and research institutions, positioning you to accelerate your career in a global hub of bioscience innovation.

Top Career Paths:

Biotechnology Project Manager
Clinical Research Manager
Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Biopharma Operations Director
Business Development Manager (Life Sciences)
Quality Assurance/Compliance Manager
Biomanufacturing Leader

Graduates work at companies such as:

Pfizer
Takeda
Moderna
Sanofi
Biogen
Thermo Fisher Scientific
GE Healthcare
Genzyme
Boston Scientific

Alumni have advanced into roles in:

Drug development and commercialization
Biomanufacturing operations
Regulatory compliance and quality systems
Clinical trial management
Strategic partnerships and licensing
Health technology innovation

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Program-Specific Advantages

Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Blend advanced life sciences coursework with high-impact business and management training.
Industry Connections: Collaborations with leading biotech and pharma companies across New England.
Hands-On Learning: Opportunities to apply classroom concepts through real-world projects, case studies, and optional on-campus labs.
Flexible Pathways: Choose from three tracks to align with your professional goals (Life Science, Bioengineering, or Custom Science).
Small Class Environment: Engage directly with faculty who are active researchers and industry practitioners.

Faculty Expertise & Research Areas

Learn from faculty with expertise spanning the full spectrum of bioscience and management disciplines, including:

Biomanufacturing process optimization
Drug discovery and development
Biomedical device design and testing
Regulatory affairs and compliance
Strategic management for life sciences organizations

Faculty members bring extensive industry experience from biotech startups to Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, providing practical insight alongside academic rigor.

Meet Our Faculty

Reeta Rao

Professor & Department Head, Biology & Biotechnology

Professor Rao's research focuses on understanding and managing fungal diseases. She uses a variety of biochemical, molecular-genetic, and genomic tools and model hosts to explore fungal virulence and host defense strategies. She is interested in identifying novel therapeutics aga [...]

David Adams

Radiation Safety Officer & Biological Safety Officer, Environmental Health & Safety

This is a great place to do biology! WPI lies within a driving commute of 260 different biotech companies, and is located within one of the world's two main meccas for biotechnology. My lab's main interest is the use of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) as potential treatments for stro [...]

Floyd Brownewell

Professor of Practice, Biology & Biotechnology

I have enjoyed a blended career spanning research and development, heavy chemicals manufacturing, healthcare single use manufacturing, and academia. This experience has provided a unique interface between the theoretical and the practical. I understand the need for innovation and [...]

Jean King

Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Biology & Biotechnology, School of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Jean King is an active neuroscientist and Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Previously Dr. King was the Vice Provost of Biomedical Research and Professor of Psychiatry, Radiology, and Neurology (with tenure) at UMass Medical Schoo [...]

Amity Manning

Dr. Helen G. Vassallo Distinguished Presidential Professor,

Biology & Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Professor Manning’s research focuses on defining the cellular mechanisms that maintain genome stability in normal cells and understanding how those pathways are corrupted in cancer cells. Using a combination of molecular and cell biological approaches, together with bioinformatic [...]

Advanced biology/biotechnology
Chemistry/biochemistry or biomedical engineering fundamentals
Management and leadership for life sciences
Electives or directed research tailored to your career interests

Life Science
Bioengineering
Custom Science Track
See program options below

Begin in fall or spring semesters with courses scheduled to accommodate working professionals. Part-time enrollment maintains full student benefits.

Biology / Biotechnology

BB 504. Molecular Biology of the Cell
BB 505. Fermentation Biology*
BB 508. Animal Cell Culture*
BB 509. Scale up Bioprocessing*
BB 560. Methods of Protein Purification & Downstream Processing*
BB 560. Virology
BB 565. Genetic Engineering of Expression Systems*
BB 570 ST. Antibody Therapeutics*
BB 570 ST. Biomanufacturing Process Control and Statistical Tools
BB 570 ST. Advanced Topics in Biotechnology
BB 570 ST. Medical and Applied Immunology*
BB 570 ST. Responsible Conduct of Research in Life Sciences* (requires a synchronous component, both online and in-person on the WPI campus)
BB 581. Bioinformatics

Chemistry

CH 520. Cell Signaling
CH 536. Theory and Applications of NMR Spectroscopy
CH 538. Medicinal Chemistry
CH 542. Drugs in the Brain
CH 545. Plant Natural Products
CH 554. Molecular Modeling
CH 562/The Drug Development Pathway for Therapeutics
CH 563/Drug Regulations and Regulatory Affairs

Please note that asterisks (*) indicate that although the course is offered online, it is a “skills-based” course and includes 12-24 hrs of hands-on labwork, delivered on the weekends in 4-8 hr modules, on the WPI campus.

To find the next offering of online Bioscience Management courses, visit the Registrar’s site.

To view a course description, visit the Graduate Catalog.

Subject to change based on availability.

Real-World Application Emphasis

You’ll graduate with both scientific expertise and the strategic insight to bring bioscience innovations to market. Typical project areas include:

Biomanufacturing process improvement for vaccines or therapeutics
Regulatory pathway planning for new medical devices
Market analysis for biotech product launches
Supply chain optimization for pharmaceutical distribution
Technology transfer strategies for academic research labs
Quality systems development for GMP compliance

Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, or a related field.

If an applicant does not have a degree in the life sciences, they should demonstrate knowledge and exposure to the life sciences through work experience or other outlet. We recommend applicants use their resume and statement of purpose to describe their educational development in the life sciences post-degree.

TOEFL (90+), IELTS (7.0+), or Duolingo (115+) for non-native English speakers.

Official transcripts
Statement of purpose
Three letters of recommendation
Résumé/CV
GRE not required
Application fee (waived for WPI students and alumni)

6-12 Credit Hours in Chemistry/Biochemistry
6-12 Credit Hours in Management
6-12 Credit Hours in Biology/Biotechnology
3-9 Credit Hours of electives or directed research

9-14 Credit Hours in Biomedical Engineering
6-12 Credit Hours in Management
3-12 Credit Hours in Chemistry or Biology
3-9 Credit Hours of electives or directed research

16-24 Credit Hours selected from Biomedical Engineering, Biology/Biotechnology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Science
6-12 Credit Hours in Management

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At A Glance

Professional Advancement Outcomes

Career Outcomes and Salary Data

Grad Studies Blog

Graduate Studies Series

Program-Specific Advantages

Faculty Expertise & Research Areas

Meet Our Faculty

Program Curriculum Highlights

Biology / Biotechnology

Chemistry

Real-World Application Emphasis

Application Requirements

Program Options

Take a Course