Virginia Western Community College

Virginia Western Community College offers two Biotechnology programs: a two-year Biotechnology Associate of Science (AS) program and a one-year Biotechnology Career Studies Certificate (CSC). 

Students who complete the Biotechnology AS can transfer to the BS programs at Roanoke College and James Madison University.

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The Biotechnology Associate of Science (AS) Program is a 63-credit program designed to provide the foundational classes, such as general biology and general chemistry, as well as courses specific to biotechnology, designed to develop foundational lab skills as well as exposure to more specialized methods such as bioinformatics, cell culture, and imaging. At the end of the AS program, students are eligible to sit for the BACE (Biotechnology Aptitude Efficiency Exam), which is a credential recognized in the industry for technician positions in the biotechnology, science, health, and related fields. Students completing the AS program may either pursue employment in the workforce, as a science laboratory technician, research technician and more, or transfer to a 4-year institution in pursuit of a Baccalaureate in Science (BS) degree.

The Biotechnology Career Studies Certificate (CSC) Program is a 19-credit program designed for students who want to gain valuable skills in the science laboratory. This CSC program is an add-on to many degrees, such as the AS in Science, the AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology, or to provide additional training after a BS degree, to help set students apart from others in their field. At the end of the CSC program, students are eligible to sit for the BACE (Biotechnology Aptitude Efficiency Exam).  Students who successfully complete the Biotechnology CSC will gain essential basic skills desired by both 4-year institutions and employers in the area, as well as advanced skills in nucleic acids and protein techniques. This CSC program is ideal for students who want to pursue research or laboratory work as a career, such as becoming a research technician, a forensic scientist, or working in a medical laboratory.

Tuition: Virginia Western has several programs to help students with tuition costs.

• The CCAP (Community College Access Program) is a public/private partnership that pays the cost of tuition for two years at Virginia Western Community College, if a qualified student does not have sufficient financial aid to pay tuition costs. CCAP supports as many qualified students as possible based on student need and funds available for each locality.
• The G3 Program is a tuition assistance program for any Virginia resident who qualifies for in-state tuition and whose family income falls below an identified threshold.