Need your Input -
To Austin Community College Biotechnology Partners
To maintain the high level of training in our program we propose to add an Introductory Biomanufacturing option and a Bioinformatics course into our AAS (Associate of Applied Science Degree) and the ATC (Advanced Technical Certificate). We are also proposing changes to the Biotechnology Certificate so that it includes more preparatory courses and the optional Introduction Biomanufacturing course.
The cell culture course is being upgraded and moved towards the end of the program so that we can add new techniques (eg transfection) and a new cell line.
We want to add an English course and a Math course to go with our Fundamentals of Bioscience course to better prepare the students to enter the Biotechnology program. These three courses prepare students that are not ready to take the Intro to Biotech course. We're finding that many students, especially 2-year students and students with 4-year degrees in nonscience fields, need more documentation, math, and lab work to get them ready for the Introduction to Biotechnology course.
Finally, we have a couple of courses (Quality Assurance course and the Preparatory Course) that have new numbers from the state.
We need a vote of yes or no for each of the following changes, please bold yes or no. AND please feel free make any comments you feel are pertinent concerning each item.
Proposed Changes:
1) The state has changed the QCTC 1242 Quality Assurance course to BITC 1240 with the same title, and BITC 1291 Biotechnology Program Preparatory Course has been changed to BITC 1200 Fundamentals of Biological Sciences. YES OR NO
2) For the Bridge to Biotech students, BITC 1191 Special Topics (Special Studies and Bioethical Issues of Biotechnology) (documentation, reading scientific articles and manuals) will be added to the certificate program as well as MATD 0160 Applied Mathematics to go along with the BITC 1200 course. YES OR NO
3) We would like to add the BITC 2350 Bioinformatics course and BITC 2491Introduction to Biomanufacturing (option) to the certificates and degrees. The cell culture course is being upgraded. YES OR NO
4) We need to remove the COSC 1301 Personal Computing course because those skill standards are already incorporated into the program. We find that students are doing a lot of computer work in the program, and with the addition of the bioinformatics course, we do not need a separate personal computing course for our students. YES OR NO
5) We need to move the PSYC 2301 Psychology course into the fifth semester to better distribute the student’s course load. YES OR NO
6) We need to change the footnote for BITC 1200 to "BITC 1200, BITC 1191 and MATD 0160 must be taken together or Departmental Approval."
YES OR NO
7) We need to change the prerequisite for BITC 1311 to one year of high school biology and one year of high school chemistry or BIOL 1406, or the equivalent, or Departmental approval. Again we find it very important that students take chemistry in addition to Biology. YES OR NO
8) The course description for BITC 2431 needs to be updated to better reflect the current course content. YES OR NO
Attached is a detailed explanation of changes to the program, curriculum descriptions and the revised degree programs with the indicated changes.
Please send your reply to Steven Spurlock(sspulock@austincc.edu).
Also, in your reply please indicate what is your job position and workplace.
Thank you for your time and effort. We continue to work to make this the best possible biotechnician training program. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 512-223-5912
Linnea Fletcher
Department Chair of Biotechnology
Austin Community College
3401 Webberville Road
Austin, TX 78702
512-223-5912
FAX 512-223-5899