206-685-6344
akoop@extn.washington.edu
October 9, 2007
For Professionals Seeking Opportunity in the Emerging Biotech Industry
University of Washington and University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Partner to Launch Online Certificate Program in Biotech Project Management
With the combined annual revenues of biotech industries in the U.S., European Union, India and Australia now well over $35 billion, the biotech industry job outlook is extremely positive. To meet this growing opportunity, the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of California in San Diego have formed a unique partnership to jointly develop a Biotech Project Management Certificate Program.
This online program offers the academic strengths of two institutions that are leaders in the field. Seattle and San Diego are emerging as the top two biotechnology centers on the West Coast, and the nine-month program is taught by noted industry professionals.
Professionals who will benefit
Position yourself now: The biotech job outlook is extremely positive
Learn from leading biotech industry professionals
Tailor your skills for this fast growing industry
Study online
Program schedule and application details
About UW Educational Outreach and UW Certificate Programs
Professionals who will benefit
The Certificate Program in Biotech Project Management is designed for product managers, manufacturing managers, quality managers and scientific, clinical research and regulatory specialists involved in biotech product design, development and control. It is ideal for individuals seeking to move into the biotech industry by learning project management processes for completing and delivering a biotech product within budget and on schedule.
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Position yourself now: The biotech job outlook is extremely positive
Om 2004, the average annual wage of bioscience workers in the U.S. was $65,775, more than $26,000 greater than the average private sector annual wage. According to the government career Web site, biotechnology firms will require more skilled workers than will be available in the coming years. The 2006 Washington Biotechnology & Medical Technology Annual Report states, "The biotechnology and medical device industry in Washington directly employs nearly 20,000 people with indirect employment exceeding 55,000."
Stronger competition among pharmaceutical companies and an aging population are contributing to the need for innovative and improved drugs, spurring demand for biological technicians. But the need for people in biotech project management goes far beyond the pharmaceutical industry. Companies engaged in developing medical implants and devices, agriculture and food processing techniques, biosecurity and biofuels, are all looking for people with the skills for managing complex discovery, development, testing and manufacturing processes for new products.
Learn from leading biotech industry professionals
This cutting-edge program is taught by biotech industry professionals who share their on-the-job experience with students. Instructors include a senior project manager for PACCAR (recently retired); an executive for Cypress Bioscience, Inc. who has held responsibilities ranging from program and alliance management to business development; and a project director for Dako Colorado, Inc. with fifteen years of experience in new product development for biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics. The program is project based, with an emphasis on practical skills and real-life scenarios.
Tailor your skills for this fast growing industry
The program will teach project management processes for completing and delivering a biotech product within budget and on schedule. Participants will first take two online courses addressing the fundamentals of project management. These courses teach effective strategies for project planning and organization, including tools to analyze risk, allocate tasks, track projects, resolve conflicts, make decisions and manage resources.
Participants will then take two biomedical online courses from the University of California, San Diego Extension and apply the foundation principles of good project management to biotech product development. These address the scientific culture and organizational structures of research and development departments and projects. Participants will also learn about biomedical and pharmaceutical product development, regulatory practices, and quality assurance systems. When students successfully complete all four courses, they will receive a UW-UC San Diego joint certificate.
Course materials, lessons, case-study readings and required deliverables for the Certificate Program in Biotech Project Management will be presented online. Just like in a classroom course, students begin each course as a group and work through the coursework together. Participants in the program will work collaboratively on a team project and interact with other classmates and the instructors through online discussion forums, teleconferences and e-mails.
Program schedule and application details
The nine-month, four-course Certification Program in Biotech Project Management runs from September to June. Total program fee is $2,510. For complete details or to apply online, visit the Web site, or contact UW Educational Outreach by phone at (206) 685-8936 or (800) 506-1325 or by email.
UW Educational Outreach is the continuing and professional education division of the University of Washington, the nationally recognized public research institution based in Seattle. UW Educational Outreach is one of the largest and most highly regarded continuing and professional education programs in the U.S., working with the schools, colleges and departments to administer evening degrees, certificate programs, distance learning, international outreach and English language programs and more.
All UW Educational Outreach programs are designed by UW faculty, industry experts, and community leaders. Every program must be approved by the corresponding University of Washington academic department. UW advisory boards-which include prominent industry leaders-continually review programs and update curriculums to meet the evolving demands of specific fields. Visit the Web site for more information.
About UW Certificate Programs
UW Educational Outreach offers more than 100 certificate programs for working professionals moving up the ladder or switching careers entirely. Areas of study include business, arts, healthcare, engineering, computing and IT. Most programs are a sequence of three or more linked noncredit or credit courses that build on each other, typically offered over six to nine months.
Courses are taught by noted industry professionals, community leaders and UW faculty. Many are project based, with an emphasis on practical skills and real-life scenarios that students can apply immediately on the job. Because going back to school is a serious commitment for adult students with many claims on their time, UW certificate programs are designed with flexible schedules and a choice of part-time, full-time, or even online study, depending on the program. Visit the Web site for more information.