Biotechnology at JMU is a 4-year interdisciplinary major leading to a B.S. degree. The program is shared among the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT). Students undertake a rigorous curriculum rich with hands-on laboratory experiences, critical analyses of both the how and the why of biotechnological solutions, and the development of transferable skills to keep up in a rapidly changing field. The combination of both scientific/technical depth and cross-disciplinary breadth allow graduates to pursue diverse career paths in industry, government and advanced studies. Biotechnology majors must complete 47-50 credit hours of science foundation courses, 17 credit hours of biotechnology transition and core courses, and 15 credit hours of elective courses. Each student works with an assigned academic adviser to develop an individualized portfolio of upper level course work to best meet her/his unique interests and goals. Advanced courses are selected from an extensive list of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, ISAT, Engineering, and Mathematics and Statistics offerings. Up to six credits of undergraduate research or internship experiences can be applied to the upper level electives requirement.