Bachelor's Degree

Biotechnology, Bachelor of Engineering

Opiskelijoita laboratoriossa

World class life science expertise

The degree programme in Biotechnology will provide you with a degree which yields the opportunity to do meaningful work in the field of life science and bioindustry now and in the future.

Turku, home of the Finnish life science expertise cluster, has about 20% of its industrial workforce in the life science sector. Pharmaceutical and diagnostics development have been the strong suit of the cluster since the early 1980s.

Today, the companies operating within the cluster produce more than half of Finland’s total net revenue in pharmaceutical sales. While the drug development and diagnostics sectors have traditionally been the cornerstones of the universities of Turku, the overall expertise cluster is much broader, covering different aspects of healthcare and technology. Drug development and diagnostics is also a common research profiling area.

Turku is one of Finland’s most important Life Science clusters with more than 100 life science companies and two universities focusing on health and biotechnology. The Turku UAS’ degree programme in Biotechnology has strong connections to other degree programmes, industry and research groups locally, nationally, and internationally providing unique networking opportunities.

Working life-oriented education

The degree programme values problem-based learning and incorporates our students in hands-on projects from the beginning. The learning process is supported by lectures, laboratory exercises, simulations, seminars and individual tutoring.

Research and development projects in the New Materials and Processes research group are also linked to the studies as well as cooperation and networking with the companies. The curriculum contains team, laboratory and project works. The tutoring and supervision provided by the personnel ensure smooth studies for each student.

The degree programme is conducted as full-time studies, which means that studying requires participation in classes on campus and cannot be completed as full online studies.

Structure of the studies

The Bioctechnology curriculum consists of basic, professional and elective studies, practical training and Bachelor’s thesis.

The education is based on natural sciences: mathematics, physics and chemistry, core studies in engineering, language and communications studies and basics in project studies. These topics will be covered mainly in the degree programme in biotechnology in the first two years of studies.

The professional studies in the biotechnology are placed throughout the entire study path, similarly to elective studies. Professional studies contains substance specific courses in the field of biotechnology, for example, gene technology, recombinant protein production and purification, biomaterial technology, additive manufacturing, clean room technology and quality management.

Practical training provides you with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in an authentic work environment and within an area of your interest. Practical training is mostly completed between academic years, mainly in the summertime.

The Bachelor’s thesis deepens your knowledge within a specialization of your interest. Thesis work can be combined with practical training and completed as a company project. The thesis is completed in the fourth year of studies.

If you have fluency in Finnish you can also study the Bachelor Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology in Finnish. Read more on our Finnish website.

After graduation

As an engineer in biotechnology, you can work in operating, planning, research and product development tasks, as an independent entrepreneur and in official duties related to the field.

Typical positions for biotech engineer can be, for example

Project Engineer

RDI Engineer

Quality Engineer

Purchase Engineer

Project Manager

Checklist for applicants

Applying in Joint Application

Joint application means that you can apply to up to six study programmes with one application form. These six options may include degree programmes from one or several different higher education institutions in Finland.

Checklist before you apply

1

Check the admission criteria: please take a close look the general information on eligibility, application procedure and student selection methods.

2

Take a look at the tuition fees and scholarships: the higher education institutions in Finland collect tuition fees from students outside the EU/EEA area.

3

Look at the schedules: make sure to apply and upload attachments on time.

Instructions for joint application: admission criteria and schedules

How many students are selected in this degree programme?

You can find the number of study places offered in joint application and path studies application to this degree programme at Studyinfo.fi on the degree programme’s page. The number of study places varies from year to year.

In joint application the quota for first-time applicants in this degree programme is 90%, which means that the majority of study places are reserved for applicants applying for their first higher education degree.

In application for path studies there is no quota for first-time applicants, so this application should be considered especially if you have already accepted a study place at a higher education institution.

How does studying in path studies differ from
degree studies?

In the joint application process, applicants apply to study for a degree. In path studies, studies begin at the Open UAS with the open UAS’s study right.

Open UAS path studies are an alternative route to a degree. Through the path studies, you can start studying studies included in the degree. Path studies consist of the first-year studies (60 ECTS) of the Bachelor’s degree, which you complete alongside degree students. The actual studies or the contents of the studies do not differ from degree studies.

You cannot complete a degree as a path student. Based on the credits you attain and your success in path studies, you can apply for a degree study right via Open UAS separate application and continue your studies seamlessly until graduation.

Path studies are subject to a fee. There is also a difference in the benefits of a path student compared to degree students.

Apart from online study programmes, path studies require attendance in Turku, Finland.

Please note that as path studies do not lead to a degree, Finnish immigration services are not likely to grant a residence permit for path studies.

Read more about path studies.

Co-operation with educational agents

Turku UAS co-operates with education agencies specialized in international student recruitment.

See the list of verified representatives of Turku UAS

Separate applications

You can apply to Turku UAS also through separate applications. Application periods and student selection methods are different from joint application procedure.

Read more about separate applications

Tuition fee

Tuition fees are charged from students who are not citizens of EU/EEA countries and are accepted to English conducted Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programmes. Read more about the tuition fee.

When are studies starting?

If you apply in the spring application periods (first and second joint application and path studies application), the studies begin in August /September.

If you apply in the autumn application periods (autumn joint application and path studies application), the studies begin in January.

The starting dates and other information for new students will be published on the New Students guide. 

Questions related to admissions: Admission Services

We co-operate with agencies specialized in international student recruitment. See the list of our verified educational partners and agents.

Questions related to studies:

  • Hazem Al-Bermanei

    Senior Lecturer, Leader, Education and Research
    +358 44 907 2876
    hazem.al-bermanei@turkuamk.fi

Welcome to Turku University of Applied Sciences! Turku UAS is one the leading universities of applied sciences in Finland, home to over 12,000 Finnish and international students. It’s great to have you as part of our community.

Our New Students’ Guide gathers all the information you need to prepare for your arrival in Finland and to get started with your studies. Please read the instructions carefully.

See you on campus or online!

Students sitting with ice cream on the Turku riverbank