Special Program for Olim

Program Objectives

The biotechnology industry is a diverse field that operates across a wide spectrum of areas, including the development and production of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostic tests, food quality improvement, environmental protection, and more. It is a dynamic industry characterized by complex product development processes and stringent regulatory requirements.
The objective of the program is to provide up-to-date knowledge in biotechnology to professionals from the field and related disciplines, and to equip them with practical tools and understanding in two main areas:

• Product Development in the Biotechnology Industry
  In the Israeli biotechnology industry, there is a noticeable shortage of mid-level managers, which limits the full realization of scientific knowledge and its translation into commercial products. The program provides students with management tools, organizational practices, and work methodologies unique to the biotechnology industry. These enable an integrated, industry-oriented perspective encompassing all factors involved in product development and manufacturing
• Clinical Research and Clinical Trial Management
  Israel is an approved and preferred site for conducting clinical trials, and many companies developing new products operate within it. The MSc program in Biotechnology is unique in Israel in offering an academic specialization in this area. The studies contribute both to expanding the scientific foundation and to acquiring the practical knowledge required for managing clinical trials. Graduates of the program can integrate into the establishment and operation of clinical research systems within monitoring and support companies serving the biotechnology industry, or within biotechnology companies themselves.

Program Structure

The program is intended for holders of a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, Biotechnology Engineering, or closely related fields. It addresses the need for biotechnology professionals to broaden and deepen their education and to gain exposure to advanced topics and innovative technologies in the field.
The program is designed for individuals working in industry, companies, hospital laboratories or other biotechnology-related positions. The study format enables students to pursue their studies alongside full-time employment.
The duration of the program is two years. Classes are held twice a week on Thursdays in the afternoon and on Fridays over four semesters. In addition, intensive workshops are held during the summer semester.

Program Framework

Core (Mandatory) Courses
Mandatory courses provide broadening and in-depth knowledge in biotechnology fields (genetic engineering, protein technologies, cells and tissues); foundational courses covering the planning, execution, and regulation of medical research, clinical research, and biotechnology product development; and workshops focusing on commercial, legal, and ethical aspects of biotechnology.

Elective Courses
Elective courses expand the scientific foundation and allow specialization in one of two tracks:

• Product development in the biotechnology industry
• Clinical research and clinical trial management

Final Project
The final project is based on a multidisciplinary work model, as commonly practiced in the biotechnology industry. Students apply the knowledge and tools acquired during the program to develop a biotechnology concept, addressing its scientific, clinical, regulatory, and managerial aspects.
Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a Master of Science degree (M.Sc.) in Biotechnology. To receive the degree, students must complete 45 academic credits.

Recommended Course Plan by Semesters

The courses with numbers are mandatory courses.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Summer Semester (Workshops)

Elective Courses

Elective Courses – Cluster A: Quantitative Courses

• Biostatistics
• Drug Design and Development
• Epidemiology
• Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Elective Courses – Cluster B: Non-Quantitative Courses

• Biotechnology and the Environment
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Economics of Biotechnological Products
• Marketing of Biotechnological Products
• Planning, and Management of Clinical Trials

Total required credits:
Mandatory courses and workshops: 19 credits
Elective Courses: 20 credits
Final project: 6 credits
Total : 45 credits

Admission Requirements

• A four-year Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with a weighted average grade of 78 or higher, or a three-year Bachelor’s degree in Sciences (Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Biotechnology) with a weighted average grade of 80 or higher
• Two letters of recommendation, at least one from an academic faculty member
• For non-Hebrew speaking candidates:
  Completion of all of the prerequisite courses listed below, except for the courses marked with * which, if missing, can be completed before or during the first year of the MSc studies
• For Hebrew speaking candidates:
  Completion of all of the prerequisite courses listed below or completion of missing courses before or during the first year of the MSc studies
• The required average grade in prerequisite (bridging) courses is 70 or higher

List of Required Courses for Admission

The list includes courses and course numbers from the Bachelor’s program in Biotechnology Engineering at the College.
Admission to the MSc program is conditional upon prior completion of these courses or equivalent courses at a comparable academic level from recognized academic institutions.
The candidate must send syllabi of the equivalent courses.
Missing courses may be completed in the Department of Biotechnology Engineering.

Chemistry:
41014 – General and Analytical Chemistry 1
41016 – General and Analytical Chemistry 2
41050 – Organic Chemistry 1
41060 – Organic Chemistry 2
51701 – Introduction to Probability and Statistics
41231 – Microbiology
41113 – Cell Biology

Molecular Biology /Genetics and Genetic Engineering:
41163 – Molecular Biology and Introduction to Genetic Engineering
41162 – Molecular Biology Laboratory

Biochemistry:
41305 – Biochemistry
41335 – Metabolism and Enzymology
41180 – Immunology*
51728 – Quality Assurance*
51605 – Introduction to Economics for Engineers*

English Requirement
11058 (43001) – Technical English for Biotechnology, with a grade of 70 or higher

Notes:

1. Courses marked with * : for non-Hebrew speakers, only these courses, if missing, can be completed before or during the first year of the MSc studies.
2. Some MSc elective courses require additional prior knowledge, as detailed in the course syllabi and prerequisite requirements.

List of documents required for registration:

1. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) certificate.
2. Two letters of recommendation, at least one from an academic faculty member.
3.  An up-to-date CV
4. List of courses and grades in the undergraduate degree
5. Syllabi of the completed courses required for admission (listed above) or equivalent courses

Contact person:
Prof. Marei Sammar, Head of the MSc program in Biotechnology

Industry Call

The Israeli industry and service sectors are competing in the international arena. To develop and maintain a relative advantage, it is imperative to nurture academically-oriented human resources that have a systemic perception and advanced managerial skills. The Master of Science program in Industrial Engineering and management is an applied oriented program, focused on providing academic knowledge, nurturing a creative and thoughtful graduate, who will become a self-learner, well-trained to transfer her knowledge to the industry.

Program Goals

• To equip industrial engineers (also open for other engineers) with cutting-edge knowledge, methodologies, and tools to creatively tackle complex engineering problems and find pathways to implement the obtained solutions in organizations
• To empower the graduate student with an array of skills ranging from critical reading of professional research to tools and methods to develop complex models, case studies, and field-data analysis with the aim to bridge academic knowledge with practical environments

Targeted Audience

The program is designed for industrial engineers (or any other equivalent degree) who seek an opportunity to advance their career.

For Hebrew speaking candidates:
Engineers from all walks of engineering, other than Industrial Engineering, who speak Hebrew, can apply but will be required to complete a set of pre-requisite courses (which will be given in Hebrew thus the requirement). The list of courses will be determined by the program committee based on the background and experience of the applicant. The aim of these courses is to provide the applicant with the fundamentals of industrial engineering thus making the graduate studies experience, with other industrial engineers, more effective and fruitful.

Studies and the Degree

The program spans four semesters with an average of ten class hours per week. The teaching days are fixed – on Monday (evening) on campus and Friday (morning-noon) in a hybrid mode so that applicants can maintain full-time jobs. Successful graduates of the program will be granted the title Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Industrial Engineering and Management. Students in the program will be invited to the department’s periodic seminar, which hosts guest speakers from academia and senior managers from the industry.

Program Structure

As a prerequisite for being granted the degree, the graduate should complete at least 40 credit points, 12 of which are credit points of compulsory courses, 6 credit points are for the Final Project. The rest of the credit points are for elective courses in industrial engineering with emphasis on design, planning, and management. The study program is two years (excluding the pre-requisite courses). Here is the layout of the program:

1st year/ Fall term

1st year/ Spring term

2nd year/ Fall term

2nd year/ Spring term

• Seminar 1-4 are not necessarily every week. These are talks by guest speakers visiting the department. A list of the guests will be distributed at the beginning of each semester
• Final Project 1&2 are field projects with no lecture hours

There are 5 pre-requisite courses (needed only for non-industrial engineers, with proper fluency in Hebrew), which can be spread over one year of studies. The courses are:

Program Faculty

The program faculty are comprised mainly of faculty from the Industrial Engineering and Management department at Braude College of Engineering (and other departments), as well as subject matter experts from industry who must hold a Ph.D.

Admission and Enrollment

Eligible prospects must satisfy the following conditions:

• Hold a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering or System Engineering from an accredited institute that is recognized by the Higher Education Committee of Israel (engineers with a different background)
• Grade Point Average (calculated by the granting institute) of at least 80;
•  Is among the top 25th percentile of her class;
• Personal interview;
• [Optional] Two recommendation letters from academic faculty referring to the ability of the prospect of enrolling in a master program.
  Prospects that have relevant field experience of at least five years, and do not comply with some of the above requirements, are encouraged to apply and their application will be examined by the program committee.

Final Project

Every graduate should run an annual project in his second year. The objective of the Final Project is to provide the opportunity for the graduate to utilize the new knowledge and tools she earned during the graduate studies in solving real-world engineering or managerial problems that are relevant to the organization. The Final Project must stem from a real problem in the organization, not a theoretical problem. Typically, the student selects to perform the project in the organization she works for. A bank of projects may also be available including organizations proposing a cooperation and wishing a student in the program takes up their challenge. The project are expected to bring real value to the industry.

Impact on Industry

The program in its essence and execution is designed and operated in such a way that guarantees significant impact on industry. This happens due to coherence between courses, with both methodological added-value and real-world connection, and the Final Project that connects the dots. Key achievements include: a final project that was the initial idea based on which the student continued to develop and ended up opening a start-up company in the area of production planning; a final project in the area of work planning in a multi-cultural environment; that was First Place in a national competition, among all non-thesis programs in Israel; a final project that won a 1st place in a competition during an Industry-Academy Conference.

More Information

For any further information or inquiries, please contact the head of the program directly:
Dr. Hussein Naseraldin, nhussein@braude.ac.il
or Ms. Hagit Adika, Coordinator of Graduated Studies, hadika@braude.ac.il