What if you could immerse yourself in the world of biotechnology, working with pharma, healthcare, and biotech companies for the betterment of society? At Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in Claremont, CA, our Master of Business and Science program prepares graduates for successful careers in the biotech industry.

Coursework allows students to achieve depth in an area that closely follows a specific industry career path. All students complete a paid summer internship and a year-long industry capstone project, which offers participation in real-world industry experiences and interaction with industry leaders. Specialized concentrations provide in-depth knowledge of specific functional areas of the bioscience industry. Plus, KGI students earn 100% job placement or postgraduate plans within six months of graduation.

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Program Quick Facts

Fact
Details
Program length
It takes four semesters (two years) to complete the MBS program.
Full or part-time program
The MBS program is a full-time program with classes during the day.
Online or in-person classes
All classes are done in-person.
Summer experience
During the summer of the first year, students complete a paid internship.
Electives
Beginning in the spring of the first year, and continuing through the second year, students select electives to focus-in on a particular field of interest.
Capstone requirements
During the second year, student complete a capstone project called the Team Master’s Project.

MBS Program Details

  • The Master of Business and Science program is a two-year professional program housed within the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences. Highlights of the program include:

    • A world-class curriculum integrating industry-oriented technical courses and MBA-style business courses
    • Exposure to the biotech industry through hands-on projects sponsored by leading life science companies, concluding with a Team Master’s Project
    • Outstanding job placement rates with 100% of graduates starting jobs or going on to additional postgraduate work within six months of graduation
    • Access to a large network of more than 1,000 MBS alumni employed in industry, eager to connect with and help current students

  • The MBS program is purpose-built to immerse students in the bioscience industries. Courses are taught by unique faculty that possess industry experience, are bioscience management experts, or are translational scientists active in the development and commercialization of biomedical innovations.

    Most classes at KGI contain industry-oriented projects, often with direct involvement of companies. All MBS students complete a paid summer internship and complete a year-long industry-sponsored capstone Team Master’s Project.

    Learn more about the curriculum

  • Here are the top functional areas for KGI graduates from the MBS program:

    • Consulting
    • Project management
    • Marketing / sales
    • Market analysis / competitive intelligence
    • Business development
    • Clinical / regulatory
    • Research and development
    • Manufacturing operations
    • Quality assurance
    • Supply chain
    • Bioprocessing

  • Industry are also involved in frequent campus events. These include:

    • A wide-ranging industry speaker series
    • Company recruitment events
    • Industry spotlight day workshops
    • Networking opportunities

    All MBS students also complete a professional development course run by KGI’s office of career services. The course features hands-on workshops where students can meet industry professionals to create effective resumes, learn how to successfully apply for jobs, and perfect their interviewing skills.

    • Most MBS students come to KGI after completing an undergraduate life science oriented degree (biology, chemistry, bioengineering)
    • High-achieving students from non life science majors (psychology, economics) who have taken molecular biology and biochemistry
    • Industry experience is welcome, but not required
    • While the program has a strong bioscience industry focus, entering students do not need a background in business

    KGI has articulation agreements with more than 30 universities, helping to streamline the admissions process. Please contact KGI’s admissions team to see if your school is participating.

  • We measure the success of our program by the successes of our alumni, and we are proud to share our record of achievement.

    • 90% of alumni placed in industry within six months of graduation
    • 70% of graduates earn their first job through a direct KGI connection
    • Alumni 3+ years post-graduation have an average salary of more than $150,000

    But there is more to success than just numbers. Read about our alumni and their experiences by visiting our alumni news page.

KGI Alumna Alia Manetta Draws Upon Art and Science to Fuel Mission-Driven Projects

For Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) alumna Alia Manetta, MBS ’19, science and the arts have always gone hand-in-hand. She believes these combined forces are especially powerful when applied to philanthropic […]

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Why Grad School Is Important

Although college enrollment has declined in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduate school enrollment has risen. According to a November 2021 report from the Council of Graduate Schools, graduate […]

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KGI Alumna Heather Petty Featured on TV Show American Ninja Warrior, Advocating for Rare Diseases

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) alumna Heather Petty, MBS ’16, was featured on the NBC television show American Ninja Warrior on June 27. The show is centered around a series of […]

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Dr. Sindy Escobar Alvarez, Alumna from KGI’s First Graduating Class, Publishes “Strategies for Inclusive Grantmaking” in Nature Medicine

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) alumna Dr. Sindy Escobar Alvarez, Program Director for Medical Research at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, recently published Strategies for Inclusive Grantmaking in Nature Medicine. The […]

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"Every day, I continue to leverage the knowledge and experience I gained at KGI. The program enabled me to understand the industry landscape and provided me with a solid foundation to enter the life sciences industry."
Isaac Middendorf
USMA BioOncology Principal Planning and Execution Manager, Genentech
Master of Business and Science, '08

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