Korea University Department of Food Bioscience and Technology

Academic Goals

Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary science for biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and molecular medicine as well as an applied science focussing on the application of the biological principles and biomaterials to solve general problems of human beings including health, environment, energy and foods. The primary missions of the Department of Biotechnology are to investigate the fundamental principles of biology in living organsims including virus, microbes, plants, and animals, to create new biotechnologies necessary for future industries and to train students as basic scientists or investigators required for bio-industries such as biomedicine, biopharmaceuticals, environmental microbiology, and functional food.

Fields of Study

• Biomedicine and Nanobio Systems
• Molecular Bioengineering
• Systems Food Biotechnology

Major in Biomedicine and Nanobio Systems

Major in Biomedicine and Nanobio Systems is to seek and study solutions for human diseases through the biodetection & biodiagnostics and biomedicine, for sustainable and advancement in bioindustry and environment conservation through the bioenergy, biorefinerary, and biosensor technologies by understanding life and living systems in terms of molecules, biomacromolecules, and cells by using nanobiotechnology and systems biotechnology tools. To accomplish this mission, various lectures related to the topics of omics, nanobiotecnology, biomedicine, biomass and bioenergy, signal transduction, systems biotechnology, moelcular medicine, immunology, and so on are offered to the students as core or elective. In addition, major issues in biomedicinal industry, such as cGMP validation, safety, FDA approval and so on, are dealt as individual courses or workshops for yielding not only cGMP experts but also FDA experts.

Major in Molecular Bioengineering

Main objective of courses majoring in Molecular Bioengineering is training graduate students as creative experts in the field of biomedical sciences. Students will acquire basic knowledges about molecular cellular biotechnology, animal physiology, material engineering and bioinformatics as well as obtain cutting edged technology involved in biomedical sciences. During the course of training, students will be involved in the specific given projects advised by faculty members. Major focus on research conducted by faculty members are including gene and cell therapies, manipulation of immune cells, development of novel therapeutic agents and materials suitable for biomedical sciences.

Major in Systems Food Biotechnology

In the Major in Systems Food Biotechnology, excellent education and research opportunities are offered in the area of food science and biotechnology at MS and PhD levels. In particular, the fundamentals of the physical, chemical and biological properties of food materials are studied for the safety and functionality issues for foods, and the technological and engineering aspects of food processing and the application of biotechnology in the food and relevant industries are also important subjects. Due to the rapid advancement in systems biology, the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches to the study of the physiological responses and metabolism after food uptake and the bioprocessing of food materials are also emerging fields. Students in the program are encouraged to acquire basic knowledges and advanced research techniques in the above academic fields. Graduates are highly demanded from the industry, academic institutes, government agencies, and research institutes in the areas of food science and biotechnology.

Degree Requirements

1. Master of Science (MS)

• 1) MS students must earn 24 course credits. Among the 24 required course credits, 1 from credit Seminars in Biotechnology 1,2,3 and 4 and 2 credits from Ethics in Research for Publication 1 and 2, but no more than 6 course credits are allowed from the seminar courses, such as seminars in Biotechnology, colloquiums in Systems Food Biotechnology, and so on.
• 2) Students must present at least one poster as a first author in domestic or international conferences or publish a paper as a first author or co-author in a scientific journal. The poster or paper must have the affiliation address as School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University. Reprint(s) or acceptance letter(s) for the paper(s) has to be submitted to the office when M.S. candidates apply for a M.S. degree. The papers should have a supervisor as a corresponding author in the case of full-time M.S. candidate, or have the first supervisor as a collaborating author in the case of part-time M.S. candidates who are registered in cooperative courses of University, Research Institute, and/or Industry.
• 3) All of MS candidates should present their thesis work in a poster presentation at the Graduate Exhibition held at least one semester earlier before their thesis defences. (This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)

2. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• 1) PhD students must earn 36 course credits, Among the 36 required course credits, 2 from credit Seminars in Biotechnology 1,2,3 and 4 and 2 credits from Ethics in Research for Publication 1 and 2, but no more than 6 course credits are allowed from the seminar courses, such as seminars in Biotechnology, colloquiums in Systems Food Biotechnology, and so on.
• 2) For obtaining Ph.D., students must publish at least 2 papers as the major author (first or corresponding author) in SCI journals. However, it could be possible for the Ph.D. candidates to submit his/her Ph.D. dissertation if the candidate has one first-authored publication in any SCI journals, which is not only having its IF greater than 5.0, but also placed within the top 10% of any relevant journal category.(This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2015) If a paper published in a SCIE journal which has greater than 5 in its impact factor, it can be considered as one SCI journal paper. The paper must have the affiliation address as School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University. Reprint(s) or acceptance letter(s) for the paper(s) has to be submitted to the office when Ph D. candidates apply for a doctoral academic degree. The papers should have a supervisor as a corresponding author in the case of full-time Ph.D. candidate, or have the first supervisor as a collaborating author in the case of part-time Ph.D. candidates who are registered in cooperative courses of University, Research Institute, and/or Industry.
• 3) All of PhD candidates registered after completing their course works should present their dissertation research progress in a seminar at least once in a year before their dissertation defences. (This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)
• 4) All of PhD candidates registered after completing their course works should report their dissertation research progress to both thesis committee and the department office at least once in a year before their dissertation defences. (This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)
• 5) PhD dissertation committee members should be invited right after the end of the 2nd semester in PhD degree program, according to the regulation of the PhD dissertation committee.(This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)

3. Integrated MS-PhD

• 1) Integrated MS-PhD students must earn 54 course credits. Among the 54 required course credits, 2 from credit Seminars in Biotechnology 1,2,3 and 4 and 2 credits from Ethics in Research for Publication 1 and 2, but no more than 6 course credits are allowed from the seminar courses, such as seminars in Biotechnology, colloquiums in Systems Food Biotechnology, and so on.
• 2) For obtaining Ph.D., students must publish at least 2 papers as the major author (first or corresponding author) in SCI journals. However, it could be possible for the Ph.D. candidates to submit his/her Ph.D. dissertation if the candidate has one first-authored publication in any SCI journals, which is not only having its IF greater than 5.0, but also placed within the top 10% of any relevant journal category.(This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2015) If a paper published in a SCIE journal which has greater than 5 in its impact factor, it can be considered as one SCI journal paper. The paper must have the affiliation address as School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University. Reprint(s) or acceptance letter(s) for the paper(s) has to be submitted to the office when Ph D. candidates apply for a doctoral academic degree. The papers should have a supervisor as a corresponding author in the case of full-time Ph.D. candidate, or have the first supervisor as a collaborating author in the case of part-time Ph.D. candidates who are registered in cooperative courses of University, Research Institute, and/or Industry.
• 3) All of PhD candidates registered after completing their course works should present their dissertation research progress in a seminar at least once in a year before their dissertation defences. (This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)
• 4) All of PhD candidates registered after completing their course works should report their dissertation research progress to both thesis committee and the department office at least once in a year before their dissertation defences. (This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)
• 5) PhD dissertation committee members should be invited right after the end of the 4th semester in Ms/PhD integrated program, according to the regulation of the PhD dissertation committee.(This will be applied for the students who are enrolled after March 1, 2016)

Comprehensive Examinations

1. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)/Integrated MS-PhD

• 1) All students should take and pass a comprehensive oral examination or written comprehensive examination.
• 2) For the written comprehensive examination, students can choose any 4 courses among courses that the student took during his or her course work and have to pass all those 4 written examinations for each course.
• 3) In principle, two professors should make questions for each course. In the case one professor is only available for each course, the department academic committee has to approve it in prior to the examination.
• 4)To pass the written examination the score should be higher than 70 points out of 100 points for each course.
• 5) Pass of the written test is applicable to individual course and retest is performed only for the failed course.
• 6) Organizaion of examination committee members; the committee should be 3, including a chairman. A supervisor of students should be excluded from the committee and recommends three professors in the college of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University. The three examination committee members are not necessarily to be in the committee for the final defence Ph.D. of dissertation.
• 7) Students can pass the oral examiation by the approval of at least two out of three committee members. The students have an another chance to take the oral examinaion if he/she does not pass the first examination.
• 8) Students are not allowed to submit his or her doctoral graduation dissertaion in the same semester when he/she pass the comprehensive examination, after students pass the oral examination.
• 9) A chairman of the committee must submit the oral examination report to the Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology until the last day of the period of the oral examination.

2. Master Course

• 1) All students should take the written comprehensive examinations.
• 2) For the written comprehensive examination, students can choose any 3 courses among courses that the student took during his or her course work and have to pass all those 3 written examinations for each course.
• 3) In principle, two professors should make questions for each course. In the case one professor is only available for each course, the department academic committee has to approve it in prior to the examination.
• 4) To pass the written examination the score should be higher than 70 points out of 100 points for each course.
• 5) Pass of the written test is applicable to individual course and retest is performed only for the failed course.

English Lecture 

1. All the courses taught by full-time faculty in the Department of Biotechnology should be offered in English. However, the Biotechnology seminars 1, 2, 3, 4 and a few specific courses categorized for the professional job preparation, including Recent trends in Biotechnology, Recent trends in Bio-industry, and Biotechnology Internship 1, 2, may not be offered in English.
2. Any lectures offered by guest or invited lecturers must be offered in English in principle, but any special cases related to the lecturers or course subject can be approved in prior to the semester by the departmental academic committee.

Language in MS Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertation

1. All the MS thesis or Ph.D. Dissertation under the supervision of the full time professors affiliated in the graduate Department of Biotechnology must be written in English.

Regulation of Ph.D dissertation committee

1. Invitation of the committee members: 4th semester for the Ms/PhD integrated program students, 2nd semester for the Ph.D program students
2. Submission of the committee member names: January, July
3. Names of the committee members should be submitted: at least two names of the tenure track professors in Korea University
4. Change of committee members: A form of “Change of the committee members” should be submitted after the approval of your dissertation advisor in January or July every year.

ADDENDUM

1. The regulations are applied to the new graduate students of the first semester 2014.
2. (Exception) Those, who were enrolled in the Department of Biotechnology before Sept. 1, 2013, may choose any of either rules, 1) the comprehensive exam regulation valid according to the year of his/her enrollment or 2) the current comprehensive regulation valid after March 1, 2014.