BS in Microbiology
(61–67 hours*)
This is the preferred degree for microbiology majors who desire an advanced degree (master's or doctorate) in microbiology.
Program Requirements | View MAP
- Complete the following:
MMBIO 151 : Introduction to Microbiology.
(4:3:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Chem 105 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Principles of prokaryotic biology emphasizing cell structure, function, and metabolism. Introduction to bacterial genetics, microbial diversity, and microbial ecology. |
MMBIO 240 : Molecular Biology.
(3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | PDBIO 120 & CHEM 105 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Fundamentals of protein and nucleic acid structure and their function in the context of the classical experiments that have informed our current models of biology at the molecular level. |
MMBIO 241 : Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory.
(1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 240 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Molecular and cellular biology techniques laboratory. |
MMBIO 361 : Infection and Immunity.
(4:4:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 105; PDBio 120 or MMBio 221 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Principles of infectious organisms (principally bacteria and viruses), the diseases they cause, and the role of host immune responses in health and disease. |
PDBIO 120 : Science of Biology.
(2:2:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Summer |
| DESCRIPTION:  | General biology course designed for biological science majors, emphasizing the scientific method, cell theory, biochemical unity, the central dogma, bioenergetics, reproduction, and evolutionary theory. |
PDBIO 360 : Cell Biology.
(3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Fundamentals of cell structure and function with reference to analytical methods used by cell biologists. Practice in designing, executing, and interpreting relative experiments. |
- Complete the following chemistry courses:
CHEM 105 : General College Chemistry.
(4:5:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Math 110 (or equivalent) or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Atomic and molecular structure including bonding and periodic properties of the elements; reaction energetics, electrochemistry, acids and bases, inorganic and organic chemistry. |
| NOTE: | Primarily for students in engineering and biological sciences. Three lectures and two recitation sections per week. |
CHEM 106 : General College Chemistry.
(3:4:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 105; or CHEM 111 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Continuation of Chem 105 but covering most of the topics in a more quantitative way. Detailed treatment of thermodynamics and equilibria. |
| NOTE: | Three lectures and one recitation section per week. |
CHEM 107 : General College Chemistry Laboratory.
(1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Chem 106 or Chem 112 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Chemical properties, chemical reactions, collection and interpretation of data, preparation of reports. |
| NOTE: | Required for most students needing one year of general chemistry. |
CHEM 351 : Organic Chemistry.
(3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 105; or CHEM 111 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Chemical bonds and molecular structure, conformation and configuration, functional classes, reactions and mechanisms, syntheses. |
| NOTE: | Primarily for majors in chemical engineering and the biological sciences. |
CHEM 353 : Organic Chemistry Laboratory--Nonmajors.
(1-2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Chem 352 or concurrent enrollment (preferred). |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Physical and chemical properties, isolation and purification, characterization, syntheses. |
| NOTE: | For predentistry, premedicine, and other majors who do not intend to take Chem 455. |
CHEM 481 : Biochemistry 1.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 352M & PDBIO 120; or CHEM 352 & PDBIO 120 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | First-semester biochemistry. Molecular components of cells, chemical structure and function, enzymes, metabolic transformations, photosynthesis. |
| NOTE: | For chemistry majors and students in biological sciences who contemplate pursuing advanced degrees, including medicine. |
- Complete four courses from the following (at least two of which must have a lab component):
MMBIO 460 : Microbial Genetics.
(4:3:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | How DNA governs complex bacterial functions. Classical and modern approaches to gene discovery, including genetic screens, gene mapping, targeted genetic manipulations, and analyzing gene activity. |
MMBIO 461 : Advanced Bacterial Physiology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 481 & MMBIO 151 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Principles of prokaryotic physiology, including cell structure and function, gene regulation, and biochemical processes; focusing on the unique aspects of prokaryotic biology. |
MMBIO 462 : Microbial Ecology.
(3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 151 & PDBIO 120 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Natural history of a microbe; its distribution and abundance. Critical influence of scale and perspective in determining underlying mechanisms. |
MMBIO 464 : Bacterial Pathogenesis.
(4:3:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 361 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Fundamental principles of bacterial pathogenesis, emphasizing the molecular interactions of medically important bacteria and their hosts. |
MMBIO 465 : Virology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 361 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Basic principles of virology, emphasizing selected molecular aspects of virus life cycles and disease processes. |
Note: MMBio 463 and 465 can be taken with or without the MMBio 467 or 466 labs, respectively.
- Complete one of the following options:
Either
PHSCS 105 : Introductory Applied Physics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | High school algebra and trigonometry. |
| RECOMMENDED: | Concurrent enrollment in Phscs 107. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Applied physics course not requiring calculus. Topics include mechanics, heat, wave motion, sound. |
PHSCS 106 : Introductory Applied Physics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Phscs 105 or equivalent. |
| RECOMMENDED: | Concurrent enrollment in Phscs 108. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Continuation of Phscs 105. Topics include electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and optics. |
Or
STAT 121 : Principles of Statistics.
(3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Independent Study also; Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| RECOMMENDED: | MATH 110 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Stemplots, boxplots, histograms, scatterplots; central tendency, variability; confidence intervals and hypothesis testing involving one and two means and proportions; contingency tables, simple linear regression. |
: Honors Principles of Statistics.
- Complete at least 10 hours from the following:
BIO 350 : Ecology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | PDBIO 120 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions with the physical and biotic components of the earth. |
BIO 420 : Evolutionary Biology.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 & PWS 340 |
| RECOMMENDED: | Concurrent enrollment in Bio 421. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Intensive examination of evolution as the conceptual cornerstone of biology. |
BIO 421 : Evolutionary Biology Laboratory.
(1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Hands-on applications and analytical tools of evolutionary biology; emphasizing inference methodology and evidence complementing the theoretical constructs introduced in Bio 520, including comparative anatomy, phylogenetic inference, population genetics, species concepts, and human evolution. |
| NOTE: | Concurrent enrollment with Bio 420 is strongly recommended. |
CHEM 482 : Biochemistry 2.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 481M |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Second-semester biochemistry. Nucleic acid biochemistry and molecular biology: nucleotide metabolism, chromosome and chromatin structure, DNA structure and replication, RNA transcription and gene expression, protein synthesis and regulation, eukaryotic gene systems, signal transduction. |
MMBIO 194A : Freshman Research Initiative 1.
(2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | By application only. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Phage isolation and characterization. |
| NOTE: | For freshmen or sophomore students only. Requires two semester commitment. |
MMBIO 194B : Freshman Research Initiative 2.
(2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 194A |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Phage genome annotation. Focus on experimental design and data analysis. |
| NOTE: | For freshmen or sophomore students only. Requires two semester commitment. |
MMBIO 417 : Medical Parasitology.
(3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | Bio 100 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and epidemiology of human parasitic diseases. Laboratory included. |
MMBIO 441 : Advanced Molecular Biology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 & CHEM 352 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Molecular biology of gene structure and expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. |
MMBIO 442 : Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory.
(2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 241; MMBio 441 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Laboratory to accompany MMBio 441. |
MMBIO 466 : Virology Laboratory.
(1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 361; MMBio 465 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Laboratory exercises illustrating in vitro behavior of selected viruses. Developing laboratory skills for virus studies. |
MMBIO 467 : Immunology Lab.
(1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 361; MMBio 463 or concurrent enrollment. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Laboratory exercises in advanced concepts of immunological processes. |
MMBIO 510 : History of Microbiology and Molecular Biology.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter Even Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | Any one 400-level MMBio course. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Exploring the lives and historical settings of major contributors to the development of the sciences of microbiology and molecular biology emphasizing the importance of their ground-breaking discoveries in both basic and applied science. |
MMBIO 513 : Philosophy of Biology.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall Even Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 460 or 461 or 462 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical issues in the biological sciences. Philosophical questions concerning the theory of evolution, debate between evolution and creationism, fitness, adaptationism, the units of selection, systematics, sociobiology, and evolutionary ethics. |
MMBIO 515 : RNA-Mediated Gene Regulation.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall Odd Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 441 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Current advances in studies on RNA processing, including RNA splicing and editing, riboswitches, ribozymes, and the role of small RNAs in RNA interference and regulation of gene expression. |
MMBIO 557 : Genes and Cancer.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter Odd Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 441 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Molecular basis of human cancers, emphasizing oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, chromosomal instability, hereditary cancers, chemical and physical carcinogens, and viral carcinogenesis. |
MMBIO 565 : Molecular Virology.
(2:2:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter Odd Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 465 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Molecular mechanisms of virus architecture, attachment and entry pathways, replication strategies, oncogenesis, evolution, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. |
NDFS 361 : Food Microbiology.
(3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 221 & MMBIO 222 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods and their control. Beneficial microorganisms in food systems. Influence of the food system on growth and survival of microorganisms. |
PWS 340 : Genetics.
(2:2:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Genetic mechanisms, their fundamental nature, interactions, and applications to human affairs. Genetics in quantitative terms. Extensive practice in problem solving. |
PWS 514 : Soil Microbiology.
(3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter Odd Yrs. |
| PREREQUISITE: | Chem 105 and 106; or equivalents. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Ecology and role of soil microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles, decomposition of organic matter and waste materials, and bioremediation of contaminated soils and water. |
or courses not chosen under item 4 above:
MMBIO 460 : Microbial Genetics.
(4:3:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 240 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | How DNA governs complex bacterial functions. Classical and modern approaches to gene discovery, including genetic screens, gene mapping, targeted genetic manipulations, and analyzing gene activity. |
MMBIO 461 : Advanced Bacterial Physiology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | CHEM 481 & MMBIO 151 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Principles of prokaryotic physiology, including cell structure and function, gene regulation, and biochemical processes; focusing on the unique aspects of prokaryotic biology. |
MMBIO 462 : Microbial Ecology.
(3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 151 & PDBIO 120 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Natural history of a microbe; its distribution and abundance. Critical influence of scale and perspective in determining underlying mechanisms. |
MMBIO 464 : Bacterial Pathogenesis.
(4:3:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBIO 361 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Fundamental principles of bacterial pathogenesis, emphasizing the molecular interactions of medically important bacteria and their hosts. |
MMBIO 465 : Virology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| PREREQUISITE: | MMBio 361 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Basic principles of virology, emphasizing selected molecular aspects of virus life cycles and disease processes. |
Note: Only 3 hours of MMBio 399R and 494R combined will count toward major hours.
- Pass the Biology Major Field Exam.
- Complete an exit interview.
Recommended Courses
ENGL 316 : Technical Communication.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Junior or senior status. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Effective processes of written, oral, and visual technical communication, including collaborative processes. Writing for academic and professional audiences. |
| NOTE: | Carries GE Advanced Written and Oral Communication credit. |
MATH 119 : Introduction to Calculus.
(4:4:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Math 110 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Introduction to plane analytic geometry and calculus. |
| NOTE: | For students in the College of Life Sciences and the Marriott School of Management. |
or
MATH 112 : Calculus 1.
(4:5:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Math 110 and 111 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Differential and integral calculus: limits; continuity; the derivative and applications; extrema; the definite integral; fundamental theorem of calculus; L'Hopital's rule. |
: Honors Calculus 1.
MATH 113 : Calculus 2.
(4:5:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| PREREQUISITE: | Math 112 or equivalent. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Techniques and applications of integration; sequences, series, convergence tests, power series; parametric equations; polar coordinates. |
Note: Students desiring a minor in chemistry must take Chem 223 and 2 hours of Chem 353.
*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.