College Schools, Departments & Programs

Biology

Major in Microbiology—B.S.
Purpose

The B.S. Degree in Microbiology trains students who wish to pursue careers as professional microbiologists in health, environmental, governmental, or industrial laboratories, and provides the foundation for professional or graduate training in microbiology and related fields.

Required Courses

Students must complete the following Foundations, Intensive Writing, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Critical Approaches, and Breadth of Inquiry, and Public Oral Communication requirements:

  1. Writing, same as for B.A. degree (English Composition, Intensive Writing).
  2. Mathematics, fulfilled by major.
  3. Foreign language, three semesters in the same language or equivalent proficiency.
  4. One Critical Approaches course.
  5. Arts and humanities, two courses.
  6. Social and historical studies, two courses.
  7. Natural and mathematical sciences, fulfilled by major.
  8. One course in Public Oral Communication.
  9. Culture studies courses are not required.
Major Requirements

Students must complete the following, with a minimum grade of C– in each course:

  1. Biology L112 and L211.
  2. M250 Microbiology and M255 Microbiology Lab (or M315 Microbiology Lab).
  3. Microbiology M350, M360, and M480.
  4. Two of the following lab courses: M375, M435, M445, M465, M485, or BIOT T315.
  5. One of the following lecture courses: M430, M440, or M460.
  6. Two of the following additional lecture courses: M430, M440, M460, M375, M416, B351, L312, L321, L472, or BIOT T310. The courses used to fulfill requirements 4 and 5 above will not apply to requirement 6.
  7. CHEM C117-C127, C341, C342, C343. Students planning to enter a professional school should check to see what additional courses they will need.
  8. PHYS P201 and P202 or P221 and P222.
  9. One of the following statistics courses: MATH K310, PSY K300 or K310, LAMP L316, STAT S300 or S303, or SPEA K300. (Note that although SPEA K300 fulfills the statistics requirement, it does not count toward the College of Arts and Sciences credit hour requirement.)
  10. MATH M211 or M215 (or M119 or V119 and M120) or an approved mathematics course.

Students must also complete the requirements and procedures listed in this Bulletin under "CASE Credit Hour and Residency Requirements."

Recommendations
Because chemistry is a prerequisite for many upper-level microbiology courses, students are urged to begin chemistry as soon as possible. Students should consult the Biology advising office to plan a coherent program.