The MS in Microbiology, Plan A program provides training and preparation to pursue research and/or teaching careers in multiple areas in microbiology including Bacteriology, Virology, Mycobacteriology, Infectious disease pathogenesis, Vector-borne infectious disease, Prion Biology, Immunology, Computational microbiology, and Science Education in Microbiology and Immunology. This program provides opportunities for graduate training in fundamentals of modern investigative microbiology, immunology, and pathobiology with an emphasis on a multi-disciplinary approach to research problems. It involves research in progressive areas such as emerging infectious diseases, biosecurity, interdisciplinary/systems biology, and translational medicine.
The student's graduate committee guides the student in planning a program of study to meet their goals in their area of specialization and is based on their academic background. Goals for Plan A students include presentation of research at local and national meetings and successful completion and defense of a thesis.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Formulate hypotheses and perform independent research: Students will develop hypotheses and perform original, independent research in their areas of concentration in Microbiology including Bacteriology, Virology, Mycobacteriology, Infectious disease pathogenesis, Vector-borne infectious disease, Prion Biology, Immunology, Computational microbiology, and Science Education in Microbiology and Immunology. They will design experiments and apply discipline specific techniques to test these hypotheses.
- Acquire and apply in depth knowledge: Students will gain a thorough knowledge of principles in Microbiology by synthesizing knowledge from their research focus. Foundational knowledge is gained through course work, scientific presentations in departmental seminars, and through review of the relevant literature.
- Demonstrate ability to critically review and analyze scientific literature and apply knowledge from literature to research: Students will critically analyze and evaluate scientific literature to develop a rationale for how their research builds on the body of knowledge in Microbiology.
- Discuss and defend research findings: Students will present, discuss and defend their research findings in their area of research in Microbiology. This will take place in the form of student presentations at departmental seminars. Results of final thesis will be discussed, presented and defended as requirement of graduation.
- Perform activities in support of other graduate students' well-being, sustainability and advancement of knowledge: Students will periodically present at the departmental seminar and, when possible, engage in graduate student peer mentoring and in activities such as promoting healthy graduate students and professional development activities that are organized by the graduate student organization within the department.
Effective Fall 2026
A minimum of 30 semester credits and a high-quality research project are required. At least 12 credits must be earned in graduate-level (500+) didactic coursework. Of those 12 credits, at least 9 must be Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology courses (i.e., courses with the MIP prefix). Remaining 18 credits may be in special studies, graduate seminars, topics, research and dissertation credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| MIP 700 | Topics in Microbiology 1 | 2 |
| MIP 792A | Seminar: Research/Graduate 2 | 4 |
| MIP 698 | Research 3 | 1 |
| MIP 699 | Thesis 3 | 1 |
| Select one course from the following: | 1 | |
| Ethical Conduct of Research | ||
| Ethical Issues in Big Data Research | ||
| Research Policies and Regulations | ||
| Electives (select a minimum of 12 credits from the lists below) 4 | 12-21 | |
| General Electives: | ||
| Fundamentals of Biosafety and Biosecurity | ||
| Grant Writing for Microbiology/Pathology | ||
| Writing Scientific Manuscripts | ||
| Research Team Mentoring | ||
| Virology Electives: | ||
| Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases/Zoonoses | ||
| RNA Biology | ||
| Bacteriology Electives: | ||
| Microbial and Molecular Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Bacterial Pathogenesis: Introduction to Mechanisms | ||
| Bacterial Pathogenesis: Mechanisms and Lifestyle | ||
| Bacterial Pathogenesis: Evading Host Defenses | ||
| Vector Biology Electives: | ||
| Vector Collection and Identification Methods | ||
| Molecular and Genomic Approaches Electives: | ||
| Microbial Metagenomics/Genomics Data Analysis | ||
| Next Generation Sequencing Platform/Libraries | ||
| Functional Genomics | ||
| Immunology Electives: | ||
| Flow Cytometry for Immunology | ||
| Pillars of Immunology | ||
| Immunobiology | ||
| Principles of Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting | ||
| Pathology Electives: | ||
| Advanced Bioanalytic Pathology | ||
| Comparative Neuropathology | ||
| Cytopathology--Clinical Pathology | ||
| Advanced General Pathology | ||
| Advanced Clinical Pathology | ||
| Pathobiology of Laboratory Animals | ||
| Laboratory Animal Pathology Rotation | ||
| Other Electives: | ||
| Infectious Diseases and Social Equity | ||
| Social Impacts of Biomedical Research | ||
| Health Communication for Infectious Diseases | ||
| Advanced Microbiological Research Methods | ||
| Applied Immunology | ||
| Applied Microbiology and Virology | ||
| Medical Microbiology | ||
| Modern Molecular Biology for Microbiologists | ||
| Principles of Biodefense/Emerging Pathogens | ||
| MIP Master's Seminar: Series A | ||
| MIP Master's Seminar: Series B | ||
| MIP Master's Topics: Series A | ||
| MIP Master's Topics: Series B | ||
| Fundamentals of Computational Microbiology | ||
| Courses Offered by Other Departments: | ||
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Molecular Regulation of Cell Function | ||
| Cell and Tissue Engineering | ||
| STEM Communication | ||
| Mammalian Physiology I | ||
| Mammalian Physiology II | ||
| Linux as a Computational Platform | ||
| Genomics Data Analysis in Python | ||
| RNA-Sequencing Data Analysis | ||
| Cancer Biology | ||
| R Programming for Research | ||
| Cancer Genetics | ||
| Design and Data Analysis for Researchers I | ||
| Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 30 | |
A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program.
- 1
MIP 700 should be taken for a minimum of 2 credits. Exemptions and substitutions maybe granted with written approval from the associate department head of graduate education.
- 2
MIP 792A should be taken every Fall and Spring semester while in the program for a minimum of 4 credits. Exemptions and substitutions may be granted with written approval from the associate department head of graduate education.
- 3
MIP 698 and 699 each should be taken for a minimum of 1 credit.
- 4
A minimum of 9 credits must be regular courses with the MIP subject code prefix. Regular course work is defined as courses other than independent or group studies, thesis/dissertation credits, supervised college teaching, unique titled courses offered through the Division of Continuing Education, and any courses graded pass/fail.
Non-Coursework Requirements
Seminar Participation Requirement:
Students are required to register for the Department Seminar (MIP792A) and regularly attend seminars during the fall and spring semesters. Each graduate student is required to present in their second year in the program. Exemptions or waivers may be granted with written approval from the advisor and ADH of Graduate Education.
Thesis Requirement:
Students are required to prepare a thesis based upon research conducted during their program of study that contributes area knowledge. Requires approval of a research proposal, data collection/analysis, and formal oral defense.
Oral Defense Presentation:
Each candidate for a Master plan A degree must pass an oral final examination at least five weeks before the expected graduation. This is a public presentation to present research findings with a Q&A session.
Graduate Student Organization Participation and Well-being Check:
All enrolled graduate students are automatically members of the departmental graduate student organization and are assigned peer mentors when they enter the program. All incoming students set up a meeting each semester in their first year to discuss their well-being and assess their progress in integrating into the program, and to alleviate any possible hurdles that might prevent them from doing so.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |