The faculty offers high-quality M.S. and Ph.D. programs for students interested in Microbiology. Supported by funding from numerous federal agencies, private foundations and corporations, the Department's twelve research-active faculty members conduct highly regarded research that addresses important health, economic and other societal needs. Research areas of particular emphasis among our faculty are Molecular Microbiology, Microbial Pathogenesis, and Environmental Microbiology, which encompass the disciplines of immunology, molecular biology, microbial ecology, microbial genetics, microbial physiology, microbial pathogenesis, bacterial cell biology, bioinformatics, medical mycology, and virology. Working within a well-defined curriculum and employing state-of-the-art research facilities, the faculty prepares a small, select group of approximately 25 graduate students for successful careers as researchers in government and private organizations or as university faculty.

The Microbiology graduate program benefits substantially from its interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations with departments involved with graduate education in the biological sciences: Biology and Biochemistry. These close and active interchanges include collaborative research projects by our faculty, and they also provide the opportunity for our students to take courses in the other programs that enrich their graduate education in Microbiology. Furthermore, our participation in the interdisciplinary graduate programs in Cell, Molecular and Structural Biology and in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology expand the opportunity of our graduate students to engage with scientists with overlapping interests, and with scientists that bring different perspectives. New graduate-level courses in Bacterial Cell Biology (MBI 595) and Principles of Bioinformatics (MBI 585) complement the already strong set of courses available to our graduate students.

Our doctoral graduates have been appointed to prestigious post-doctoral fellowships in some of the most outstanding research institutions in the U.S. This reflects both the talents and capabilities of our students and the perception of the quality of our doctoral program by those institutions. Our students benefit from the intimacy of our program, the interactions with multiple faculty in related areas of research interest, and close research mentoring by the faculty.

Application Procedures and More Information

For information on admission to our graduate programs, procedures for applying, and financial support, visit:

• Graduate Program Admission

For information on degree requirements visit:

• Microbiology MS program
• Microbiology PhD program