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Microbiology, Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science with a major in microbiology requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 60–65 s.h. of work for the major, depending on the track. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. Courses for the major may not be taken pass
onpass. Students must also complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.

Overview

Microbiology is an excellent major for undergraduate students who want a strong general education with an emphasis on an important and interesting branch of biological sciences. Majoring in microbiology offers many benefits, including diverse career opportunities, medical advancements, environmental impact, biotechnology innovations, and food safety.

Requirements

The major in microbiology can be pursued on either a pre-medicine or a scholar track.

Pre-Medicine Track

Students in the pre-medicine track complete admission requirements for the Carver College of Medicine and for most colleges of medicine as an integral part of the completion of their major requirements. This track is recommended for pre-medical, pre-dental, and pre-pharmacy students.

• Supporting Coursework: 42-43 s.h.
  • BIOL:1411 and BIOL:1412: Foundations of Biology and Diversity of Form and Function
  • BMB:3120 and BMB:3130: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I and II
  • CHEM:1110 and CHEM:1120: Principles of Chemistry I and II
  • CHEM:2210 and CHEM:2220: Organic Chemistry I and II
  • CHEM:2410: Organic Chemistry Laboratory
  • One of the following:
    • BIOS:4120: Introduction to Biostatistics
    • MATH:1460: Calculus for the Biological Sciences
    • MATH:1550: Engineering Calculus I
    • MATH:1850: Calculus I
    • STAT:3510/IGPI:3510: Biostatistics
  • One of the following sequences:
    • PHYS:1511 and PHYS:1512: College Physics I and II
    • PHYS:1611 and PHYS:1612: Introductory Physics I and II
• Microbiology and Immunology Courses: 18 s.h.
  • Both of the following:
    • MICR:2157: General Microbiology (required with a grade of C or higher)
    • MICR:2158: General Microbiology Laboratory (required with a grade of C or higher)
  • Three of the following:
    • MICR:3147: Immunology and Human Disease
    • MICR:3159: Bacteria and Human Disease
    • MICR:3168: Viruses and Human Disease
    • MICR:3170: Bacterial Genetics
  • At least 4 s.h. from the following:
    • MICR:3145: Honors in Microbiology Thesis Preparation
    • MICR:3162: Bacterial Physiology and Cell Biology
    • MICR:3165: Genetics of Bacterial Pathogens Lab and Discussion
    • MICR:3177: Virology Discussion
    • MICR:3178: Virology Laboratory
    • MICR:3182: From Data to Discovery: Hands-On Code-Free Computational Biology
    • MICR:4161: Undergraduate Research in Microbiology
    • MICR:4171: Honors Undergraduate Research in Microbiology
    • MICR:4175: Topics in Parasitism
    • MICR:5264: Directed Study in Microbiology
• Advanced Elective Coursework: 3 s.h.
  • At least 3 s.h. from the following:
    • BIOL:2512: Fundamental Genetics
    • BIOL:2723: Cell Biology
    • BIOL:3172: Evolution
    • BIOL:3212/IGPI:3212: Bioinformatics for Beginners
    • BIOL:3314/IGPI:3314: Genomics
    • BIOL:4213/GENE:4213/IGPI:4213: Bioinformatics
    • CPH:2230: Finding Patient Zero: The Exploration of Infectious Disease Transmission and Pandemic Threats
    • GHS:2000/ANTH:2103: Introduction to Global Health Studies
    • GHS:2320/ANTH:2320: Origins of Human Infectious Disease
    • PCOL:3101: Pharmacology I: A Drug's Fantastic Journey
    • PCOL:3102: Pharmacology II: Mechanisms of Drug Action
    • Additional microbiology and immunology courses (prefix MICR) numbered MICR:3145 to MICR:5264, excluding MICR:3164

Scholar Track

Students in the scholar track pursue a curriculum with streamlined organic chemistry and physics requirements and expanded microbiology and immunology courses, including advanced laboratory and global health studies coursework. The scholar track is recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate training or in developing a career as a microbiologist.

• Supporting Coursework: 35-40 s.h.
  • BIOL:1411 and BIOL:1412: Foundations of Biology and Diversity of Form and Function
  • BMB:3120 and BMB:3130: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I and II
  • CHEM:1110 and CHEM:1120: Principles of Chemistry I and II
  • CHEM:2210: Organic Chemistry I
  • One of the following:
    • PHYS:1400: Basic Physics
    • PHYS:1400 and PHYS:1409: Basic Physics and Basic Physics Lab (PHYS:1400 taken for 3 s.h. and PHYS:1409 taken for 1 s.h.)
    • PHYS:1511 and PHYS:1512: College Physics I and II
  • One of the following:
    • BIOS:4120: Introduction to Biostatistics
    • MATH:1460: Calculus for the Biological Sciences
    • MATH:1550: Engineering Calculus I
    • MATH:1850: Calculus I
    • STAT:3510/IGPI:3510: Biostatistics
  • One of the following:
    • GHS:2000/ANTH:2103: Introduction to Global Health Studies
    • GHS:2320/ANTH:2320: Origins of Human Infectious Disease
• Microbiology and Immunology Courses: 19 s.h.
  • Both of the following:
    • MICR:2157: General Microbiology (required with a grade of C or higher)
    • MICR:2158: General Microbiology Laboratory (required with a grade of C or higher)
  • One of the following:
    • MICR:3165: Genetics of Bacterial Pathogens Lab and Discussion
    • MICR:3178: Virology Laboratory
    • MICR:4161: Undergraduate Research in Microbiology (must be taken for at least 2 s.h.)
    • MICR:4171: Honors Undergraduate Research in Microbiology (must be taken for at least 2 s.h.)
  • At least three of the following:
    • MICR:3147: Immunology and Human Disease
    • MICR:3159: Bacteria and Human Disease
    • MICR:3168: Viruses and Human Disease
    • MICR:3170: Bacterial Genetics
  • Additional microbiology and immunology courses (prefix MICR) selected from the following:
    • MICR:3145: Honors in Microbiology Thesis Preparation
    • MICR:3162: Bacterial Physiology and Cell Biology
    • MICR:3165: Genetics of Bacterial Pathogens Lab and Discussion
    • MICR:3177: Virology Discussion
    • MICR:3178: Virology Laboratory
    • MICR:3182: From Data to Discovery: Hands-On Code-Free Computational Biology
    • MICR:4161: Undergraduate Research in Microbiology
    • MICR:4171: Honors Undergraduate Research in Microbiology
    • MICR:4175: Topics in Parasitism
    • MICR:5264: Directed Study in Microbiology
• Advanced Elective Coursework: 6 s.h.
  • 6 s.h. from the following:
    • BIOL:2512: Fundamental Genetics
    • BIOL:2723: Cell Biology
    • BIOL:3172: Evolution
    • BIOL:3212/IGPI:3212: Bioinformatics for Beginners
    • BIOL:3314/IGPI:3314: Genomics
    • BIOL:4213/GENE:4213/IGPI:4213: Bioinformatics
    • BMB:3310/CBIO:3310/MMED:3310: Practical Data Science and Bioinformatics
    • CPH:2230: Finding Patient Zero: The Exploration of Infectious Disease Transmission and Pandemic Threats
    • GHS:2000/ANTH:2103: Introduction to Global Health Studies (if not taken as supporting coursework option)
    • GHS:2320/ANTH:2320: Origins of Human Infectious Disease (if not taken as supporting coursework option)
    • PCOL:3101: Pharmacology I: A Drug's Fantastic Journey
    • PCOL:3102: Pharmacology II: Mechanisms of Drug Action
    • Additional microbiology and immunology course (prefix MICR) numbered MICR:3145 or above, excluding MICR:3164 and MICR:5875

Honors in the Major

Students majoring in microbiology (either track) have the opportunity to graduate with honors in the major. They must maintain a cumulative University of Iowa grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.33 and a GPA of at least 3.33 in work for the major. To graduate with honors in the microbiology major, students must complete an additional 3 s.h. of coursework in microbiology and immunology beyond that required for the major. This must include 6 s.h. in MICR:4171 Honors Undergraduate Research in Microbiology that introduces them to experimental research. The final semester before graduation, students must complete MICR:3145 Honors in Microbiology Thesis Preparation, and must successfully present written and oral presentations of their research projects.

GE CLAS Core

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core requirements provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and a focused practice of transferable skills necessary for a lifetime of learning.

Communication and Literacy

• Understanding Cultural Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Interpretation of Literature: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Rhetoric: a minimum of 4 s.h.
• World Languages Pathways: required credit varies

Sustainability

Students complete this requirement by choosing an approved GE CLAS Core course that integrates Sustainability (with no additional semester hours) with a course from the Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences category or the Culture, Society, and the Arts category.

Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences

• Natural Sciences: a minimum of 7 s.h.; must include one lab
• Quantitative or Formal Reasoning: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Social Sciences: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Culture, Society, and the Arts

• Historical Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• International and Global Issues: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Values and Society: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Career Advancement

Graduates find employment opportunities in government, hospitals, public health laboratories, research laboratories, and industrial laboratories (food, dairy, chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology companies). Those who pursue advanced degrees have more advanced career opportunities in these same areas, with greater responsibilities and higher salaries, as well as in college and university teaching.

Academic Plans

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the university's Four-Year Graduation Plan.

Pre-Medicine Track

• Before the third semester begins: BIOL:1411 Foundations of Biology, CHEM:1110 Principles of Chemistry I, CHEM:1120 Principles of Chemistry II, and an approved calculus or biostatistics course.
• Before the fifth semester begins: BIOL:1412 Diversity of Form and Function, CHEM:2210 Organic Chemistry I, MICR:2157 General Microbiology, and MICR:2158 General Microbiology Laboratory.
• Before the seventh semester begins: seven more courses in the major and at least 90 s.h. earned toward the degree.
• Before the eighth semester begins: another 10–12 s.h. of coursework.
• During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining coursework in the major, all remaining required GE CLAS Core courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate.

Scholar Track

• Before the third semester begins: BIOL:1411 Foundations of Biology, CHEM:1110 Principles of Chemistry I, CHEM:1120 Principles of Chemistry II, and an approved calculus or biostatistics course.
• Before the fifth semester begins: BIOL:1412 Diversity of Form and Function, CHEM:2210 Organic Chemistry I, MICR:2157 General Microbiology, and MICR:2158 General Microbiology Laboratory.
• Before the seventh semester begins: seven more courses in the major and at least 90 s.h. earned toward the degree.
• Before the eighth semester begins: another 10–12 s.h. of coursework.
• During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining coursework in the major, all remaining required GE CLAS Core courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate.