Program Overview

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Microbiology, BS (CALS)

The smallest living things including bacteria, viruses, and yeast may not be visible to the human eye, but they have big effects on health, food, medicine, energy, and the environment. These tiny organisms, called microbes, were the first life forms on Earth and continue to influence the planet in significant ways. Microbiomes communities of microbes are increasingly studied by researchers focusing on human health, global warming, infectious disease, environmental remediation, bioenergy, and much more.

Program Overview

The microbiology major prepares students for modern research in microbiology with a heavy emphasis on practical laboratory experiences. Students learn the cellular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and physiology of microbes. Through courses, students learn laboratory techniques gaining the type of hands-on experiences with modern equipment that employers and graduate and professional schools seek. Additionally, students can conduct mentored and independent research projects in faculty laboratories where they will learn to critically evaluate scientific data, carry out laboratory experiments, and communicate scientific information.

Career Opportunities

Microbiology majors graduate prepared for careers in biotechnology, education, healthcare, information technology, and food safety. Many students pursue graduate and professional studies, including medical school, dental school, and biological sciences PhD programs.

Learn through Hands-on, Real-world Experiences

With so many microbiologists on the faculty, students have numerous opportunities to conduct research in faculty labs. As one of the largest research buildings on campus, students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and are able to conduct cutting-edge experiments using novel techniques that few other undergraduate programs allow. Through a senior-year capstone course, students conduct research under the direction of a professor or as part of class projects that have included culturing microbes from the gut of hibernating ground squirrels, comparing bacteria from the mouths of athletes and non-athletes, and culturing microbes found in deep sea vents. This kind of hands-on experience distinguishes microbiology majors from other graduates and enhances the real-world skills that are valued by post-secondary schools and employers.

Build Community and Networks

Through the Microbiology Club, students establish study groups, explore careers, and teach others on campus and in the community about microbiology. Through events like cheese, yogurt, and kombucha making, the club offers opportunities for community-building both within the program and with the broader university community. This student organization is the official American Society of Microbiology undergraduate chapter for the UWMadison and provides annual travel and research awards to outstanding students.

Customize a Path of Study

Core courses focus on the diversity, genetics, biochemistry, and physiology of microorganisms. A variety of elective courses provide the opportunity to study environmental microbiology, food microbiology, microbial pathogenesis, immunology, virology, microbiomes, microbial biotechnology, and public health, as well as advanced topics in microbial genetics and physiology. Students may also pursue honors in microbiology.

Make a Strong Start

All courses in the program, including entry-level courses, are taught by faculty who specialize in teaching microbiology.

Gain Global Perspective

Majors can also choose from a variety of study abroad programs including short-term field experiences, summer research opportunities, and semester-long exchange programs at top universities around the world. A study abroad program in Thailand specifically tailored for microbiology majors is frequently offered and led by microbiology faculty from UWMadison. Students can explore studying abroad as a microbiology major by utilizing the Microbiology Major Advising Page. Students work with their advisor and the CALS study abroad office to identify appropriate programs.

Admission Requirements

• No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare.
• Courses required to get in: None
• GPA requirements to get in: None
• Credits required to get in: Must have fewer than 86 credits.
• Other: Students who do not meet the requirements above or are not in good academic standing should schedule a meeting with CALS Dean on Call to discuss exceptions.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below.

• BreadthHumanities/Literature/Arts: 6 credits
• BreadthNatural Science: 4 to 6 credits, consisting of one 4- or 5-credit course with a laboratory component; or two courses providing a total of 6 credits
• BreadthSocial Studies: 3 credits
• Communication Part A & Part B
• Ethnic Studies
• Quantitative Reasoning Part A & Part B

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements

In addition to the University General Education Requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements (General Education and Breadth) or within college requirements (First-Year Seminar, International Studies, Science, and Capstone), but courses counted toward university requirements may also be used to satisfy a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, courses counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.

• Quality of Work: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation.
• Residency: Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UWMadison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree.
• First year seminar: 1 credit
• International studies: 3 credits
• Physical science fundamentals: 4-5 credits
  • CHEM 103: General Chemistry I
  • or CHEM 108: Chemistry in Our World
  • or CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry
• Biological science: 5 credits
• Additional science (biological, physical, or natural): 3 credits
• Science breadth (biological, physical, natural, or social): 3 credits
• CALS Capstone Learning Experience: included in the requirements for each CALS major (see "major requirements")

Major Requirements

• Mathematics: Complete one of the following: 5-10 credits
  • MATH 171 & MATH 217: Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry I and Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II
  • MATH 221: Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1
• Statistics: Complete one of the following: 3 credits
  • STAT 371: Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences (Recommended)
  • STAT 301: Introduction to Statistical Methods
  • STAT 240: Data Science Modeling I
• General Chemistry: Complete one of the following: 5-10 credits
  • CHEM 103 & CHEM 104: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry
  • CHEM 115 & CHEM 116: Chemical Principles I and Chemical Principles II
• Organic Chemistry: Complete all of the following:
  • CHEM 343: Organic Chemistry I: 3 credits
  • CHEM 344: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory: 2 credits
  • CHEM 345: Organic Chemistry II: 3 credits
• Biology Foundation: Complete one of the following: 10-13 credits
  • BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 & BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152: Introductory Biology and Introductory Biology 1
  • BIOCORE 381 & BIOCORE 382 & BIOCORE 383 & BIOCORE 384 & BIOCORE 485: Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics and Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory and Cellular Biology and Cellular Biology Laboratory and Principles of Physiology 1
  • ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 & ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 102 & BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130: Animal Biology and Animal Biology Laboratory and General Botany
• Physics: Select one of the following: 8-10 credits
  • PHYSICS 103 & PHYSICS 104: General Physics and General Physics 2
  • PHYSICS 207 & PHYSICS 208: General Physics and General Physics 2
  • PHYSICS 201 & PHYSICS 202: General Physics and General Physics
• Biochemistry: Complete one of the following: 3-6 credits
  • BIOCHEM 501: Introduction to Biochemistry
  • BIOCHEM 507 & BIOCHEM 508: General Biochemistry I and General Biochemistry II
• Microbiology Courses:
  • Microbiology Core: Complete all of the following courses (except where noted, all microbiology core courses are offered every fall and spring semester):
    • MICROBIO 303: Biology of Microorganisms: 3 credits
    • MICROBIO 304: Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory: 2 credits
    • MICROBIO 305: Critical Analyses in Microbiology: 1 credit
    • MICROBIO 450: Diversity, Ecology and Evolution of Microorganisms (Spring only): 3 credits
    • MICROBIO 470: Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines: 3 credits
    • MICROBIO 526: Physiology of Microorganisms: 3 credits
    • MICROBIO 527: Advanced Laboratory Techniques in Microbiology (Fall only): 2 credits
  • Microbiology Capstone (required):
    • MICROBIO 551: Capstone Research Project in Microbiology (Spring only): 2 credits
  • Microbiology Electives: Complete at least 6 credits; at least 3 credits must come from Set A.
    • Set A:
      • MICROBIO/FOOD SCI 324: Food Microbiology Laboratory
      • MICROBIO/FOOD SCI 325: Food Microbiology
      • MICROBIO/AN SCI/BOTANY 335: The Microbiome of Plants, Animals, and Humans
      • MICROBIO 345: Introduction to Disease Biology
      • MICROBIO 357: General Bioinformatics for Microbiologists
      • MICROBIO/SOIL SCI 425: Environmental Microbiology
      • MICROBIO 520: Planetary Microbiology: What Life Here Tells Us About Life Out There
      • MICROBIO/SOIL SCI 523: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry
      • MICROBIO 525: Field Studies of Planetary Microbiology and Life in the Universe
      • MICROBIO/ONCOLOGY 545: Topics in Biotechnology (topics vary by semester)
      • MICROBIO/BIOCHEM/GENETICS 612: Prokaryotic Molecular Biology
      • MICROBIO 626: Microbial and Cellular Metabolomics
      • MICROBIO 657: Bioinformatics for Microbiologists
      • MICROBIO/BMOLCHEM 668: Microbiology at Atomic Resolution
    • Set B:
      • BIOCHEM/M M & I 575: Biology of Viruses
      • BIOCHEM 601: Protein and Enzyme Structure and Function
      • BOTANY 330: Algae
      • BOTANY/PL PATH 332: Fungi
      • BOTANY/ENTOM/PL PATH 505: Plant-Microbe Interactions: Molecular and Ecological Aspects
      • CHEM 665: Biophysical Chemistry
      • COMP SCI/B M I 576: Introduction to Bioinformatics
      • F&W ECOL/SURG SCI 548: Diseases of Wildlife
      • FOOD SCI 550: Fermented Foods and Beverages
      • M M & I 301: Pathogenic Bacteriology
      • M M & I 341: Immunology
      • M M & I/ENTOM/PATH-BIO/ZOOLOGY 350: Parasitology
      • M M & I 554: Emerging Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism
      • ONCOLOGY/M M & I/PL PATH 640: General Virology-Multiplication of Viruses
      • PATH-BIO/M M & I 528: Immunology
      • PL PATH 622: Plant-Bacterial Interactions
      • PL PATH/BOTANY/GENETICS/M M & I 655: Biology and Genetics of Fungi

Honors in the Major

To earn honors in the major in Microbiology, students must satisfy the requirements for the major (above) as well as the following requirements. All courses used for honors in the major requirements must receive "B" or better grades to fulfill requirements.

• Earn a 3.300 overall university GPA.
• Earn a 3.300 GPA for all MICROBIO courses, and all courses accepted in the major.
• Complete a two-semester senior honors thesis (MICROBIO 681 and MICROBIO 682) for 6 credits total and present research in a public forum.
• Complete at least 20 credits from the following coursework:
  • 6 or more of the 20 credits must be courses taken for honors from the Core and Foundation Honors Coursework list.
  • Other courses taken for honors that fulfill requirements for the major (see major requirements above).
  • Set A microbiology electives completed beyond the major requirements.
  • Honors coursework in MATH, CHEM, PHYSICS, or BIOCORE from the lists below.

University Degree Requirements

To receive a bachelor's degree from UWMadison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements.

• Total Degree: 120 credits
• Residency: Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UWMadison.
• Quality of Work: Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing.

Learning Outcomes

1. Develop a fundamental understanding of the principles of microbiology and the necessary skills for a professional career in microbiology
2. Apply the scientific method to questions. Formulate a hypothesis, gather data, and analyze that data to assess the degree to which their work supports the hypothesis.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in the techniques used in microbiology and an ability to critically analyze data and integrate ideas for problem solving
4. Access the primary and secondary literature and, in combination with their own findings, effectively communicate their ideas both orally and in written form.
5. Learn about and demonstrate personal and professional ethics.

Four-Year Plan

This sample four-year plan is a tool to assist students and their advisors. Students should use it - along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools - to make their own four-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests.

• Freshman:
  • Fall: General Chemistry, Math, COMM-A, First-Year Seminar, Elective
  • Spring: Gen Chem or Electives, Math, Electives, Intro Biology
• Sophomore:
  • Fall: CHEM 343, Math, Intro Biology, Elective
  • Spring: CHEM 345, CHEM 344, BIOCHEM 501, MICROBIO 305, Elective
• Junior:
  • Fall: General Physics, MICROBIO 303, MICROBIO 304, MICROBIO 305, Research, Electives
  • Spring: General Physics, MICROBIO 470, BIOCHEM 501, Research, Electives
• Senior:
  • Fall: MICROBIO 526, MICROBIO 527, Research, Electives
  • Spring: MICROBIO 450, MICROBIO 551, Research, Electives

Three-Year Plan

This sample three-year plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it - along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools - to make their own three-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests.

• Courses taken the summer before arriving on campus:
  • INTER-AG 140: CALS QuickStart: Foundations
  • INTER-AG 141
• First Year:
  • Fall: CHEM 103, Comm A Requirement, STAT 371 or 301, Humanities breadth, Social Science breadth
  • Spring: CHEM 104, BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151, Elective, Humanities breadth
  • Summer: MICROBIO 303, MICROBIO 304
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CHEM 343, BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152, MICROBIO 470, International Studies CALS requirement, Elective
  • Spring: CHEM 345, CHEM 344, BIOCHEM 501, MICROBIO 305, Elective
• Third Year:
  • Fall: MICROBIO 527, MICROBIO 526, PHYSICS 103 or 207, Major Elective, Elective
  • Spring: MICROBIO 551, MICROBIO 450, PHYSICS 104 or 208, Major Elective, Elective

Advising and Careers

Each student is assigned a professional academic advisor who works to understand student goals and helps to craft a path that best suits their needs. Additionally, faculty provide students with ongoing professional and scientific mentorship. More than 60% of students in the major conduct faculty-directed research. With low ratios of students to faculty, students also receive additional faculty mentoring in the classroom. Alumni hold professional positions as physicians, research scientists, public health officials, dentists, optometrists, physician assistants, physical therapists, master brewers, quality control officers, health inspectors, professors, and more. Graduates are recognized for their skills in laboratory research and scientific communication, skills that are valued by potential employers and professional schools.

Wisconsin Experience

UW-Madison is recognized as one of the birthplaces of Microbiology, as recognized by the American Society for Microbiologys Milestones in Microbiology. UWMadison is the first school to teach microbiology in the U.S., and it is consistently ranked as one of the top public schools in the field. The majority of microbiology majors conduct research in a faculty-led research lab where they receive direct mentorship from professors, scientists, and graduate students. Because UWMadison has the highest concentration of microbiologists on any U.S. campus, students have many research options. The Microbiology Club is the undergraduate-led student chapter of the American Society of Microbiology. Microbiology majors can participate in several international academic experiences including short-term field experiences, summer research opportunities, and semester-long exchange programs at top universities around the world. The UW Microbiology and Public Health in Northern Thailand program occurs during the summer. Our students engage in numerous volunteer activities spearheaded by the Microbiology Club. This involves explaining microbiology and its impact during public educational events at UWMadison. Many students also volunteer at local public schools to teach microbiology to elementary-aged students.

Resources and Scholarships

Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences receive more than $1.25 million in scholarships annually. Learn more about college scholarships at education/cals-scholarships/. The Department of Bacteriology offers several scholarships to students in the microbiology major. Awards are given annually and fund undergraduate research, provide travel stipends to microbiology students attending professional scientific conferences, or recognize outstanding graduating seniors. Learn more at bacteriology.wisc.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/.