Microbiology & Cell Science

The University of Florida Department of Microbiology and Cell Science offers a Master of Science Degree and a Graduate Certificate in the field of Microbiome and Health. This fully online graduate program provides an in-depth understanding of the role of the human microbiome in disease, the short and long-term effects of antibiotic use on the human gut microbiome, regulatory aspects of microbiome-based therapies, fundamental concepts and quantitative methodology to study the microbiome, and bioinformatics tools to evaluate microbiome composition.

Top Industries in This Field

The microbiome has become one of the hottest areas in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With the recent advancement of DNA sequencing technologies, microbiology research has revealed that imbalance in the human microbiome is linked not only to gastrointestinal conditions but systemic disease as well, including autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s disease, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis.

A keen understanding for the role of microbiomes in health and disease will help advance careers in:

Research and Development
Clinical Trials
Regulatory Affairs
Medical Affairs
Data Analysis and Bioinformatics
Pharmaceutical Sales and Biotechnology Sales
Science Communications
Academia

Bioinformatics

This program offers a unique opportunity to develop the foundational bioinformatics skills used in modern microbiology research. The courses available that predominantly focus on computational analysis are:

BSC6895C AI in Agriculture and Life Sciences - Neural network modeling
BSC 6459 Fundamentals in Bioinformatics - Non-programming genomic data analysis
MCB 6318 Comparative Microbial Genomics - Non-programming genomic and post-genomic analysis
MCB 6326 Computational Genomics and Epigenomics - Large-scale genomic and epigenomic analysis
MCB 6670c The Microbiome - Genomic and metagenomic analysis
MCB 6796 Microbiological Data Analysis - R programming language for DNA sequencing analysis

Master of Science Degree

Microbiology & Cell Science with a Concentration in Microbiome in Health and Disease

The Master of Science degree in microbiology and cell science with a concentration in microbiome in health and disease is a 30-credit program designed to be completed entirely online with no in-person laboratory requirements.

Curriculum and Admissions Information

Curriculum Overview: M.S. Microbiome in Health and Disease
Download the Course Planning Document for the M.S. Microbiome in Health & Disease.

Foundation Courses (18 credits)

Students are required to complete all SIX courses below:

MCB 6670c The Microbiome (3 credits)
MCB 6424 Probiotics (3 credits)
MCB 5270 Antimicrobial Resistance (3 credits)
MCB 5505 General Virology (3 credits)
BSC 6895c AI in Agriculture and Life Sciences (3 credits)
MCB 6900 Final Literature Review (1 credit)

Pick TWO of the courses below:

MCB 6937 Regulatory Aspects of Microbiome-Based Therapies (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Mechanisms of Host/Microbiome Interactions (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Virome/Host Interactions (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Microbiome Therapeutics/Clinical Trials (1 credit)

Choose Between the Microbiome/Host Interactions and Microbiome Quantitative Tracks

The Master of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science with a concentration in Microbiome in Health and Disease offers the choice between two tracks. Students must select a track but may take courses from the other track as electives.

Microbiome/Host Interactions Track (6 credits)

This track is recommended for students who want to focus their studies on the clinical impact of the microbiome on host physiology and the immune system.

Must Take:

PCB 5235 Immunology (3 credits)

Pick ONE:

MCB 6407 Prokaryotic Cell Structure and Function (3 credits)
MCB 5205 Microbiology of Human Pathogens (3 credits)
MCB 6151 Prokaryotic Diversity (3 credits)

Microbiome Quantitative Track (6 credits)

This track is recommended for students interested in developing bioinformatics and computational analysis skills to evaluate fluctuations in microbiome composition.

Must Take TWO:

BSC 6459 Fundamentals in Bioinformatics (3 credits)
MCB 6796 Microbiological Data Analysis (3 credits)
MCB 6326 Computational Genomics and Epigenomics (3 credits)
MCB 6318 Comparative Microbial Genomics (2 credits)

Pick ONE if needed to fulfill 6 credits:

MCB 6937 Regulatory Aspects of Microbiome-Based Therapies (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Mechanisms of Host/Microbiome Interactions (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Virome/Host Interactions (1 credit)
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquy: Microbiome Therapeutics/Clinical Trials

Elective Courses (6 credits)

Students may take any of the following courses to fulfill the 6 remaining credits for completion of the 30-credit program

View All Electives

Literature Review

To graduate, all M.S. students must satisfactorily complete MCB 6900 – Final Literature Review and its required paper. The Literature Review Paper provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate the knowledge they gained during the program and their ability to apply it to current and emerging microbiology research.

Successful completion the Literature Review Paper as part of MCB6900 – Final Literature Review fulfills the University of Florida Graduate School's requirement of a comprehensive final exam. There is no additional examination.

Tuition & Fees: Master of Science

Online Master of Science Tuition & Fees per Credit Hour
- Florida Resident tuition: $535.00 per credit plus fees
- Non-Resident tuition: $535.00 per credit plus fees
- Fees: $35.75 per credit. This includes the following fees:
  - Capital Improvement Fund 6.76
  - Student Financial Aid 22.43
  - Technology Fee 6.56

Online Master of Science Estimated Cost of Completion

The total approximate cost for a Master of Science Degree: $16,050 plus fees*

*Additional costs for required university fees and textbooks are not included in this price.

Admissions Requirements: M.S. Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA and 3.0 upper division GPA.

Graduate Certificate

Microbiome and Health

The Microbiome and Health Graduate Certificate is a 12-credit online program focused on the increasingly important study of microbiomes. This program will give you a deeper understanding of the microscopic ecosystems that exist all around just beyond our sight. You will acquire skills in understanding probiotics, antimicrobial resistance, and virology through a comprehensive study of the human gut microbiome, a focus on emerging pathogens, an exploration of the virome, and more.

Curriculum and Admissions Information

Curriculum Overview: Graduate Certificate in Microbiome and Health

The Microbiome and Health graduate certificate requires completion of 12 credits. Specific course requirements are outlined below.

Foundation Courses (9 credits)

Pick THREE:

MCB 6670c The Microbiome (3 credits)
MCB 6424 Probiotics (3 credits)
MCB 5270 Antimicrobial Resistance (3 credits)
BSC 6895C AI in Agriculture and Life Sciences (3 credits)
MCB 5505 General Virology (3 credits)

Elective Courses (3 credits)

Pick ONE elective. In addition to the courses listed below, students may take the remaining foundation course for elective credit:

MCB 6407 Prokaryotic Cell Structure and Function
PCB 5235 Immunology
MCB 5205 Microbiology of Human Pathogens

Admissions Requirements: Graduate Certificate in Microbiome and Health

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a 2.7 overall GPA and 2.7 upper-division GPA.

Tuition & Fees: Graduate Certificates

Online Graduate Certificates Tuition & Fees per Credit Hour
- Tuition And Fees
- Florida Resident tuition: $535.00 per credit plus fees
- Non-Resident tuition: $535.00 per credit plus fees
- Fees: $35.75 per credit. This includes the following fees:
  - Capital Improvement Fund 6.76
  - Student Financial Aid 22.43
  - Technology Fee 6.56

Online Graduate Certificates Estimated Cost of Completion

Medical Microbiology Graduate Certificate: $5,885 plus fees* Environmental Microbiology Graduate Certificate: $6,955 plus fees* Microbiome and Health Graduate Certificate: $6,420 plus fees*

*Additional costs for required university fees and textbooks are not included in this price.

Microbiome in Health and Disease

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