Program Overview

Overview

The University of Miami offers a unique four-year combined undergraduate program in Microbiology and Immunology, with a double major track opportunity in Public Health. This program provides students with a broad knowledge base, laboratory experiences, and the opportunity to conduct research in one of the laboratories at the Miller School of Medicine.

Curriculum Requirements

The curriculum for the double major in Microbiology and Immunology and Public Health includes:

• Microbiology and Immunology major requirements:
  • Required coursework (15 credits)
  • Elective coursework (9 credits)
  • Research in Microbiology and Immunology for credit
• Public Health additional major requirements:
  • Introduction to Public Health (3 credits)
  • Introductory Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • Introductory Statistics in Health Care (3 credits)
  • Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (3 credits)
  • Global Health (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Health Policy (3 credits)
  • Health and Environment (3 credits)
  • Public Health Statistics and Data Management (3 credits)
  • Issues in Health Disparities (3 credits)
  • Field Practicum in Community Health (4 credits)
• Courses taken in fulfillment of both majors:
  • Introduction to Microbes and the Immune System (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Microbes and the Immune System (Lab) (3 credits)
  • Introductory Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • Immunobiology (3 credits)
  • Advanced Topics in Microbiology and Immunology (A) (3 credits)
• Required natural science courses:
  • Chemistry courses (15 credits)
  • Biology courses (10 credits)
  • Biochemistry for the Biomedical Sciences (4 credits)
  • Physics courses (10 credits)
  • Calculus courses (8-12 credits)
• General education requirements:
  • Written communication skills (6 credits)
  • Quantitative skills (3 credits)
  • Areas of knowledge:
    • Arts and humanities cognate (9 credits)
    • People and society cognate (9 credits)
    • STEM cognate (9 credits)
• Additional required courses:
  • Language requirement (3 credits)
• Total credit hours: 121

Sample Plan of Study

A sample plan of study for the double major in Microbiology and Immunology and Public Health is provided, assuming courses are taken during the fall and spring semesters. This plan includes:

• Freshman year:
  • Fall: Introduction to Microbes and the Immune System (Lab), General Biology, Chemistry Laboratory I, First-Year Writing I
  • Spring: Introduction to Microbes and the Immune System, Evolution and Biodiversity, Chemical Dynamics Laboratory, First-Year Writing II
• Sophomore year:
  • Fall: Introduction to Public Health, Introductory Statistics in Health Care, Organic Reactions and Synthesis, Calculus I
  • Spring: Immunobiology, Introductory Epidemiology, Biochemistry for the Biomedical Sciences, Calculus II
• Junior year:
  • Fall: Global Health, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, College Physics I, Physics Laboratory 1, Foreign Language Course
  • Spring: Advanced Topics in Microbiology and Immunology (B), Health and Environment, Introduction to Health Policy, College Physics II, Physics Laboratory 2
• Senior year:
  • Fall: Microbial Biology and Pathogenesis, Special Projects in Immunobiology, Public Health Statistics and Data Management, Applications to Medical or Graduate School
  • Spring: Medical Parasitology, Issues in Health Disparities, Field Practicum in Community Health, Arts and Humanities Cognate Course