Program Overview

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Microbiology Graduate Program

The Microbiology Graduate Program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field of microbiology. The program is structured to include both formal coursework and independent research projects.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Microbiology Graduate Program includes a series of core courses and elective courses. In the first year, students take an intensive graduate-level course that provides a unified presentation of the fundamental principles in the basic disciplines of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, and genetics. This core course is designed for all first-year basic science graduate students at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

In the spring semester of the first year, students take additional courses in bacterial and viral pathogenesis. Students may also take elective courses offered by other graduate programs. Students must earn 30 semester credit hours prior to the comprehensive examination and advancement to candidacy for the PhD degree.

Lab Rotations

Laboratory skills are necessary for successful completion of any PhD program. Three laboratory rotations are required of first-year students, running concurrently with the graduate course curriculum. First-year students may choose to perform laboratory rotations with any of the training faculty participating in the Microbiology program.

Journal Clubs and Seminars

Throughout their graduate training, students participate in a variety of journal clubs and "Research in Progress" seminars. In these interactive sessions, students learn to critically evaluate the scientific literature and develop strong presentation skills.

Required Coursework and Activities

YEAR 1

• Microbiology Graduate Program New Student Orientation
• Microbiology Graduate Program Student Retreat, Fall Semester
• 4 Pre-Comp Advisory Committee meetings: during orientation, and end of each rotation
• Attend and participate in Infectious Disease Journal Club (IDJC)
• Wednesday Student Research in Progress Seminars and Friday Seminar Series
• Present 15-minute summary seminar after each rotation

Fall Semester Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Research in Microbiology	1 credit	MICB
Research in Microbiology	1	MICB 7650
Statistics for Basic Scientists	3 credits	BIOS 6606*
Foundations in Biomedical Sciences	6 credits	BMSC 7806**
Core Topics in Biomedical Sciences topics A
Microbiology in Biomedical Research	2 credits	BMSC
Core Topics in Biomedical Sciences topics B
The Microbiome in Health and Medicine, Gene Regulation and RNA Biology in Disease, Principles of Cancer Biology	2 credits	BMSC, -008, or -011

Spring Semester Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Research in Microbiology	1 credit	MICB 7650, 001
Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Disease	3 credits	MICB 7703
Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis	3 credits	MICB 7701

Summer Semester Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Doctoral Thesis	1 credit	MICB 8990

YEAR 2

• Microbiology Graduate Student Retreat
• IDJC, Attend and Present
• Attend Friday Seminar Series
• Attend and Present in Student RIP series on Wednesday
• Committee meetings, with Pre-Comps or Comps Committee
• Comprehensive Exam written proposal due two weeks before oral exam and no later than May 1

Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Introduction to Bioinformatics, Fall	3 credits	IMMU 6110
Science as a Profession, Fall	1 credit	IMMU 7607
Research in Microbiology, Fall/Spring	variable	MICB 7650-0V3
Workshop in Scientific Writing, Spring	1 credit	IMMU 7605

Summer Semester Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Doctoral Thesis	1 credit	MICB 8990-OV1

YEAR 3 AND BEYOND

• Microbiology Graduate Student Retreat
• IDJC Attend and Present
• Attend Friday Seminar Series
• Attend and Present in Student RIP series on Wednesday
• 2 Thesis Committee meetings
• Ethics instruction must be undertaken at least once during each career stage, and at a frequency of no less than once every four years.

Course Curriculum

Course Name	Number of Credits	Catalog Number
Doctoral Thesis	5 credits Fall/Spring, 1 credit Summer, *5 credits if defending in Summer	MICB 8990

Thesis Preparation

• Obtain approval from Thesis Committee to write dissertation ~6 months before anticipated defense date
• Thesis due to Thesis Committee members at least 2 weeks before oral defense