The Field

Microbiology is central in the study of basic life sciences. It is closely connected to medical fields and plays a direct role in biotechnology and environmental studies. The program of study for Microbiology majors offers rigorus training for graduates who will enroll in graduate or medical/dental/veterinary school, seek positions in biotechnology research or seek positions in hospital, university or government laboratories upon graduation.

Microbiology applies to a breadth of endeavors from mitigating climate change to working with patients in a healthcare setting.  Increasing understanding of microbial life equips us to better solve environmental problems. Because it focuses on the study of viruses, bacteria, parasites, and the immune system, microbiology has a historical association with medicine and other health professions. Further, the recent explosive growth of biotechnology depends heavily on using microorganisms and molecular tools to produce biomedical and industrial products, and so has created a large demand for Microbiology graduates.  The advances in molecular biology have been largely accomplished using microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. This has drawn microbiology to the center of basic life science fields, such as molecular genetics and cell biology.  The principles and approaches developed using microorganisms prove applicable to all levels of biology.