Major in Biomedical Sciences, Microbiology and Infectious Disease Concentration

Microbiology is the study of organisms, many of which are too small to be seen with the naked eye, including fungi, protists, and bacteria, as well as acellular agents such as viruses and prions. Microbiology emerged as a distinct science in the late nineteenth century, with the discovery that microorganisms are the cause of many infectious diseases, and that they play essential roles in ecosystems (such as the microbiome) and in industrial processes. Much work in this field is directed toward the cure, control, or eradication of disease in humans and animals, as well as understanding how microbes support health and life. Genetically engineered microorganisms can also be used for the production of improved foods, new drugs and vaccines, and for removing toxic wastes and spills from the environment. Unfortunately, some microbes have received considerable attention as potential agents of bioterrorism and biowarfare, and consequently much work is being done to counter such threats.

Students completing the undergraduate Biomedical Sciences degree program with a concentration in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases acquire knowledge and laboratory skills in the structure, physiology, genetics, pathogenicity, ecology, and taxonomy of microorganisms, as well as immunological techniques. Students engage in authentic hypothesis-driven research problems in inquiry-based laboratory courses.  Required courses in biological sciences, chemistry, physics, and mathematics support the major. Ample opportunities exist for undergraduates to obtain laboratory research experience and many student researchers have presented at conferences and have been awarded research grants or fellowships.

A Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Microbiology and Infectious Disease prepares graduates well for continued education in a professional or graduate degree program or for employment in the field.

Learning Objectives

1. Core Knowledge: Students will apply and integrate the fundamentals of chemistry, microbial biology, and biochemistry and key principles from the following five core areas of the discipline: immunology, bacteriology, virology, microbial physiology, and microbial genetics.
2. Relevance/Impact: Students will demonstrate an awareness of issues at the forefront of the discipline and will evaluate the important interaction between microbes and society, from their beneficial use in industrial, biotechnological, and clinical applications to their role as etiologic agents of infectious disease in humans and animals. 
3. Communication Skills: Students will assimilate factual and conceptual information and effectively communicate disciplinary knowledge to both science literate and general audiences through written or verbal presentations.
4. Laboratory Skills: Students will demonstrate proficiency using microbiological and immunological laboratory techniques employed in clinical, industrial, and research laboratories, and will be able to explain the principles behind the procedures, employ mathematical computations, properly execute the procedures, interpret the results correctly, and analyze the results to draw a conclusion.

Potential Occupations

The curriculum, with the proper selection of departmental electives, meets the requirements for entrance into most professional programs in veterinary and human medicine, and is ideal preparation for students desiring a career as a veterinarian, physician, physician assistant, pharmacist, medical laboratory scientist, optometrist, or dentist. The degree also prepares students for graduate (PhD or MS) studies in various biological sciences, and also provides students with the knowledge and skills to go directly into a career. Career opportunities will continue to grow because microbiology is at the center of complex issues facing our world today, as well as at the forefront of fast-paced innovation and development. Employment opportunities exist in biotechnology (vaccine and therapeutics, pharmaceutical, food, beverage, and medical device industries); government public health agencies (CDC, FDA, and state and municipal health departments); and primary research institutions, such as universities.

For more information about the Microbiology & Infectious Disease concentration under the Biomedical Sciences Major, please visit the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Accelerated Program

The Microbiology and Infectious Disease concentration includes an accelerated program option for students to graduate on a faster schedule. Accelerated programs typically include 15-16 credits each fall and spring semester for three years, plus 6-9 credits over two to three summer sessions. Students who enter CSU with prior credit (AP, IB, transfer, etc.) may use applicable courses to further accelerate their graduation. Visit the Office of the Provost website for additional information about Accelerated Programs.

Learn more about the Health Promotion concentration on the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology website.

Effective Fall 2024

Concentration Electives 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select a minimum of 18 credits from the following not taken elsewhere in the program. CHEM 343 may count as a Concentration Elective for students who select organic chemistry Group B in the Sophomore year.
A minimum of two laboratory courses MUST be selected from the following:
MIP 150	Introduction to Research Methods
MIP 335	Food Microbiology Laboratory
MIP 343	Immunology Laboratory
MIP 352	Medical Bacteriology Laboratory
MIP 401	Laboratory Research Methods in Microbiology
MIP 425	Virology and Cell Culture Laboratory
MIP 433/ESS 433	Microbial Ecology Laboratory
MIP 462/BSPM 462/BZ 462	Parasitology and Vector Biology
MIP 550	Microbial and Molecular Genetics Laboratory
Two unique courses (for a maximum of 6 credits) may be selected from the following:
MIP 298	Introductory Research
MIP 384	Supervised College Teaching
MIP 495	Independent Study
MIP 498	Research
ANEQ 460	Meat Safety	2
BC 404	Comprehensive Biochemistry Laboratory	2
BC 463	Molecular Genetics	3
BMS 301	Human Gross Anatomy	5
BMS 302	Laboratory in Principles of Physiology	2
BMS 305	Domestic Animal Gross Anatomy	4
BMS 325	Cellular Neurobiology	3
BMS 330	Microscopic Anatomy	4
BMS 345	Functional Neuroanatomy	4
BMS 401	Laboratory Research in Biomedical Sciences	4
BMS 420	Cardiopulmonary Physiology	3
BMS 450	Pharmacology	3
BMS 460	Essentials of Pathophysiology	3
BSPM 302	Applied and General Entomology	2
BSPM 361	Elements of Plant Pathology	3
BZ 220	Introduction to Evolution	3
BZ 310	Cell Biology	4
BZ 333	Introductory Mycology	4
BZ 350	Molecular and General Genetics	4
BZ 360	Bioinformatics and Genomics	4
BZ 418	Ecology of Infectious Diseases	4
CHEM 334	Quantitative Analysis Laboratory	1
CHEM 335	Introduction to Analytical Chemistry	3
CHEM 343	Modern Organic Chemistry II 1	3
ERHS 220	Environmental Health	3
ERHS 320	Environmental Health--Water Quality	3
ERHS 332	Principles of Epidemiology	3
ERHS 340	Cancer Biology, Medicine, and Society	2
ERHS 350	Principles of Occupational Safety and Health	3
ERHS 410	Environmental Health-Air and Waste Management	3
ERHS 430	Human Disease and the Environment	3
ERHS 446	Environmental Toxicology	3
ERHS 448	Environmental Contaminants	3
ERHS 502	Fundamentals of Toxicology	3
ERHS 567	Cell and Molecular Toxicology Techniques	3
FTEC 360	Brewing Processes	4
FTEC 460	Brewing Science II	5
FTEC 574	Current Issues in Food Safety	2
LIFE 103	Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)	4
LIFE 201B	Introductory Genetics: Molecular/Immunological/Developmental (GT-SC2)	3
LIFE 203	Introductory Genetics Laboratory	2
LIFE 210	Introductory Eukaryotic Cell Biology	3
LIFE 211	Introductory Cell Biology Honors Recitation	1
LIFE 212	Introductory Cell Biology Laboratory	2
LIFE 320	Ecology	3
MATH 155	Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)	4
MATH 160	Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1)	4
MIP 303	General Microbiology--Honors Recitation	1
MIP 315	Pathology of Human and Animal Disease	3
MIP 334	Food Microbiology	3
MIP 400A	Capstone in Microbiology: Medical Microbiology	2
MIP 400B	Capstone in Microbiology: Biotechnology	2
MIP 400C	Capstone in Microbiology: Immunology	2
MIP 400D	Capstone in Microbiology: Microbial Diversity/Ecology	2
MIP 400E	Capstone in Microbiology: Microbial Genetics	2
MIP 400F	Capstone in Microbiology: Virology	2
MIP 400G	Capstone in Microbiology: Service Learning	2
MIP 400H	Capstone in Microbiology: Prion Biology	2
MIP 400I	Capstone in Microbiology: Mycobacterial Biology	2
MIP 400J	Capstone in Microbiology: Big Data Sets in Microbiology	2
MIP 400K	Capstone in Microbiology: Parasitology	2
MIP 400L	Capstone in Microbiology: Microbiome Biology	2
MIP 400M	Capstone in Microbiology: Vector Biology	2
MIP 400N	Capstone in Microbiology: Environmental Sustainability & Health Science	2
MIP 400O	Capstone in Microbiology: Pathology of Infectious Disease	2
MIP 400P	Capstone in Microbiology: Veterinary Microbiology	2
MIP 400Q	Capstone in Microbiology: One Health	2
MIP 400R	Capstone in Microbiology: Food Microbiology	2
MIP 400S	Capstone in Microbiology: Biofilm Biology	2
MIP 410	Foundations of Modern Biotechnology	2
MIP 432/ESS 432	Microbial Ecology	3
MIP 443	Microbial Physiology	4
MIP 450	Microbial Genetics	3
MIP 496	Group Study	1-3
MIP 530	Advanced Molecular Virology	4
MIP 540	Fundamentals of Biosafety and Biosecurity	2
MIP 555	Principles and Mechanisms of Disease	3
MIP 563	Biology of Disease Vectors	3
MIP 570	Functional Genomics	3
OT 215	Medical Terminology	1
PH 122	General Physics II (GT-SC1)	5
SOCR 330	Principles of Genetics	3
SOCR 455	Microbiomes of Soil Systems	3
SOCR 456	Soil Microbiology Laboratory	1
VS 331	Histology	4
VS 333	Domestic Animal Anatomy	4

¹

CHEM 343 may count as a Concentration Elective for students who select organic chemistry Group B in the Sophomore year.

²

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
To Declare Major: competitive entry controls required and capped enrollment in place. Please contact Director of Student Success in the CVMBS Student Success Center for more information.

To prepare for first semester: The curriculum for the microbiology and infectious disease concentration assumes students enter college prepared to take MATH 124. Entering students who are not prepared to take MATH 124 will need to prerequisite requirements in the first semester. Those requirements are listed as benchmark courses in Freshman Semester 1 below. LIFE 102 requires high school chemistry as a prerequisite; CHEM 111 requires Algebra II as a prerequisite (this prerequisite is met by having Algebra II by test credit, transfer credit, or placement out of MATH 117 and MATH 118 on Math Placement Exam).