Microbiology Major

Find new ways to prevent and treat disease and turn your discoveries into life-saving innovations. A Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree in microbiology from the University of Arizona prepares you to apply systems thinking and develop solutions to protect our planet and its inhabitants from microbial threats. This major is ideal for students pursuing careers in medicine, veterinary care, and scientific research.

Why Major in Microbiology?

Disease prevention has come a long way, but you want to take it farther. You'll join the front lines of exploration and protection of the world, while gaining a fundamental understanding of microbes and their vital importance to our everyday lives.

Students who major in microbiology may choose to specialize in food safety and consumer health, plant pathology and microbiology, environmental microbiology, microbial genomics and biotechnology, or medical microbiology.

A degree in microbiology will prepare you to work in the fields of microbiology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and scientific research. Moreover, a microbiology degree can serve as a springboard into graduate, medical, veterinary, law, or pharmacy school.

What Can You Do with a Degree in Microbiology?

There are a variety of career opportunities available to students who complete a bachelor of microbiology, including:

• Microbiologist: Work for government agencies, universities, agricultural companies, food safety organizations, research institutes, and international agencies to study microorganisms that live in the soil and how they affect agriculture.
• Industrial technician: Engineer organisms and communities to optimize and improve the production of food, pharmaceuticals, fuels, and many other products on a commercial scale.
• Pharmacologist: Investigate how drugs interact with biological systems so they can be administered safely and effectively. You may also conduct research to aid drug discovery and development or work in quality control for drug production.
• Forensic scientist: Provide impartial scientific evidence for use in courts of law to support the prosecution or defense in criminal and civil investigation. You'll search for and examine contact trade material associated with crimes.
• Pathologist: Study the causes, nature, and effects of diseases. You may focus on changes in cells, tissues, or organs that are the result of disease.

Microbiology Degree Requirements

As a microbiology student at the University of Arizona, you'll study the power of microorganisms and the role they play in human, animal, and plant health. Courses required to complete a bachelor of microbiology are subject to change, so remember to meet with your adviser regularly to review your course plan.

Accelerated Master of Science

In your junior year at the University of Arizona, you may apply for admission to the accelerated master of science program, which allows you to receive dual credit toward both your bachelor's and master's degrees for selected courses completed during your senior year of undergraduate studies. The accelerated program allows you to complete your master of science within one year of receiving your bachelor's degree.

Applicants must meet certain academic standards, have adequate experience in the research laboratory of a microbiology faculty member who chooses to sponsor them, and complete a formal thesis project.