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Microbiology

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Undergraduate Microbiology Major

Interested in the study of small things that have a big impact? Then Microbiology may be the place for you.

Our mission in the Microbiology Program is to instill a comprehensive understanding of microbiology and its relevance to human society and global health, and to cultivate the concepts and skills necessary to succeed in microbiology-related careers.

Iowa State University's Microbiology Undergraduate Program offers:

  • Extensive hands-on laboratory experiences that develop problem solving & technical skills used in a variety of professional careers.
  • Application of science to issues in the modern world.
  • Excellent preparation for human medicine and veterinary medicine.
  • Preparation for employment in a variety of professional settings.
  • Research opportunities and interaction with professors from across Iowa State University Departments of Animal Science, Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biology, Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary Pathology, Food Science, Entomology, and Geology.
  • Degrees in microbiology at both the undergraduate (B.S.) level and graduate (M.S., Ph.D., see Graduate Major) level.

Career opportunities:

Opportunities after graduation include the following: 

  • Biomedical research scientist
  • Biotechnology firms
  • Biorenewables industry
  • Forensic scientist
  • Pharmaceutical and vaccine development companies
  • Immunologist
  • Agricultural microbiology and plant pathology
  • International agricultural research centers
  • Government laboratories (CDC, NADC, USDA)
  • Infectious disease
  • Food safety and food technology
  • Water quality
  • Ecology and environmental microbiology
  • Botanical gardens & nurseries
  • Technical brewer
  • Science writer
  • Public health agencies
  • Public policy organizations

Interested in Human medicine or Veterinary medicine? A microbiology degree prepares students for advanced study in Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant Programs, and Physician or Veterinary education. Go to micro.iastate.edu to find more information about the Microbiology Program.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, students should be able to:

1. Research and critically evaluate topics in microbiology; understand and communicate results from primary and secondary literature to a variety of audiences.

2. Utilize appropriate quantitative and qualitative microbiological laboratory techniques and equipment, including microscopy, biochemical tests, serological assays, and genetic manipulation.

3. Explain how evolution unifies and explains the diversity of microbes in terms of microbial structure, function, metabolism, and genetics.

4. Describe common adaptations that enable organisms to survive in an ecological niche, such as how microbiota can impact plants, animals/humans, food, and soil health in beneficial, neutral, or negative ways.

5. Develop and follow lab protocols, interpret data, maintain an accurate lab notebook, and create illustrative graphs and tables.

6. Communicate and collaborate across disciplines about fundamental concepts in microbiology and discuss the relationship of science, society, and ethical issues in microbiology.

Curriculum in Microbiology

www.micro.iastate.edu

Administered by an interdepartmental committee.

Total Degree Requirement: 128 cr.

Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.

International Perspective: 3 cr.

International Perspectives Courses

U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.

U.S. Diversity Courses

Electives: 7-12

Communications Proficiency:

English composition - with a C or better6
Speech fundamentals - with a C or better3

Communication/Library:

ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
SPCM 2120Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
One course from the following:3
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Communicating Science and Public Engagement
Technical Communication
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
Total Credits13

 Humanities and Social Sciences:

Approved Humanities list 13
Approved Social Science list 23
1

 Humanities Course list

2

 Social Sciences Course list

Ethics: 3 cr.

3 cr. from approved Ethics Course list

Mathematical Sciences:

One of the following:7-8
Preparation for Calculus
and Survey of Calculus
Calculus I
and Calculus II
Survey of Calculus
and Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods
One of the following:3-4
Principles of Statistics
Introduction to Statistics
Total Credits10-12

 Physical Sciences:

CHEM 1770General Chemistry I4
CHEM 1770LLaboratory in General Chemistry I1
CHEM 1780General Chemistry II3
One of the following:5-10
Physics for the Life Sciences
and Laboratory in Physics for the Life Sciences
General Physics I
and General Physics I Laboratory
and General Physics II
and General Physics II Laboratory
CHEM 3310Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 3310LLaboratory in Organic Chemistry I1
CHEM 3320Organic Chemistry II3
One of the following:3-6
Biochemistry I
and Biochemistry II
Survey of Biochemistry
Principles of Biochemistry
Total Credits23-31

 Biological Sciences:

BIOL 2110Principles of Biology I3
BIOL 2110LPrinciples of Biology Laboratory I1
BIOL 2120Principles of Biology II3
BIOL 2120LPrinciples of Biology Laboratory II1
BIOL 3130Principles of Genetics3
BIOL 3130LGenetics Laboratory1
BIOL 3140Principles of Molecular Cell Biology3
Total Credits15

 Microbiology:

Core courses:
MICRO 1100Professional and Educational Preparation in Microbiology1
MICRO 3020Biology of Microorganisms3
MICRO 3020LMicrobiology Laboratory1
MICRO 3100Medical Microbiology3
One of the following:1
Medical Microbiology Laboratory
Immunology Laboratory
MICRO 3200Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology4
MICRO 4400Laboratory in Microbial Physiology, Diversity, and Genetics4
MICRO 4500Undergraduate Capstone Colloquium2
Survey in Microbiology
One of the following:3
Procaryotic Diversity and Ecology
Principles of Mycology
Bacterial-Plant Interactions
Additional nine credit hours from the following:9
Introductory Parasitology
Insects and Our Health
Insects and Our Health Laboratory
Microbial Genetics and Genomics
Microbiological Safety of Foods of Animal Origins
Virology
Food Microbiology
Food Microbiology Laboratory
Procaryotic Diversity and Ecology
Principles of Mycology
Immunology
Immunology Laboratory
Bacterial-Plant Interactions
Soil and Environmental Microbiology
Microbial Ecology
MICRO 4900
Independent Study
Microbiology elective - only 3 cr. lab courses allowed
Total Credits31

Microbiology, B.S.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL 1500 or 25003MICRO 30203
MICRO 11001MICRO 3020L1
MICRO 10103BIOL 21203
BIOL 21103BIOL 2120L1
BIOL 2110L1CHEM 17803
CHEM 17704STAT 10403
CHEM 1770L1Social Science choice3
LIB 16001 
 17 17
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MICRO 31003MICRO Environmental or Elective3
MICRO 3100L1BIOL 31303
CHEM 33103BIOL 3130L1
CHEM 3310L1CHEM 33203
MATH 1430, 1600, or 16504MATH 1600, STAT 3010, or MATH 16604
ENGL 25003Humanities choice3
 15 17
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MICRO Environmental or Elective3MICRO 32004
PHYS 1310 or 11504PHYS 1320 (if PHYS 1310 previously taken)4
PHYS 1310L or 1150L1PHYS 1320L (if PHYS 1310L previously taken)1
BIOL 3140 or 32803Advanced English3
SPCM 21203International Perspectives3
Gen Elective3 
 17 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MICRO 44004MICRO elective3
MICRO elective3MICRO 45002
MICRO 4510RBBMB 40503
ETHICS choice3Social Science choice3
BBMB 40403Gen Electives5
US Diversity3 
 16 16

Minor

The program offers a minor in microbiology which may be earned by accumulating a minimum of 15 credits of microbiology courses.

Students requesting a minor in Microbiology must take the following:

1) MICRO 2010 Introduction to Microbiology and MICRO 2010L Introductory Microbiology Laboratory or MICRO 3020 Biology of Microorganisms and MICRO 3020L Microbiology Laboratory

2) Additional lecture credits and no more than 3 additional lab credits to reach 15 credits. For a list of acceptable courses see https://www.micro.iastate.edu/files/inline-files/minor_in_microbiology_21-22_1.pdf

3) At least 6 credits at the 3000+ level and must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.

Graduate Study

The program offers work for the degrees Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in microbiology and for a minor for students majoring in other programs. The interdepartmental microbiology major is offered through faculty housed in twelve departments, including Agronomy; Animal Science; Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology; Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering; Entomology; Food Science and Human Nutrition; Genetics, Developmental and Cell Biology; Geological and Atmospheric Sciences; Plant Pathology and Microbiology; Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine; Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine; and Veterinary Pathology. Faculty coordinate graduate education and research in a wide range of topics fundamental to the discipline of microbiology. Specific information about individual faculty and their research areas is available at www.micrograd.iastate.edu.

Prerequisites to graduate study include a sound undergraduate background in chemistry, mathematics and biology, including microbiology and genetics.

Graduates in the Microbiology Graduate program have a broad-based knowledge in the fundamentals of microbiology as well as advanced knowledge in specific areas as determined by their areas of research focus. Students completing the thesis have the technical, research, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and computer skills to design, implement, and conduct research using a variety of current techniques and equipment. They are also able to communicate research results effectively with scientific peer groups in both oral and written formats.